FAITH & WORK
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.”
– Col 3:23 (GNT)
At Messiah University, we have the great privilege of considering our work as students and employees in light of our Christian faith. There are numerous resources that speak to how we can live a life that serves the common good for the honor and glory of God. We invite you to engage with two of our favorite resources:
by Jerry Sittser
by Dave Evans
The Career & Professional Development Center (CPDC) team, alongside our community of educators at Messiah, is committed to encouraging students to consider how they will live out the values of their faith in the diverse workplaces they will inevitably pursue. Further, the CPDC seeks to be a team that embodies the following commitments:
As a Career & Professional Development Center situated within a Christian institution, we affirm the following ideas about the connection between faith and work…
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As stated by Dave Evans, “God’s will is much more a way than a thing…God most often seems to work using a just-in-time approach to guidance rather than disclosing the grand plan all at once. God grows in us the capabilities, maturity, and insight necessary for the next step of faith as we need them.”
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God cares about what we do with our time, including our work.
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All work, which contributes to the common good, has dignity.
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Our Christian worldview and identity influences the way we work, not just the type of work we’re doing.
- Work is a place where we can invest in relationships and reconciliation.
As a team of individuals whose identity is rooted in our Christian faith, we commit to…
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Viewing every person with whom we interact as image-bearers of Christ and therefore treating everyone with dignity and respect.
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Praying for each other and our campus community.
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Giving our best effort each day and doing our work with integrity – recognizing none of us are above even the most menial of tasks.
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Encouraging students to consider the connection between faith and work.
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Recognizing that God has equipped each of us (and our students) with unique strengths and talents; actively utilizing those talents for the greater good.
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Having each other’s backs – assisting in times where help is needed; caring for each other during difficult times; lifting one another up instead of tearing each other down.
- Caring for each other and our constituents as whole people, recognizing they are more complex than their work.