Welcome to the
Rural Church Conference 2025!
Work as Worship
July 17-19, 2025
Northeastern Jr College
ES French Hall
1110 Sidney Ave, Sterling, Colorado
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Tom Schreiner
Patrick Schreiner
Daniel Schreiner
John Schreiner
Sam Koo
WORSHIP LED BY
(Friday night concert included with conference ticket)
Sandra McCracken
and
Tim Nicholson
Price increases May 1, 2025 ($119)
Everyone has a time when they feel like work is a drag, drain, and a struggle. Join us as we seek to put work back into its biblical context and learn about its original purpose! Join us in worship of our God and learning from God’s Word with the Schreiner family!
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Work is an important part of being made in the image of God. In the days of creation God worked. Work is not just a means to a paycheck or a way to pass time—it is a central part of God's design for human flourishing. The Bible teaches that work is a gift given to us by God, rooted in the creation narrative where God Himself worked to bring order and beauty to the world (Genesis 1-2). Work, therefore, is not a result of the Fall but part of God’s original purpose for humanity—to cultivate and care for creation. Yet, after the Fall, work became difficult and frustrating, subject to toil and futility. Through the redemptive work of Christ, however, the purpose of work is restored. Christians are called to work not merely for personal gain but as a way of serving God and loving our neighbors, contributing to the common good and advancing God's kingdom. In this way, work becomes a form of worship, a means through which God's glory is displayed in the world.
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Whether we work in the home, the office, or the fields, every job holds intrinsic value. As we labor, we reflect the image of God who works, and we participate in His ongoing creation and renewal of the world. Work is, in this sense, both a way to reflect God's character and a means of fulfilling His mandate to bring justice, beauty, and redemption to all of creation. The gospel redeems work, so that even in the midst of its frustrations and struggles, it can still be a powerful means of transformation—both for us as workers and for the world around us.
In the Garden
In the Garden of Eden, work is not a result of the fall but a part of God’s original, good design. In Genesis 2:15, God places Adam in the garden “to work it and take care of it,” implying that work is inherently dignified, purposeful, and sacred. Theologically, this means that work is part of the divine mandate to steward creation, reflecting God’s own creative activity. Before sin enters the world, work is not burdensome but fulfilling, a way to partner with God in His ongoing creation. Adam’s labor is a form of worship, where his creativity and effort are expressions of the image of God in him.
In the Fall
The fall, of course, distorts work, making it painful and frustrating, but the original design reveals that work itself is a reflection of God’s goodness and His intentions for human flourishing.
In Redemption
The Christian hope, therefore, is not that we would abandon work in some spiritual retreat but that one day God will redeem and restore work, bringing it back to its intended purpose of serving others and glorifying Him.
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Thursday July 17th, 2024
4pm-630pm (Registration and Exhibits 2pm-4pm)
Session 1: Biblical Overview of Work - Patrick Schreiner
Session 2: Work as Blessing - Dan Schreiner
Friday July 18th, 2024
9am - 5pm
Session 3: The Fall of Work - Sam Koo
Panel Discussion
Session 4: Work and Rest - Patrick Schreiner
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Lunch (Provided on site)
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Session 5: Poverty and Riches - Tom Schreiner
Panel Discussion
Session 6: Work as Mission - John Schreiner
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*** Worship Concert with Sandra McCracken
630pm - 8pm (Included with conference ticket)
Saturday July 19th, 2024
9am - Noon
Session 7: Work as Pleasing God - Dan Schreiner
Panel Discussion
Session 8: Redemption of Work - Tom Schreiner
Conference Exhibitors
