The Summer Institute of Faith & Work
How are we to understand God's design and purpose for work?
Do you ever wonder what your 8 am-5 pm (and beyond!) job has to do with God's Kingdom purposes? Are you just supposed to grind it out and wait for retirement to do what you really want to do? What voices are you listening to when it comes to how you should think about your work?
Join us this summer for an interactive 6-week course to explore these questions in community. We'll dive deeper into a theology of work, wrestle through ideas about calling and vocation, and learn about the integration of faith and work from seasoned professionals in various occupations.
There are 6 sessions on Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 pm for dinner, instruction, small group interaction, and practical application. Tuition includes the cost of dinner and materials.
*Groups will be assigned and led by Faith & Work alumni, or you can sign up with your own small group and go through it together! Learn more about this new option below.
DATES: June 18-July 30, 2024
(skipping July 4th week)
TIME: Tuesday evenings, 6:30-8:30 pm
WHERE: 218 S. Wabash, 2nd floor
COST: $60 || Register by June 1 and receive a $15 discount using code: EARLY
Registration is closed for 2024, please join us next summer!
Are you a small group leader? Ministry leader? Friend of people who work?
We offer a unique opportunity to facilitate a small group experience within the Institute for you and those you lead! Participate with an already existing group, or gather a new group and go through it together. Group facilitators will host their own table and attend for free! Group members receive a $15 discount before June 1. Learn more and register today!
Session Topics:
Press play to get a taste of Session 1
FAITH & WORK: THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
Session 1 - Work in Our Culture
Session 2 - Work in the “True Story of the World:” Our Purpose
Session 3 - Work in the “True Story of the World:” Our Rebellion
Session 4 - Work in the “True Story of the World:” Our Restoration
FAITH & WORK: THEOLOGY IN PRACTICE
Session 5 - Bearing Witness to the True Story: In Word & Deed
Session 6 - Bearing Witness to the True Story: In Rest
Alumni Are Saying…
“When I registered I thought it would just be about how to do evangelism in my office, or how to invite co-workers to church. I learned its so much more than that. What I realized in joining is that it is all about how God created work and how it actually runs through our lives every day. It changed my life because it opened my eyes to how much more I have to offer the kingdom than I ever believed and it gave me this sense of the power God gives us for our lives. It unlocked this world I didn’t know existed, a world where serving and pleasing God was so much more intricate and individualized and right in front of us.”
“One big takeaway was that I don’t have to see my work as a burden, or as something that is only in the way of
my “real life.” Instead, I’ve been learning to see my work as a way to glorify God, which has motivated me to be more intentional about the relationships I form with coworkers and to view the slower days at work as something that builds my patience and endurance. Work seems less like a burden now because I see it as part of my life, and less as something I just need to get through before “actually living.” ”
I have been a teacher at a community college for seven years, and I participated in the Summer Institute for Faith and Work in 2016. I found that this course answered some questions that had been gnawing at me for a while: How do I work as a Christian? Is evangelism the only way to serve God at work? Is the purpose of work merely to make money so I can share it with others? Is my work glorifying to God even though I am not in full time ministry? Discussing these topics with fellow Christians, reading from books on the subject, hearing teachings on the topic, and listening to panelists from different fields describe how they see their professions as advancing God’s kingdom was encouraging and invigorating to me.