Small Group Discussion Resources on Faith & Work
by Brian Gray
As a gift to our church partners, Denver Institute for Faith & Work (DIFW) has curated a collection of discussion guides for use in Christian education classes, small groups, or seminar-style events. The guides include Scripture references, excerpts from classic and contemporary writing on faith, work, and culture, and questions that can be easily-adapted to the needs of your group.
The content is organized in 5 categories, which parallel DIFW’s 5 Guiding Principles. Click the links below to download files and any accompanying materials:
1. Theological Foundations: Discover how work is at the heart of God’s mission and navigate the tensions of working in a fallen world.
- Theological Foundations #1 – Work Matters
- Theological Foundations #2 – Living in Tension: How Sin Distorts Our Work
- Theological Foundations #3 – All Work Is Kingdom Work
- Theological Foundations #4 – Work, Our Gift to the World
- Theological Foundations #5 – A Future Not Our Own
2. Vocation/Calling: Guides address common misconceptions about calling, help participants identify their vocation(s), and suggest practical steps they can take to steward their gifts.
- Vocation #1 – What Does It Mean to Be Called?
- Vocation #2 – Vocation – A Response to God’s Voice (Download the accompanying pre-read)
- Vocation #3 – Discerning God’s Will for Your Vocation
- Vocation #4 – Vocational Stewardship (download the accompanying illustration)
- Vocation #5 – A Focused Life
3. Create Good Work: Discussion guides help participants identify both goodness and brokenness in their fields. This category also explores workplace idols and ways participants can have a distinctly Christian influence in their industry.
- The Gospel, Good News for Your Workplace
- Prophets, Priests, and Kings… at Work? – a three-part series exploring ways we embody the offices of Christ through our daily work (Guide #1, Guide #2, Guide #3)
- Idol Factory – a four-part series examining idolatry in Scripture, as well as in our own lives and industry. Guides apply the gospel to our idols and help participants identify specific idols unique to their workplaces. Lessons stand-alone if you don’t want to use the entire series. (Guide #1, Guide #2, Guide #3, Guide #4)
- Let Your Life Speak – Perspective and practical strategies for sharing your faith at work (accompanying pre-read)
4. Spiritual Formation: Our jobs can be powerful tools for spiritual growth. These guides help participants recognize God’s presence in the workplace and provide practical tools to “take your soul to work.”
- Deep Rest – two-part series on the Sabbath (Guide #1, Guide #2)
- In the Master’s Workshop
- How God Shapes Our Souls through Work
5. Service: Our work plays a vital role in God’s redemptive mission in the world. These lessons explore the broader impact our work can have in our communities.
- From Personal to Public: Living Your Faith in the World
- Don’t Buy that One-Way Ticket to Canada Yet (Article with discussion questions at end)
- Living as Christians in The City (2-part video discussion guide / Video available at vimeo.com/denverinstitute) Guide #1, Guide #2
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This post was published January 18, 2017
Brian Gray
Brian is the VP of Formation here at DIFW and also leads our 5280 Fellowship program. Prior to landing at DIFW, he served in pastoral ministry for thirteen years and at Denver Seminary for four years. His vocation includes moving ideas out into life through relationships and conversation – whether that applies to God, work, the Church, good beer, or Liverpool Football Club. He married way out of his league, and spends most of his free-time being parented by his two daughters.