Additional Reading Links - Calling

The reading assignments for Understanding God’s Calling include links to online articles as well as reading in the assigned books. If you have any trouble accessing the material, please contact us at info@tifwe.org. 

Please note: a teacher’s guide (paperback), including a grading rubric with suggested answers and guidelines, is included with the purchase of the curriculum.

Module 1 – Introduction

1. Jenni Catron, “Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence”
2. Hugh Whelchel, “What Is the Path to Your Greatest Fulfillment?”
3. CruPress, “What is a Calling?“
4. Os Guinness, The Call, Ch. 1

Module 2 – The Four-Chapter Gospel

1. Hugh Whelchel, How Then Should We Work?, 8–13
2. Jeremy Treat, “Kingdom and Cross: What God Has Joined Together, Let Not Man Separate”
3. Taylor Barkley, “The Four-Chapter Gospel in Our Work”
4. Christina Fox, “God Writes a Great Story”
5. Os Guinness, The Call, Ch. 11

Optional Readings

• Anne Bradley, “Three Reasons You Shouldn’t Be Content”
• Art Lindsley, “The Meaning of Work in Life—and Death”
• Albert M. Wolters, Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a Reformational Worldview
• T. Wright, Surprised by Hope
• Randy Alcorn, Heaven
• Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavor
• Michael Wittmer, Becoming Worldly Saints
• Michael Wittmer, Heaven Is a Place on Earth
• Cornelius Plantinga, Engaging God’s World

Module 3 – The Image of God

1. Art Lindsley, “The Image of God”
2. Peter May, “What Is the Image of God?”
3. Os Guinness, The Call, Ch. 3

Optional Readings

• Anthony A. Hoekema, Created in God’s Image, Ch. 3, “The Image of God: Biblical Teaching”
• C. Berkouwer, Man in the Image of God

Module 4 – The Call to Creativity

1. Art Lindsley, “The Call to Creativity”
2. Joe Rigney, “To Name the World”
3. Jon Bloom, “What Will You Leave Behind?”
4. Stephen Altrogge, “Make God Look Great. Create”
5. Os Guinness, The Call, 6

Optional Readings

• Art Lindsley, “Gifts of the Spirit in the Old Testament”

Module 5 – Flourishing

1. Jonathan Pennington, “A Biblical Theology of Human Flourishing”
2. Hugh Whelchel, “Your Relationships Play an Essential Role in Biblical Flourishing”
3. Anne Bradley, “Salt, Light, and a Stockbroker: A Story of Flourishing”

Optional Readings

• Joseph Connors and Anne Bradley, “Economic Freedom and the Path to Flourishing”
• Bill Haley, “On Work and Human Flourishing: Twenty Men Fixing A Road”
• Danielle Sallade, “Human Flourishing”

Module 6 – Calling

1. Art Lindsley, “Calling”
2. Jon Bloom, “Christian, Your Job Is a Ministry Job”
3. Andrew Spencer, “What Is the Vocation of a Student?”
4. Matt Perman, “How Do You Make Good Career Choices?”
5. Os Guinness, The Call, Ch. 4
6. Gene Veith, God at Work, Chs. 1–4

Optional Readings

• William Perkins, “A Treatise of the Vocations”
• Hugh Whelchel, “Different Jobs and Careers, Same Calling in Christ”
• Hugh Whelchel, “What Is a Good Job?”

Module 7 – Relationship with God

1. John Piper, “What Does It Mean to Have a Relationship with God?”
2. Erik Raymond, “Do You Have a Dysfunctional Relationship with God?”
3. Dan Cruver, “Adoption Is Bigger than You Think”
4. Os Guinness, The Call, Ch. 5

Optional Readings

• Art Lindsley, “C.S. Lewis on Meditating on God’s Word”
• Art Lindsley, “C.S. Lewis on Prayer”
• C. Ryle, Practical Religion
• Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression

Module 8 – Family

1. John Piper, “Do Not Forsake Your Mother’s Teaching”
2. Richard Pratt Jr., “Broken Homes in the Bible”
3. Tedd Tripp, “The Ordinary Christian Family”
4. Gene Veith, God at Work, Ch. 6

Optional Readings

• Andrew Spencer, “Beyond Family Devotions: Teaching Kids to Live as Christians in the World through Work”
• John Piper, “Don’t Provoke Your Teenage Children to Anger”
• David Mathis, “Parents, Beware: Proverbs Are Not Promises”

