What is the Kingdom? | Worldview Foundations For Work | Michael Craven | Ep. 3

Join us on this episode of Christ at Work as we welcome S. Michael Craven, an influential thinker and speaker on Christian worldview and the Kingdom. Michael is a sought-after speaker, author, and the VP & Dean of the Colson Fellows Program at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview.  Michael explores the deeper motivations behind integrating faith into professional life, sharing how biblical narratives demonstrate a bigger picture of what God has created us for. Discover the transformative impact of living the fullness of the Kingdom out in every area of your life. 

Show Notes

In today’s episode, Michael Craven teaches us that the Kingdom of God has had impacts beyond just simple personal salvation. God's love for the Cosmos is demonstrated in His redemption of all things. Because Christ's rule and reign encompass all of Creation, we as God's people and image-bearers, are participating in organizing, co-creating, and restoring His world in every facet of human life. He elaborates on how the comprehensive narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration informs and motivates believers to see a bigger view of the Kingdom's work - especially in their day to day workplaces and with the people they see everyday. 

Michael introduces his perspective by first sharing a quote by C.S. Lewis, underlining how Christianity helps us see all life, including our professional endeavors, in a new light. Michael stresses that understanding our role in God’s creation and the continuation of His work is essential for any Christian in the marketplace.

Throughout the episode, Michael explains the "four-chapter gospel" and its implications for our vocational callings. He emphasizes the role of common grace through work, which serves both believers and non-believers by improving the world incrementally. This discussion opens up insights into how Christians can live out their faith in secular workplaces, impacting culture and society effectively. In his final insight, he cautions to not think of the gospel purely in an instrumental way - solely for evangelism, moral and ethical values, or so that you can give money to spiritual work, but to see the gospel as the restoring of God's right ways across all of civilization's aspects.  A good news that will culminate in his Christ's government being established here on earth for eternity. 

Mentioned Resources:

• How Now Shall We Live by Charles Colson
• Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland
• The Beginning and End of All Things: A Biblical Theology of Creation and New Creation by Edward W. Klink 
• How Then Should We Work: Rediscovering the Biblical Doctrine of Work by Hugh Whelchel
• The Colson Fellows Program

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