Faith@Work, Workplace Discipleship, Theology of Work Basic Resources

David W. Gill, www.davidwgill.org  www.wp313.org 

Michael Barram, Missional Economics: Biblical Justice and Christian Formation (Eerdmans, 2018).  A truly outstanding study of God’s mission from Creation through Redemption to Consummation. This is our philosophy of life and history and meaning.

Katelyn Beaty, A Woman’s Place: A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home, and the World (Howard Books, 2016).   A terrific, empowering study, not just for women to read!.

Walter Brueggemann, Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now (WJK, 2014).  A slim but powerful biblical-theological case for Sabbath.

Denise Daniels & Shannon Vandewarker, Working in the Presence of God: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Work (Hendrickson, 2019).  A wonderful study of ways to work in awareness of the presence of God.  Prayer, meditation, and daily habits.

Albert M. Erisman, The Accidental Executive: Lessons on Business, Fait, and Calling from the Life of Joseph (Hendrickson, 2015). An inspiring walk through the life of Joseph’s workplace lessons.  A great example of what it means to seek God’s insight about work as we read Scripture.

David W. Gill, It’s About Excellence: Building Ethically Healthy Organizations (Wipf & Stock, 2008/2011).  A general market—but biblically based—study of organizational ethics. How does biblical ethics get “translated” and applied in a business and marketplace context?

David W. Gill, Workplace Discipleship 101 (Hendrickson, 2020).  An accessible review of twelve practical steps workers can take to follow Jesus in any workplace. Five ways to prepare.  Five ways to be present. Two steps beyond the workplace.

Lee Hardy, The Fabric of this World: Inquiries into Calling, Career Choice, and the Design of Human Work (Eerdmans, 1990).  The history and theology of work (Calvin, Luther, et al).

David Hataj, Good Work: How Blue Collar Business Can Change Lives, Communities, and the World (Moody, 2020).  So much is focused on white collar executive faith at work, not enough on blue collar work in the trenches. Here is the other side. A wonderful book.

Matthew Kaemingk & Cory B. Willson, Work and Worship: Reconnecting Our Labor and Liturgy (Baker, 2020).  An immediate classic, core study of how our workplace and churchplace lives could be, must be, integrally-related.  This is about deep, biblical reform of our congregations.

Timothy Keller & Katherine Leary Alsdorf, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work (Dutton, 2012).  Excellent introduction to a biblical theology of work by the great New York pastor, Tim Keller, and a former Silicon Valley executive and long-time leader in the faith at work movement, Katherine Alsdorf.

David W. Miller, God at Work: The History and Promise of the Faith at Work Movement (Oxford, 2007).  A wonderful account (up through 2005 or so) even though, inevitably, parts of the bigger story are missing.

Tom Nelson, Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work (Crossway, 2011). The best book on workplace discipleship from a pastor’s perspective.

Bill Peel & Walt Larimore, Workplace Grace: Becoming a Spiritual Influence at Work (LeTourneau, 2014).  The best of several books on sharing your faith in the workplace.

John M. Perkins, Beyond Charity: The Christian Call to Community Development (Baker, 1993).  An older classic but no faith at work bibliography is complete without paying attention to the needs for jobs, community development, justice and fairness.  Here is a start.

Amy L. Sherman, Kingdom Callings: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good (InterVarsity, 2011).  In my opinion the one best introduction to the nitty-gritty of workplace discipleship.

R. Paul Stevens, Work Matters: Lessons from Scripture (Eerdmans, 2012).  A walk through the whole Bible looking at its workplace lessons.

Theology of Work Project, Theology of Work Bible Commentary (multiple volumes, 2015--). This is the product of a team studying the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation and crafting a commentary on the workplace lessons of Scripture. A wonderful resource.

Ben Witherington, Work: A Kingdom Perspective on Labor (Eerdmans, 2011).  A brief, readable, solid introduction to the theology of work and its practical implications.

Ethics & Christian Values to Take to Work

This cannot be taken for granted!  What exactly ARE those Christian values and ethics we want to take to work?

David W. Gill, Becoming Good: Building Moral Character (InterVarsity, 2000).  An introduction to the ethics of character and culture based on the Beatitudes and faith, hope, and love. These are the virtues and values that make us the salt of the earth and light of the world.

David W. Gill, Doing Right: Practicing Ethical Principles (InterVarsity, 2004).  An introduction to the basic principles of Christian ethics based on the Love Commandments and the Ten Commandments. Ten words on life, freedom, justice, and love.

Applied Areas (Economics, Business, Technology, Health Care, the Arts, Wine-making, Jazz, etc.)

Kenneth J. Barnes, Redeeming Capitalism (Eerdmans, 2018). An experienced business leader and theologian, Barnes seeks (with help from the father of capitalism, Adam Smith) to rescue today’s capitalism from its deformation into naked profit-seeking.  Bring back the virtues!

