The Work of the People
July 13-14, 2025
Third Presbyterian Church, 617 22nd St S, Birmingham, AL 35233
Cost: $45/person
God created man for labor, to fill, till, subdue, and rule the earth. This is the work of the people.
God created man for worship, to receive His gifts at His table, and to offer a sacrifice of praise, thanks, and common prayer. This too is the work of the people of God – so the church has said.
Both forms of work are in crisis today.
Many are stuck in meaningless jobs, while techno-futurists imagine a world where AI and robots free us from the drudgery of labor. Why expend any effort when ChatGPT can do it for you?
Among Evangelical Protestants, worship has all but ceased to be the common work of the people and turned into a performance for the people.
This year’s Theopolitan Ministry Conference gets back to biblical, liturgical, and vocational basics:
- What is the purpose of human labor? How does man’s work fit into God’s plan for the cosmos?
- What is the proper relationship between labor and liturgy? How does holy communion shape what we construct and how we construct it?
- How should societies organize labor? What role does the church have in supporting workers?
- Do modern economies undermine the meaningfulness of labor? How does globalization affect work?
- How does technology affect our understanding of work? Are we called to take a stand against The Machine? If so, how?
- How should Christians engage in the trades? What’s the vocation of a Christian entrepreneur or business owner?
- What is the role of creativity in human labor? What’s the vocation of a Christian artist?
Plenary speakers include Jeff Meyers, Alastair Roberts, Mark Brians, John Ahern, and Theopolis Board Chairman and entrepreneur John Crawford.
There will be breakout sessions with plumber and Theopolis Fellow Michael Steele, master
electrician and author Jonathan Sedlak, Jonathan Barlow from the Data Science Program at
Mississippi State University, and Brian Moats, Theopolis Content Director and founder of Audio
Deacon.
Register will open soon.
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The conference will begin with a Matins service at 11:00am on Monday, followed by lunch provided by Theopolis. The conference will conclude with a Vespers service on Tuesday afternoon.