by Jayla Ward • 3 minutes
What does it look like to do ministry? Can you only be a pastor, missionary or monk to be effective? How do I remain faithful to my beliefs while at work or does it even matter?
In a recent essay, First Liberty Senior Counsel Stephanie Taub wrote about the ongoing conversation on how to integrate your faith into every day of your life and not just on Sundays. Her essay discusses a new book by J. Daryl Charles, titled “Our Secular Vocation.” Charles is senior fellow at First Liberty’s Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy.
Stephanie leads our marketplace practice group that focuses on protecting religious freedom in the workplace. She’s been at the forefront of major discrimination cases, defending clients including Fire Chief Ron Hittle and former postal carrier Gerald Groff.
Most recently, Stephanie argued at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals—one level below the Supreme Court—on behalf of our clients, Lacey Smith and Marli Brown, Alaska Airlines flight attendants who were fired over their religious beliefs.
It’s important for the church and other communities of faith to support believers and empower them to hold to their convictions.
You may be asking what does it look like to live out my faith in the marketplace? Can I really live it to the fullest and be a light while simply sitting at my desk?
“By producing a useful good or service and displaying the joyful, diligent attitude of the redeemed through the secular workplace, a Christian can serve others and thereby serve God,” Stephanie said, summarizing Charles’ book and philosophy on work. “Whether you work as a butcher, baker or candlestick maker, understanding your work as meaningful because of your ability to serve others and display the love of Christ allows believers to find fulfillment and give glory to God in even the most mundane jobs.”
Martin Luther’s perspective that vocation is the call to love one’s neighbor through life’s daily tasks reminds us of what Scripture says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”
But what do you do as a Christian who has to face a crisis of conscience, while simultaneously trying to do your job and live out your faith?
Moral dilemmas are not always the source of workplace conflict. However, with the current trends of social, political and cultural worldviews, it seems like every day, people of various religious backgrounds must choose between losing their jobs or violating their religious convictions.
Our client, Gerald Groff, is a perfect example of standing up for your convictions in the workplace. He holds a deep religious belief to honor the Sunday Sabbath. When his job required him to work on Sundays, he chose to fight for his beliefs, giving up his career and his security rather than compromising his faith.
Gerald brought a lawsuit to protect not only his right to work in accordance with his beliefs, but also the rights of other religious Americans facing discrimination at work. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark 9-0 decision in his favor clarifying the law and strengthening religious freedoms for employees across the country.
Thanks to Gerald’s victory, Americans across the nation will experience less discrimination and pushback when requesting religious accommodations at work. It only takes one courageous person to change the trajectory of the law in a way that helps millions of people.
“I believe that if more people of faith stood strong for their religious convictions, the workplace would be completely transformed,” Stephanie shares. “When people are willing to engage in Spirit-led conversations, risk promotion opportunities, or even sacrifice their jobs to maintain their religious convictions, not only does this sacrifice send a powerful message, it also could impact change.”
A job may be temporary, whereas God’s calling on a believer’s life is comprehensive. Sacrificing one’s job with integrity rather than compromising one’s convictions may be part of God’s larger plan and contribute to the witness a Christian can have in the marketplace.
In his book, Charles writes:
“It is the church’s duty to equip the body of Christ for responsible and redemptive service in the marketplace. Given work’s inherent dignity and the fact that, based on our design, we mirror the very likeness of God, our vocation is to—rather than away from—social and cultural institutions.”
By working in alignment with their religious convictions, Christians can transform society in a way that benefits everyone and supports the common good.
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