Christians spend about 40 hours per week at work, and 4 hours per week at church or working on church-related matters. What does this mean for how we think about kingdom activity? How might this shape how churches and parachurch organizations equip their members for kingdom service in the workplace? And how can the Theology of Work Bible Commentary be an empowering resource in this endeavor?

Faithful service goes beyond workplace evangelism into the core activities of work: serving customers, investing in colleagues, creating good products, working with excellence, making a living, finding meaning, etc. You don’t have to create a special ministry or program to equip people for work. All you have to do is pay attention to work—alongside life’s other activities—in the things you already do every week, such as preaching, small groups, worship and music, and pastoral care. Resources from the Theology of Work Project and other marketplace ministries can make it easier than you might think to engage your congregation. We’ll specifically unpack The Theology of Work Bible Commentary – what it is, who it is for, and how to use it.

Lunch will be provided during this session.

This event is held in partnership with the Made to Flourish Network.

William G. Messenger is the Executive Editor of the Theology of Work Project and a member of the Steering Committee. Previously, Will was the Director of the Mockler Center for Faith and Ethics in the Workplace at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary from 1999 to 2008, and an adjunct faculty member there. He created and led the seminary’s doctoral and master’s degree programs in workplace leadership and business ethics. He has served as an adjunct faculty member of Laidlaw-Carey Graduate School (Auckland, New Zealand), guest lecturer at Holy Cross College (Worcester, MA) and adjunct professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY).

Will is a member of the Board of Directors of ArQule, Inc., a biotechnology company near Boston, where he chairs the compensation, nominating and governance committee and is a member of the audit committee. He previously worked as a sales representative at IBM, corporate finance associate at Goldman Sachs, consultant at McKinsey & Co., and vice president of sales and marketing Advanced Metabolic Systems. Will is ordained in the Episcopal Church and formerly served as pastor of Charles River Church in Boston and assistant rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Belmont, MA. He was awarded a B.S. in Physics from Case Western Reserve University, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He lives near Boston, MA, USA, with his wife and their two daughters.

The Theology of Work Bible Commentary is the only commentary covering the whole Bible with a focus on work. It’s available free online and is the world’s most-used website on faith and work, with about two million visitors a year. It also provides a growing collection of small group studies, devotionals, topical guides, worship and music materials, and other resources to help Christians in every kind of work integrate their faith. Endorsed by Tim Keller, Andy Crouch, Tom Nelson and many other pastors and scholars, and used by hundreds of churches weekly, these materials could help you equip your people biblically and practically for their whole life’s work.