Every Good Endeavor

"Connecting your work with God's work" is the subtitle. The subject of the book is work (labor, vocation, job...) and how we ought to view it according to God's revealed Word and what it means to live and work in the light of truth. It is a detailed exploration of the Christian worldview of work.

Keller divides the book this way:

• Part One: God's Plan for Work - This part includes a discussion of The Design of Work (chapter one), The Dignity of Work (chapter two), Work as Cultivation (chapter three), Work as Service (chapter four).

• Part Two: Our Problems with Work - This part addresses when Work Becomes Fruitless (chapter five), when Work Becomes Pointless (chapter six), when Work Becomes Selfish (chapter seven), and when Work Reveals Our Idols (chapter eight).

• Part Three: The Gospel and Work - This part brings part one and two together with A New Story for Work (chapter nine), A New Conception of Work (chapter ten), A New Compass for Work (chapter eleven), and New Power for Work (chapter twelve).

• Finally, there is an epilogue that focuses on Leading People to Integrate Faith and Work. This section shares details of how Redeemer Presbyterian Church is specifically developing "vocational discipleship" as a part of its regular church strategy. It is an excellent view of ministry strategy.

Foreword

The Foreword (p.xv-xxii) is written by Katherine Alsdorf, experienced businesswoman and Executive Director of Redeemer's Center for Faith & Work. She shares her experience of being saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, but then having major questions about how her identity as a Christian changed and now governs her work life. She found very little meaningful guidance from any churches or Christian resources. "[N]one of these approaches addressed the issue of how Christians' faith should affect the way they worked" (p.xvii). She even shares how many of the non-Christians whom she worked with often demonstrated greater passion and joy and life-balance and even "evangelistic" fervor (although not about the Gospel, but about other passionate topics) than the Christians. She says, "I believed in the truth of the gospel - that God created all things and created man in His image and then sent His Son to redeem all things that had been broken. And I believed God had a purpose for me as a worker and leader, along with many other people who could make a positive difference in the world. But in the competitive, win-at-all-costs workplace where I had to manage and lead, I had no idea how to live out God's plan" (p.xvii). Alsdorf shares some of her specific woes and I believe many Christians find themselves in this exact place. This book aims to answer those questions. Alsdorf says, "This book captures some foundational ways of thinking about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit; who we are in relation to that Trinity; and how all this affects the work we were created to do. How we work - in the context of our particular culture, time in history, vocation, and organization - is something we all need to be thinking through in out own communities. But the answers will all hang on this essential theology: the knowledge of who God is, His relation to man, His plan for the world, and how the good news (or gospel) of Christ turns our lives and the way we work upside down" (p.xxi-xxii).

Introduction

In the Introduction (p.1-16), Keller lays out the premise and structure of the whole book. He begins with the proposal that work - all work - is critical to human thriving in any society. He quotes author, Robert Bellah in his book, Habits of the Heart, as saying, "To make a real difference... [there would have to be] a reappropriation of the idea of vocation or calling, a return in a new way to the idea of work as a contribution to the good of all and not merely as a means to one's own advancement" (p.1-2). The true meaning of the concept vocation is critical to reappropriating the idea. It is not just another word for job, but implies that someone has called you to do it, "And so our work can be a calling only if it is reimagined as a mission of service to something beyond merely our own interests", Keller says (p.2). And so, "[I]f we are to 'reappropriate' an older idea, we must look at that idea's origin. In this case, the source of the idea of work as vocation is the Christian Scriptures. And so, taking our cue from Bellah's challenge, in this book we will do what we can to help illuminate the transformative and revolutionary connection between Christian faith and the workplace. We'll be referring to this connection - and all the ideas and practices surrounding it - as the 'integration of faith and work' " (p.2). Keller goes on to express, like Alsdorf did, some of the confusion and frustration surrounding this integration that exists in the church. He refers to a short, but powerful story by J.R.R. Tolkien called "Leaf by Niggle", which is worth further pondering. Finally, Keller concludes the Introduction in a way that sets up the rest of the book. He says, "I just said, 'If you know all this.' In order to work in this way - to get the consolation and freedom that Tolkien received from his Christian faith for his work - you need to know the Bible's answers to three questions: Why do you want to work? (That is, why do we need to work in order to lead a fulfilled life?) Why is it so hard to work? (That is, why is it so often fruitless, pointless, and difficult?) How can we overcome the difficulties and find satisfaction in our work through the gospel? The rest of this book will seek to answer those three questions in its three sections, respectively" (p.15-16).

Part One: God's Plan for Work

Part One is made up of four chapters: The Design of Work, The Dignity of Work, Word as Cultivation, and Work as Service. As Keller says in the Introduction, this Part is seeking to answer the question, "Why do you want to work?/Why do we need work in order to lead a fulfilled life?" Chapter One goes all the way back to the very beginning to answer these questions about work. From the Creation story in Genesis 1, Keller establishes the value of work as an integral part of the universe. "The Bible begins talking about work as soon as it begins talking about anything - that is how important and basic it is. The author of the book of Genesis describes God's creation of the world as work. In fact, he depicts the magnificent project of cosmos invention within a regular workweek of seven days. And then he shows us human beings working in paradise. This view of work - connected to divine, orderly creation and human purpose - is distinct among the great faiths and belief systems of the world... In the beginning, then, God worked. Word was not a necessary evil that came into the picture later, or something human beings were created to do that was beneath the great God himself. No, God worked for the sheer joy of it. Work could not have a more exalted inauguration" (p.19-21). So, it is established right away that work is good.

Keller goes on to explore all the characteristics of work that we can understand from the Christian Creation narrative. We see that God Himself works. He is not above work, leaving it only to humans, but He is the first and foremost of all workers. He works in the beginning to create all things, then He works continually to sustain all things - referred to as providence. He also works through His creation in commissioning humans to work. He tells Adam and Eve to "fill the earth and subdue it" in Genesis 1:28 and also to "work and to keep" the garden in Genesis 2:15.

