I was years into my Pastoral ministry when I learned how powerful it can be for small groups to discuss people’s work and sense of vocation. It was a small group my wife and I were leading, and we had ten or twelve people over at our house. The discussion topic for the night was the previous week’s Sunday sermon, but we began the meeting each week asking an individual in the group to tell us about their everyday work, the ways they experienced and needed God’s help.

That week, a woman named Lacy told us about her work as a nurse. I was looking forward to hearing from her, although transparently, I thought I had a sense of what she would say. After all, I thought I knew what nurses do. They go from hospital room to hospital room and check on patients, administer medicines, monitor progress, and alleviate discomfort. So I had an expectation of what Lacy was going to say. But nothing in her story aligned with my expectations.

No, I don’t work in a hospital. I check people in to the clinic. One of my biggest challenges is that I regularly encounter people with sicknesses or conditions I can catch. Last week, someone came into the check-in room with bed bugs. I’m sitting one foot away from her. My challenge is to not rush the check-in. Not to show disgust. Not to even subtly move away from the person, because it might suggest I was uncomfortable around them. My challenge is to show tenderness and compassion and dignity to every person, no matter how much I am afraid on the inside. And I really need God’s empowerment for that.

In that moment, several things happened. First, every group member felt like they knew Lacy a little bit better. We empathized with her in her work. We communicated how beautiful and meaningful her work was as a nurse. Then, we prayed for Lacy, for the challenges and opportunities she faced every single day. I think of the various biblical “one anothers” that happened in the context of the group as we prayed for one another, encouraged one another, and bore each other’s burdens. Small groups of all kinds are strengthened when they include conversation around work and vocation.

Churches that want to encourage vocational discipleship can begin with their current small-group structures. And churches can provide meaningful strides forward without significantly rearranging the purpose of their groups.

One of the easiest and most fruitful ways to begin this conversation in groups is not with a dedicated book study, curriculum, or book series. It is best to start with people sharing stories about their work. At each gathering, a different group member can begin the conversation by sharing about their work for five to ten minutes. A simple framework is best:

• • What do you do for your work (paid or unpaid)? Give us a sense of what you do each day.
  • What aspects of your work do you enjoy?
  • What opportunities at work do you have to serve others?
  • What aspects of your work are difficult?
  • How would others in your work say that the work is broken or in need of repair?
  • How can we pray for you?

I have used this format in a number of the small groups I have led, and I have always been surprised how valuable, insightful, and meaningful the discussions are among the members of the group. In each case, I find that I get to know people at a much deeper level and better understand the context where God has placed them.

One member, Micah, worked as a home appliance salesperson. After talking about both the joys and pressures he faced, we asked to pray for him, that God would direct his steps, bless him in his sales role, and help him reflect the character of Christ to all he served. Afterward, Micah said, “Wow, no one has ever prayed for me before in my sales role. Thank you.” Micah felt supported by his group and carried a newfound remembrance that Christ was with him in the day-to-day work of sales.

Afterward, we continued on with our regular, sermon-based discussion. Vocation hadn’t supplanted our regular rhythm. But it had greatly enhanced the value of our gathering. That’s what can happen when vocation becomes a regular theme in small-group gatherings.

Adapted from Pastoring for Monday by Matt Rusten. Copyright (c) 2026 by Matthew Rusten. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press. www.ivpress.com