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Workmatters Institute – ONLINE

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work with  purpose  and live on mission.

The Workmatters Institute is a transformational faith and leadership development experience for young professionals who want to integrate their faith and work. Participants will join other like-minded peers in exploring a rich theology of work, learning practical application from live executive speakers, and developing a personal and actionable Faith and Leadership Action Plan. For more than ten years Workmatters has equipped leaders to work with purpose and live on mission through this unique workplace discipleship and career development experience. It is insightful personal growth, deep spiritual growth, and effective leadership growth all in one.

The Workmatters Institute is for anyone who is looking for that next step and looking to grow. The digital institute was particularly beneficial because I was able to meet and learn from people all across the country.

Lauren Kirschblum

Sales Manager, Rausch Coleman Homes

Details & Outcomes.

The Workmatters Institute is not just another Bible study or leadership series. With a new vision for work based in God’s story of renewal and insight from executive speakers to make it practical and actionable, you will be equipped to make an impact for a lifetime.

Who is a good candidate

While our participants come from a variety of industries and experience life-change in different ways, they have a few things in common:

  • They are hungry to grow spiritually and professionally.
  • They value purposeful work.
  • They are passionate about making an impact on people with their work.
  • They are willing to wrestle with theological concepts and practical ideas.

Course Outcomes

The Workmatters Institute offers a proven strategy to:

  • Establish a compelling personal vision for work.
  • Develop new habits that enable long-term growth, both professionally and spiritually.
  • Experience community with other young professionals.
  • Master a framework to initiate change.

Part of Certificate Programs

Workmatters Institute

Course Themes

Professional Development       Spiritual Development

Click here for more information and frequently asked questions.

Time: 8 weeks

Location: Zoom

Dates: October 4 - November 29

Tuesdays, 6:00-8:00PM CT

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3-4 hours / week

Reading + Exercises + Class

$299

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Application Due September 26

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Syllabus

Official WMI-Online Sponsor

Your Guides and Speakers

Workmatters draws from executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders from every industry you can imagine, each with a unique faith story and calling to serve Christ in the marketplace. Below are some previous speakers, click the link at the bottom to view all previous speakers.

As a participant in the Workmatters Institute – Online, you will have the opportunity to interact with leaders like these (confirmed speakers posted soon). You will also be taught and led by either our Workmatters Institute Director or Workmatters Institute co-founder.

Cheryl Bachelder

Cheryl Bachelder

Former CEO of Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen

Biography
Cheryl Bachelder spent 10 years as CEO of Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. from 2007 to 2017, leading the brand’s transformation into a top-performing quick-service chain. Cheryl currently serves as a director and interim CEO at Pier 1 Imports, Inc. She also serves as a director of US Foods Holding Corp (USFD) and is an adviser to Procter & Gamble’s franchising venture, Tide Dry Cleaners. Prior to Popeyes, Cheryl spent years as a leader at companies such as Yum! Brands, Domino’s Pizza, RJR Nabisco, The Gillette Company and Procter & Gamble.

Cheryl is the author of, “Dare to Serve: How to Drive Superior Results by Serving Others”—a reflection of her passion for servant leadership as the path to outstanding performance.

Donnie Smith

Donnie Smith

Former CEO of Tyson Foods

Biography
Donnie was appointed as president and CEO of Tyson Foods in 2009 and continued through 2016. His passion is the hallmark of his tenure at the company, which he joined in 1980.
Currently Donnie is the President, African Sustainable Agriculture Project which is a nonprofit corporation that has been formed to empower farmers and communities in African countries through the creation of sustainable agriculture endeavors. ASAP  seeks to establish agricultural businesses, enable the development agricultural entrepreneurship, and promote and facilitate education in agricultural practices.
D0nnie is a long-time advocate, speaker and mentor for the Workmatters Institute.
Darrel Harvey

Darrel Harvey

Director, Workmatters Institute

Biography
Darrel Harvey has directed the Workmatters Institute since 2019. Building off of a rich background in church leadership, pastoral ministry, and small business, Darrel is an expert spiritual guide and loves walking with young leaders as they navigate calling and career.
Sue Warnke

Sue Warnke

Sr Director of Content & Communications Experience at Salesforce

Biography

Sue is the Senior Director of Content Experience at Salesforce and part of the founding team of Faithforce, the fastest-growing employee resource group in Salesforce’s history. She is also the founder of Leanership, an organization that advocates for faith inclusion in the workplace and equips people to represent their faith in the real world.

