The Human Cost of a Government Shutdown

Editor’s note: The post below was written by a federal government employee, currently on furlough. On December 22nd, 2018, a partial government shutdown forced many “nonessential” government workers out of their jobs. Many others were required to report to work without pay. As the shutdown wears on, thousands more contractors are affected, and many are […]

From Colleague to Neighbor

“I grew up in the church and work wasn’t something that was preached,” said Adrienne Tafilowski, the Culture and Care Team Director at L&R Pallet and 5280 Fellowship alumna. “There weren’t small groups dedicated to the theme; people weren’t recommending books on the topic. It was kind of this unknown territory.”When she began working at […]

Recycler Rebuilds Lives by Breaking Down Mattresses

Editor’s note: The full version of this article first appeared on Patheos.com. Thanks to David Rupert and the team at Patheos for allowing us to share it here!Christopher Conway is the president and founder of Spring Back Colorado, a social enterprise mattress recycling enterprise.  Since 2012, Spring Back has recycled more than 381,000 mattresses and […]

A Fellow’s Project: Tackling the Risks of Social Media Technology

For all its redemptive potential, we often hear about technology’s darker sides: a retail company loses customer credit card information; a popular social media platform sells user data to advertisers; and a search engine skims private emails to deliver relevant ads. Making matters worse, the apps on our smartphones seem to command our attention rather […]

Dustin Moody
10 Ways Our Pastors Are Struggling

We each have our private struggles and discouragements, but we sometimes expect our leaders to be immune to the challenges that come with careers, relationships, and families. Sadly, the people meant to encourage and equip believers sometimes do so out of their own lonely and dark spaces. Our pastors and ministry leaders struggle, sometimes quietly, […]

Dustin Moody
Maybe My Boss Isn’t So Bad

Many of us have a story (or more) of working for a terrible boss. Between moral flaws, lack of qualifications, or an inability to manage well, bad bosses make work terrible for everyone. At DIFW, we believe that God calls each of us to redeem the broken parts of our work, but this can be […]

Dustin Moody
4 Things We Learned From Our “Worst Boss” Survey

Bad bosses can lead to high turnover, lack of employee morale, and office conflict. Many of us have had unfortunate experiences with bosses and leaders who failed to bring out our best and created cultures where thriving in the workplace was nearly impossible. But what makes a bad boss bad? Are their common traits we […]

Jeff Haanen
God of the Second Shift

The following is the cover story for the October 2018 print issue of Christianity Today. To access the full article, please consider subscribing to Christianity Today to support their work. Here’s an excerpt of the story. Our group was white, college-educated, and passionate about helping people find meaning in their careers. We looked at Josué “Mambo” De León, pastor of […]

Meagan Smith
More Questions Than Answers: A Fellow’s Reflections

Editor’s note: Meagan Smith was a 5280 Fellowship participant. We asked her to reflect on the Fellowship’s opening retreat and the questions that it highlighted for her. The weeks leading up to the 5280 Fellowship’s first retreat  were demanding, without much time for reflection. My main train of thought was don’t be late–and don’t miss your […]

Joanna Meyer
Called Together Part 4: Pursuing Redemptive Relationships

Editor’s note: This is the fourth and final article in our “Called Together” series. Be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3! At Denver Institute for Faith & Work, we believe in a big gospel–the idea that Christ’s death and resurrection restores not only individual lives but every corner of creation […]

Getting to the Heart of Outdoor Retailing and Recreation: Videos from “God & the Great Outdoors”

Outdoor recreation is close to the hearts of many Coloradoans, but how does it shape our souls? How do Christians in outdoor retailing integrate their faith and work in a pluralistic industry?In July, Denver Institute for Faith & Work hosted a conversation that explored the social, economic, and spiritual impact of outdoor retailing and recreation. […]

A Labor Day Prayer

Editor’s note: This liturgical prayer is shared in a call-and-response format for use in church or group settings, but we think it’s an excellent resource for your individual prayer and meditation time. Thanks to our friends at The Porter’s Gate for this prayer and their Work Songs project, featured at the DIFW annual celebration in […]