The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work, Creativity, and Caring (Book)
Parker J. Palmer, Author. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999.

Parker Palmer argues that we can embrace the monastic virtues of silence, solitude, contemplation, and centeredness without becoming full-time contemplatives. This is good news for Christians who lead hectic lives! Palmer writes of his own spiritual journey and dispels myths about contemplation and action. For example, he explains that solitude and community are not mutually exclusive. He relates stories from various traditions, including Taoism, Christianity, and Hasidic Judaism. He also encourages us to examine Biblical examples of contemplation (Jesus’ temptation in the desert) and action (the feeding of the five thousand). This resource offers a powerful approach to help people of faith turn contemplation into action.
 

After Sunday: A Theology of Work (Book)
Armand E. Larive, Author. New York, NY: Continuum Books, 2004.

Preoccupied with Sunday activities and institutional needs, churches often ignore the strong religious connections of the work world. That's Armand Larive's premise in this in-depth exploration of the gap between the church and the everyday lives of church members. While some thinkers criticize the strong devotion that many people have to their work, Larive believes that in many cases, this devotion is the manifestation of co-creation with God. The author calls for an exploration of the theological dimensions of everyday work, be it manual, intellectual, service-related or not. He then shows how this system can serve as the foundation for an ethical Christian spirituality of work.
 

Avodah Institute (Organization)

The Avodah Institute helps business leaders, senior executives, seminaries, business schools, and others who want to integrate faith into all aspects of professional life. Chosen as a "hot pick" by USA Today, this resource includes articles, book recommendations, and links to other organizations. "Avodah" is a Hebrew word that means both worship and work. While grounded in the Christian tradition, Avodah welcomes participants from any faith tradition. Founder and President David Miller is also Executive Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Life. Before seminary, Miller spent sixteen years as a senior executive in international business.

Coalition for Ministry in Daily Life (Organization)

The Coalition for Ministry in Daily Life is an international, ecumenical organization of "partners of Christ working together to mobilize God's people for mission and ministry in God's world." To fulfill its purpose, the Coalition provides opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds and occupations to teach and learn from one another about daily life ministries. Members include congregations, judicatories, denominations, seminaries, publishers, and independent organizations supporting the ministries in daily life of all Christians. Protestants, Catholics, and Evangelicals are represented. The Coalition hosts annual conferences and publishes a regular newsletter, Laynet. Member partners share discounts on materials offered by partners and Internet sharing groups are available.

Faith at Work (Organization)

Faith at Work describes itself as "a network of progressive Christians at the growing edge of the church." It fosters self-discovery through biblical reflection, sharing autobiographical stories, and trusting the presence of Christ to "speak the truth in love" and transform people and their work in the world. It echoes many aspects of a twelve-step program with a central focus on "the Jesus style." Faith at Work includes resource information, conferences, and training events to help people recognize and embrace the life-changing power of Christianity. The Faith@Work magazine is an upbeat collection of articles described as a "meeting" in print.

Forgetting Ourselves on Purpose: Vocation and the Ethics of Ambition (Book)
Brian J. Mahan, Author. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002.

Brian Mahan explores the tension between culturally defined wants (ambition) and the spiritual quest for authenticity. Through brief vignettes and examples drawn from his 20-year teaching experience, he describes aspects of ambition (vocational ambiguity, definition of success, self-deception, self-absorption, and meritocracy) and offers practice exercises to consider each. Rather than rote processes, these exercises encourage personal reflection to discover the cultural messages that blind true vocation. The author describes the book and practices as "a prolonged mnemonic device, a kind of educational aid for remembering what you already know but have been strong-armed into forgetting."
 

Forum for Faith in the Workplace (Organization)

The Forum helps people make a positive difference in the workplace by incorporating personal faith and values. Grounded in Christianity, the Forum embraces the spiritual tenets common to all faiths. Forum representatives work with the public and private sectors to provide work-based small groups, workplace partnerships that encourage connections between personal ethics and organizational mission, and congregational partnerships that offer a variety of educational and small group opportunities. Currently serving central Ohio, the Forum hosts a seminary course for students and lay auditors that explores the church's mission to prepare lay members for daily ministry in the world.

Getting A Life: How to Find Your True Vocation (Book)
Renee M. LaReau, Author. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2003.

Author Renee LaReau explores vocational issues and the questions they raise. She writes with particular sensitivity to those just beginning, or in the early stages of, their professional lives—when choices are broad and guidance is often lacking. A twenty-something herself, LaReau offers examples from the experiences of her peers. She also shares the spiritual coming-of-age experiences of spiritual leaders such as Anne LaMott. In addition, she provides practical advice to help readers identify their gifts and map a spiritually fulfilling life.
 

The Gospel and Our Culture Network (Organization)

The Gospel and Our Culture Network (GOCN) operates to "provide useful research regarding the encounter between the gospel and our culture" and to "encourage local action for transformation in the life and witness of the church." Its founders believe that such a network is necessary because shifts in Western society have resulted in the marginalization of the church and the popularization of values (consumerism, individualism) at odds with the gospel. As a network, it fosters intra- and cross-denominational connections between lay persons and clergy, between educators and pastors, and between denominational executives and congregational leaders. Its Web site features online discussion groups, a newsletter, and a book series.

Hearing with the Heart: A Gentle Guide to Discerning God's Will for Your Life (Book)
Debra K. Farrington, Author. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2003.

Drawing upon scripture, brief personal stories, and examples from Christian living—such as the Desert Fathers and the Society of Friends (Quakers)—this book outlines the spiritual dimensions of living according to God’s will, describes critical spiritual tools for that living, and explores the process of personal discernment. The emphasis is on inviting God into everyday life, not as a purveyor of "shoulds" and "oughts," but rather as a loving co-creator. Practices and guidelines, drawn not only from Christian orthodoxy but other spiritual disciplines as well, provide access to the Divine and life’s deepest purpose.
 

Intervarsity: Ministry in Daily Life (Organization)

InterVarsity's Ministry in Daily Life (MDL) Resource Group serves "anyone interested in whole life discipleship to Jesus Christ." Based on the biblical premise that God calls all Christians to minister daily in the places they live and work, MDL provides extensive resources with annotated links to more than 50 Web sites, daily exercises for personal or group reflection, audio interviews, guides for preaching on ministry in daily life, case studies, and other tools. MDL's conservative theological stance is expressed in its online resource, The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity, described as "an A-Z guide to following Christ in every aspect of life." InterVarsity emphasizes the mission of converting others to the Christian perspective.

Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation (Book)
Parker J. Palmer, Author. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999.

Parker Palmer advocates finding our true vocations from within ourselves rather than from without. At the same time, he stresses the roles our communities can play in developing inner work. His book also offers practical guidance on responding to certain warning signs—such as burnout and depression—that indicate we are not pursuing our vocations. Palmer candidly discusses his own journey as an educator, as well as both the frustrations and the clinical depression he experienced when his path was not clear. Let Your Life Speak is an ideal resource for any groups or individuals who seek an authentic fulfillment of their "calling."
 

Making God Real for a New Generation: Ministry with Millennials Born from 1982 to 1999 (Book)
Craig Kennet Miller, Mary Jane Pierce Norton, Authors. Nashville, TN: Discipleship Resources, 2003.

This overview of ministry with youth explores the world of millennials (people born between 1982 and 1999) and addresses the challenges these young people face. Three primary sections focus on their family lives, day-to-day experiences, and spirituality. A fourth section focuses on ministry with millenials. Personal narratives, exercises, and suggestions for working with congregations are offered. One notable feature is the "Millennial Generation Survey, 2002" from the General Board of Discipleship and United Methodist Youth Organization. Also featured are resources for further exploration, including books and Web sites. Leaders seeking to understand this group more fully and involve them in congregational life more deeply will benefit from this resource.
 

Ministry in Daily Life (Web Resource)

Cohosted by the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), this site links to a wealth of Web sites, newsletters, articles, group study materials, bibliographies, workshops, and more—all focused on helping people "who want their Christian faith to be alive and an integral part of their week Sunday to Monday, not just Sundays." Noteworthy articles include Arthur Waskow's "Holy Economics" and Robert McClory's "Finding God on the Job." Another interesting feature is an annotated list of congregations and judicatories devoted to lay ministry, leadership development, and workplace spirituality. Christian leaders in all traditions will appreciate the breadth of materials and ideas offered on this site.
 

Supporting Christians at Work: A Practical Guide for Busy Clergy (Booklet)
Mark Greene, Author. New York, NY: Episcopal Church and ELCA, 2003.

This short booklet (a 90-minute read) explores the role of clergy and the lives of both churched and unchurched workers. Included are scriptural references, an examination of the obstacles to workplace ministry, and examples of new roles to motivate and inspire clergy. Also featured are assessment surveys and a resource bibliography. Originally created at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity by an advertising executive with a theological background, this booklet was edited for American usage and is available from Episcopal Parish Services. Clergy who have little time for reading but who seek to support people in their work ministries will find Supporting Christians at Work helpful.
 

Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God (Book)
Greg Ogden, Author. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003.

Greg Ogden asserts that the unfinished work of the Reformation is to expand responsibility for ministry to all people, not just clergy. Describing the church as an "organism" rather than an "institution," Ogden also expands the venue for ministry to include the church, the world, and all aspects of life. He explores the roles of the church, the pastor, and leadership in the New Reformation and emphasizes the church as an equipping entity. He includes examples and models to support his ideas, making this an in-depth resource on empowering people for ministry. This book is an updated version of a classic text, The New Reformation: Returning the Ministry to the People of God.
 

What You Do Best in the Body of Christ (Book)
Bruce Bugbee, Author. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995.

Here is a practical handbook for every individual wanting to further explore his or her spiritual gifts, passion, personal style, and calling. Bruce Bugbee takes a fresh approach to familiar concepts by showing that our gifts reveal what we are called to do—while our passions reveal where, and our personal style reveals how, we are called to serve. He provides self-assessment exercises, biblical examples, and reflections which contribute to making this publication an easy-to-read and useful resource. Persons developing equipping ministries or discerning their own personal servant profiles and callings will especially benefit from What You Do Best.
 

Workplace Spirituality (Web Resource)

The vision of Workplace Spirituality is "the transformation of society so that the positive values of spirituality are welcomed as human assets in every workplace, whether the workplace is for-profit, not-for-profit, religious, educational, or service-oriented." Designed to be an interfaith discussion forum, this site contains a free e-newsletter, articles, press clippings, news headlines, and an online resource shop. Various applications are explored—including (1) business management (ethical decision making, maintaining integrity); (2) the relationships between everyday life, career, and calling (personal spiritual practice, addressing time and energy demands in a 24/7 workplace); and (3) society at large (work as service, living from abundance rather than scarcity; economic justice).
 

Yale Center for Faith and Culture (Organization)

The mission of the center is to promote the practice of faith in all spheres of life through theological research and leadership development. The center houses ongoing programs, fixed-term projects, and short-term initiatives—all seeking "to understand and revitalize the ways in which religious commitments interact with culture and shape people's lives." Three primary initiatives: "Faith as a Way of Life" (enabling pastoral excellence by equipping clergy to mediate faith as a transformational force in people's lives), "Ethics and Spirituality in the Workplace" (developing models for ethical and faithful living in the workplace) and the "Sarah Smith Memorial Conferences on Moral Leadership" (fostering moral leadership).