Module 9 – The Church

1. Jonathan Parnell, “The Local Church and the Supremacy of Christ”
2. Jon Bloom, “Why We Shouldn’t Neglect to Meet Together”
3. Richard J. Krejcir, “The Call of Commitment to the Church”
4. I. Packer, “The Church”
5. Os Guinness, The Call, Ch. 12
6. Gene Veith, God at Work, Ch. 8

Optional Readings

• Art Lindsley, “The Priesthood of All Believers”
• Art Lindsley, “Knowing, Feeling, and Doing”
• Art Lindsley, “Community—and Why We Need It”
• Timothy Keller, “The Difficulty of Community”

Module 10 – Community

1. Hugh Whelchel, “Why Should Christians Care to Vote?”
2. Jennifer A. Marshall, “The Christian Calling to Citizenship”
3. Timothy Keller, “The Gospel and the Poor”
4. Kristine Zambito, “When It Comes to Alleviating Poverty, Here’s How Your Church Can Avoid Help that Hurts”
5. P. Moreland, “A Biblical Case for Limited Government”
6. John Piper, “Love Your Neighbor As Yourself, Part 2”

Optional Readings

• Anne Bradley, “Are Churches Being Crowded out of Poverty Alleviation Efforts?”
• Glenn Sunshine, “What Does It Mean to Help the Poor?”
• Elise Amyx, “What the Social Justice Movement Is Missing”
• Elise Amyx, “How to Fight for Social Justice Right Where You Are”
• Art Lindsley, “Government: Small or Large?”

Module 11 – Theology of Work

1. William Messenger, “Calling in the Theology of Work”
2. Hugh Whelchel, “Is Evangelism the Sole Reason for Our Work?”
3. Timothy Keller, “How Faith Affects Our Work”
4. Hugh Whelchel, How Then Should We Work?, 1–2
5. Gene Veith, God at Work, Ch. 5

Optional Readings

• Klaus Issler, “Three Exemplary Jesus Practices about Money and Work”

Module 12 – History of Work and Calling

1. Greg Ayers, “Martin Luther’s View of Faith and Work”
2. Hugh Whelchel, “John Calvin’s Contribution to the Biblical Doctrine of Work”
3. Leland Ryken, “The Original Puritan Work Ethic”
4. Christian History Institute, “A Quick Survey of Vocation throughout Church History”
5. Hugh Whelchel, How Then Should We Work?, 3–4
6. Os Guinness, The Call, Ch. 18

Module 13 – Calling and Cultural Renewal

1. Timothy Keller, “Work and Cultural Renewal”
2. Abraham Cho, “Transfiguration in Cultural Engagement”
3. James Davison Hunter, “To Change the World”
4. Hugh Whelchel, How Then Should We Work?, 5–6

Optional Readings

• Art Lindsley, “The Absence of the Ascension”
• Vincent Bacote, “Business as Cultural Engagement?”
• Tim Hoerr, “The Good News about the Cultural Mandate”
• C.S. Lewis, “Christian Apologetics”

Module 14 – What Is Success?

1. Marshall Segal, “The Lethal Drug in Your Dream Job”
2. David Leonard, “Is Career Success a Zero-Sum Game?”
3. Max Lucado, Cure for the Common Life, Section One
4. Hugh Whelchel, Monday Morning Success
5. Os Guinness, The Call, Ch. 9

Module 15 – What Are You Gifted To Do?

1. Elise Daniel, “How to Find Your Calling”
2. Art Lindsley, “Gifts of the Spirit in the Old Testament”
3. David Leonard, “Should Your Passion Determine Your Profession?”
4. Timothy Keller, “Discerning and Exercising Spiritual Gifts”
5. Max Lucado, Cure for the Common Life, Section 2

Optional Readings

• Anne Bradley, “What is Your Advantage?”
• Matt Perman, “How to Follow Your Passion…and Your Strengths”

StrengthsFinder – https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/

MyersBriggs – http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

Module 16 – Who Are You?

1. Max Lucado, Cure for the Common Life, Section 3

Focus time and attention on the “Sweet Spot Discovery Guide,” pp. 147–71

 Module 17 – Final Reflections