Your Vocation Isn't Radical Enough

Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and Brad East discuss why so many Christians today feel stuck, anxious, or overwhelmed by the idea of “calling.” They examine how the biblical and Reformation doctrine of vocation has been reshaped by modern expectations of career, identity, and fulfillment—and how to recover a clearer, more grounded view of vocation rooted in community, providence, and everyday faithfulness.

A Mere Orthodoxy Podcast

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This episode is brought to you by Lexham Press, featuring The Foremost Problems in Contemporary Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck. These newly translated lectures explore faith in the modern world with Bavinck’s signature depth and clarity.

Mere Fidelity listeners receive 40% off at lexhampress.com/merefidelity.

Key Idea
Vocation isn’t about finding the perfect, fulfilling job. It’s about using your gifts to serve others and glorify God in the ordinary responsibilities of life.

Chapters
0:00 Introduction and sponsor
2:00 Why calling feels confusing today
4:30 When vocation becomes careerism
6:30 Community and the biblical view of calling
8:30 The myth of the perfect job
11:00 Deep gladness and daily responsibility
13:00 The idol of work and career fulfillment
16:00 Gifts for the good of others
18:30 The human calling in Genesis
21:00 Male and female in shared vocation
24:00 Why we need a deflated view of calling
26:30 Dignity in ordinary work
29:00 Vocation for all kinds of people

Resources Mentioned
The Foremost Problems in Contemporary Dogmatics – Herman Bavinck (Lexham Press)

Frederick Buechner: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”