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Discipleship with Monday in Mind: How Churches Across the Country Are Helping Their People Connect Faith and Work
How can you help your congregation make the connection between Sunday worship and Monday work?
Most Christians spend the majority of their lives at work, whether as lawyers or construction workers, stay-at-home parents or globe-trotting executives. At Made to Flourish, we believe the gospel’s redemptive power affects every part of life, including how we work. We want to help you encourage and equip your congregation to see how their good work matters to God.
This short book is packed with interviews and examples of creative ways pastors around the country are integrating faith, work, and economics for their congregations and local context. We hope this concise and practical guide will help you take real steps towards affirming the rich theological significance of the daily grind.
Most Christians spend the majority of their lives at work, whether as lawyers or construction workers, stay-at-home parents or globe-trotting executives. At Made to Flourish, we believe the gospel’s redemptive power affects every part of life, including how we work. We want to help you encourage and equip your congregation to see how their good work matters to God.
This short book is packed with interviews and examples of creative ways pastors around the country are integrating faith, work, and economics for their congregations and local context. We hope this concise and practical guide will help you take real steps towards affirming the rich theological significance of the daily grind.
- GenresChristian LivingFaith
102 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 11, 2017
11 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Skye Jethani
26 books395 followersSKYE JETHANI is an author, speaker, consultant and ordained pastor. He also serves as the co-host of the popular Phil Vischer Podcast, a weekly show that blends astute cultural and theological insights with comical conversation. He has been a sought after consultant for groups facing challenges at the intersection of faith and culture like The Lausanne Movement, The White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and the Interfaith Youth Core. Skye has authored three books, The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity, WITH: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God, and Futureville. Skye and his wife Amanda have three children: Zoe, Isaac, and Lucy and reside in Wheaton, IL.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 20, 2018
This was a fun little book to read. It’s a number if case studies of different churches across the country who are seeking to integrate faith, work and economics.
December 29, 2022
Some good advice for churches and pastors
A short coffee shop read but with some ideas that could help many church leaders think differently about what the church can do to help it’s congregations and in turn practice the way of Jesus in society.
Four short chapters explore ways that thinking about how churches help congregations at work. Done via ideas and interviews and testimonies the book explores several churches who are trying to bridge the gap between church and work. These are interesting, insightful and thought-provoking ideas.
The only caveat I’d love to hear about in the book is how this work focused church would navigate those who cannot work (for whatever reason). While I like a Christianity that has something to say about work, we must be careful of being overly ablist and privileged in the assumption that working is everyone’s calling.
A short coffee shop read but with some ideas that could help many church leaders think differently about what the church can do to help it’s congregations and in turn practice the way of Jesus in society.
Four short chapters explore ways that thinking about how churches help congregations at work. Done via ideas and interviews and testimonies the book explores several churches who are trying to bridge the gap between church and work. These are interesting, insightful and thought-provoking ideas.
The only caveat I’d love to hear about in the book is how this work focused church would navigate those who cannot work (for whatever reason). While I like a Christianity that has something to say about work, we must be careful of being overly ablist and privileged in the assumption that working is everyone’s calling.
January 2, 2019
Concise and applicable. Very helpful as an additional reaource in forming a sermon series on Faith & Work. The subtitle, " How churches a cross the country and helping their people connect faith and work" is accurate regarding what this book seeks to accomplish. This is not a book about a theology of faith and work, it is more a collection of helpful testimonials on how church's have done it.
I wish there was more on practical discipleship and how to connect FWE with mission and outreach.
I wish there was more on practical discipleship and how to connect FWE with mission and outreach.
December 17, 2017
The book is a concise introduction to a new mentality for ministry - to integrate the work week and Sunday. Preaching, pastoral relationships, and ministries should be about equipping people for their week ahead. This book shares great stories and examples.
October 6, 2018
Basically just case studies of churches that are trying to help their congregants think of their workplace in a more godly and redemptive way. Interesting but mostly surface level and probably could have been a magazine article.
September 2, 2018
This book definitely has me thinking about some ways that we might approach discipleship differently.
September 29, 2020
Provided some examples, but wish they went into further detail about the projects, perhaps better interviews.
May 11, 2021
Short & sweet--good for thinking about how to celebrate people building culture in their jobs.
June 14, 2022
A short primer with some good thoughts on bridging the gap between our perspective on discipleship and Sunday oriented Christianity. Best takeaway as a pastor was the idea of workplace visits. A nice short quick read to provoke deeper thought and development.
March 21, 2017
This is a good booklet to get people (and perhaps pastors in particular) thinking about how to emphasize the fact that believers are doing Kingdom no matter what their vocation. Such work is not limited to pastors and missionaries. There are some good, practical ideas here, like taking time to pray for vocations during church services in the same way a church might pray for missionaries.
April 18, 2017
This short, but very helpful book from the Made to Flourish organization, shares information from interviews conducted, what pastors across the country are doing to help their people connect Sunday to Monday. I found many helpful ideas in the book.
The interviews identified three recurring pathways being followed:
• Pathway One: Through the Marketplace
• Pathway Two: Through the Millennials
• Pathway Three: Through the Scriptures
The authors look at three of the most frequently cited pastoral practices. These are activities an individual pastor or church leader may begin independently – with no new programs to create or budgets to approve. For that reason, these practices may be the best place for a pastor seeking to integrate faith, work, and economics into their congregation to begin.
• Pastoral Practice One: Curiosity. Although rarely identified as a pastoral characteristic, curiosity is an essential quality of any person called to shepherd and equip God’s people.
