Shattered Vocations (Bible and Personal Crisis) [Hardcover]

Mark Jensen (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 167 pages
• Publisher: Baptist Sunday School Board (April 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805454470
• ISBN-13: 978-0805454475
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,657,797 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Shattered Vocations, August 20, 2010

By 

Michael Taylor "Michael Taylor" (Indian Trail NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shattered Vocations (Bible and Personal Crisis) (Hardcover)

"Shattered Vocations" by Mark Jensen focuses on the personal crisis a person may experience when leaving a job, voluntarily or involuntarily. The author writes from an admittingly Christian point of view.

Among the points covered include:

1. While the world gives praise to those who put everything into their work, the Bible does not view as our chief purpose and advises regular rest from work.
2. We must direct our passions toward human and divine relationships.
3. Work can be very demanding but often fails to provide deep fulfillment apart from God.
4. Sometimes we must say no to social structures that makes us less than what God created us to be.
5. Loving and serving others is a cornerstone of God's vocations for us.
6. When in a period of darkness, do not assume that you are being punished by God. Use this time to be more sensitive and dependent on Him.
7. Jesus' life consisted of a rhythm of engaging others and being alone with the Father.
8. Jesus' prayer and solitude were central to what He was doing.
9. At times a troubled heart may be a sign of sensitivity instead of wandering or desertion.
10. Honestly searching for God's purpose for our lives will sometimes be lonely and full of struggle.

Having gone through some job losses of my own, I can attest to the truth in the points mentioned above. Being a life-long Southern Baptist, I must respectfully disagree with the earlier reviewer's comment of "the best of what Southern Baptist used to be". I would like to know what he means by that. Several Southern Baptist churches provide counseling and other services to members of the church and local community who have suffered a job loss. While the Southern Baptist Convention has faults like other denominations, the convention has made strides in assisting people who are going through a job crisis.

Comment aside, "Shattered Vocations" is an encouraging read for anyone going through a career or other type of crisis.

Recommended.

4.0 out of 5 stars Representation of the best the Southern Baptists used to be, May 24, 2001

By 

Peter A. Kindle (Kansas City, Missouri) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shattered Vocations (Bible and Personal Crisis) (Hardcover)

In this small volume, Jensen does a wonderful job of blending a psychological insight with compassion for a lay audience. In spite of many personal reservations about reading this book (Why waste the time?), I found enough nuggets in every chapter to keep me at it.

Jensen understands vocation to be more than Christian ministry and more than occupation. He understands vocation has to do with a commitment to follow a Jesus way of life. Occupations change, even ministerial ones, but the lifelong process of pilgrimage and growth continues unabated.

His chapter on the pain of loss is sensitive not only to losses suffered from external forces, but also the normal losses associated with our common human life cycle and those losses we bring upon ourselves. Jensen strives to communicate that loss, when seen within the shadow of the cross, becomes an effective tool to rid us of the falsities with which we so often encase ourselves.

He grounds vocation in both creation and covenant, in both who we are and what we are called to do, and challenges us to relive our personal experiences of God even when faced with loss. In what may well be the best chapter in the book (no. 4), Jensen reminds us that it is our individual experiences of God that sustain us through loss and provide a foundation upon which to rebuild our lives.

To me this book represents the best of what Southern Baptists used to be - a diverse people seeking to know the Unknowable in a personal and experiential way. While there is no mistaking his strong evangelical convictions, I doubt that Jensen could get this volume published today. He did remind me of why I was once a Southern Baptist, and of what we have all lost.

If you or someone you know has lost moorings, give this book a read. I'm glad I did.