Keller argues that work is therefore good. "The book of Genesis leaves us with a striking truth - work was part of paradise" (p.22). He quotes a Bible scholar saying, "It is perfectly clear that God's good plan always included human beings working, or, more specifically, living in the constant cycle of work and rest" (p.22). "Work is as much a basic human need as food, beauty, rest, friendship, prayer, and sexuality; it is not simply medicine but food for our soul. Without meaningful work we sense significant inner loss and emptiness. People who are cut off from work because of physical or other reasons quickly discover how much they need work to thrive emotionally, physically and spiritually" (p.23). Work is a central part of our nature as creatures. We were made to work. So when we are tempted to think of work as evil, burdensome, painful... we must be corrected by the biblical understanding that work is good and necessary and beneficial for us. It is also therefore critical that we work according to God's commands. He created us to work, designed and commands us to work and therefore is the chief engineer of how we work. Working according to God's commands liberates us to experience our created purpose. Keller says, "So the commandments of God in the Bible are a means of liberation, because through them God calls us to be what he built us to be... In the beginning God created us to work, and now he calls us and directs us unambiguously to live out that part of our design. This is not a burdensome command; it is an invitation to freedom" (p.26).

Keller also establishes an understanding of the work-rest balance from what we see about God in the Creation story. Rest is just as much a part of Creation as work. God worked and God rested. There is a balance. Work is not all there is to life, and rest is not all there is to life. Some people might be tempted to work to rest and some might be tempted to rest to work. In either of those cases, work or rest in-and-of itself becomes and idol. Keller says, "[I]t is crucial to grasp these truths well. For in a fallen world, work is frustrating and exhausting; one can easily jump to the conclusion that work is to be avoided or simply endured. And because our disordered hearts crave affirmation and validation, it is just as tempting to be thrust in the opposite direction - making life all about career accomplishment and very little else" (p.29-30).

The closing statement of Chapter One is this: "When we think, 'I hate work!' we should remember that, despite the fact that work can be a particularly potent reminder (and even amplifier) of the curse of sin on all things, it is not itself a curse. We were built for it and freed by it. But when we feel that our lives are completely absorbed by work, remember that we must also honor work's limits. There is no better starting point for a meaningful work life than a firm grasp of this balanced work and rest theology" (p.30).

Chapter Two makes the case that "work is a major component of human dignity" (p.32). The most prevalent attitude toward work is the attitude that "work is a necessary evil". Keller traces this ideology back to Greek culture and philosophy that still influences western thought today. But "[t]he biblical view of these matters is utterly different. Work of all kinds, whether with the hands or the mind, evidences our dignity as human beings - because it reflects the image of God the Creator in us" (p.35). "We are called to stand in for God here in the world, exercising stewardship over the rest of creation in His place as His vice-regents. We share in doing the things that God has done in creation - bringing order out of chaos, creatively building a civilization out of the material of physical and human nature, caring for all that God has made. This is a major part of what we were created to be" (p.36). So, the main point is, "Work has dignity because it is something that God does and because we do it in God's place, as His representatives" (p.36). What this means is that ALL work is valuable as it reflects the One who designed us to work. Meaning and dignity can be found in every job, and therefore so can joy and fulfillment. "We were build for work and the dignity it gives us as human beings, regardless of its status or pay. The practical implications of this principle are far-reaching. We have the freedom to seek work that suits our gifts and passions. We can be open to greater opportunities for work when the economy is weak and jobs are less plentiful. We no longer have any basis for condescension or superiority; nor is there any basis for envy or feelings of inferiority. And every Christian should be able to identify, with conviction and satisfaction, the ways in which his or her work participates with God in His creativity and cultivation" (p.41).

Chapter Three explores the concept of "Work as Cultivation". Keller begins by saying, "Work is our design and our dignity; it is also a way to serve God through creativity, particularly in the creation of culture" (p.43). This is based on the Genesis narrative and specifically the command from God in chapter one, verse twenty-eight to "fill the earth and subdue it", which is often referred to as the "Cultural Mandate". What does it mean?, Keller asks. Essentially, to fill the earth is to create human society through multiplication. "It means civilization, not just procreation," Keller says (p.44). To subdue the earth is to rule it as God's image-bearing vice-regents. "Ruling the world as God's image bearers should be seen as a stewardship or trusteeship" (p.45). Mankind is designed and commanded to carry forth the creative, cultivating, filling-and-subduing work that God does. "If we are to be God's image-bearers with regard to creation, then we will carry on His pattern of work" (p.47). This paragraph on page 47 is, I think, the essential summary of the chapter:

If we are to be God's image-bearers with regard to creation, then we will carry on His pattern of work. His world is not hostile, so that it needs to be beaten down like an enemy. Rather, its potential is undeveloped, so it needs to be cultivated like a garden. So we are not to relate to the world as park rangers, whose job is not to change their space, but to preserve things as they are. Nor are we to 'pave over the garden' of the created world to make a parking lot. No, we are to be gardeners who take an active stance toward their charge. They do not leave the land as it is. They rearrange it in order to make it most fruitful, to draw the potentialities for growth and development out of the soil. They dig up the ground and rearrange it with a goal in mind: to rearrange the raw material of the garden so that it produces food, flowers and beauty. And that is the pattern for all work. It is creative and assertive. It is rearranging the raw material of God's creation in such a way that it helps the world in general, and people in particular, thrive and flourish.

Some additional quotes from this chapter are illuminating and help direct is in our application of this truth:

• Wherever we bring order out of chaos, whenever we draw out creative potential, whenever we elaborate and "unfold" creation beyond where it was when we found it, we are following God's pattern of creative cultural development (p.48).

• A biblical understanding of work energizes our desire to create value from the resources available to us (p.49).

• If ministers don't yet see business as a way of making culture and of cultivating creation, they will fail to support, appreciate, and properly lead many members of their congregation (p.51).

• No everyday work lacks the dignity of being patterned after God's own work, yet no business megadeal or public policy initiative is so lofty that it can transcend God's patterns and limitations for work. What's more, God has not left us alone to discover how or why we are to cultivate His creation; instead, He gives us a clear purpose for our work and faithfully calls us into it (p.53).

