Dr. Willard recommends...

... The Gift of Work, by Bill Heatley, as a true picture of what our life in the Kingdom ought to be.

From the Foreword by Dr. Willard:
"We are now, as disciples of Jesus, members of a divine community that, when we seek it, we find with us in our job and throughout life, and thereby we turn all that we do into work for and under God. Thus, Paul advises: "Whatever you do, do your work heartily"—literally, 'from the soul'—"as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." (Col. 3:23-24) We are not to try to look good (do "eyeservice"), as men-pleasers, but on our job we simply "do the will of God from the heart." (Eph. 6:6-8)

"Now this book tells us exactly how to do this. Intelligent, well-informed, and biblical to the core, it is intensely focused upon the real-life context of the job: on what really goes on there, and how, for our part, we can turn it into divine work. In this respect the author is telling us how to live a life that is spiritual throughout, full of meaning, strength and joy. He thus stands in the solid tradition of Christian teaching throughout the ages. He does so with the freshness of personal experience and the forcefulness of careful thought."

Included in the book you will find the essays "Unto This Last" by John Ruskin, "Business: A Profession" by Louis D. Brandeis, and a transcript of the talk "How God is in Business" by Dr. Willard.

Streams of Living Water Video Curriculum

The next installment of LifeSprings Resources' Curriculum of Christlikeness series is now available from Renovare. Streams of Living Water is a video-based curriculum built on Richard J. Foster's acclaimed book Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith. The Curriculum of Christlikeness series is designed to facilitate the experience of authentic transformation as we strive to become more like Christ. The first three installments are God Views, Renovation of the Heart, and Celebration of Discipline. (Plans for Hearing God and The Divine Conspiracy are underway.) Learn more about the series at the LifeSprings website.

This 13-session curriculum helps Christians experience formation in Christlikeness through engagement with six traditions of Christian life and faith. Contents include:

• Six motivating presentations by Richard J. Foster
• Seven conversations between Richard Foster and John Ortberg, Jack Hayford, Emilie Griffin, Juanita Rasmus, Glandion Carney, and James Bryan Smith
• Candid conversations between Richard Foster and Dallas Willard about the importance of each stream in their lives and for the work of the kingdom
• Audience questions and answers with Richard Foster
• Practical exercises that explore the traditions