pastors toolkit
Resources for building faith and work into your context.
ACTIVATE YOUR LEADERS
This toolkit is for pastors, worship leaders, or lay leaders interested in linking the Christian faith to the workplace. Many of the resources listed are oriented towards those leading churches or faith and work ministries but most tools can easily be used independently or in groups of two to 100.
To download a PDF version of this toolkit fill out the form here.
To learn more about faith and work as a context for Christian discipleship, mission and cultural renewal, see the video below. If you have questions about any of the resources, please email us.
WORSHIP SERVICE RESOURCES
Sermon Inclusion
Did you know that 32 out of Jesus’ 37 parables refer to work? Jesus knew the importance of work and its effectiveness as a context to mold hearts. Adding work illustrations into sermons bridges the gap between the sacred and the secular and hits your congregation at their own heart level.Many resources exist to help pastors bring work applications into their sermons, including the Theology of Work Bible Commentary. You can also ask congregants in advance of your sermon how the text can be applied to their own work. This affirms the importance and value of their work and invites them to participate in shaping the mission of the church.
Industry Prayers
Our booklet Prayers for work: Industry Prayers for the Church and its People includes prayers written by Christians working in 18 different fields, and can serve as a guide for your congregants to write their own industry prayers.
Testimonies of lives changed by work
Consider asking people to share testimonies of how the gospel changed the way they do their work, the view their industry or their work relationships. Showcasing these stories help bridge the divide between faith and work, and spark people'e imaginations for how God might be calling them to work in their own field.
Song about work/mission
The Porter's Gate Worship Project has created songs about work and mission that can be used for worship, playlist or anywhere you want to build in a sense of mission with the music you are utilizing in church.
TURNKEY COURSES ON FAITH & WORK
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Designed around eight scripture passages that illuminate how God is using all of our day to day activities for his glory, Go Forth is an invitation to reimagine every vocation and workplace as an arena where God’s character is on display. Through this guide, you will explore with others the beauty and brokenness of work—from the first lines of Scripture until the very last page.
For each of the eight weeks, you will be given an introduction, a time to prepare yourself to hear what God is saying through his Word, scriptural passages to focus on, discussion questions, a practice for the following week, and a commissioning prayer. Each session also includes leader notes for those facilitating the study.
The course can be used individually or in small group settings.
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Introductory Level
A 4-module online course to help deepen participants’ understanding of why and how God is using their work to bring about his glory. Through biblical teaching, theological reflection, and practical exercises, it establishes a foundation for integrating faith and work.
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This course uses six different Bible passages to gain insight concerning God’s intention for our work and can be used in a group format. A leader’s and participant guide are provided with weekly teachings, spiritual practices, discussion points, and optional daily devotionals.
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Intermediate Level
A robust 8-module intermediate online faith and work course that provides an intensive look at the basic theology of faith and work, calling, heart renewal, ethics, relationships at work, excellence at work, and city vision. Teaching includes videos, readings, worksheets and extensive tools for bringing your faith into your vocational life. Students will see that work matters to God, from the actual work that they do, to the way they conduct themselves and their relationships at work, to the hope we have for our vocations and our industries.
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Designed around short videos presented by leading practitioners and theologians, The Missional Disciple is a six-week course exploring how mercy and justice are not only central to the biblical story but are also at the heart of God’s character. Created for group use and packed with case studies, community discussion questions, simple practices and prayer prompts, this interactive course will help you discover a holistic paradigm and equip you to become a restorative presence in your everyday workplace.
GOTHAM FELLOWSHIP
Gotham is a nine-month whole life discipleship intensive that equips participants to live out the gospel in the work to which God has called them. Through deep spiritual formation, theological study, community development and city engagement, Gotham answers the question, “How does my work matter to God?” Gotham is designed to equip people to apply the gospel more directly to all areas of their life. Instead of engaging their faith only on Sunday mornings, fellows develop a framework for applying Christ to their heart, community, vocation and world every day of the week. City to City trains churches and ministries to run the Gotham Fellowship in their context and provides the materials and support for these programs. You can learn more at faithandworkgotham.com.
SURGE SCHOOL
Surge School was created as a way to equip people throughout a region into a broader and deeper understanding of Jesus’ mission for His Church in the places they live, work, play, and rest. Thousands of people in North America have benefitted from this collaborative training across traditions and denominations. Students take an 8-month Journey with other members from their local church through a curriculum and way of discipleship that helps them understand the biblical story and take up their role in God’s mission.
ADVANCED DISCIPLESHIP OFFERINGS
CASE STUDY EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL RENEWAL
TRAINING FOR PASTORS
Designing a Faith & Work Initiative is a five module online course which has been taken by ministry and marketplace leaders around the world seeking to begin their own faith and work ministry or bring a more holistic vision of discipleship to their work or ministry context. Leaders develop a robust theology and strategy for integrating faith and work by learning the key theological faith and work concepts, experiencing faith and work exercises and expanding their imagination through marketplace expressions and examples. Held twice a year.
OTHER RESOURCES FOR CHURCHES
INDUSTRY INTERVIEWS AND WORKPLACE VISITS
As a leader, it is important to understand the needs of those you seek to serve. When you make a pastoral visit, ask to meet people at their workplace instead of at the church or a coffee shop. Ask questions like the following:
What motivates you to work?
What is stressful about your work?
What do you wish you could change about your work?
What brings you joy in your work?
How does faith impact your work?
What would you want a church or ministry to do to help you with your work?
As you understand the realities your people face, you’ll be better able to preach to and pastor and help them bring the gospel to bear on their daily lives.
DISCERNING GOD IN DIFFICULT TIMES: A-15 DAY DEVOTIONAL
Scripture passages highlight people who were called by the Lord to do difficult and sometimes seemingly impossible things in this 15-day devotional focused on the new complexities of work.
