Oikonomia Network

Note: This is an excerpt of a chapter in the ON resource Economic Wisdom for Churches. See also Luke Bobo’s Race, Economics and Apologetics: Is There a Connection?, which was shared with attendees at Karam Forum 2020. THESIS 50: Christians should be taught that if the pope knew about the exploitation practiced by the indulgence-preachers, […]

Christian higher education, like all institutions of learning across the country, find themselves in a dramatic period of disruption. The forces of change already in play in higher education are only accentuated by COVID-19’s impact on global health and economies. These developments have left university leaders, faculty, students, donors and alumni alike wondering together what […]

Note: This month we are reprinting our original article on Christopher Brooks’ EWP Talk on Rethinking Urban Poverty. See our playlists on Ethics, Culture and Pastoral Leadership for more resources. There’s nothing the church needs to rethink as urgently as poverty. Taking action for the flourishing of the poor is central to our solidarity with […]

What does vocational faithfulness look like when there is a gulf between our daily work and our sense of calling? How can Christians embrace a holistic vision for work, and every aspect of our economic activity? In this seminal talk in the Economic Wisdom Project Talks series, J. Michael Thigpen casts a vision for faithful […]

In the midst of both a changing educational landscape and the current COVID-19 crisis, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS) is moving forward on a variety of fronts with her commitment to preparing leaders with the vision and skills of discipleship and mission that integrate faith with work and economic wisdom. All AGTS syllabi include […]

This past quarter at Seattle Pacific Seminary, I taught a course entitled Vocational Discernment and Discipleship. This course is described as “explor[ing] various models of Christian discipleship that are intended to sustain a lifetime of ministry, and various processes of vocational discernment.” One of the challenges many Christians face is having a narrow definition of […]

At Karam Forum 2020, we conveneda panel of leading theological educators from across the country to discuss the relationship between entrepreneurship, theological education and pastoral ministry. In this brand new video release from Karam Forum, three speakers cast a collective vision for how theological education can equip current and future ministry leaders to bring God’s […]

Through my over 20 years of experience in teaching and administration in Christian higher education institutions in Kenya, two main challenges have become apparent. The first is the challenge of long-term financial sustainability of theological institutions. Students’ fees alone cannot sustain them, and donor funding is becoming very scarce to find. The second challenge is […]

My friend and colleague Bruce Fields joined the church triumphant late last month, after a 21-month battle with cancer. The Oikonomia Network’s Vincent Bacote offers him a magnificent tribute in Christianity Today. In the various remembrances of Bruce, one quote recurs frequently, and I hope the ON will always strive to live up to it: […]

Powerful disruptions to the status quo, such as a pandemic, job loss or death of a loved one, can also create opportunities to think and act differently. In our own “cultural moment,” I have found myself contemplating how the Holy Spirit is at work among the “entrepreneurial” in our culture, among various industries, professions, and […]

Note: The author is an individual faculty partner in the Oikonomia Network.  “A gym really needs a pastor.” Observations like this one sprinkle across a new curriculum offered by Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS) focusing on entrepreneurship with ministry in mind. The comment comes from my interview with entrepreneur and pastor Brett Armstrong, founder of CrossfitRWOL in Mustang, […]

This spring has found COVID-19 disrupting every facet of life. As a family, the Irvings are coming up on our fifth week of gathering with our church small group using Zoom, getting ready for our fifth week of online worship with our church community using Facebook Live, and joining with Christians around the world to […]

Why has the church uncovered more sexual abuse and exploitation in its ranks than almost any other institution in our society? Why is it so difficult for the church – of all institutions! – to respond to abuse with justice and mercy? And what does justice have to do with vocation? Few voices for justice […]

In these chaotic times, we know you have tough questions, and you expect clear answers. Like these guys: So let’s be clear. Disease is part of the enemy’s strategy to attack God’s beautiful creation, both physically and spiritually. To defeat the enemy, it is incumbent upon us to protect the wellbeing of our neighbors and […]

The Oikonomia Network has published a new eBook, Faithfully Rendering God’s Word: Artificial Intelligence, Cultural Bias and the Future of Faithful Bible Translation. The book features essays by five theological scholars from our network, as well as reflections from leaders in Bible translation firms. The contributors are thinking together about how the use of Artificial […]