The closing sentence of Chapter Three (above) sets up the main thrust of Chapter Four, "Work as Service". Keller says that "God provides purpose for our work by calling us to serve the world" (p.54). The Bible passage of main focus is 1 Corinthians 7:17, which reads, "Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches". It is clear that God assigns and calls people to specific situations. In God's great sovereign providence, He positions people (assigns them to situations) and calls them to fulfill the tasks of the assignment. "The implication is clear," Keller says, "Just as God equips Christians for building up the Body of Christ, so He also equips all people with talents and gifts for various kinds of work, for the purpose of building up the human community... Our daily work can be a calling only if it is reconceived as God's assignment to serve others. And that is exactly how the Bible teaches us to view work" (p.55). Here is perhaps a summary statement of the main point of the chapter:

Christians should be aware of this revolutionary understanding of the purpose of their work in the world. We are not to choose jobs and conduct our work to fulfill ourselves and accrue power, for being called by God to do something is empowering enough. We are to see work as a way of service to God and our neighbor, and so we should both choose and conduct our work in accordance with that purpose. The question regarding our choice of work is no longer "What will make me the most money and give me the most status?" The question must now be "How, with my existing abilities and opportunities, can I be of greatest service to other people, knowing what I do of God's will and of human need?" (p.56-57)

There are some significant implications of this biblical view of work and how it shapes our attitude and practice. This is especially true as we understand the Gospel of justification by grace through faith in Jesus. Keller makes the following statements:

• [Speaking of a question Keller posed on an earlier page, quoted above] It...will lead us to a more sustainable motivation for discipline and excellence at work. If the point of work is to serve and exalt ourselves, then our work inevitable becomes less about the work and more about us. Our aggressiveness will eventually become abuse, our drive will become burnout, and our self-sufficiency will become self-loathing. But if the purpose of work is to serve and exalt something beyond ourselves, then we actually have a better reason to deploy our talent, ambition, and entrepreneurial vigor - and we are more likely to be successful in the long run, even by the world's definition (p.57-58).

• Not only are the most modest jobs - like plowing a field or digging a ditch - the "masks" through which God cares for us (a concept developed by Martin Luther), but so are the most basic social roles and tasks, such as coting, participating in public institutions, and being a father or mother. These are all God's callings, all ways of doing God's work in the world, all ways through which God distributes His gifts to us (p.61).

• [T]he gospel frees us from the relentless pressure of having to prove ourselves and secure our identity through work, for we are already proven and secure. It also frees us from a condescending attitude toward less sophisticated labor and from envy over more exalted work. All work now becomes a way to love the God who saved us freely; and by extension, a way to love our neighbor (p.63).

• This means, ironically, that Christians who understand biblical doctrine ought to be the ones who appreciate the work of non-Christians the most. We know we are saved by grace alone, and therefore we are not better fathers or mothers, better artists and businesspersons, than those who do not believe as we do. Our gospel-trained eyes can see the world ablaze with the glory of God's work through the people He has created and called (p.64).

• This revolutionary way of looking at work gives all work a common and exalted purpose: to honor God by loving your neighbors and serving them through your work (p.64).

• There may be no better way to love your neighbor, whether you are writing parking tickets, software, or books, than to simply do your work. But only skillful, competent work will do... If God's purpose for your job is that you serve the human community, then the way to serve God best is to do the job as well as it can be done (p.67).

• He (William Diehl) writes, "If laypeople cannot find any spiritual meaning in their work, they are condemned to living a certain dual life; not connecting what they do on Sunday morning with what they do the rest of the week. They need to discover that the very actions of daily life are spiritual, and enable...people to touch God in the world, not away from from it. Such spirituality will say...'Your work is your prayer.'... but if the call of the Christian is to participate in God's ongoing creative process, the bedrock of our ministry has to be competency. We must use our talents in as competent a manner as possible" (p.69-70).

• If [this] is true, then if you have to choose between work that benefits more people and work that pays you more, you should seriously consider the job that pays less and helps more - particularly if you can be great at it (p.70).

Part Two: Our Problems with Work

In the Introduction, Keller previews all three of the book's sections with these three questions, "Why do you want to work? (That is, why do we need to work in order to lead a fulfilled life?) Why is it so hard to work? (That is, why is it so often fruitless, pointless, and difficult?) How can we overcome the difficulties and find satisfaction in our work through the gospel? The rest of this book will seek to answer those three questions in its three sections, respectively" (p.15-16). He says that only way to work with the consolation and freedom that Tolkien received from his Christian faith is to know the answers to these three questions. In other words, answering these three questions will establish a biblical view of work. And so, Part Two answers the questions, "Why is it so hard to work?"

Understanding the Christian doctrine of sin and the Fall is the essential premise by which the question "Why is it so hard to work?" is answered. Keller spends most of Chapter Five ("Work Becomes Fruitless") establishing this premise. For example, he quotes philosopher Al Wolters saying, "The Bible teaches plainly that Adam and Eve's fall into sin was not just an isolated act of disobedience but an event of catastrophic significance for creation as a whole... The effects of sin touch all of creation; no created think is in principle untouched by the corrosive effects of the fall. Whether we look at societal structures such as the state or family, or cultural pursuits such as art or technology, or bodily functions such as sexuality or eating, or anything at all within the wide scope of creation, we discover that the good handiwork of God has been drawn into the sphere of mutiny against God. 'The whole creation,' Paul writes, 'has been groaning...is subject to bondage and decay'" (p.81).

So work is totally affected by the corruption of sin. "Work is not itself a curse, but it now lies with all other aspects of human life under the curse of sin," Keller says on page 82. "Part of the curse of work in a fallen world is its frequent fruitlessness" (p.82). "Work Becomes Fruitless" is the topic of this chapter (Chapter Five). "What do we mean then we say work is fruitless?" Keller asks (p.82). "We mean that, in all our work, we will be able to envision far more than we can accomplish, both because of a lack of ability and because of resistance in the environment around us. The experience of work will include pain, conflict, envy, and fatigue, and not all our goals will be met" (p.82-83). Because of the Fall, work is hard. Work even works against us, because in our attempts to bring about a harvest, the ground upon which we work is also bearing thorns and thistles. No work is without is difficulties. As long as we live upon this earth, this will be the case. What do you do about this? In large part, you must embrace it. "Just because you cannot realize your highest aspirations in work does not mean you have chosen wrongly, or are not called to your profession, or that you should spend your life looking for the perfect career that is devoid of frustration. That would be a fruitless search for anyone. You should expect to be regularly frustrated in your work even through you may be in exactly the right vocation" (p.87, my own emphasis added). And yet, it is not wrong to long for fulfillment in work and perhaps change careers in a search for greater fruitfulness. There is a difference between trying to escape frustration in work (which is a pointless endeavor) and trying to find maximum fruitfulness (which will still include some thorns and thistles). Keller reminds us that work will always be both frustrating and fulfilling. He finishes with this statement, "Christians have, through their hope in God's story of redemption for the world He created, a deep consolation that enables them to work with all their being and never be ultimately discouraged by the frustrating present reality of this world, in which thorns grow up when they are trying to coax up other things. We accept the fact that in this world our work will always fall short, just as we sinner always 'fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23) because we know that our work in this life is not the final word" (p.90).

