Kingdom Calling - by Amy L Sherman (Paperback)

About the Book

Amy Sherman unpacks Proverbs 11:10--"When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices"--to develop a theology and program of vocational stewardship. Here is practical help for churches, ministries and other faith communities to navigate the complex process of following Jesus in those places where we happen to prosper.

Book Synopsis

Christianity Today Book Award winner

Imagine the scenarios:

• a CEO successfully negotiates a corporate merger, avoiding hundreds of layoffs in the process
• an artist completes a mosaic for public display at a bank, showcasing neighborhood heroes
• a contractor creates a work-release program in cooperation with a local prison, growing the business and seeing countless former inmates turn their lives around
• a high-school principal graduates 20 percent more students than the previous year, and the school's average scores go up by a similar percentage

Now imagine a parade in the streets for each event. That's the vision of Proverbs 11:10, in which the tsaddiqim--the people who see everything they have as gifts from God to be stewarded for his purposes--pursue their vocation with an eye to the greater good.

Amy Sherman, director of the Center on Faith in Communities and scholar of vocational stewardship, uses the tsaddiqim as a springboard to explore how, through our faith-formed calling, we announce the kingdom of God to our everyday world. But cultural trends toward privatism and materialism threaten to dis-integrate our faith and ourwork. And the church, in ways large and small, has itself capitulated to those trends, while simultaneously elevating the "special calling" of professional ministry and neglecting the vocational formation of laypeople. In the process, we have, in ways large and small, subverted our kingdom mandate.

God is on the move, and he calls each of us, from our various halls of power and privilege, to follow him. Here is your chance, keeping this kingdom calling in view, to steward your faith and work toward righteousness. In so doing, you will bless the world, and as you flourish, the world will celebrate.

Review Quotes

"Amy Sherman is a timely and compelling voice to the church. . . . Kingdom Calling is a very helpful read for pastors and ministry leaders who desire to learn specific and tangible ways on becoming more intentional in equipping congregational members for being a faithful presence for Christ in the world through their vocations."

Tom Nelson, senior pastor of Christ Community Church in Leawood, Kansas, and author of Work Matters

"Amy Sherman's carefully researched and theologically grounded work will serve as an inspiration and resource for churches needing to discover and deploy the passions and gifts of their people to faithfully serve the world outside the church. While targeted at pastors and church leaders, this book is also accessible and encouraging for the average congregant who has come to desire a more robust integration of faith and work, which extends from 'blooming where planted' to leading change initiatives within their existing workplaces and by starting new entrepreneurial ventures. Kingdom Calling captures and adds to the equipping and mobilizing 'how-to' we have discovered at Redeemer and would love to share with churches around the world."

Katherine Leary Alsdorf, founder and executive director, Center for Faith Work, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City

"Filled with careful research, inspiring examples, heroic people and epic stories, Kingdom Calling introduces the reader to the reality that William Gibson identified: 'The future is already here; it's just not evenly distributed.' This book will go a long way in helping us fast-forward that future."

Eric Swanson, Leadership Community Director for Externally Focused Churches, Leadership Network, and author of To Transform a City

"It has been my experience that very few believers deal with one of the most significant issues of the Christian life: the relationship between what they do vocationally and what they are called to do by our Lord and Savior. It is impossible to live as a kingdom servant without considering your kingdom calling. Amy Sherman has articulated extremely well the theological foundation of a kingdom calling and then shown how to practically exercise that calling. It is a privilege for me to endorsethis book wholeheartedly as a book that is not only well written, but more importantly one of immense importance."

Ron Blue, president of Kingdom Advisors

"This book is a must read for pastors and church leaders to equip and empower their congregations into a 'Kingdom calling.'"

Jason Bachman, Enrichment, Summer 2012

"To me, this book is at the core of what kingdom living and engagement are all about. When the church in the West gets this, we are going to see transformation on an unimaginable scale. Solid theology, good stories and lots of practical application."

Bob Roberts Jr., senior pastor, NorthWood Church, and author of Real-Time Connections and Transformation

About the Author

Reggie McNeal enjoys helping leaders pursue more kingdom-focused lives. He currently serves as a senior fellow for Leadership Network and city coach for GoodCities. In his consulting and speaking, Reggie draws on his experience as a pastor, denominational leader, seminary teacher, and leadership development coach for thousands of church leaders across North America and the world. His books include The Present Future, Missional Renaissance, A Work of Heart, and Kingdom Come.

Amy L. Sherman directs the Sagamore Institute's Center on Faith in Communities, which trains and consults with faith-based social service providers and religious congregations desiring to invest more effectively in their neighborhoods. She is alsothe founder and former executive director of Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries and a senior fellow with International Justice Mission. She earned her BA in political science at Messiah College and her MA and PhD in international economic development from the University of Virginia. She is the author of Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good.

Steven Garber is professor of marketplace theology and leadership at Regent College, Vancouver, and the principal of The Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation & Culture. A consultant to foundations, corporations, and schools, he is a teacher of many people in many places. His books include Visions of Vocation and The Fabric of Faithfulness, and he is a contributor to the books Faith Goes to Work: Reflections from the Marketplace and Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalogue. He is married to Meg. They have five grown children and several grandchildren.