“Pastor, I Lost My Job. Can You Help Me?”

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Radio host Joy Curry on WETN’s “Joy in the Morning” program in Wheaton, IL interviews Brian Ray, Founder of Crossroads Career Network.

How Churches Can Address its Job Search Concerns of its Members

Crossroads Career® Network is a membership of 120+ churches across the country. Each one of them is equipped to answer the question – pastor I lost my job can you help me or pastor I hate my job can you help me? For those churches and our members – the answer is ‘Yes we can!’

The organization is comprised of a variety of experts who happen to go to churches but work in the fields, along with a variety of tools – including a 6-step, 80 page career Workbook that Crossroads Career gives away. This workbook provides key steps to  help people walk through crossroads in their career.

Crossroads Career helps people find jobs and careers – but also helps them find their calling. As people walk in faith with Him, we should be focusing on doing a great job while in the job itself – even if we dont’ like our job.

Brian shares an important acronym to remember when working at your job. We can work at our with joy. J.O.B. stands for: Joy in the midst of the work, Obedience to the person you are working for and always doing your BEST. When you do this, your job will become joy.

Offering a Wealth of Ministry Resources

In addition to job resources, Crossroads Career offers ministry resources. Volunteers step up and answer the call, many being in HR or other work-related positions. Crossroads Career provides them with the necessary tools to give to job seekers and career explorers. They are given ministry resources that equip and train them to lead a small group, as well as be prepared to address other tasks associated with a career transition ministry.

This career transition ministry is very rewarding and fulfilling for both job seekers and ministry volunteers. We’ve seen job seekers and career explorers find calling and doing it – which helps them to stand taller because the Lord has guided their steps and directed their paths as it specifically relates to their career. At the same time, volunteers understand what it feels like to be a marketplace minister. These individuals invest in and see a great return. They are able to help people through crossroads, as well as connect people to Christ during a decisive crossroads in their career.

Featuring a Robust Career Transition Website

CrossroadsCareer.org offers a prayer wall to help connect those in need of prayer to those who are committed to pray for them. The church is a place of fellowship and prayer – and now they can also get their career tools from the church as well. Taking career decisions each job seeker faces and laying them at the foot of the cross serves as a great reminder to Him our cares and burdens. How great it is to have this career resource also serve as a prayer resource.  Each prayer is submitted anonymously and prayed for by Crossroads Career’s national prayer team.

Defining the 6 Steps During Your Career Transition

Crossroads Career wrote everything as practical and spiritual guides and resources – whether you are unemployed, miserably employed or happily employed. When it’s quiet at night, have you wondered if is there any purpose to your life? All of Crossroads’ career transition material is based upon those items. In a very simple, 6-step process as outlined in their FREE Crossroads Career Workbook, you can discover His best for your life. You can love your job but may not be doing what God has called you to do. The Career Workbook will help you walk through those steps.

A great reminder to focus on is Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) – ^“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So that being said, each job seeker should approach their job search as such “I am looking for the work that God has prepared for me. I just need to walk the next step – one step at a time.” The job search process doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Here are the 6 steps that we’ve been talking about:

• Step 1: Attitude – Accepting Loss and Opportunity
• Step 2: Aptitude – Discovering Your Unique Qualities
• Step 3: Altitude – Focusing on the Marketplace
• Step 4: Searching – Finding Opportunities
• Step 5: Sorting – Interviewing and Evaluating
• Step 6: Selecting – Walking in Work Prepared for You

Each step listed above is backed up by scripture. We are to use both eyes during our job search – one for looking what your plan is and one for what God has planned for you , which may or may not be what you are looking for.

Equip Your Church for Career Ministry

See how your church can help people through crossroads in their careers to find jobs, careers, calling.  Sign up your church for free membership trial. Explore all the career, ministry and employers resources that comes with your church joining the network.  For more information about career ministry in your church, call our member services line at 1.800.941.3566.