About
About
The Vocational Networks Initiative is a collaborative effort to help more Christians (students and adults) see 100% of their work with and for Jesus. It is designed to connect K-12 Christian schools, vocational networks, local churches, and resource providers to advance faith and work integration (as a major part of whole-life biblical worldview integration), helping students and adults live out their faith across every career field and all of life.
Core Goals:
- Biblical Worldview Integration: That every Christian (student and adult) might understand that they are a full-time worker for Jesus, whether in business, education, government, healthcare, technology, trades, arts, religion, family, etc.
- Student Preparation: Equip K-12 Christian schools with resources and awareness of vocational networks to reinforce that Christian students are working full-time (100%) for Jesus in their everyday schoolwork and future careers.
- Cross-Network Synergy: Local annual Vocational Networks Summits help build awareness and collaboration between vocational, church, school, and city networks all year long.
Activities:
- Offering Christian schools an annual Student Survey (for 6th-12th grade) to better understand their students’ faith & work integration.
- Increased awareness of faith and work integration resources, as a major part of biblical worldview integration/spiritual formation, including resources from ACSI and strategic partners.
- Connecting school leaders and vocational network leaders in annual, local Vocational Networks Summits in 25+ cities on the first Thursday in March.
- Helping increase awareness of national and local vocational networks in business, government, education, healthcare, law, trades, arts, etc.
Principles
Principles
The Vocational Networks Initiative is about Spiritual Formation/Biblical Worldview Integration in our largest time activity—our work!
Foundational, biblical principles of the Vocational Networks Initiative include:
- Identity in Christ, created, redeemed, for good works (Eph. 2:10)
- All our work for God’s glory (Col. 3) in business, government, education, health, law, technology, trades, art, religion, family, and every sector.
- The Greatest Commandment, which reinforces loving God with our whole selves, including all we are and do. (Matt. 22:37-40, Mark 12:30-31)
- Our original job instructions: Be fruitful, multiply, fill and steward the resources of the earth (Gen. 1:28) and to work our gardens (Gen. 2:15) – our different areas of responsibilities – in our families, jobs, communities, churches, etc.
- Four-Chapter Gospel Story:
- Creation – Including the Cultural Mandate to work/steward (Gen. 1-2)
- Fall (Gen. 3)
- Redemption (John 3:16, Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:13-14, Rom. 3:24)
- Restoration (Rom. 8:19-21, 1 Cor. 3:9, 2 Cor. 5:18, Rev. 21)
- Three-legged stool for God’s Glory: Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37-40), Cultural Mandate (Gen. 1:28), and the Great Commission to make disciples of Jesus, who make other disciples of Jesus (Matt. 28:18-20, 2 Tim. 2:2)
- Hebrew word Avodah – Our work is worship! (Used over 100 times in Old Testament, meaning both work and worship.)
- Our lives as a living sacrifice: God’s work through us in all areas of His economy (Rom. 12:1, Gal. 2:20)
- And many more!
Summit
Vocational Network Summit
The Vocational Networks Initiative has an annual, local Vocational Network Summit (three hours, 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.) in 25+ cities on the first Thursday of March each year. This Summit is for:
- Christian School Leaders interested in full integration of students’ faith & work/vocation
- Vocational Network Leaders in business, education, healthcare, law, government, etc.
- Faith & Vocation Resource Providers (Church and Non-Profit Leaders)
This local annual Summit provides relational connections and updates for the following goals:
- That every Christian (student and adult) might understand that Christians are full-time (100%) workers for Jesus, whether in business, education, government, health, technology, trades, arts, religion, family, etc.
- Equip K–12 Christian schools with resources and awareness of vocational networks to reinforce that Christian students are working full-time (100%) for Jesus in their everyday schoolwork and in their future careers.
- Build awareness and collaboration between vocational, church, school, and city networks, all year long.
Survey
Survey
ACSI provides schools the opportunity to implement an annual Student Survey on Christianity & Careers, which can serve as a baseline and annual tracking method for Christians school leaders to better understand their students’ integration of faith & work/vocation.
The online survey is suggested to be given to students in their 6–12 grade Bible classes, on the same day if possible, and only takes about 10–15 minutes of class time. If you are interested, please fill out the Interest Form to the right, and we will send you more information. The first baseline survey can be taken anytime in the fall or spring semester. After the first baseline survey, it is encouraged to be repeated annually in March, April, or May.
Resources
Resources
We understand that each school will utilize different resources to teach and strengthen the full integration of Christian faith with vocation/work/calling/career. The following are organizations and resources that we highlight as resources to help teach whole-life stewardship, including an emphasis on full integration of faith and vocation.
- ACSI Biblical Worldview Integration
- Colson Educators
- Summit Ministries
- RightNow Media (Work Library)
- Ron Blue Institute - Life Calling
- SeedTree Group
Networks
Networks
The vocational networks working together on this initiative include organizations that are serving relatively specific vocational areas, including:
| Vocational Network | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Association of Christian Schools Intl | Christian School Educators | www.acsi.org |
| Christian Educators | Public School Educators | www.christianeducators.org |
| Christian Legal Society | Attorneys | www.christianlegalsociety.org |
| Christian Medical & Dental Association | Healthcare Professionals | www.cmda.org |
| Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers | Law Enforcement | www.fcpo.org |
| Intl Association of Christian Education | Christian College Faculty | www.iace.education |
| Kingdom Advisors | Financial Advisors | www.kingdomadvisors.org |
| Officers Christian Fellowship | Military | www.ocfusa.org |
Other vocational networks include:
- Christian Entrepreneur & Executive Networks (multiple)
- Christian Employee Groups (in Fortune 1000 companies)
- And other networks in development in Government, Arts, Technology, Trades, University, etc.
Other national Christian vocational networks are invited to inquire about being part of the ACSI Vocational Networks Initiative. For more information, please fill out the Interest Form to the right.
Programs
Programs
The primary Vocational Networks Initiative annual event is the ACSI Vocational Networks Summit on the First Thursday in March, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (local time) in 25+ cities. Learn More
Christian school leaders can also gain insights from the Vocational Networks Initiative through the following ACSI programs:
- ACSI Flourishing Schools Institute (FSI) – This is ACSI’s primary annual conference, usually early in the Spring (Member Only)
- Rooted Biblical Worldview Summit – This is ACSI’s annual worldview summit, usually in the summer - Registration Coming Soon
- Leadership U – This is ACSI’s comprehensive, year-long leadership development program (Member Only)
- ACSI Venture Entrepreneurial Innovation Challenge – This student program cultivates entrepreneurial mindset rooted in a biblical worldview
- ACSI Public Policy & Advocacy Summit – Annual event reinforcing faith and work integration in government
- Convene Network Zoom Webinars (three times per year) – Faith & Vocation will be emphasized from time to time on these one-hour Zoom calls. (Member Only)