• Pastoral Practice Two: Workplace Visitations. Regularly visiting people at their work was by far the most cited, and most transformative, pastoral practice that was uncovered in the interviews. Workplace visitation is a practice that simultaneously informs the pastor as it affirms the member.
• Pastoral Practice Three: Prayer and Counseling. Having a fuller understanding of church members’ vocation and workplaces also shifts the way pastors pray for their people. Some of the church leaders interviewed reported a shift in their counseling practices as well.
Among the many ideas I picked up from the book were:
• To communicate the sacredness of work, many churches have “Faith at Work” interviews during the worship service. One church has also incorporated a version of this in their children’s ministry. The aim is to get children thinking about faith and work at an early age.
• Commission people to specific vocations in the same way you would pray for pastors or foreign missionaries. One church has commissioned those in finance, law, the arts, and the health industry, thus far. Commissioning services have a powerful ability to affirm people in their work.
• Instead of a traditional adult Sunday School, one church hosted a seminar series called Vocare. The purpose of the seminar was to explore the intersection between the gospel culture and vocation, thinking through how we live out our call as God’s people in the world in light of the challenges and opportunities of our cultural moment.
• One church, in place of Vacation Bible School, started an “All of Life” camp. The church takes children who attend the camp to various workplaces where adults are working, and they talk about their work. The goal is to give these students a rich experience within that particular work context.
• Some churches have started vocational affinity groups. The idea is to place Christians who serve in the same industry in a small group for mutual encouragement and instruction.
• One church launched industry roundtables, which were organized around vocations. These were mid-size communities, organized around a particular industry. The purpose of the groups was to explore “theology, ethics, best practices, tensions, and networking.”
• Many pastors found that the most effective way to promote faith and work integration was by starting a nonprofit.
• Many churches are addressing the “E” in FEW (Faith, Work and Economics) faith by coming alongside and assisting those interested in being entrepreneurs.
• One church sponsored a BIZ Camp. Young people were taught how to develop business plans. Business leaders served as sounding boards to help the aspiring teenage entrepreneurs fine-tune their business plans and, eventually, launch new businesses.
The authors write that integrating faith, work and economics theology into the life of the church can be methodical and frustratingly slow, but also rewarding. Pastors interviewed are prayerfully seeking ways to integrate this theology into four areas in their local bodies: corporate worship, pastoral practice, discipleship/spiritual formation, and outreach and missions.
Throughout the book the authors shared stories of people who has imbibed the particular theology of faith and work integration and lived it out.
I highly recommend this book for church leaders interested in helping their people connect their faith with the work.
The interviews identified three recurring pathways being followed:
• Pathway One: Through the Marketplace
• Pathway Two: Through the Millennials
• Pathway Three: Through the Scriptures
The authors look at three of the most frequently cited pastoral practices. These are activities an individual pastor or church leader may begin independently – with no new programs to create or budgets to approve. For that reason, these practices may be the best place for a pastor seeking to integrate faith, work, and economics into their congregation to begin.
• Pastoral Practice One: Curiosity. Although rarely identified as a pastoral characteristic, curiosity is an essential quality of any person called to shepherd and equip God’s people.
• Pastoral Practice Two: Workplace Visitations. Regularly visiting people at their work was by far the most cited, and most transformative, pastoral practice that was uncovered in the interviews. Workplace visitation is a practice that simultaneously informs the pastor as it affirms the member.
• Pastoral Practice Three: Prayer and Counseling. Having a fuller understanding of church members’ vocation and workplaces also shifts the way pastors pray for their people. Some of the church leaders interviewed reported a shift in their counseling practices as well.
Among the many ideas I picked up from the book were:
• To communicate the sacredness of work, many churches have “Faith at Work” interviews during the worship service. One church has also incorporated a version of this in their children’s ministry. The aim is to get children thinking about faith and work at an early age.
• Commission people to specific vocations in the same way you would pray for pastors or foreign missionaries. One church has commissioned those in finance, law, the arts, and the health industry, thus far. Commissioning services have a powerful ability to affirm people in their work.
• Instead of a traditional adult Sunday School, one church hosted a seminar series called Vocare. The purpose of the seminar was to explore the intersection between the gospel culture and vocation, thinking through how we live out our call as God’s people in the world in light of the challenges and opportunities of our cultural moment.
• One church, in place of Vacation Bible School, started an “All of Life” camp. The church takes children who attend the camp to various workplaces where adults are working, and they talk about their work. The goal is to give these students a rich experience within that particular work context.
• Some churches have started vocational affinity groups. The idea is to place Christians who serve in the same industry in a small group for mutual encouragement and instruction.
• One church launched industry roundtables, which were organized around vocations. These were mid-size communities, organized around a particular industry. The purpose of the groups was to explore “theology, ethics, best practices, tensions, and networking.”
• Many pastors found that the most effective way to promote faith and work integration was by starting a nonprofit.
• Many churches are addressing the “E” in FEW (Faith, Work and Economics) faith by coming alongside and assisting those interested in being entrepreneurs.
• One church sponsored a BIZ Camp. Young people were taught how to develop business plans. Business leaders served as sounding boards to help the aspiring teenage entrepreneurs fine-tune their business plans and, eventually, launch new businesses.
The authors write that integrating faith, work and economics theology into the life of the church can be methodical and frustratingly slow, but also rewarding. Pastors interviewed are prayerfully seeking ways to integrate this theology into four areas in their local bodies: corporate worship, pastoral practice, discipleship/spiritual formation, and outreach and missions.
Throughout the book the authors shared stories of people who has imbibed the particular theology of faith and work integration and lived it out.
I highly recommend this book for church leaders interested in helping their people connect their faith with the work.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews