Understanding the Connection: Faith, Work, and Discovering God’s Will for Your Career

How should faith and work intersect? Today we have a special guest, Paige Wiley, joining us. Paige brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, having worked in various settings and ministries and now working within the team at Made To Flourish as the Associate Director of Engagement. In this episode, we explore the importance of understanding one’s vocation and how it connects to our faith, as well as the anxiety and questions that arise when it comes to discerning God’s will in our careers. Paige shares insights from her recent project on bridging the gap between college and the next phase of life as well as the fascinating concept of “skills mapping” for churches and how it can be utilized to foster community and discipleship. Listen now to this thought-provoking conversation about work, calling, and the journey towards finding purpose in our daily lives.

THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• The importance of integrating faith and work: There is a journey to understanding the connection between faith and work. Work is not just a means of evangelizing or giving money to the church, but a valuable way to live out God’s design and contribute to the restoration of all things.
• Addressing vocational anxiety: There is increasing anxiety among college students about their future careers and which has increased the need to make a meaningful connection between work and identity. There is a common fallacy of viewing God’s will as a specific target or destination, which can contribute to stress and anxiety. For this reason we need to talk early and often about faith and work to alleviate vocational anxiety.
• Utilizing skills mapping for church community and discipleship: Skills mapping is a process that helps churches understand the vocational skills and passions of their congregation, and can be used to create support groups and facilitate connections among individuals with similar professions or roles. We want churches to engage with people across different life stages, including young adults and older adults, to foster community and discipleship around the work that we do, paid or unpaid.

#FaithAndWork #CallingAndVocation #BridgingTheGap #SkillMapping #ConnectingCongregations #SundayToMonday #IntegratingFaithAndLife #SupportingProfessionals #ThirdThirdOfLife #ChurchBeyondSunday

GUEST BIO:

Paige Wiley grew up in a Christian environment where work and faith were presented as separate entities. This upbringing shaped her curiosity about the intersection of work and calling. While studying communications and media at Kansas State University, Paige was heavily involved in her campus ministry and also worked at a career center, helping students discover their career paths. This experience intensified her interest in understanding why people choose a certain profession and what drives their vocational choices.

RESOURCES:

Made To Flourish

Skill Mapping

Worked Up – Paige Wiley & Luke Bobo

Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work – Tom Nelson

Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work – Tim Keller

Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will – Kevin DeYound

Whatever You Do: Six Foundations for an Integrated Life – Luke Bobo

God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life – Gene Veith

Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life – Bill Burnett and David J. Evans

CHAPTERS:

[00:06:10] Faith and work: wrestling and finding fulfillment.
[00:08:10] God at the center, wrestling with work theology.
[00:12:51] College students struggle with identity and anxiety.
[00:15:14] God’s will as a problematic treasure hunt.
[00:17:46] Gathering to discuss faith and work after college.
[00:22:20] Made to Flourish offers a skill mapping process.
[00:26:28] Interviews explore Monday life of congregation members.
[00:29:26] Connecting educators, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and parents.
[00:32:46] Is God with me in career choices?
[00:34:38] Dream job for Paige Wiley.