# Reformed Books on Work?



## Ryan&Amber2013 (Apr 16, 2016)

Are there any good reformed writings on the Christian and his work? What he should do, how involved he should be in the business of the world, what it means to mind your own affairs, etc? This would be really helpful for me. Thank you. You all always have good thoughts.


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## arapahoepark (Apr 16, 2016)

Glorifying God in Our Jobs by William Perkins. Available from A Puritans Mind Shop.

Try this thread as well: http://www.puritanboard.com/showthread.php/15750-Looking-for-books-on-calling-vocation-work


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## ZackF (Apr 16, 2016)

If Lutheranism can be considered a cousin to the Reformed, Gene Veith's work on Vocation is helpful.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Apr 16, 2016)

Do you want to separate areas of life via vocation and civil magistrate? There will be different answers to that also. How involved or in what manner one should one be involved with promoting the Mediatorial Reign of Christ via the Kingdom of God is one hotly contested and was during the time of the Reformation and 2nd Reformation.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Apr 16, 2016)

This is edifying. Based upon Philippians from an Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals Conference: God's Kingdom at War
[video=youtube_share;aiZMwGNLA4g]https://youtu.be/aiZMwGNLA4g[/video]

This is also a booklet Dr. Blackwood wrote. 
https://rpcnacovenanter.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/the-king-and-his-kingdom-part-1/

https://rpcnacovenanter.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/the-king-and-his-kingdom-parts-2-4/


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## Guido's Brother (Apr 17, 2016)

I highly recommend: Sebastien Traeger and Greg Gilbert, _The Gospel at Work_ (my review is here)

Also worthwhile: _Work & Leisure in the Life of a Christian_, ed. Cornelis Van Dam and Kristen Alkema


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## Peairtach (Apr 17, 2016)

I found Paul Helm's "The Callings" (Banner of Truth), helpful.

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## Wayne (Apr 17, 2016)

Proexistence, by Udo Middelmann (a son-in-law of Francis Schaeffer). Kind of a forgotten book these days, but I remember it being quite helpful on this issue. IVP, shiny metal look on the cover.


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## Ed Walsh (Apr 17, 2016)

Ryan&amp;Amber2013;1103650 said:


> Are there any good reformed writings on the Christian and his work?



I did the following google search that you might find helpful:
puritan reformed books on vocation
https://goo.gl/CkEqDb


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## Ryan&Amber2013 (Apr 17, 2016)

Thank you so much for your replies. Maybe you all can help me:

I am trying to figure out if God would desire for me to stay at my job, even when I feel that it is not good for my spiritual life. I have so much pressure that I am under, I feel like I am constantly sitting in the seat of mockers, I am treated so unfairly, my life is task oriented rather than people oriented, I feel as if I have no time to think on the things of God,etc. 

Is this really what the Lord would have me do? I have no idea how He could possibly be glorified from this. Yes, I try to be a light, but it is mocked and I am under so much pressure to perform and overloaded with work that I am typically made out to be a worthless person. I am persevering but my spiritual life is being sucked out of me. I just want to make an honest living, with spiritual joy, minding my own affairs, making a positive impact in peoples lives. Any comforting advice would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## Ed Walsh (Apr 17, 2016)

Ryan&amp;Amber2013;1103682 said:


> I have no idea how He could possibly be glorified from this.



You can glorify God where you are.

Hebrews 11:36
And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

Having said that, I hope you can find a more people oriented job. I worked in several very difficult situations for over fifteen years before starting my own business. That was over 25 years ago, and I have loved work ever since. I now make more money than I ever did and only work occasionally. These situations are possible. I will try to pray for you to find a job where you are better suited. But in the meantime, remember the verse I quoted above.


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## Jeri Tanner (Apr 17, 2016)

Ryan, the biblical way to go about this is not to try to figure out God's will, but to trust that he will always "get you where you need to be." That gives you the freedom to try to make changes in jobs and such where you see fit. You may be a little infected with the charismatic tendency to think that it's up to you to decipher God's will in these things, but very good news! it's not. We should always commit our efforts to him and be prayerful. You can ask him for another job. Then you can make efforts to find another job, leaving the outcome to him. Have you ever read Kevin DeYoung's book "Just Do Something"? It's very helpful along these lines. I will be praying for you, I know it must be miserable working where you're so unhappy. Hang in there!


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## jwithnell (Apr 17, 2016)

Friend, two things to consider. First, you live in a fallen world. Work is frustrated; we encounter thorns and sweat in a place God originally created to be a garden. You can try to put it in holy terms: I want a more spiritually fulfilling life, I don't want to sit with mockers, but you are still running smack up against the difficulties God has rightfully decreed against all of us. Secondly, while we have great hope that Christ has defeated sin and death, while we can look forward to an undeserved, pleasant earth, we're not there yet. Consider the way Paul tells us to patiently endure, to run the race, to persevere. These are words to exiles. Can you do anything to improve your lot? Maybe. God may lead you to a better job, more pleasant co-workers, whatever. Meanwhile, you must live in a Christlike manner, even in these circumstances.


