| Home | eBooks |
| Devotions | Podcasts |
| Articles | Church Suppliers |
| Videos | Our Writers |
| About Us | Find Church Jobs |
I work as a consultant for the railroads on the design and implementation of safety control systems. I am returning to school to pursue a doctoral degree in workplace theology, ethics and leadership. When one of my colleagues heard I was going to pursue a doctoral degree in theology he asked me why does an engineer care about theology?
The short answer is that theology provides a cosmic perspective on my work, the boundaries and constraints on my life, and why work doesn’t always go the way I wish it would go.
Understanding theology inspires me as an engineer to pursue my work with passion, excellence and joy.
One of the first things I discover when I study theology is that there is a God who exists outside of time and space, who exists outside our cosmos, who personally created our universe.
The story of creation tells me that engineering is not just a job, but a privilege bestowed on me by the Creator. It is my privilege as an engineer to discover, explore and utilize the systems and principles of engineering which God created to make train operations safer for all of God’s creation.
Theology teaches me that God’s desire is to come alongside me to help me to discover what I need to know about His creation so that I can do my job with excellence.
The story of creation tells me that I am created in God’s image. My desire to manipulate and create new things from the resources God created; my desire to bring order out of chaos using the principles of engineering that God defined; my desire to communicate engineering concepts clearly and simply are all reflections of the image of God.
The story of creation sets me free to enjoy what I am doing without worrying about what other people think or say, for the story of creation tells me I live my life to please my Creator.
How does the story of creation influence how you see your work?
Theology teaches me that there are boundaries within which I am supposed to do my work. Within those boundaries, I am free to explore, discover and use whatever I find. These boundaries are meant to keep me safe.
One of these boundaries is that I am a finite being, with a finite set of skills and abilities. God chose these skills and abilities just for me, for this time, and this place where I live. As long as I am doing my work within the limitations of these skills and abilities, I find joy and peace.
Other constraints on my life are my socio-economic status, the culture I was born into, the place where I live and my family. Theology tells me that God in his infinite wisdom chose exactly these circumstances for me to live in. Knowing that God doesn’t make any mistakes, I am free from comparing myself to other people; I am free from dwelling on my situation; free from trying to please other people; I am free to focus on God; I am free to enjoy being me; I am free to choose to live my life for God’s glory.
Theology forces me to look beyond myself, and see that God has surrounded me with other men and women each of whom God has blessed with unique gifts and abilities. It is only as I do my part as an engineer alongside the larger team that God has placed around me that the train control safety systems I design come to fruition. These boundaries set me free! They mean that I don’t have to be a marketer or a welder, I just have to be me!
How does knowing God, change your perspective on the boundaries and limitations of your life?
Designing a new system never goes as quickly as I want it to go or as smoothly as I want it to go. As people test the system they discover things that are missing or have been configured incorrectly. Communication is always a challenge in every large project I’ve worked on.
Theology teaches me that things will go wrong, that miscommunication and conflict are the norms of this world because of our desire to be gods. But theology doesn’t leave me without hope. Theology tells me that right now God is working out a perfect plan of redemption.
God offers me the privilege to enter by faith into a restored relationship with him. More than that, in fact much more than that, theology assures me that there is a day coming when I will spend eternity with God as one of His children, and on that day there will no longer be communication problems, conflict or broken systems.
As his child, God promises that the day will come when he will test my work. He will decide by fire which parts of my work are worth preserving like fine gold, and which parts of my work should be destroyed. This is freeing because it means that when my work isn’t up to snuff, my work won’t follow me for eternity. But I also know that when I do my best, I don’t have to look for human approval, for I will receive the ultimate approval, the only approval that counts in the long run – God’s approval.
How does knowing the stories of sin and redemption bring hope into your workday?
So why am I, as an engineer, going back to school to study more about theology? Because I believe that if we as Christians believe in our hearts, and can articulate clearly and simply why our faith in God makes a difference in our work life, we have an amazing and compelling story to share with our co-workers.
Photo source: istock
 | James Bruyn is a bi-vocational visionary leader, writer and speaker who enjoys helping individuals integrate their faith in God with their daily life. He leads a ministry to Christians in the marketplace in Calgary, provides leadership coaching, and consults for the rail industry. He writes a weekly devotional and also has a devotional book, 31 Days with God at Work (Marketplace 2018). Learn More » |
Have you ever felt the pull to full-time ministry work as a missionary or pastor? If not, you can still make a Kingdom impact without quitting your current job. In this eBook, you will learn the four essentials that can change your perspective of work, your workplace, and most importantly, your heart.
 | Bob Tiede helps leaders everywhere move from telling to asking. He has been on the … |
 | Andy Zawacki, a former pastor and teacher has a passion for developing leaders who will … |
 | Dann Spader has dedicated his life to disciple-making and teaching others how to take someone … |
 | Copyright © 2025 Networld Media Group, LLC. All rights reserved. |
Already a member? Sign in below.
