Christians have likely been struggling with the place of business in the life of faith ever since Paul’s days as a tentmaker. Just how do the spheres of private devotion and public business intersect in a meaningful way? Paul Stevens has been exploring this question since his earliest working days in his father’s steel business. His Doing God’s Business tells how readers can find lasting and satisfying meaning for marketplace involvement in the light of the Christian faith and tradition. Stevens explores the potential of business as a location for practicing everyday spiritual disciplines and as a source of creativity and deeper relationship with God.

Doing God's Business: Meaning and Motivation for the Marketplace

Business & Money

Stevens, R.Paul

Management & Leadership

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Throughout history the church has been composed of two types of people 'those who do' ministry and those to whom it is done. In this provocative book R. Paul Stevens shows that the clergy-laity division has no basis in the New Testament and challenges all Christians to rediscover what it means to live daily as God's people. Exploring the theological, structural, and cultural reasons for treating laypeople as the objects of ministry, Stevens argues against the idea of clericalism. All Christians are called to live in faith, hope, and love, and to do God's work in the church and world. This biblical perspective has serious implications for the existing attitudes and practices of many churches as well as for our understanding of ministry. Stevens shows that the task of churches today is to equip people for ministry in their homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Written by a scholar and pastor well known as an active advocate for the whole people of God, this thought-provoking book 'made even more useful with the inclusion of case studies and study questions at the end of each chapter' offers inspiring reading for anyone interested in what the Christian life holds for the other six days of the week.

The Other Six Days: Vocation, Work, and Ministry in Biblical Perspective

Religion & Spirituality

Christian Books & Bibles

Wm. B. Eerdmans-Lightning Source

This instructive, practical book explores the meaning of "biblical spirituality," a spirituality rooted in the Scriptures, in the grand story of God. Writing to promote genuine discipleship and an everyday sense of God's presence, R. Paul Stevens and Michael Green show that biblical spirituality is based on down-to-earth principles meant to foster righteous living' at home, at work, wherever one is. They highlight the importance of our being in relationship with the Triune God and discuss how we can be worshipers of Abba God, disciples of Jesus, and temples of the Holy Spirit. The book proceeds through the Old and New Testaments, engaging readers with the discoveries and struggles of people of faith from Adam and Eve to those gathered around the Lamb in the new Jerusalem. Stevens and Green focus throughout on how we can truly live the Word of God so that our own stories become part of God's great story of love. Filled with biblical wisdom and a pleasure to read, "Living the Story" is a winsome invitation to follow God wholeheartedly in every dimension of life.

Living the Story: Biblical Spirituality for Everyday Christians

Instead of regarding work as a diversion from the spiritual life, R. Paul Stevens and Alvin Ung are convinced that it is an arena and an incentive for spiritual growth. However, they acknowledge that this is not without its challenges. Work in Progress examines life in the workplace through an innovative exploration of both the seven deadly sins and the ninefold fruit of the Spirit. This approach provides a framework to reveal how the Spirit has given Christians powerful gifts to overcome struggles the face in the challenges of daily work in a globalized world. The authors interact both with one another and with the wisdom of great spiritual writers of history in order to draw out real-life dilemmas and to suggest practical tips for becoming vibrant disciples in the workplace. In addition to filling a critical need for a resource on spiritual growth at work, Work in Progress has an intercultural approach ― the authors are from Canada and Malaysia ― that is particularly dynamic and engaging.

Taking Your Soul to Work: Overcoming the Nine Deadly Sins of the Workplace

Ung, Alvin

Adam and Eve worked. Jacob and Joseph worked. So did Ruth, David, Daniel, Jonah, Martha, Priscilla and Aquila, Paul ― and most people in the Old and New Testaments. In Work Matters marketplace theology expert R. Paul Stevens revisits more than twenty biblical accounts ― from Genesis to Revelation ― exploring through them the theological meaning of every sort of work, manual or intellectual, domestic or commercial. Taken together, his short, pithy reflections on these well-known Bible passages add up to a comprehensive, Bible-based theology of work ― one that will be equally useful for seminars, classes, Bible studies, and individuals seeking to grasp more fully the theological dimensions of their daily labor.

