Here are more sample assignments to help inspire fresh thinking about how to incorporate a concern for vocation, flourishing and economic justice in a seminary course on Ecclesiology and Missiology.

The Gospel in a Pluralist Society

Ask students to write a paper addressing the following question:

Lesslie Newbigin’s book The Gospel in a Pluralist Society includes a chapter about “The Congregation as Hermeneutic of the Gospel.” Newbigin says: “The congregation has to be a place where its members are trained, supported and nourished in the exercise of their parts of the priestly ministry in the world. The preaching and teaching of the local church has to be such that it enables its members to think out the problems that face them in their secular work in the light of their Christian faith.” Explain how you respond to this statement from Newbigin. Describe a number of specific strategies that might help to facilitate “the congregation as hermeneutic of the gospel” in your local church setting. How could you communicate both this challenge and your practical suggestions to your church leadership team?

The TOW Equipping Church Overview paper might provide additional resources for this essay.

Business as a Personal Mission

Assign students to study a particular example of business as mission, ideally by meeting with or interviewing those involved in the endeavor. (The Business as Mission LinkedIn group is one place to start looking for a specific organization to study.)  Ask them to write a paper answering the following questions:

1. What models of mission does this particular organization use?
2. What cultural context is the organization trying to impact? How has it chosen to impact this context?
3. What goals is the organization working towards? What specific strategies does it use to reach those goals?
4. In what ways does the for-profit nature of this organization make it different from traditional mission organizations? What are the advantages? Disadvantages?

Learn from Lay Christians Reflecting on Their Work

Ask students to respond to these articles from workplace Christians at The High Calling:

• “What If Your Workplace is Your Mission Field?” by Dan King
• “5 Ways to be a Christian in the Workplace (And Not Freak Out Human Resources)” by David Rupert
• “Follow Me” by Marcus Goodyear
• “Hearing Christ at Work” by Debbie Simler-Goff
• “Confessions of an Ex-Car Dealer” by Wayne Kirkland

For each of these articles, answer the following questions:

• How do these Christians view their faith and their work?
• How do they care for their co-workers?
• How do they witness to Christ?
• How do they negotiate ethical dilemmas?
• What do they most need from the church?

Are the answers to any of these questions surprising to you?