Work can feel fruitless as a result of the fallen world in which we live, and it can also feel pointless. This is the message of Chapter Six. Fruitless is different from pointless in that fruitlessness is the experience in work where one feels like they never actually achieve what they are laboring for, while pointlessness is the feeling that all of one's work doesn't really matter anyway, even if one does achieve all their goals. Keller relies on the book of Ecclesiastes to develop this idea, "So i hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind" (Ecc.2:17). Keller does the critical work of explaining the literary genre of Ecclesiastes and its unique narrative. The style is what's called "fictional autobiography". "In this form, the writer could introduce a fictional character, give a description of his or her life's course, and then conclude with general insights and teachings drawn from the save study of the recounted life" (p.92). "The author of Ecclesiastes is using the character of the Philosopher to push readers toward an understanding of the transcendent uniqueness and necessity of God. Nothing within this world is sufficient basis for a meaningful life here. If we base our lives on work and achievement, on love and pleasure, or on knowledge and learning, our existence becomes anxious and fragile - because circumstances in life are always threatening the very foundation of our lives, and death inevitably strips us of everything we hold dear. Ecclesiastes is an argument that existential dependence on a gracious Creator God - not only abstract belief - is a precondition to an unshakable, purposeful life" (p.93). The bottom line is, without God as the foundation and axiom of your life, everything is ultimately pointless. Many will strive and strive and strive and achieve and achieve and achieve while still falling short of any real fulfillment or purpose because they have not come to rest in God. Listen to Tom Brady for example - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HeLYQaZQW0. Work cannot be your only hope. It will always leave you empty.

There a section in this chapter (Chapter Six) that is worth capturing and reflecting on because of the way that it diagnoses a disease in our society today:

"Ecclesiastes says, 'A person can do nothing better than to... find satisfaction in their own toil' (2:24). One of the reasons so many people find work to be unsatisfying is, ironically, that people today have more power to choose their line of work than did people in the past" (p.100). He quotes an article from a guy named David Brooks from The New York Times that diagnoses an epidemic among recent graduates entering the working world. "Brooks's first point is that so many college students do not choose work that actually fits their abilities, talents, and capacities, but rather choose work that fits within their limited imagination of how they can boost their own self-image... Because there is no longer an operative consensus on the dignity of all work, still less on the idea that in all work we are the hands and fingers of God serving the human community, in their minds they had an extremely limited range of career choices. That means lots of young adults are choosing work that doesn't fit them, or fields that are too highly competitive for most people to do well in. And this sets many people up for a sense of dissatisfaction or meaninglessness in their work... today young people are seeking to define themselves by the status of their work" (p.102-103). In response, Keller makes three points that answer the question, "What wisdom, then, would the Bible give us in choosing our work?" (p.103):

1. "First, if we have the luxury of options, we would want to choose work that we can do well... To take up work that we can do well is like cultivating our selves as gardens filled with hidden potential; it is to make the greatest room for the ministry of competence" (p.103).

2. "Second, because the main purpose of work is to serve the world, we would want to choose work that benefits others". Keller says there is a critical "need for everyone to work out in clear personal terms how their work serves the world" (p.104).

3. "Third, if possible, we do not simply work to benefit our family, benefit the human community, and benefit ourselves - we also want to benefit our field of work itself... our goal should not simply be to do work, but to increase the human race's capacity to cultivate the created world. It is a worthy goal to want to make a contribution to your discipline, if possible; to show a better, deeper, fairer, more skillful, more ennobling way of doing what you do" (p.104).

Upon this third point I have reflected a lot and shared with my COV brothers. My original comments are as follows:

The closing section of Chapter Six is titled "A Handful of Quietness". "But how do we get that satisfaction in light of all that we have against us?" Keller asks. Is there any hope for satisfaction in my work? "The answer" he says, "is the gift of God" (Ecc. 3:13). "How do we secure this gift? Qoheleth [the character of Ecclesiastes] provides a hint" (p.106).

Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.

Better one handful with tranquility

than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind (Ecc. 4:5-6).

There is an essential balance - one hand of work and "one hand of quietness". "There will be both toil and tranquility," Keller says. "How we attain such a balances life is one of the main themes of Scripture. First, it means recognizing and renouncing our tendency to make idols of money and power (see Ecclesiastes 4:4 - 'I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person's ency of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind'). Second, it means putting relationships in their proper place (see Ecclesiastes 4:8 - 'There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother'), even though it probably means making less money ('one handful' rather than two). But most of all, it will mean pursuing something that is beyond the scope of Ecclesiastes to identify. The New Testament reveals that the ultimate source of the tranquility we seek is Jesus Christ, who - because He has toiled for us on the cross - can offer us the true rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-30). Without the gospel of Jesus, we will have to toil not for the joy of serving others, not the satisfaction of a job well done, but to make a name for ourselves" (p.107).

The idea of working to make a name for ourselves is the opening idea of Chapter Seven. Keller says, "One of the reasons work is both fruitless and pointless is the powerful inclination of the human heart to make work, and its attendant benefits, the main basis of one's meaning and identity. When this happens, work is no longer a way to create and bring out the wonders of the created order, as Calvin would say, or to be an instrument of God's providence, serving the basic needs of our neighbor, as Luther would say. Instead it becomes a way to distinguish myself from my neighbor, to show that world and prove to myself that I'm special. It is a way to accumulate power and security, and to exercise control over my destiny" (p.108-109). Keller explores the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 to demonstrate how people seek to make a name for themselves through the magnitude of their accomplishments and the pride of their group. Pride at the heart of work endeavors is what makes work selfish and often makes work corrupt and unethical. It is just another outworking of sinful human hearts in the world of work. Keller spends most of the chapter exploring the story of Esther in order to shine light on a solution to the problem of selfishness in work. The key verse in the story of Esther is a statement by Mordecai who says, "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this" (4:14). The challenge is to remodel your view of your position not to accumulate your own wealth and status, but to leverage your position to serve. Selfishness - me-centered motivation for work - can become selflessness - service-centered motivation for work. Keller says, "It is natural to root your identity in your position in the palace [a metaphor from Esther that Keller uses to capture societal influence]; to rest your security in the fact that you have a certain measure of control over the variable in your life; to find your significance in having clout in certain circles. But if you are unwilling to risk your place in the palace for your neighbors, the palace owns you" (p.120). Keller boils things down to the reality that all your opportunities and your accomplishments are a gift of God's grace. "Therefore, everything you have is a matter of grace, and so you have the freedom to serve the world through your influence, just as you can through your competence" (p.120). The final pages of Chapter Seven bring everything home. We must grasp true motivation for selfless service in our work. We must have a settled conviction for why we would use our influence to serve others and glorify God instead of ourselves. Keller says, "Here's the answer of the Bible, right from this story. Esther saved her people through identification and mediation... does that remind you of anyone?... If you see Esther not as an example but as a pointer to Jesus, and if you see Jesus not as an example but as a Savior doing these things for you personally, then you will see how valuable you are to Him. Meditate on these things, and the truth will change your identity. If will convince you of your real, inestimable value. And ironically, when you see how much you are loved, your work will become far less selfish" (p.123-124).

