Out of 5,840 waking hours, a full-time employee spends approximately 2,080 hours at work each year. Yet many of those workers live entirely for the weekend, wanting nothing more than Friday evening to come. Is this an acceptable way to live? Above and beyond the paycheck, does the act of working even matter?

Let's take a long-term approach. Work matters because, pooled together, it can serve people and enhance their lives and wellbeing. Work is service. This is well in line with God's mandate to care for those made in God's image-to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the creation (see Gen 1).

Dr. Hans Rosling works for BBC 4 and loves to interact with statistics on population and health. In the video below, he traces the economic effect of work on global life and opportunity since the early 1900's. It is fascinating to watch. There are other issues this overview does not address, but it is an interesting look at the power and impact over time of work (people serving one another) on various populations.

Th monumental significance of work, which Dr. Rosling’s video demonstrates, is why we are tackling this topic at our second annual Table Conference, Your Work: More Than A Paycheck  at Irving Bible Church, April 4-5. Come join us to discover how you can develop a Christian way of thinking about how you work and why it matters.

About the Contributors

Darrell L. Bock

Dr. Bock has earned recognition as a Humboldt Scholar (Tübingen University in Germany), is the author of over 40 books, including well-regarded commentaries on Luke and Acts and studies of the historical Jesus, and work in cultural engagement as host of the seminary’s Table Podcasts. He was president of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) from 2000–2001, served as a consulting editor for Christianity Today, and serves on the boards of Wheaton College and Chosen People Ministries. His articles appear in leading publications. He is often an expert for the media on NT issues. Dr. Bock has been a New York Times best-selling author in nonfiction and is elder emeritus at Trinity Fellowship Church in Dallas. When traveling overseas, he will tune into the current game involving his favorite teams from Houston—live—even in the wee hours of the morning. Married for over 40 years to Sally, he is a proud father of two daughters and a son and is also a grandfather.