COVID-19 has drastically changed the world of work. When everything feels off balance, how can we find our footing and gain a greater sense of confidence and clarity in our work? As Christians, how can the Gospel inform our response as we consider how to move forward in our work?
We have partnered with Dr. Chip Roper, Founder and President of the VOCA Center to create a three-part webinar series titled “Pursuing Purposeful Work Right Now” that will answer these hard questions and help you gain a grounding sense of confidence and clarity for your work in the midst of COVID-19 and after.
We talked to Dr. Roper about the upcoming series to give a preview of what to expect.
Nashville Institute for Faith and Work (NIFW): The title of our three-part webinar series is “Pursuing Purposeful Work Right Now.” Can you give us a preview of what our audience can expect from each webinar?
Dr. Chip Roper (CR): The series will focus on finding confidence and an enduring sense of calling for our work in the midst of our current moment. The first webinar will explore the question, how can we find an enduring sense of meaning in our work? In the second webinar, we will look at the building blocks of calling and the intersection of the Real World and the Real You to answer the question, how do I figure out what work God wants me to do now? The third and final webinar in the series will be tactically-focused, where we get into the nitty-gritty of how to pursue a job in the midst of this altered job field and beyond.
NIFW: The series has an intentional order to it. How does the content build upon itself?
CR: The first webinar will help us with how an understanding of calling rooted in the Gospel can anchor us even when our work has been disrupted. Once we’ve explored the meaning of our work, the second webinar builds on this by asking the question, how can I discern the work God is calling me to by finding out where the Real World and the Real Me intersect in a job? Then, the final webinar takes the information from the first two and discusses how to prepare for a job search, leverage your network in your search, and position yourself to land the job you want.
NIFW: One of the topics you’ll be discussing is how our different frameworks for approaching our work can change the way we think and experience our work. What do you mean by this?
CR: While a secular perspective on work largely equates our work with our identity, seeing work through the lens of the Gospel means that we bring meaning to our work, rather than getting meaning from our work. As Christians, we have a narrative that the Gospel brings us meaning to our work irrespective of what our work is. As a result, instead of looking to our work to define ourselves, we can look to God for our significance and identity and work with and for God rather than for ourselves.
NIFW: Some people might be wondering who the content targets. Who is this information for?
CR: The content we will cover is relevant for people all across the spectrum—from those who have been laid-off to those whose work has ramped up as a result of COVID-19. These webinars are for anyone whose work has changed in some way during this time—which is everyone.
NIFW: The content of the series is timeless in its relevance—yet, COVID-19 has created a sense of urgency around these issues of work and calling. Why is a Christian understanding of work needed right now?
CR: A Christian understanding of work is rooted in something other than our circumstances. So, even when our work itself changes, the meaning and purpose of our work does not. During a time of anxiety and fear, the Gospel reminds us of an important truth about vocation: God is the caller, not us.
Join us for our three-part webinar series, “Pursuing Purposeful Work Right Now,” on June 3, 10, and 17 from 11:30am - 12:30pm. To register for this FREE webinar series, click here. All registrants will receive a complimentary job search guide from Dr. Roper and the VOCA team.
CHIP ROPER BIO:
As the President of The VOCA Center, Dr. Chip Roper is driven to rescue people from the forces that rob them of effectiveness and joy at work. Chip and the team at VOCA know what it is like to be stuck in a job that sucks the life out of you. They know what it is like to be tolerated, instead of followed as a leader. They know the fear that most managers share: “am I getting the best out of my team?”
To answer these common challenges, VOCA delivers customized coaching and training to executives, professionals, company teams, and the pastors who serve them. Chip is a sought-after speaker on the topics of faith, work, and calling. He hosts The Resilience Webinar Series, Produces the Calling Workshop, a bi-annual event in Midtown Manhattan, and facilitates a monthly peer mentoring experience entitled, “The Executive Circle.” He writes the column Marketplace Faith for Patheos.com. Chip is the Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at The King’s College in New York City.
Certified in Executive Coaching by Columbia University, Chip tackles the vocational challenge from 30+ years of P/L leadership responsibility as a small businessman, a pastor, a career coach, and a business consultant. Dr. Roper’s executive clients can be found in firms such as J.P. Morgan, Baycrest Partners, Google, Target Health, Previnex, Hangang Asset Management Company, the Ugandan Permanent Mission to the United Nations, CNBC, and the New York Property Insurance Underwriters Association.