​After converting to Christianity in 2017, Sue helped launch faith groups at various companies and has become a sought after speaker and advocate for faith inclusion in the workplace.

​Her personal mission is to make faith practical by offering real-world strategies.

Sheerah Davis

Sheerah Davis

Global HR Lead at dentsu Sports International

Biography
Sheerah is an experienced HR leader with an interest in helping businesses succeed by tying business strategy with results through the effective management of people and processes.

She has over 20 years of experience across various industries including PR, advertising and marketing, healthcare, and distribution. Sheerah enjoys solving problems, building long-lasting relationships and strengthening fun and positive workplace cultures.

Sheerah is passionate about investing in young leaders and is also a Workmatters Institute mentor.

View all previous WMI speakers here.

Ben Kirksey

Ben Kirksey

COO, Workmatters; Co-Founder of Workmatters Institute

Biography
Ben helped found the Workmatters Institute in 2010 and joined the Workmatters team in 2013 to fully run and grow the program. Today he serves as COO, leading all daily operations of the ministry. He is passionate about helping people develop and flourish, discovering the good works that God has prepared for them (Eph. 2:10).

What You’ll Learn

Every session in the 8-week Workmatters Institute-Online experience features live facilitation and teaching from our expert Workmatters staff, live executive speakers, and group discussion with like-minded peer community. See below a more detailed outline of what you’ll learn and experience, and feel free to reach out to Darrel Harvey, Workmatters Institute Director, for more information (dharvey@workmatters.org).

Week 1: WHO AM I AND WHAT HAS SHAPED ME?

Objectives

  • Participants will understand where WMI is heading and how we will get there.
  • Participants will learn how to share and interpret their story.
  • Participants will experience a practice that will help them probe their stories in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

 Class Flow

  • Mindfulness
  • Small group discussion on articles provided
  • Teaching
  • Group Processing
  • Personal Reflection
  • Wrap-up

Assignment

  1. The Prayer of Examen is outlined in the Workmatters Institute Guide. Choose at least two days to incorporate this practice into your devotional routine. 
  2. Read the article in your Workmatters Institute Guide, “Where Are We and How Did We Get Here?,” and be prepared to discuss.
  3. Do the reflection questions that follow the article in your the Workmatters Institute Guide.

Week 2: WHERE ARE WE AND HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Objectives

  • Participants will learn how culture has evolved over time.
  • Participants will be able to identify the driving narratives our culture offers.
  • Participants will understand the implications of culture as a formational power.
  • Participants will introduced to the four-chapter gospel.

Class Flow

  • Mindfulness
  • Small group discussion of the article provided and reflection quesions
  • Teaching
  • Group processing
  • Teaching
  • Small group application conversation
  • Teaching
  • Personal reflection
  • Wrap-up

Assignment

  1. Read the article in your Workmatters Institute Guide titled “Living and Working in God’s Story”, and be prepared to discuss.
  2. Respond to the reflection questions in your Workmatters Institute Guide.
  3. The Prayer of Examen is outlined in the Workmatters Institute Guide. Choose at least two days to incorporate this practice into your devotional routine. 

Practical Application

Our lives are often driven by half stories – narratives that we are not even aware of. Half stories also leave room for other competing half stories that fall short of God’s glorious full story.

The Examen is organized to slow us down and in the presence of the Holy Spirit, probe the stories and modes that sit beneath the surface. It helps cultivate a posture that says, “Open my eyes. Show me what you see and do in me what you want to do.”

God has purpose for your work.

The virtues of work that we see in the Garden of Eden are present in your work.

The fall has misaligned our work with the Kingdom of God.

Week 3: LIVING AND WORKING IN GOD'S STORY

Key questions to answer in this session:

  1. How should the Lord’s Prayer be answered (“thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”) through your industry?
  2. How can we reimagine work in light of the Kingdom of God?
  3. How can I develop a vision for how my industry will function in Jesus intent to renew all things?

Class Flow

  • Mindfulness
  • Small group discussion of the article provided and reflection questions
  • Teaching
  • Group processing
  • Teaching
  • Large group discussion
  • Teaching
  • Personal reflection
  • Wrap-up

Assignment

  1. Practice your daily liturgy; pay attention to your experience and noting what changes you may need to make.
  2. Pay attention to the level of connection to God that you experience throughout the day.
  3. Prepare a response to this statement: I would be more effective, and the organization would be more successful if there was more or less of ___________.

Practical Application

God has ordained seven spheres of culture, each with its own unique and distinct responsibility toward human flourishing.

Just as individuals are drawn to half stories, so are industries.

