Kingdom Calling ? Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good (Amy Sherman)

Amy Sherman provides an important addition to the expanding library of materials that look at issues of integrating faith and work, and what it means to not just be a ?called out? people but a ?sent back? people ? sent to partner God in his redemptive mission in the world (see p.12).

Sherman starts with the theological foundations ? ?What does a rejoiced city look like?, she asks.? ?What do the righteous look like?? Why are we not like that??? Those familiar with Tim Keller?s writing and his focus on culture and city will find much that is familiar here but from a more focussed?workplace perspective.

Part 2 considers ?Discipling for Vocational Stewardship? (Integrating work and faith, Inspiration, Discovery, Formation) and Part 3 looks at ?Pathways of Vocational Stewardship? (deploying vocational power though four different avenues).

Check out the?Vocational Stewardship website?for additional information and resources (includes a download of Chapter 2)

One?reviewer?concluded as follows:

The book confronts us on various levels. It asks the individual to deal with his or her personal character issues because each believer serves as a representative of God?s Kingdom of righteousness in this world. It challenges every disciple to respond to the Holy Spirit?s call to develop his or her own vocational stewardship: to find out how they can use their platform, their networks, their influence, their position, their skills, and their reputation/fame to promote the common good. Kingdom Calling challenges pastors (the main targets of the book) to reexamine their ecclesiology and to refocus their task to the ultimate purpose of ?equipping the saints for the work of the ministry? (Eph. 4:11-12). It also challenges those of us in the theological academy to ensure that we are faithfully and adequately training future pastors and missionaries to promote the sub-title of the book: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good!

I would suggest that Sherman?s Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good is a significant contribution to counter global spiritual unemployment.