Chapter Eight is the final chapter of Part Two, "Our Problems with Work". The chapter is titled, "Work Reveals Our Idols". How does idolatry reveal itself in our work? Keller will explain. Early on in the chapter he makes this statement, "We have an alternate or counterfeit god [an idol] if we take anything in creation and begin to 'bow down' to it - that is, to love, serve and derive meaning from it more than from the true God" (p.127-128). Martin Luther describes idolatry as "looking to some created thing to give you what only God can give you" (p.128). Luther goes on in his Treatise Concerning Good Works, "All those who do not at all times trust God and... His favor, grace and good-will, but seek His favor in other things or in themselves, do not keep this Commandment, and practice real idolatry" (p.129). With this understanding , it is easy to begin to see how work reveals our idolatry and how our behavior is pervasively shaped by them.. Keller says, "Personal idols profoundly drive and shape our behavior, including our work. Idols of comfort and pleasure can make it impossible for a person to work as hard as is necessary to have a faithful and fruitful career. Idols of power and approval, on the other hand, can lead us to overwork or to be ruthless and unbalanced in our work practices. Idols of control take several forms - including intense worry, lack of trust, and micromanagement. While we are usually blind to our own idols, it is not very hard to see them in others, and to see how others' counterfeit gods will them with anxiety, anger, and discouragement" (p.131-132). The description of personal idols is crystal clear. Keller then moves on to explore the concept of cultural idols or corporate idols. In what ways are entire communities and cultures influenced by idolatry? "When an individual makes and serves an idol, it creates psychological distortion and trouble; when a family, group, or country makes and serves an idol, it creates social and cultural trouble" (p.132). Keller provides "an overview of the prevailing idols of the three dominant cultures of Western history: traditional, modern and postmodern" (p.134). Keller explores idols of nation and race, which lead to nationalism and racism; idols of human reason and individual freedom, leading to self-salvation and self-realization crusades; finally leading to what seems to be the disintegration of any higher ideals or moral values altogether in a postmodern society that idolizes individual competition for personal success and power. Keller gives a very thought provoking evaluation of our postmodern culture on pages 141 through 148.

Chapter Eight ends with a summary of Part Two, "Our Problems With Work". "We have been describing what work was designed to be and what has gone wrong with it," Keller says. "Even if we find ourselves doing the kind of work we want and in the best sorts of work environments, the broken nature of work seems overwhelming. 'What hope is there for work? How can we put work right?' we may ask. How do we look past the deep problems and realize God's purpose and plan?" This is the direction to which the book will now turn. The Christian understands and embraces that nothing will ultimately be made right until the day when Christ returns and ushers in the new heaven and new earth. In the meantime, "The Christian gospel decidedly furnishes us with the resources for more inspired, realistic, satisfying, and faithful work today. How? First, the gospel provides an alternate story line for our work; this is vital because all work is propelled by a worldview or a narrative account of what human life is all about and what will help us thrive. Second, the Christian faith gives us a new and rich conception of work as partnering with God and His love and care for the world... Third, the gospel gives us a particularly sensitive new moral compass... Finally, the gospel radically changes our motives for work and fills us with a new and durable inner power that will be with us through thick and thin" (p.148-150). These four points are the subjects of the next four chapters of Part Three, "The Gospel and Work".

Part Three: The Gospel and Work

Chapter Nine is the first chapter of Part Three and it is titled "A New Story for Work". Keller begins by explaining how we make sense of things by understanding them as a part of a greater story, or a greater narrative. We do this without thinking much about it. We often speculate about the narrative we are involved in. Asking questions about why things are or why things happen the way they do is an attempt to understand the story of the world around us. This could also be understood as our worldview - our understanding of the meta-narrative of the universe. This has major implications for our daily decision-making. Keller says, "...if you get the story wrong, your response will be wrong. And if you get the story of the world wrong - if, for example, you see life here as mainly about self-actualization and self-fulfillment rather than the love of God - you will get your life responses wrong, including the way you go about your work" (p.154). Keller provides an explanation of the concept of worldview that I find extremely useful. He says:

"The term 'worldview,' from the German word Weltanschauung, means the comprehensive perspective from which we interpret all of reality. But a worldview is not merely a set of philosophical bullet points. It is essentially a master narrative, a fundamental story about (a) what human life in the world should be like, (b) what has knocked it off balance, and (c) what can be done to make it right. No one can really function in the world without some working answers to those big questions, and so, to provide those answers, we adopt a world-story, a narrative that explains things - a worldview" (p.155-156).

