The Choices Profile®

“WHAT does it look like to have an active faith life at work”?

This question is a great starting point for spiritually shaping our work lives. Faith at work was natural for the early Church, which had a firm foundation in the workplace – the apostles came from the workplace; it was a central staging area for their ministry; and God moved powerfully in the workplace. Unlike so many of us in contemporary society, the first Christ followers were passionately committed to work as an important expression of worship. They were intentional to make wise spiritual choices about the way they worked and lived.

The early Church chose sacred over secular, believing that anything which isn’t sinful is sacred, and therefore that work is worship. They chose calling over career, recognizing that we may have many jobs over a lifetime, but we always have the same call – to serve others to God’s glory. They chose righteousness over compromise, recognizing that our thoughts and actions are a powerful witness at work. They chose growth over stagnation, recognizing that work is one of the most important arenas for spiritual formation. They chose stewardship over ownership, recognizing that God owns everything under the sun, and we should harness the resources of the working world to help the hurting world around us.

At Work on Purpose has combined these wise spiritual choices at work into The Choices Profile™.

Struggle Sacred versus Secular
Will we view work as one aspect of a fully integrated life of faith, or a separate space where God is not relevant?
Solution Accept the premise of a sacred view of work (Colossians 3:23-24).
Steps
• CREATED by God
• DESIGNED for work
• ASSIGNED to worship

Struggle Calling versus Career
Will we follow God’s call on our work lives, or settle for the career that the world tells us is better?
Solution Define God’s purpose for our work (Matthew 22:37-40).
Steps
• ASK for God’s guidance
• DISCERN God’s will for our work
• SUBMIT to God’s direction

Struggle Righteousness versus Compromise
Will we uphold God’s standards of conduct at work, or succumb to the standards of the world?
Solution Follow Biblical principles at work (Matthew 5:6).
Steps
• PLAN prayerfully for the future
• SERVE in line with God’s will
• AVOID the world’s temptations

Struggle Improvement versus Stagnation
Will we view work as one of the most important arenas for spiritual formation, or just a place to get a paycheck?
Solution Grow people spiritually through work (Matthew 28:19-20).
Steps
• SEEK ministry opportunities
• NAVIGATE obstacles
• CELEBRATE progress

Struggle Stewardship versus Ownership
Will we view the resources of the work world as belonging to God for His purposes, or belonging to us for ours?
Solution Extend the prosperity of the working world to a hurting world (Matthew 25:14-46).
Steps
• RELEASE ownership illusions
• STRATEGIZE for contribution
• DEPLOY for impact