Men today hold all sorts of jobs in the marketplace. Some are white-collar; others fit the blue-collar mold. There’s work in healthcare, technology, public safety, shipping, the judicial system, Wall Street, construction trades, accounting—the list goes on and on and the jobs are as diverse as the list is long.

Apple founder, Steve Jobs, encourages everyone he meets to “leave a dent in the universe.” While more than half of our waking hours each week are devoted to work and to our work commute, for many men, the last thing on their mind is to “leave a dent in the universe.” For many, the whole goal is the paycheck, make ends meet, and live at a certain life-style level.

But, did you know that God has a purpose for us in the workplace? Author Patrick Morley writes, “Men who follow Jesus Christ are an occupation force ordained to serve in the markets of men.”1 Ordained . . . wow! Did you think this term was only reserved for ministers? In Matthew, Christians are called to be “salt and light,” and what better place to serve in that capacity than in the workplace. We are challenged to “go into all the world” to build Christ’s kingdom; to make that dent in the universe. Some believe this refers to international missionary efforts, but the workplace also affords us a really great opportunity. According to Morley, “We are workers doing our part as God sovereignly orchestrates the main thing—to bring people into right relationship with Him and right relationship with each other.”

So work, it seems, can be a calling just like going into pastoral ministry. There’s scholarly backup for this concept:

• If our desire is to please God, pouring water, washing dishes, cobbling shoes, and preaching the Word is all one. – William Tyndale, Protestant reformer and scholar
• The works of monks and priests, however holy and arduous [they] may be, do not differ one whit in the sight of God from the works of the rustic laborer in the field or the woman going about her household tasks. – Martin Luther, German theologian

Genesis 2:15 & 3:17
Exodus 31:3-5    
Psalm 8:5-8
Proverbs 29:2
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26
Matthew 5:14-16
Galatians 6:9
Ephesians 6:5-9
1 Corinthians 10:31
2 Thessalonians 3:10

Whether we wear a white or blue collar our work is a summons to follow Jesus. Our work enables us to go where Jesus would go, to be what Jesus would be, and to do what Jesus would do. We can bring God glory through our efforts in the marketplace and we can lead our colleagues into a right relationship with Him and with others.

When it comes to preparing people for Monday morning ministry—for executing the tenet to live out our faith daily—there is a gaping hole in many churches. A number of local, independent organizations have stepped up; in Cincinnati, the workplace ministry group is “At Work On Purpose.” A number of web sites exist to assist Christians with this ministry. Integrity Resource Center, led by Rick Boxx in Kansas City, operates a site I’ve visited frequently.2 Your local church might consider beginning a work-life ministry. “The Faith at Work Movement: Opening the 9-5 Window”3 offers a roadmap for launching a work-life ministry in your church.

Our denominational charge is “to make Christ-like disciples” and our workplace is a great mission field where that charge can be put into practice with God’s help and guidance.

[1] Patrick Morley, A Man’s Guide to Work: 12 Ways to Honor God on the Job, Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2010.

[2] Please note that you should evaluate all resources for their alignment with Wesleyan theology.

[3]Regent Business Review (January/February, 2004) – “The Faith at Work Movement: Opening ‘The 9 to 5 Window’…Launching a Work-Life Ministry in Your Local Church,” Doug Spada and David Scott.