A HUGE statement is made here about human nature: "All people are living out some mental world-story that gives their lives meaning" (p.156). EVERYONE has a worldview, a master narrative for life. And, "Worldviews...are not private or unique. If fact, whole groups and cultures have their own preferred world-story with generally accepted answers to the big questions and shared idols that heighten the drama" (p.157). "One of the main places that we personally live out the drama of our personal and social narratives is in our daily work. Our worldview places our work in the context of a history, a cause, a quest, and a set of protagonists and antagonists, and in so doing it frames the strategy of our work at a high level. At a day-to-day level, our worldview will shape our individual interactions and decisions" (p.158). Keller will spend the remainder of the chapter exploring the Christian or Gospel worldview and it's implications for our work. This chapter is hugely significant. Understanding the Christian Gospel and Christian worldview and how it shapes all of life, particularly our work, is the essential point of the whole book. Keller points out the uniqueness of the Christian worldview:

"...the biblical worldview uniquely understands the nature, problem, and salvation of humankind as fundamentally relational. We were made for a relationship with God, we lost our relationship with God through sin against Him, and we can be brought back into that relationship through His salvation and grace... Only the Christian worldview locates the problem with the world not in any part of the world or in any particular group of people but in sin itself (our loss of relationship with God). And it locates the solution in God's grace (our restoration of a relationship with God through the work of Christ). Sin infects us all, and so we cannot simply divide the world into the heroes and the villains. (And if we did, we would certainly have to count ourselves among the latter as well as the former.) Without an understanding of the gospel, we will be either naively utopian or cynically disillusioned. We will be demonizing something that isn't bad enough to explain the mess we are in; and we will be idolizing something that isn't powerful enough to get us out of it. This is, in the end what all other worldviews do... The gospel is the true story that God made a good world that was marred by sin and evil, but through Jesus Christ He redeemed it at infinite cost to Himself, so that someday He will return to renew all creation; end all suffering and death; and restore absolute peace, justice and joy in the world forever. The vast implications of this gospel worldview - about the character of God, the goodness of the material creation, the value of the human person, the fallenness of all people and all things, the primacy of love and grace, the importance of justice and truth, the hope of redemption - affect everything, and especially our work" (p.159,161, 162).

• [Listen to Albert Mohler's "The Briefing" from 09112017 or 09122017 for more on the topic of worldview]

Keller concludes the chapter by selecting a few particular industries and describing how the Christian worldview remodels them. The industries he discusses are Business, Journalism, Higher Education, Arts, Medicine and finally a section titled "The Christian Worldview Shapes all Work". On page 182 and 183 he provides some thought-provoking questions to encourage you to think about your work from a Christian worldview:

• What's the story line of the culture in which I live and the field where I work? Who are the protagonists and the antagonists?

• What are the underlying assumptions about meaning, morality, origin, and destiny?

• What are the idols? The hopes? The fears?

• How does my particular profession retell this story line, and what part does the profession itself play in the story?

• What parts of the dominant worldviews are basically in line with the gospel, so that I can agree with and align with them?

• What parts of the dominant worldviews are irresolvable without Christ? Where, in other words, must I challenge culture? How can Christ complete the story in a different way?

• How do these stories affect both the form and the content of my work personally? How can I work not just with excellence but also with Christian distinctiveness in my work?

• What opportunities are there in my profession for (a) serving individual people, (b) serving society at large, (c) serving my field of work, (d) modeling competence and excellence, and (e) witnessing to Christ?

Chapter 10: A New Conception of Work

If it is the Christian worldview the supplies the only true and lasting context for meaningful work, then is it only Christians who work well? No. Keller begins the chapter by recognizing several non-Christian people groups who do very great work and provide huge benefit to others. "If the Christian worldview is so unique", Keller says, "how do we account for this?" (p.186). The answer is found in understanding God's providence. "As we have seen in earlier chapters, especially in the teaching of Martin Luther, God's loving care comes to us largely thought the labor of others. Work is a major instrument of God's providence; it is how He sustains the human world... This aspect of work-as-provision is the reason that much work that Christians do is not done, at least not in its visible form, any differently from the way non-Christians do it. It is not so easy, for example, to identify the uniquely Christian way to fill a cavity. And because all human beings are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28) and all are given their talents and skills for work in the world by God (1 Corinthians 7:17), we should not be surprised that many people without belief in Jesus can do great work - even better work - than Christians" (p.186-187). So Keller makes this claim in this chapter: All work is a vehicle for God's providence for the world. This biblical conception of work is essential. "...Christians should place a high value on all human work (especially excellent work), done by all people, as a channel of God's love for His world. They will be able to appreciate and rejoice in their own work, whether it is prestigious or not, as well as in the skillful work of all other people, whether they believe or not" (p.188). This then launches Keller into an exploration of the doctrine of Common Grace. We should understand God's provision for the world as His work of extending grace to everyone and He does this through all people that He has created. "God gives our gifts of wisdom, talent, beauty, and skill according to his grace - that is, in a completely unmerited way. He casts them across the human race like seed, in order to enrich, brighten, and preserve the world" (p.194). An understanding of common grace enables a Christian to engage meaningfully with all people, appreciate excellent work, and embrace the sometimes frequent case where non-Christian work is performed better than Christian work. "An understanding of common grace, as well as an experience of God's pardoning grace in Christ, should lead us to freely and humbly work with others who may not share our faith but can be used greatly by God to accomplish enormous good" (p.195).

Keller makes a profound observation about human culture based on an understanding of common grace, sin and what he calls "primordial" knowledge of God or "first-order beliefs" based on general revelation. He says, "the language of Romans 1, verses 18-25 gives us a much more comprehensive and dynamic picture of how general revelation or common grace works in real life. The truth is being suppressed (verse 18), but it continue to bear down on us. Verse 20 says, 'Since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities...have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so men are without excuse.' But the verbs nosumena ("are being understood") and kathopatai ("are being seen") are in the form of present passive participles. That is, the reality of God's nature ans our obligations to Him are continuously presented to us. these realities are not static, propositional information, but rather a continually fresh, insistent pressure on the consciousness of every individual. If this is true, then every artifact of human culture is a positive response to God's general revelation and simultaneously a rebellious assertion against His sovereign rule over us (Romans 1:21)... Therefore, human culture is an extremely complex mixture of brilliant truth, marred half-truths, and overt resistance to the truth. 'Loss of faith in a given religion does not by any means imply the eradication of the religious instinct. It merely means that the instinct, temporarily repressed, will seek an object elsewhere' "(p.198-199). This "thick" understanding of common grace and human nature should significantly shape the way Christians engage the world and consume or critique culture. The danger of a "thin" understanding of common grace, Keller says, can lead to dualism at work. Keller says, "Christians' disengagement from popular culture usually carries over into dualism at work. 'Dualism' is a term used to describe a separating wall between the sacred and the secular. It is a direct result of a thin view of sin, common grace, and God's providential purposes" (p.199-200). Another danger of dualism is that "Christians think of themselves as Christians only within church activity. Their Christian life is what they do on Sundays and weeknights, when they engage in spiritual activities. The rest of the week they have no ability to think circumspectly about the underlying values they are consuming and living out" (p.200). Unfortunately this means Christians end up looking far too much like the world. Keller closes the chapter with this statement:

"The integration of faith and work is the opposite of dualism. We should be willing to be very engaged with the cultural and vocational worlds of non-Christians. Our thick view of sin will remind us that even explicitly Christian work and culture will always have some idolatrous discourse within it. Our thick view of common grace will remind us that even explicitly non-Christian work and culture will always have some witness to God's truth in it. Because Christians are never as good as their right beliefs should make them and non-Christians are never as bad as their wrong beliefs should make them, we will adopt a stance of critical enjoyment of human culture and its expressions in every field of work. We will learn to recognize the half-truths and resist the idols; and we will learn to recognize and celebrate the glimpses of justice, wisdom, truth, and beauty we find all around us in all aspects of life. Ultimately, a grasp of the gospel and of biblical teaching on cultural engagement should lead Christians to be the most appreciative of the hands of God behind the work of our colleagues and neighbors" (p.201).

Chapter 11: A New Compass for Work

In this chapter, Keller discusses how the Christian view of work remodels our understanding of ethics and undergirds it with bedrock truth in the character of God. He says, "Christians can take a stand against unethical behavior, even if it means great sacrifice on their part. Fortunately, the story line of the Christian faith gives believers and ethical bedrock - a much firmer foundation for acting with integrity that offered by the pragmatic approach of a cost-benefit analysis. We are to be honest, compassionate, and generous not because these things are rewarding (which they usually are, hence the cost-benefit approach to ethics), but because they are right in and of themselves - because to do so honors the will of God and His design for human life. Sometimes, of course, that will put is in the minority and even at a disadvantage. But indeed, as Bible scholar Bruce Waltke points out, the Bible says that the very definition of righteous people is that they disadvantage themselves to advantage others, while 'the wicked...are willing to disadvantage the community to advantage themselves' " (p.208). Keller will go on to describe the New Compass that the gospel equips us with to navigate the waters of the working world. Keller will focus on three parts to the New Compass: the virtue of love, the source of wisdom, and the Audience of One.

"Christianity understood the ultimate reality to be rooted in a personal God who created out of love... which was the primary meaning of life... Love, then, occupies a supreme place in the Christian imagination. As Jesus says, to be fully human boils down to loving God and loving our neighbor... Of course this understanding of the nature of reality will have an extensive impact on how we do our work. For instance, are relationships a means to the end of accruing power, wealth, and comfort? Or is wealth creation a means to serve the end goal of loving others? One way goes against the grain of the universe made by a triune God, and therefore it cannot honor Him or lead to human flourishing. The other is the paradigm of Christian work" (p.210-211). The Christian worldview also shapes our understanding of human rights. "If every person is made in the image of God he or she has inviolable rights, regardless of that person's race, class gender, lifestyle, or moral character... The sweeping nature of this ethical principle is startling, and nothing of its kind was produced in pre-Christian cultures... Christians must remain absolutely committed to an understanding of human rights based on the image of God" (p.212, 213, 215).

Biblical Christianity also provides a different source of guidance - wisdom. "According to the Bible, wisdom is more than just obeying god's ethical norms; it is knowing the right thing to do in the 80 percent of life's situations in which the moral rules don't provide the clear answer... How can we become wise so that we make good decisions? The Bible teaches that wisdom accumulates from several sources" (p.215-216). Keller names three sources: knowing God personally (His love and character become a felt reality in our life that transforms our demeanor), knowing ourselves ( knowing our proclivity to sin and selfishness helps us discern our own hearts), learning through our experiences (God molds us through experience and we have eyes to see and learn what He is doing). Ultimately it is the Holy Spirit that indwells the Christian with power to illuminate the wisdom of God and transform our hearts and minds. The wisdom of God is exclusive to those in whom the Spirit of God dwells (1 Corinthians 2:10-16).

Finally, Keller describes how the Christian command to work "as if you were serving the Lord" (Ephesians 6) shapes our compass. He says that we all work for an audience, whether we are aware of it or not (p.224). Our understanding of the audience that we're aiming to please will have a significant effect on us and the way we work. "Who is watching you work? Whom are you working for? Whose opinion matters most in the end?... If we begin to work as if we were serving the Lord, we will be freed from both overwork and underwork. Neither the prospect of money and acclaim, nor the lack of it, will be our controlling consideration. Work will be primarily a way to please God by doing His work in the world, for His name's sake... Christians look to an Audience of One, our living heavenly Father, and that gives us both accountability and joy in our work" (p.219, 220, 224).

The remainder of Chapter Eleven is spent giving examples of how this compass makes Christians at work look different. "If Christians are animated by different virtues, lifted by a different view of humanity, guided by a different source of wisdom, and perform for a different audience, what will be different about the way they act at work? Let me propose a handful of examples" (p.224). Here's the short list:

• Christians should be known to not be ruthless.

• Christians should be known to be generous.

• Christians should be also known to be calm and poised in the face of difficulty or failure (upon this point I would like to share more below).

• Christians should not be seen as sectarian.

Why is there an urgent need for this kind of powerful compass to influence the world? The attitude and culture of the contemporary marketplace is infiltrating every corner of life and working great destruction on human relationships. "As we have seen, the triune nature of God, and our being made in His image, means that human life is fundamentally relational. But contemporary capitalism increasingly has the power to eliminate the intimacy and accountability of human relationships. So in the marketplace, as in every field, there is an urgent need for those with a powerful compass" (p.231).

Further reflection on the third bullet point above for a specific conversation with a friend:

"Christians should be also known to be calm and poised in the face of difficulty or failure. This may be the most telling way to judge if a person is drawing on the resources of the gospel in the development of personal character. In Matthew 6, verses 19 and 21 Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in a steal... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." What does He mean? Everyone has treasures - the things we cherish, delight in, and adore above all other things. We've also called them idols, and to understand them is to understand much of the hierarchy of your soul and the foundation of your personality. If we get our main meaning from peer approval, or money in the bank, or our reputation for success - then these things are our treasures. But Jesus rightly points out how radically insecure we are if we treasure such things. They can be whisked away or stolen. And then our very lives can fall apart.

