If you are a follower of Jesus and work in the marketplace, you have a “theology of work.” Yep, you do. Don’t worry, work theology is not nearly as academic as it sounds. It simply means that your faith has shaped the way you think about why you get up and go to work everyday.
For some, that theology has been clearly taught, articulated, and thought out. For others, it’s simply assumed. We always fill in a theological void with our own pictures and purpose.
Most of the discussion I hear about work theology centers around applying the Bible to our businesses or our daily marketplace tasks. I think this is a good exercise, but ultimately it falls short. It doesn’t go far enough.
Good work theology is not primarily about applying biblical principles to our jobs and businesses – that puts us at the center and God in a peripheral role as coach or advice giver. Good work theology really begins with seeing our work as a beloved role within God’s Great Storyline.
Pastor Dane Ortlund gives some context: “The Bible is not commands with stories sprinkled in; it is a Story with commands sprinkled in.” It seems our work theology migrates more toward the commands than the Story.
God doesn’t just want to be our business coach, he wants us to reimagine our everyday work stories in light of His grand redemptive narrative! That is far more epic! Reconciled by Christ, our work is actually part of His ongoing work in the world.
What if your day job has a bigger purpose than you ever imagined?
Accelerating the Great Commission through the Marketplace,
Erik Cooper | The Stone Table
