Faith, Work & Money
Overview
It may seem obvious that Christians should live all of their life through the lens of faith, but what does that really mean?
- What spiritually grounded choices should we make in our jobs?
- How do we navigate ethical dilemmas in a secularized environment?
- What is the deeper motivation and purpose to keep us engaged at work?
- Which workplace is more sacred and important to the Kingdom? The church? The home? The marketplace?
A Christian's Dilemma
Most believers struggle to see purpose in their work beyond making a living and building a career. The Barna Group found that only 28% of working Christians aspire to integrate faith and work. Looking at that another way, three out of every four believers do not see how biblical principles and Christian faith inform everyday work. We can experience work as disconnected from God’s plans and without any eternal value.
Integrating faith into our work is not confined to only sharing the gospel. It is working and making decisions with God’s kingdom purposes in mind for the benefit of people. God placed leaders in charge to govern and manage organizations and nations. God equipped individuals to contribute to human flourishing through vocational work.
The consequences of lacking a Christian voice in the workplace has led to some of these things:
- National runaway debt
- Racial tensions dividing Christians and pulling the Church apart
- Political loyalties greater than Biblical commitment
- Increased sexualization in culture
- Media, technology, and education targeting wickedness at children
- Rampant ethical compromises and corruption in business
A Church and the Pastor's Influence
So, what do you do as a pastor?
You have a powerful role with strong impact. Possibly more than you realize. You can influence people to help solve big problems in the world and in culture.
The Faith, Work & Money Church Integration Inventory is part of your solution. It can create a roadmap and a pathway forward for your church. As a pastor, you’re like the air traffic control tower at the airport sending each plane out into the world, making sure they have what they need to reach their destination, wherever that may be.
This Church Integration Inventory empowers you to assess your current efforts, or to find the best starting point for equipping your congregation right where they work. This is an organizational assessment that serves as a “snapshot” in four key areas: Leadership, Congregation, Culture and Administration.
In total, these 12 key indicators become diagnostic tools for faith, work and money efforts in your church. Additionally, there are 12 key ideas which are themes considering both the people and the organization.
If your church has struggled to gain traction discipling people for work life, or if you don’t know where to begin, this report will provide clarity and direction for a successful launch.
Contact us at helen.m.mitchell@biola.edu for more information or to get started.
This is a joint project between the Talbot Center for Faith, Work & Economics and At Work on Purpose.