Work Matters: Lessons from Scripture (Discovering Biblical Texts)

Academy of Parish Clergy’s Top Ten Books for Parish Ministry Vocational discernment, says R. Paul Stevens, is a lifelong process — one that takes on even more significance in later life. In this book Stevens argues that our calling does not end with formal retirement; to the contrary, we do well to keep on working, if possible, till life's end. Stevens delves into matters of calling, spirituality, and legacy in retirement, showing that we must continue to discern our vocation as we grow older in order to remain meaningfully engaged for the rest of our lives. He reframes retirement as a time of continued calling and productivity and points to biblical wisdom that can help us redefine aging as an extraordinarily fruitful season of life.

Aging Matters: Finding your calling for the rest of your life

Parenting & Relationships

A guide to investing in heaven and being "rich toward God"&nbsp; Christians often hesitate to talk about money in spiritual contexts, but in the gospels Jesus talks more about money than about "religious" topics like prayer and heaven.&nbsp;Money Matters&nbsp;advocates following Jesus's lead in engaging with matters of economy and finance in a faith-driven way, in both our individual and our corporate lives. The authors draw on their contrasting life experiences to offer a well-rounded look at money in the twenty-first century. Paul Stevens, who grew up well-off in Canada and worked as a carpenter, a banker, and later a pastor and professor of theology, finds a complementary voice in Clive Lim, who grew up without money in Singapore, and now works there as an entrepreneur and head of a family investment firm. With frequent scriptural references, Stevens and Lim offer insight into navigating the economic systems of today, aiming to help individuals, churches, and societies become faithful stewards who store up "treasures in heaven" by investing in the kingdom of God.&nbsp; Money Matters&nbsp;is a comprehensive yet accessible guide to integrating one's faith with one's approach to money. Just as the Bible variously treats money as a blessing, a sacrament, and a problem, so do Stevens and Lim approach this matter judiciously--avoiding the prosperity gospel on one side and the demonization of material wealth on the other. Capitalism is treated as what it is: a system that has created widespread opportunity and relieved poverty for millions while also exacerbating the gap between the haves and the have-nots. The authors' wisdom is at turns theological, historical, and practical--and always focused on what it means to live with faithful integrity in our contemporary global economy.

Money Matters: Faith, Life, and Wealth

Lim, Clive

Personal Finance

Eerdmans

You CAN SHARE TOGETHER WHAT Is MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE Spirituality is not something we have to develop alone-as if we were all monks. In fact, chores, kids, errands, jobs and home repair all make marriage fertile soil for growing a down-to-earth and realistic faith. In this ground-breaking book Paul Stevens presents ten spiritual disciplines for couples to practice together. From prayer to service, conversation to confession, each of these disciplines strengthens both faith and family. Each chapter combines biblical principles with many practical suggestions. Finally, here is a book for couples who want to practice their spirituality together. Paul Stevens (D.Min., Fuller) teaches at Regent College/Carey Hall in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is the author of many books, including Married for Good and Liberating the Laity.

Marriage Spirituality

Intervarsity Pr

Stevens shows how churches today can be faithful to the New Testament model of every-member ministry. Specifically he focuses on how the laity can teach and learn the Bible, conduct small groups, pastor the sick and hurting, lead worship, evangelize neighborhoods and more. (Evangelism)

The Equipper's Guide to Every-Member Ministry: Eight Ways Ordinary People Can Do the Work of the Church

History

World

-- 400 articles arranged A-to-Z.-- 114 expert contributors including Kathleen Norris and Alister McGrath.-- Relates Christianity to every aspect of daily life.-- Accessible, educational, thoughtful and practical.-- Fun for browsing, with topical indexes and cross-references for easy access.-- A resource for thinking through everyday decisions.Is there a Christian way to take vacations?Does Christianity affect how we drive to work?What does God think of chocolate?Modern Christians Profess That Jesus is Lord of all our lives. Yet it's not always easy to relate Christianity to our day-to-day concerns. Prayer, Bible study and theology are surely important, but what do they have to do with the clothes we wear, hairstyles, struggles with depression, wedding anniversaries or buying a home?The editors of this engrossing book believe Christian truth is for the routine and not just the crises of our lives. Nearly 400 articles from adoption to automobiles, gardening to gossip, and shopping malls to sidewalks show how the Christian faith guides, illuminates and energizes everyday life.The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity includes indexes arranged by life stages and passages, as well as subject indexes with such categories as "Relationships" and "Home and Family".Unsurpassed both for fascinating browsing and for consultation at moments of special need, this down-to-earth reference work merits a spot on every believer's bookshelf.

The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity: An A-To-Z Guide to Following Christ in Every Aspect of Life

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