This is why for so many people the prospect of career reversal or business failure is such a struggle. When our meaning in life and identity is at stake, we panic, often acting impulsively, sometimes finding ourselves able to lie and betray others in order to save ourselves, or we simply plunge into despair. But Jesus says, rather, "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (verse 20). What does He mean? Paul tells us that in Christ all treasures are hid (Colossians 2:3), and Peter says that Jesus was rejected for us, dying to take what we deserved, and therefore "to you who believe, [He] is precious" (1 Peter 2:7). (In fact, Peter uses the noun form, saying literally, "He is preciousness." Jesus is the standard by which things can be called valuable.) This is not simply rhetoric or even abstract theology. The Bible is saying: Only if Jesus is your treasure are you truly rich, for He is the only currency that cannot be devalued. And only if He is your Savior are you truly successful, for status with Him is the only status that can't be lost" (p.226-227).

Chapter 12: New Power for Work

In the final chapter Keller will explain how the Gospel transforms our power for work, that is, our motivation and passion tied to the core of our relationship to work. "Many people are trying to get a sense of self through productivity and success - but that burns them out. For others the motivation is to bring home a paycheck so they can enjoy 'real life' - but that makes work into a pointless grind. These motivations are what we could call the 'work beneath the work'. And they are what make work so physically and emotionally exhausting in the end" (p.233-234). Jesus brings total change when He captures your heart and your life. "[A]n encounter with God [gives us] the power to break free of the idols of [our] vocational fields. The power [frees us] from the grip of the work beneath [our] work" (p.235). In the previous chapter, "We have said that the gospel replaces the story that animates our work, it alters our conception of what work is, and it reorients the ethical compass we use for work..." In this chapter we will also see how, "the gospel also gives us new power for work by supplying us with a new passion and a deeper kind of rest" (p.235-236).

Passion is a driving force that we hear a lot about and think a lot about in our work. In some way or another, everyone is seeking to identify their passion and maximize it. "But there are different sources and kinds of passion," Keller says (p.236). Passion can be fueled by sin and self and idolatry, "And when you do that you release all the worst vices and sins to be the main animating energies behind your work" (p.238). On the contrary, the Gospel presents a very different picture of passion, and it's one of self-sacrificial service. Jesus's sacrificial death on the cross is the example. "[I]n the Bible, the very definition of passion - think of Christ's Passion - is to sacrifice your freedom for someone else" (p.239). Keller develops his point by looking at Romans, chapter 12: "I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice... Never lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:1,11). Exploring the concept of "living sacrifice" and "zeal" and "spiritual fervor", Keller says, "So we are asked to bring emotion, discipline, and urgency to the task of being living sacrifices in the lives we lead and the work we do. We are asked to live with passion" (p.240). Keller wraps us the section with the question, "So where does this true passion come from?" He focuses on the statement in Romans 12:1 that says, "in view of God's mercy". When we view and behold the mercy of God in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are compelled to live with this passion. Jesus "is our model," Keller says, "When the extent and depth of Jesus's passion for you fully dawns on your heart, it will generate passion for the work He has called you uniquely to do in the world. When you realize what He has done to rescue you, your pride and ency begin to disappear because you don't need to get your self-worth from being richer, cooler, more powerful, or more comfortable that other people... You are adopted into God's family, so you already have your affirmation. You are justified in God's sight, so you have nothing to prove. You have been saved through a dying sacrifice, so you are free to be a living one. You are loved ceaselessly, so you can work tirelessly in response to a quiet inner fullness" (p.241).

Keller transitions from this point to explore the way the Gospel reshapes our understanding of rest. We may realize that rest from work is important but not until the Gospel penetrates our hearts can we experience true rest. "But if we can experience gospel-rest in our hearts, if we can be free from the need to earn our salvation through out work, we will have a deep reservoir of refreshment that continually rejuvenates us, restores our perspective, and renews our passion" (p.242). Keller focuses on the biblical meaning of Sabbath to understand the nature of gospel-rest. He says, "Sabbath is... a celebration of our design" (p.244). God Himself models the work/rest balance in creation. Overwork or underwork is a violation of our created nature, and that is not just applicable to Christians but to all people. Keller also explores how Sabbath is a declaration of our freedom, and an act of trust in God (p.244-245).

The final section is called "The Rest Under the Rest". Here Keller describes how the redemptive work accomplished by Jesus Christ on our behalf is the ultimate work, it is "the work under the work". This work is finished, and so, "a Christian is able to rest only because God's redemptive work is likewise finished in Christ. When the work under the work has been satisfied by the Son, all that's left for us to do is to serve the work we've been given by the Father" (p.247). Keller makes a significant statement about our human nature, the gospel and work. He says, "We said before that many people are doing 'work under the work.' They are not merely doing the work that draws the salary - they are also working to chase away their sense of insignificance. But here in Jesus we find the 'rest under the rest,' the REM of the soul. Without it, all other work will be unsatisfying. You won't be able to relax, even when you are supposed to be resting. You won't ever be able to walk away from your nets, even for an evening. You won't be able to enjoy the satisfaction that God intended when He called us to the work He prepared for us" (p.247). The concluding statements of the chapter reveal the application and, in many ways, the main take-away of the book: "When your heart comes to hope in Christ and the future world He has guaranteed - when you are carrying His easy yoke - you finally have the power to work with a free heart" (p.250).

Epilogue: Leading People to Integrate Faith and Work

This final section describes how "vocational discipleship" is one of the main point of focus for Redeemer Presbyterian Church where Keller is a pastor. It looks at the strategy that Redeemer has employed to help people integrate their faith and their work. "The challenge is to deepen the faith and theology of our congregation as well as enable them to engage the city with the love and truth of the gospel. We've sought to help our congregation live our the gospel in all spheres of culture in a way that seeks 'the peace and prosperity' (Jeremiah 29:7) of the city in which God has placed us" (p.251). "Redeemer was beginning to develop a vision to renew the city's institutions of culture through the people of the congregation who were employed in vocations throughout the city" (p.257). I think this is a significant application for a church to consider seriously. If Christians would work in a way that demonstrates the transformation and power of the Gospel in their various and diverse spheres of society, culture could be radically changed. A city could be radically changed. It is a challenge to me to think about the "integration of faith and work" in athletics. This is ultimately what I am seeking to do as an employee of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. What would it look like if the subculture of athletics was filled with people who are radically transformed by the Gospel? The Epilogue provides helpful strategy for carrying this out.