Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller
Week 6: Chapter 5 — Work Becomes an Idol
Read Chapter 5 of Every Good Endeavor. Key Scripture: Matthew 6:24; Colossians 3:5.
Previewing Week 6 of Every Good Endeavor
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
Perhaps the most searching chapter in the book, this section invites you to examine whether work has quietly moved from being something you do to being something you worship.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Keller defines an idol as anything we look to for the things only God can give — identity, security, meaning, salvation. By that definition, how can work become an idol even when it is done in a field that seems morally good or personally rewarding?
2.The chapter describes the 'overwork' trap — the way our culture (especially in urban professional environments) treats extreme work as a virtue, a sign of dedication or significance. How much of this pressure do you feel? Is it mostly external (your employer or culture expects it) or internal (you drive yourself)?
a.What do you tell yourself when you choose to work rather than rest, worship, or be present to family and friends?
b.What do you fear would happen if you worked less or achieved less? What does that fear reveal about what your work is actually providing for you?
3.Keller argues that work-as-idol produces a particular kind of person: driven, anxious, unable to enjoy rest, and prone to treating relationships as instrumental (useful for professional networking rather than genuinely valuable). Do you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or in people close to you?