The Gospel at Work, by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert

For Christians, especially lay Christians, I'm not sure we can talk enough about how our daily, secular lives should reflect the gospel.  In The Gospel at Work: How Working for King Jesus Gives Meaning and Purpose to Our Jobs, a pastor and a businessman team up to guide Christians who have one foot in the world and one foot in the Kingdom (that is, all Christians).  Sebastian Traeger is a businessman and entrepreneur, and Greg Gilbert is a seminary graduate and pastor.  Together they help the reader realize that no matter what you do with your life and career, Christians have one boss: Jesus.Edit

Most of us navigate between the two extremes of idolatry and idleness.  You may make an idol of your work.  If your identity is tied up exclusively in your job, or the time commitments of your job prevent you from doing anything else in your life, or if  you find yourself valuing job status or rewards over relationships, you are probably on the "idol" end of the spectrum.  On the other hand, your problem may be idleness.  This includes literal idleness, which needs no explanation, but on a spiritual level, Traeger and Gilbert mean "when we fail to see God's purpose in our work. . . . when we neglect our responsibility to serve as if we are serving the Lord." 

That is really the key: no matter what you're doing, whether full-time ministry or a secular job in the marketplace, work as if your boss is Jesus himself.  Accepting that fact will shape the way you work and live.  I was convicted by their points on a number of levels.  Representing both the business world and the professional ministry world, the authors are careful to emphasize that full-time ministry is not a superior calling to business or secular labor.  In fact, they point out that given a normal work week, less than half of our waking hours are spend in a job.  God is just as concerned with how we spend the other 65% of our days, with family, church, service, and leisure.  As a seminary graduate who struggles with the fact that I am working in the secular world, this reminder is a great encouragement and challenge to me.

Traeger and Gilbert offer a refreshing perspective on work and calling.  Jesus is our boss, whether or not we are in full-time ministry.  We shouldn't get hung up on what we are "called" to do, but pursue what we desire, are gifted in, and have opportunity to do.  Above all, no matter how we spend our days and make our living, we must simply  "Follow Jesus and bring him glory."  Amen, brothers.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!