Jeremy S. Begbie,Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music (Baker, 2007).  Begbie is an outstanding musician and musicologist on the faculty at Duke.  This and his several other books on theology and music are outstanding.

Raymond Downing, Death and Life in America: Biblical Healing and Biomedicine (Herald Press, 2008). Downing is a physician with clinical and teaching experience in urban and rural settings in both the USA and Kenya. This is one of the best ever explorations of biblical healing and disease, Western technological medicine, and folk healing traditions in non-Western cultures. All of Downing’s books are outstanding.  

John Dyer, From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology (Kregel, 2011).  The best brief and basic study of technology in a biblical perspective.

Robert Gelinas, Finding the Groove: Composing a Jazz-Shaped Faith (Zondervan, 2009).  A fascinating integration of theology and jazz music.  Important connections.

C. Neal Johnson, Business As Mission: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice (InterVarsity, 2009). Some writers reduce the value of business to making money for charity or as a “front” for evangelism.  Not Johnson!  This is a massive and solid introduction to all aspects of glorifying God in business.

Gisela H. Kreglinger, The Spirituality of Wine (Eerdmans, 2016).  This is an extraordinary book and not just for those in the wine industry, though they should all read it.  Powerful, brilliant, extended insights from Scripture on grapes, vines, wine, and wine-making—and its importance not just for religious ritual but for feasting and discipleship. Amazing book!

Tom Nelson, The Economics of Neighborly Love: Investing in Your Community’s Compassion and Capacity (InterVarsity, 2017).  A brilliant workplace-awakened pastor reflects on the local economic values and strategies surrounding and impacted by our work.

Michael Novak, Business as a Calling: Work and the Examined Life (Free Press, 1996).  Novak is a powerful Catholic theological voice for free enterprise with a moral conscience.

Michael P. Schutt, Redeeming Law: Christian Calling and the Legal Profession (InterVarsity, 2007).  Excellent introduction to the integration of theology and the legal profession.

W. David O. Taylor, editor, For the Beauty of the Church: Casting A Vision for the Arts (Baker, 2010). A collection of essays on how faith and the various arts relate.

Shundrawn Thomas, Discover Joy at Work (InterVarsity, 2019).  A bank executive and investment manager gives page after page of wise advice on work and career. The Scripture references are limited but the wisdom is deeply biblical.  The examples are practical.

Jeff Van Duzer, Why Business Matters to God (And What Still Needs to Be Fixed) (InterVarsity, 2010).  Excellent attempt to see business through theological eyes.

Kenman Wong & Scott B. Rae, Business for the Common Good: A Christian Vision for the Marketplace (IVP, 2011).  A solid introduction to Christian faith in a for-profit business context.

Rest, Worship, Play, & Sabbath

Dan B. Allender, Sabbath (Thomas Nelson, 2009).  A wildly creative and inspiring invitation to a day like no other during the week.

Marva Dawn, Keeping the Sabbath Wholly: Ceasing, Resting, Embracing, Feasting (Eerdmans, 1989).  The best of many good studies of the biblical meaning of Sabbath and rest.

Pang, Alex Soojung-Kim, Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less (Basic Books, 2016).  A “secular” study by a previously workaholic Silicon Valley techie.  Terrific research into the history, biography, and science of rest.  Well worth the read.

Web Sites/Organizations

Here are a few web sites of organizations that have developed great programs and resources for workplace discipleship in their cities and beyond.  Visit the sites and look around.

www.atworkonpurpose.org       At Work on Purpose based in Cincinnati Ohio.  This is a full-orbed outreach to the working community of Cincinnati, Ohio.  Amazing all they do!

www.faithandco.spu.edu   Faith & Co.  at Seattle Pacific University. SPU has probably the finest business schools in Christian higher education.  Their Center for Integrity in Business is excellent.  The “Faith & Co” film series is not to be missed.

www.nifw.org    Nashville Institute for Faith and Work.  Few faith and work centers have the creativity, energy, and impact of this one in Nashville.  Almost exhausting just to read about all the amazing things they do.

www.needleseye.org      Needle’s Eye Ministries in Richmond, Virginia.  Buddy Childress began developing this faith at work ministry in 1977.  One of the earliest.  Everything about Needle’s Eye is inspiring and instructive.

www.theologyofwork.org   Theology of Work Project.

A huge trove of material, the heart of which is a commentary on the workplace lessons of every book of the Bible.  A team of biblical scholars worked side-by-side with business and workplace folk to create the commentaries.

www.wp313.org Workplace 313

Workplace 313, based in Oakland, California, and led by faith@work veteran David Gill, is developing a resource-rich web site, a free monthly e-zine “the 313,” and monthly online Forums mobilizing and equipping in-the-trenches workplace disciples (rather than management, companies, or economies).