Life/Work Direction Becomes Part of Theology of Work
News and Events / Produced by TOW Project
Life/Work Direction, a non-profit providing spiritual vocational discernment online and in-person, is now part of the Theology of Work Project. Read TOW Executive Editor Will Messenger's letter discussing this new step below:
When the Life/Work Direction board first approached us about joining the Theology of Work Project, it felt like a dream coming true. These two organizations have been deep in my heart for many years. They share a passion for helping people find direction for their life and work by listening for God’s voice with close attention and authentic engagement. The opportunity to bring them together is both a privilege and a responsibility.
LWD has spent four decades accompanying people in spiritual vocational discernment. Nearly a thousand participants can testify to lives genuinely transformed through this process. I went through LWD’s vocational process myself in the 1990s, and more than anything else that led me to help start the Theology of Work Project. I experienced firsthand what sets this process apart: the way that the LWD facilitators held space for the Spirit to work helped me discover the contours of God’s direction for my life and work. Years later, I was asked to join the board of Life/Work Direction, where I served for 10 years beginning in 2012.
Life/Work Direction will ultimately transform everything we do at the Theology of Work Project because through LWD we will learn how to serve people personally. When we develop new resources, we can ground them in LWD’s decades of transformative life experience. When we train pastors, we can integrate LWD's process and develop a more personal touch.
We think we offer something back to Life/Work Direction as well. In an age of Zoom, TOW becomes an avenue for offering the vocational process to participants across the globe. Our connections to churches, pastors and ministries could open new doors for collaboration and growth. And LWD staff can concentrate on transformative vocational discernment while TOW handles administration and organizational development. What matters most to me is tending to what makes Life/Work Direction unique. The careful listening, patient process, and deep respect for each person's journey are the deep roots that will always anchor LWD.
This coming together represents something I believe God has been orchestrating for longer than any of us realized. Both organizations exist because we're convinced that God cares about all of our life and work. Together we can offer something truly comprehensive: biblical grounding and vocational transformation, theological depth and pastoral care, individual discernment and community support.
Your continued support makes all of this possible. On behalf of both LWD and TOW, let me thank you for the strong financial position that your generosity has bestowed. This combination is not due to any shortage of money, but to an abundance of mission. We're honored to be stewards of your generosity and of the legacy that so many have built over the decades. In fact, that’s why we’re gathering on November 15 at 7pm at Reservoir Church in Cambridge, MA; to celebrate the legacy of Life/Work Direction and to share our vision for LWD's unfolding season of ministry. We’ll recollect the movement of the Holy Spirit by telling stories and giving thanks, and also envision what might be next. If you are in the area, please join us!
Together, we're creating new possibilities for helping people connect their deepest calling with God's work in the world.
Faithfully yours,
Will Messenger
Executive Editor, Theology of Work Project
Image by Life/Work Direction . Used by permission.
Author: Theology of Work Project.
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