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## Mr. Bultitude (Apr 17, 2016)

I benefited from Tim Keller's _Every Good Endeavor_.

To your question, it sounds like something to discuss with a pastor or elder at your church, since the specifics of the situation are probably more complicated than we can really help with. But I'd like to give a few principles to think about. You mentioned these specific issues:


high pressure
burnout
bad company
unfair treatment
task-oriented instead of people-oriented
overworked

Certainly none of these are _good_ things, but I'd echo JWithnell's reminder that we can't expect perfection in this life. But I think there are factors that can help determine whether you actually need to leave such a job.

Bad company corrupts good character, unfair treatment breeds resentment, and overwork and high pressure can (as you said) overcrowd your prayers and spiritual thoughts and works of charity. So if you feel your character is being corrupted, it's probably best to leave. There are ways to mitigate that, and to be prayerful in the midst of busyness, and so on (again, talk to an elder), but if you're sensing yourself becoming corrupted, that seems like a red flag.

If they're having you work on the Sabbath without giving you the option to say no, that too seems like a red flag, or worse.

I think task- versus people-oriented is more a matter of preference than of good or bad, as long as the work can actually be seen as benefiting people or properly stewarding the earth. If not, then it's another red flag.

Quitting a job without having a backup can be problematic, obviously, both in terms of stewarding finances and in terms of working for the glory of God six days a week. I don't think I have enough life experience to give you good directives on when to do such a thing, other than to be very careful. And looking for a backup while being busy in a draining job can be exhausting too, I know.

My dad often likes to say that "the forty-hour workweek is a twentieth century invention." I think there's truth to that -- modern westerners, including myself, prize leisure much too highly -- but the twentieth century invention was a good thing in some respects. Workers should be able to have ample time with their families, adequate sleep, etc.

All of my above thoughts should be seen as thinkable, but not actionable. For actionable, I'd recommend 1) speaking with an elder or elders, 2) reading and rereading the Bible verses on work, and 3) reading one or more of the resources that were recommended in this thread.


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## Ryan&Amber2013 (Apr 17, 2016)

All of you have wonderful things to say, and I will surely take the advice. My job is supposed to be people oriented, but because of my work load, I cannot give people what they deserve. I've talked to my pastor and friends a bit about it and I think their advice is along the same lines as you guys. I can seek new employment but at the same time I must be content with where the Lord has me. 

Ed, what made you want to start your own business? I am thinking of this as well. 

Thank you all so much for your care.


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## Edward (Apr 17, 2016)

I know, I know. But....

Tim Keller - _Every Good Endeavor_. 

Needs to be approached critically, but there is some thought provoking material in there.


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell (Apr 17, 2016)

The Man of Business JW Alexander
The Workman: His False Friends and True Friends Joseph Thompson
The Religious Tradesman, Richard Steele


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## Mr. Bultitude (Apr 18, 2016)

Edward said:


> I know, I know. But....
> 
> Tim Keller - _Every Good Endeavor_.
> 
> Needs to be approached critically, but there is some thought provoking material in there.



What's problematic in it? Is there a webpage somewhere that details issues with it?


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## Edward (Apr 18, 2016)

Mr. Bultitude said:


> What's problematic in it?



It's from Keller. Many of us here have concerns about Keller, and I wanted to anticipate the reaction.


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## Pilgrim (Apr 19, 2016)

Rev. Todd Ruddell said:


> The Man of Business JW Alexander
> The Workman: His False Friends and True Friends Joseph Thompson
> The Religious Tradesman, Richard Steele



Thank you for these recommendations, Rev. Ruddell. I was going to mention Steele but I wasn't familiar with the other two. 

I picked up _The Religious Tradesman_ several years ago and found it to be a gem. For those who are unfamiliar with it, the tradesman in the title basically equates to what we'd call a small businessman today. But there are things in it that apply to many fields. Since it was first published several centuries ago, as one would expect, some of it is rather dated. But much of it is more contemporary than one would imagine.


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## Pilgrim (Apr 19, 2016)

I haven't read any of these yet, but with regard to time management and productivity, these may be helpful:_

What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done_ by Matt Perman
_Crazy Busy_ by Kevin DeYoung
_Do More Better _by Tim Challies

I don't know to what degree (if any) he could be said to be Reformed, but Donald Whitney (a Calvinistic Southern Baptist) has highly recommended Richard Swenson's books _Margin _and _The Overload Syndrome_ (both published by NavPress.)

Regarding the moral goodness of business, see Wayne Grudem's _Business for the Glory of God_


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