*The timestamp is stated in bold after each question.

Salvation and Work

1. Provide some context about your areas of work. 2:37

2. Summarize your theology of work in a few sentences. 10:07

3. What key texts of Scripture have formed this view of work? 12:31

4. How did your conversion affecte your view of work? 14:45

God’s Will and Work

5. How can a believer be sure that God has designed him for a certain career or kind of labor? How does a believer discern God’s will with respect to work? 20:42

6. The primary counsel often given to young people is, “Find the job you enjoy doing, and do that.” Young people then spend years jumping around jobs to find something that is “enjoyable.” Is this really a key consideration when choosing a career?  28:44

7. What are key biblical standards to consider when judging whether one’s career or job is glorifying to God? How do we define “success” biblically speaking? For example, how do you define success if you are a script-writer for an entertainment company, a dentist, a plumber, a lawyer, or a public school teacher? 32:57

8. My entire adult life I have struggled to find jobs—even entry level jobs at age 18. At 26 I entered a master’s degree teaching program looking to earn a stable living, but since graduating I have only had teaching jobs for a year at a time and am now out of work. My wife, on the other hand, is liked by everyone and seems to get every job she applies for. She is even quickly promoted. Would you say that God’s sovereign hand sometimes holds men back from work for certain reasons? 38:24

9. Is hard labor better than creative work? I have worked as a writer as well as a laborer in a warehouse. These are very different kinds of work. I felt that being creative was being more like God (who is the Creator) than doing manual work, which requires no imagination but is nonetheless a worthy way to earn a living. How should we view these differences? 44:58

Family and Work

10. Is it acceptable for the wife to have a career outside the home, or even just a part-time job? What issues must a husband and wife consider when making the decision that the wife can or should pursue a career or take on a new job? 49:07

11. Is it acceptable for a wife to be the primary wage-earner in the home? Are there any problems with being a stay-at-home husband or father? 56:39

12. The cost of living in southern California is exceedingly high. This reality is often cited as the reason for having a dual-career home (husband and wife as full-time wage-earners) and for having small families, if any children at all. Is this approach acceptable for us as Christians in order to survive in this region of the country? 1:03:10

13. I am hoping to get married within the next 2-3 years. What are some milestones that I need to have in place—biblically and financially—before tying the knot? 1:07:08

14. How can I motivate my children to serve and work hard in the home? As much as I try to set a good example and give instruction, they often do not pay attention and have a hard time accepting counsel. When they do their work, they do not do it with quality or from the heart. How can I change this? 1:12:58

Government and Work

15. There is much talk today about the country’s drift into socialism. This talk is not just the focus of conspiracy theories, but is actually advocated by influential politicians. What is “socialism” and how does it impact our view of work? 1:19:18

16. I am making more money on unemployment benefits than I would from a part-time, secondary job. Is it wiser not to work and receive these unemployment benefits which help me to take care of my bills, than to work a job that would provide me less, jeopardize my ability to cover my living expenses, and lead me into debt? 1:29:15

17. Given the vast array of government assistance that is available here in LA county (including health insurance, food stamps and child tax credits), how should Christian men—who are diligent in their labor—determine which, if any, of these programs to participate in? For example, to refuse these programs and provide for my large family on my own, I would need to work very difficult hours. However, I can work more reasonable hours and provide for my family by taking advantage of these benefits for low-income families. When is dependency on this assistance harmful or unwise? 1:33:53

18. Should Christians participate in the “shadow” economy—the workplace that is not regulated and taxed by the government? 1:41:12