Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller
Week 4: Chapter 3 — Work as Cultivation
Read Chapter 3 of Every Good Endeavor. Key Scripture: Genesis 2:15; Psalm 8.
Previewing Week 4 of Every Good Endeavor
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
Keller deepens his theology of work by examining the idea that human creativity — in art, business, science, and trade — is a form of cultivation that continues the work God began in creation.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Keller argues that all human culture-making — art, music, literature, architecture, technology — is a kind of 'unfolding' of the possibilities God built into creation. Does your own work feel like 'unfolding creation,' or does it feel like something disconnected from that larger story? Why?
2.The chapter uses the example of a tree that can become a violin, a table, or firewood — and that the musician who transforms that tree into music is participating in something built into creation by God. Can you think of an equivalent example from your own field of work?
3.Keller connects the idea of cultivation to stewardship — we are not owners but caretakers of the world's resources, talents, and opportunities. How does the concept of stewardship change the way you think about professional ambition, the use of your skills, or the way you handle resources at work?