It is critical that we understand where the culture – and our industry – aligns with God’s story and where it breaks.

Week 4: IDENTIFYING BROKENNESS IN & AROUND ME

Key questions to answer in this session:

  1. Where do I have an opportunity to make a difference?
  2. What is keeping me from doing that?
  3. What will I commit to doing?

Class Flow

  • Mindfulness
  • Small group discussion
  • The impact of our instincts
  • From complaint to commitment
  • Partner processing
  • Crafting an empowerment and value statement
  • Partner processing
  • Getting to root causes
  • Identifying competing commitments
  • Group processing
  • Completing our Faith & Leadership Roadmap

Assignment

  1. Read the article provided in the Workmatters Intitute Guide and be prepared to discuss.
  2. Do the devotionals and reflection questions for next week’s topics.
  3. Get to know our Executive Speaker for next week and prepare 2-3 questions to ask.

Practical Application

Test our fears and assumptions around why we hesitate or resist stepping into opportunities where we can initiate positive change.

Week 5: EXECUTIVE SPEAKER

One of the great values of the Wormatters Institute is having access to world class leaders. These leaders share their personal faith stories, give us insight on their vocational journey, address one of the 7 Pillars of Faith & Work, and they field questions with wisdom and transparency.

Class Flow
  • Mindfulness
  • Small group discussion
  • Executive Speaker Presentation
  • Q & A
Assignment
  1. Read the article provided in the Workmatters Intitute Guide and be prepared to discuss.
  2. Do the devotionals and reflection questions for next week’s topics.
  3. Get to know our Executive Speaker for next week and prepare 2-3 questions to ask.

 

Week 6: EXECUTIVE SPEAKER

One of the great values of the Wormatters Institute is having access to world class leaders. These leaders share their personal faith stories, give us insight on their vocational journey, address one of the 7 Pillars of Faith & Work, and they field questions with wisdom and transparency.

Class Flow
  • Mindfulness
  • Small group discussion
  • Executive Speaker Presentation
  • Q & A
Assignment
  1. Read the article provided in the Workmatters Intitute Guide and be prepared to discuss.
  2. Do the devotionals and reflection questions for next week’s topics.
  3. Get to know our Executive Speaker for next week and prepare 2-3 questions to ask.

 

Week 7: EXECUTIVE SPEAKER

One of the great values of the Wormatters Institute is having access to world class leaders. These leaders share their personal faith stories, give us insight on their vocational journey, address one of the 7 Pillars of Faith & Work, and they field questions with wisdom and transparency.

Class Flow
  • Mindfulness
  • Small group discussion
  • Executive Speaker Presentation
  • Q & A
Assignment

Prepare for your Faith & Leadership Action Plan Presentation.

  • Create your presentation in Power Point. This will keep you on topic and on time.
  • The Workmatters Institute Director is available if you would like to walk through your presentation before next week.

 

Week 8: FAITH & LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN PRESENTATIONS

Tonight is the highlight of our time together. Each participant is given 5-7 minutes to present their Faith & Leadership Action Plan:

  1. Define the brokenness you feel called to address.
  2. Reimagine what it looks like for this brokenness to be renewed in God’s Kingdom.
  3. Plan for action – What steps are necessary to carry out your plan?
  4. What personal habits and practices will you have to commit to in order to pursue your plan?
Watch a Sneak Peek

 

What Participants Are Saying

One of the coolest things about the Workmatters Institute digital experience was getting to know people from all around the country who are seeking to glorify the Lord in their work.

Patricia Rothmeyer

Account Manager, Field Agent

The Workmatters Institute brought to light the idea that work was created by God and it was good. Through the institute I was able to grow a deeper understanding that work was created not to be a curse, but an act of worship.

Trevor Gies

Senior Marketing Manager, Cobb-Vantress

Learning to see work as part of God’s plan for the world really impacted how I come in to work every day. I highly recommend the Workmatters Institute for anyone looking for meaning and purpose in their work (with the added bonus of networking with other young professionals and making lasting, meaningful friendships)!

Lauren Sova

Customer Experience Representative, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.

WMI helps resolve the tension for those that feel stuck between ambition and purpose and don’t know how to connect the two.

Dwayne Houston

National Account Executive, Procter & Gamble

My experience with the Workmatters Institute was second to none. My entire attitude at work changed and I learned how to appreciate the small wins. Through the digital institute, I met so many wonderful people and it was amazing to hear their stories.

Brittney Johnson

Order Fulfillment Manager, Safe Foods

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