Redeeming Your Work: Erik’s Story

by | Jun 17, 2025 | Resources, Theology of Work, Videos

Are you the center of your work story—or is Jesus?

In this deeply personal episode, Erik Cooper reflects on a moment behind the piano during worship that revealed a tension many of us feel: the subtle pull between glorifying God and seeking recognition for ourselves. It’s a tension that doesn’t just show up in church—it shows up in boardrooms, marketing plans, and everyday decisions in the workplace.

“I could go from glorifying God to glorifying myself in the same verse of a song.”

Whether you’re a CEO, a creative, a team leader, or just starting your career, the temptation to make yourself the star of the story is real. But the gospel re-centers everything—not just our personal lives, but our work, our leadership, and our purpose.

“We were meant to be supporting characters in God’s story—not the stars of our own.”

In this episode, we explore how the biblical narrative—Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration—invites marketplace believers into a bigger story. Your work is not just a paycheck or a platform. It’s part of a divine mission to make Jesus known at work and around the world.

Key Takeaways:

  • ⚡️Work becomes most meaningful when it serves God’s story—not our own.

  • ⚡️Even ministry can become self-centered if we lose sight of the bigger narrative.

  • ⚡️The Bible isn’t a manual—it’s a story: Creation → Fall → Redemption → Restoration.

  • ⚡️Our instinct is to be the lead role. The gospel calls us to shift that focus.

  • ⚡️Marketplace believers are called to serve Christ’s story through their work, talents, and businesses.

“Work was created with purpose, broken by the fall, redeemed by Jesus, and destined for restoration.”
“Even the best of intentions can orbit around ourselves if we’re not careful.”
“The gospel re-centers the story—and it’s not about us.”

Whether you’re leading a company, managing a household, or just figuring it all out—this is a timely reminder that the marketplace is a mission field. True purpose begins when we step off center stage and let Jesus take His rightful place.

Erik Cooper

After starting his career in the business world, Erik spent 12 years in full-time ministry, both on staff at a large suburban church and as a church planter in a downtown urban context. In addition to his role at The Stone Table, he also serves as the Vice President of Community Reinvestment Foundation, a nonprofit real estate company that provides high-quality affordable housing all over Indiana while investing its profits into missions through The Stone Table.

OUR MISSION
The Stone Table Exists to Mobilize Marketplace Believers for The Great Commission.

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