Book Review: Every Good Endeavor

This book review was included in the July 2019 Meadowcroft Monthly. For an archive of all book reviews, click here.

I’m preparing for a fall Sunday school series on work and have a stack of books to read. Last month, I reviewed Work by Dan Doriani and this month I wanted to draw your attention to another strong book on the subject - Every Good Endeavor by Tim Keller (with Katherine Leary Alsdorf). Keller served as the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and Alsdorf works as the head of Redeemer’s Center for Faith & Work.

The book promotes a high view of work, reminding us that our work is designed to point beyond itself, even on days when things are not going well. “There is a God, there is a future healed world that he will bring about, and your work is showing it (in part) to others. Your work will be only partially successful, on your best days, in bringing that world about.”

The authors point out that this high view of work is possible because we have a God who is Himself a worker. This distinguishes our God from other so-called gods. One creation myth says that humans and gods were not required to work in a past “golden age.” “In that original paradise the earth simply provided food in abundance. The book of Genesis could not have been more different.” Our God works in creation, and then continues this work by “commissioning workers to carry on his work.” (Genesis 1:28) The book cites Old Testament scholar Derek Kidner, who points out that “only man is set apart and given a job description.”

The biblical view also contrasts with the ancient Greek view of work, which saw work as demeaning. They cite another author who says “The whole Greek social structure helped to support such an outlook, for it rested on the premise that slaves and [craftsmen] did the work, enabling the elite to devote themselves to the exercise of the mind in art, philosophy and politics.”

While we are not exactly like the ancient Greeks, the authors point out that, in our system, “knowledge”workers can “show great disdain for the concierges, handymen, dry cleaners, cooks, gardeners, and others who hold service jobs.”

The Bible counteracts this vision in many ways, perhaps most of all by how God enters into the world. The authors cite Philip Jensen, who says - “If God came into the world, what would he be like? For the ancient Greeks, he might have been a philosopher-king. The ancient Romans might have looked for a just and noble statesman. But how does the God of the Hebrews come into the world? As a carpenter.”

While setting forth a high view of work, the authors remind us that overemphasizing our work can lead to serious trouble - “You will not have a meaningful life without work, but you cannot say that your work is the meaning of your life. If you make any work the purpose of your life - even if that work is church ministry - you create an idol that rivals God.”

Having laid this foundation, the authors go on to show how this can play out in our lives. One of the most helpful reminders was that “something can be a vocation or calling only if some other party calls you to do it, and you do it for their sake rather than for your own.” Sometimes we use this kind of language to talk about ministerial jobs, but in reality it is true of all jobs - how can we serve others?

There is plenty more to say about this book - and it gets more practical as it goes - suffice it to say I recommend it and will be drawing heavily from it for my Sunday school class.