Vocational Stewardship

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Steward YOUR Vocation

Latest News

Read the latest interview of Kingdom Calling here

Check out recent research showing that more pastors are preaching on work. here

IVP says: Kingdom Calling to be produced as an audio book
Release date to be announced later this year

Check out Today's Christian Woman interview with Amy Sherman
Read interview here

Kingdom Calling awarded Book of the Year
Kingdom Calling was chosen as Christianity Today's Book of the Year in the category of Christian Living.

Connecting Our Work to God's Mission
Sherman’s sermon on work & God’s Mission featured on preachingtoday.com

Sherman highlighted in Christianity Today
Amy Sherman was chosen by Christianity Today as one of the 50 most influential Christian women shaping the church and culture

Rejoicing the City

Upcoming Events

May 13-14, 2015
SURGE School
Phoenix, AZ

April 22-24, 2015
National Vocation Infusion Learning Community Retreat
Kansas City, MO

March 16, 2015
“Talking Points” @ Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
Grand Rapids, MI

Feb 3, 2015
Wheaton College Faculty Development Day
Wheaton, IL

May 7-8, 2014
SURGE School
Phoenix, AZ

June 18-20, 2014
Acton U
Grand Rapids, MI

August 2, 2014
City Gates National Conference
Columbus, OH

See All Events

Mayor Don De Graff: Promoting Unity

February 28, 2011

In the multi-racial village of South Holland, IL, Mayor Don De Graff has made the promotion of unity a major theme throughout his many years on the job.

Fifty years ago, South Holland was a mostly white, historically Dutch community. In 1990, the population was 86 percent white.¹ Today, Mayor De Graff reports, “We have probably around 72 percent African-Americans here, around 23-24 percent Caucasians, about 3-4 percent Hispanics, and maybe 1-2 percent Asians.”²

To break down the barriers among these diverse groups, Mayor De Graff has promoted CommUNITY dinners. As his website explains, “The main goal of CommUNITY Dinners is to foster positive discussions between people with differences in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. This helps members of the community get to know one another in a positive setting.”³ Several dinners are sponsored throughout the year. “The churches, the business association, and the schools all promote these community dinners,” Mayor De Graff reports. “At these meetings [we have] opportunity to talk about this broader concept of ‘how do we live in a community together? What makes us tick? What makes us special and unique?’”

The mayor also strongly encourages neighborhoods to hold block parties. “We provided resources for that, which include food, fire engines, police, park benches…all in an effort to try and bring people together.”4  He’s found that such social events can jumpstart new friendships between neighbors and catalyze the development of new neighborhood associations.

In a multiethnic community there is risk of prejudice between racial groups, prejudices that can be expressed in housing discrimination. Mayor De Graff works intentionally with the realtors association in order to “keep close tabs on our housing situation.” The association provides the mayor with “stats as to the length of time it [takes] to sell a house, the average prices, and making sure there’s been no abuses or red-lining, or any illegal, unethical activities.”5

In South Holland, Mayor De Graff says proudly, “We have virtually broken down that walls that typically divide people. And the reason is because we make an honest and intentional intent, day in and day out, month in and month out, to address those head on. We are very proactive.”

___________________

“South Holland, IL,” Encyclopedia of Chicago <http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1173.html>

²Don De Graff (Village Mayor of South Holland, Ill.), telephone interview by Kelly Givens, March 3, 2011.

³“2010 CommUNITY Dinners,” Village of South Holland, <http://www.southholland.org/index.php?page=Events/commdinners>.

4Don De Graff, telephone interview with Kelly Givens, March 3, 2011.

Vocational Stewardship In Action

  • Cliff Nellis: Combining Law and Urban Youth Ministry

    Cliff Nellis: Comb...

    Cliff Nellis: Combining Law and Urban Youth Ministry by Amy Sherman and Kelly Givens Cliff Nellis, a graduate of the University of Chicago’s School of Law, became a Christian near the end of his clerkship for a federal judge in Colorado. He took some time off to bike cross-country, studying the bible with all the delight of the brand-new believer. During the trip, Nellis reports, “I started feeling called to ministry. I started thinking about whether I’d stay in the law or not.” Looking back, he sees that as a young believer, he “had this very narrow view: ministry is …

  • Anne Hughes and Jenny Oliver: Realtors Going the Extra Mile

    Anne Hughes and Je...

    Anne Hughes and Jenny Oliver: Realtors Going the Extra Mile By Kelly N. Givens December 7, 2011 As anyone who has tried to buy or sell a house in the past half a decade knows, the housing market is currently in a state of crisis. In the aftermath of the burst housing bubble, we’ve seen investment banks going broke, the government bailing out companies, and the U.S. economy in recession. Foreclosures have steadily risen since 2006, draining wealth from consumers and eroding the financial strength of banking institutions. Home prices have tumbled, and it’s unclear if they’ve hit their lowest …

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Resources

NEW! Great short video on Work as Worship
A new perspective on work.

Discussion Questions for Use by Vocational Guilds
Does your church gather members into small groups by profession (e.g., law, medicine, business, art)? If so, invite them to try out these discussion starters.

Ten Ways to Encourage Vocational Stewardship in Your Church
Here are some doable action steps you can take right now.

Small Group Discussion Guide on Vocation
Use these questions to enliven your small group’s ability to support members in living missionally through their daily work.

Annotated Bibliography
Short summaries of helpful books on vocation, for pastors and individual believers. Check back frequently as this list will be updated regularly.