What Does Faith Have To Do With Your Work?

September 3, 2026 | Pastor Andrew Zakhari

For many Christians, the answer isn’t always obvious.

We understand how faith shapes what happens at church, in our families, and in our devotional lives. But what about the hours we spend at a desk, in a classroom, on a job site, or wherever our daily work takes us?

As Labor Day approaches, we have an opportunity to think about how the gospel changes the way we work as Christians.

In the opening chapters of the Bible, we discover that God is a worker. He creates the universe, bringing order and beauty out of nothing.

Work is also part of God’s good design for creation—not a consequence of the fall. God gave humanity an immediate promotion: we alone, among all his creatures, are made in the image of God and entrusted with the responsibility of caring for and cultivating creation for his glory.

There were no bad days at work until humanity sinned against God.

When sin entered the world, the goodness of work was corrupted along with everything else in creation. Work became what it was never meant to be: a source of frustration, anxiety, conflict, and turmoil. Some forms of work are shaped by sinful practices, such as the exploitation of people. Other forms of work can participate directly in activities that diminish human dignity.  All work, even if it is good in nature, still needs redemption. 

Here’s the good news: In Jesus Christ, we are given a new horizon for our work. 

We are invited to see even ordinary labor as an arena for loving our neighbors and serving God. Our work can become a means of contributing to the good of others and, ultimately, reflecting and advancing the purposes of God’s coming kingdom.

So, what might that look like for you in your current work?

To help you think through that question, let me recommend a few resources.

An Adult Education Class on Faith and Work

This fall, we are devoting an adult education class to this relationship. Bob Doll will teach a class entitled Faith & Work in Harris Hall.

Books on a Christian Understanding of Work

Timothy Keller with Katherine Leary Alsdorf, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work

A helpful exploration of how the gospel shapes our understanding of vocation, purpose, and everyday work.

Larry Peabody, God Loves Your Work: Discover Why He Sends You to Do What You Do

A practical look at how our everyday work can be understood as a calling from God.

Martin Luther, “An Exposition on Psalm 147,” Luther’s Works, Volume 14

Luther offers a fascinating theological reflection on vocation and the ways God works through ordinary human labor.

Are You a College or Graduate Student?

There is also a helpful series of books that explores various fields of study through a Christian perspective:

Through the Eyes of Faith series on subjects such as psychology, business, biology, literature, history, etc. 

These books can help you think more intentionally about how Christian faith intersects with their particular academic discipline and future vocation.

Wishing you the joy of good work!

Pastor Andrew