During tenth grade, my biology teacher appeared fuzzy from my normal seat in the seventh row of the classroom. I moved closer, but still people’s faces and the chalkboard were blurry. Mom quickly booked me an optometrist appointment. Sure enough, my vision was no longer 20/20. The eye doctor prescribed glasses. With a fresh set of lenses, I could see from anywhere in the classroom.
Most pastors possess a strong vision for in-the-church-building, Sunday-focused activities. Sermonizing, youth ministry, small groups, and even global mission endeavors are typically planned with skillful clarity. Many church staff speak favorably about faith and work as a vibrant aim worthy of being added to the ministry mix. Throughout the past decade, more resources have emerged for churches and leaders who are passionate about exploring faith’s influence in daily endeavors. The proliferation of more tools has been marvelous.
However, many books are redundant in their treatment of all-too-predictable concepts. Matt Rusten’s new release truly prescribes a fresh perspective. Why might I give such hearty affirmation? Bright reasons abound, but I’ll spotlight just five of my favorite fresh lenses.
Lens #1: Pastoring for Monday presents a solid case for disciplemaking via work.
Pastors and churches commonly champion making more and better disciples. We often shortsightedly equate this with better programs and curriculum. Everyday business and work endeavors are rarely placed front and center as realms for formation and mission.
Rusten urges us to see the workplace as a primary field for soulful cultivation and spiritual formation. He supplies helpful, workaday examples of how such focus should take root and produce real fruit in others’ lives during Monday through Saturday’s endeavors.
His ideas are truly motivating and helpful for making devoted followers of Jesus on Mondays!
Lens #2: Rusten packages and delivers the classic debate about culture shaping in creative, compelling lingo.
Church leaders and growing disciples are invited to assess their marketplace influence and business effectiveness as potential gloves. Are everyday Christians crafting culture by wearing boxing gloves, latex gloves, camouflage gloves, or work gloves?
With this winsome analogy and explanation, Rusten’s articulation is appropriately provocative for our current landscape’s raging division and culture wars. Such vivid word pictures supply us with brighter insights for becoming salt and light, and true difference makers.
Lens #3: Work’s purpose can be seen through the potent lens of story.
With a convincing diagnosis, Rusten spotlights four dominant narratives that drive people’s work. He describes the story of necessity, the story of impact, the story of success, and the story of misery. Each of these stories supplies workers with motivation in their labor and leadership.
After unpacking these purpose-producing narratives, Rusten takes us to the next level by presenting four pillars. With colorful panache, the four pillars supply an extremely fresh articulation of the theology of work. Pastors can discover healthy new ways for expressing pivotal biblical truths that lead to greater faith integration and service-oriented mission.
Lens #4: Pastoring for Monday unveils accessible, can-do practices for pastors and parishioners.
Rusten moves pastors beyond the proverbial “preach a God-at-work series” admonition. Of course, he encourages pastors to plan more faith-and-work sermons, but he also highly recommends more fruitful integration through additional fresh approaches. Pastors can craft and cast vision for intentional vocation groups, support-building groups, formation groups, and cause-driven groups. They can also very intentionally include special “all of life” interviews on Sundays as well as deliberate pastoral meetings with business leaders and workers, visiting them in their workaday environments.
Lens #5: Rusten takes a deeper look at our sense of identity related to our businesses and workplaces.
The author urges pastors to assist people in getting past their knee-jerk sources of identity. We all too often choose to see who we are through family, ethnicity, place, and job titles. Instead, church leaders can help people form truly Christ-anchored identities.
Pastoring for Monday wraps up by focusing on how the gospel reenchants our work. The grand finale chapter explores how the Old Testament wisdom in Ecclesiastes reimagines the role of work in our formation and influence. Rusten’s conclusions will supply many pastors with a new, multi-week message series.
Rusten boldly asks: “What would it look like if it became normative for local churches to affirm, equip, and commission congregation members to embrace a sense of calling and mission in their everyday labors?” Page after page, he answers with crisp clarity and sharp vision.
Grab your own copy. Read with anticipation. Then invite a friend—or several friends—to read and discuss their insights with you. Join Made to Flourish, the empowering think tank Rusten leads. Subscribe to their beautiful magazine, Common Good. By exploring these bright resources, pastors and other leaders will gain renewed insight and passion for faith and work integration.
Pastoring for monday
Small Groups That Encourage Workers
