What do you think?
Rate this book
A Good Return: Biblical Principles for Work, Wealth and Wisdom
The world of work is expanding. New technologies, industries and means of meeting apart–and–still–together, have presided in the transition of the workplace into a fast, digital and busier–than–ever era. In whichever sector you care to name, work is increasing exponentially, for reducing rewards and benefits. It is more than easy to complain, drag one’s feet while getting out of the door, and face daily tasks with an apathetic attitude. A Good Return does not provide maxims to get you through the day. Instead, it is a book that encourages Christians to view their workspace, be it field, car, classroom or office, as an avenue of worship. John C. Lennox has crafted a book with thoughtful, biblical and evangelical deliberation on our behaviour in, and towards, our work. With his trademark clarity, faithfulness and wisdom, Lennox curates room for a wider discussion on Christian approaches toward salaries, time management, motivation and attitudes amidst a workspace environment.
- GenresChristian
176 pages, Paperback
Published May 16, 2023
About the author
John C. Lennox
62 books799 followersJohn Carson Lennox is Professor of Mathematics in the University of Oxford, Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science, and Pastoral Advisor at Green Templeton College, Oxford. He is also an Adjunct Lecturer at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University and at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and is a Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum. In addition, he teaches for the Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme at the Executive Education Centre, Said Business School, Oxford University.
He studied at the Royal School Armagh, Northern Ireland and was Exhibitioner and Senior Scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University from which he took his MA, MMath and PhD. He worked for many years in the Mathematics Institute at the University of Wales in Cardiff which awarded him a DSc for his research. He also holds an MA and DPhil from Oxford University and an MA in Bioethics from the University of Surrey. He was a Senior Alexander Von Humboldt Fellow at the Universities of Würzburg and Freiburg in Germany. He has lectured extensively in North America, Eastern and Western Europe and Australasia on mathematics, the philosophy of science and the intellectual defence of Christianity.
He has written a number of books on the interface between science, philosophy and theology. These include God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (2009), God and Stephen Hawking, a response to The Grand Design (2011), Gunning for God, on the new atheism (2011), and Seven Days that Divide the World, on the early chapters of Genesis (2011). Furthermore, in addition to over seventy published mathematical papers, he is the co-author of two research level texts in algebra in the Oxford Mathematical Monographs series.
He studied at the Royal School Armagh, Northern Ireland and was Exhibitioner and Senior Scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University from which he took his MA, MMath and PhD. He worked for many years in the Mathematics Institute at the University of Wales in Cardiff which awarded him a DSc for his research. He also holds an MA and DPhil from Oxford University and an MA in Bioethics from the University of Surrey. He was a Senior Alexander Von Humboldt Fellow at the Universities of Würzburg and Freiburg in Germany. He has lectured extensively in North America, Eastern and Western Europe and Australasia on mathematics, the philosophy of science and the intellectual defence of Christianity.
He has written a number of books on the interface between science, philosophy and theology. These include God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (2009), God and Stephen Hawking, a response to The Grand Design (2011), Gunning for God, on the new atheism (2011), and Seven Days that Divide the World, on the early chapters of Genesis (2011). Furthermore, in addition to over seventy published mathematical papers, he is the co-author of two research level texts in algebra in the Oxford Mathematical Monographs series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 1, 2023
John Lennox is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him speak at the Sing! Conference, and have read a few of his previous books. In this book, he discusses biblical principles that he has found helpful in his own work in the hope that the reader can apply them to their own situation. Each chapter ends with helpful questions about the material covered in that chapter. In addition, there are two appendices included:
Appendix A: Principles of Gospel Support
Appendix B: Insights from Neuroscience
Throughout the book, Lennox shares helpful stories, including some from his own life, as well as examples from the Bible about David, Daniel, Nehemiah, Joseph and Zacchaeus. Among the subjects he addresses in the book are making work an idol, rest, anxiety, evil, suffering, evangelism, moral issues (money, sex, and power), our motivation for work, sin, the artificial secular-sacred divide, work as a calling, gospel patronage, reward and principles for the support of the gospel.
Throughout the book, Lennox refers to material from Iain McGilchrist’s 2021 book, The Matter with Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions and the Unmaking of the World, though I didn’t feel that the material added a lot to this book (though this could certainly be due to me not being able to fully comprehend the information).
The author tells us that the purpose of work is seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness, and that whatever our work, we are to do it as accountable to the Lord, seeking His righteousness and desiring to develop our moral integrity. He suggests asking ourselves in every situation we find ourselves in (paid and unpaid work): what does it mean to please the Lord now?
A Good Return is a book that lays about helpful principles about work and wealth.
Below are some of the quotes I found most helpful from the book:
• It will be important for us not to fall into the trap of imagining that the only kind of work that matters is paid work.
• This creation pattern established the cycle of work and rest for human beings and, therefore, in any consideration of work, it is important to think about the necessity of taking regular rest from that work.
• If we are busy people, indeed, especially if we are busy people, we need to remind ourselves constantly that we should do what we do to please the Lord, because He has accepted us. We are not doing it to impress Him, so that He will accept us. Only then, will we have the right attitude to our work.
• Christians are not to be lazy and idle; they are to work to provide for themselves and dependents.
• Our colleagues and fellow workers are a network in which God has placed us as witnesses by how we live (in character), and what we say to them about the gospel when we get the opportunity.
• Doing our work as unto the Lord will therefore mean, not only doing it with integrity to the best of our ability but will mean having a responsibility to prayerfully look for opportunities to witness to our fellow employees/workers/ colleagues, as and when we can credibly do so.
• It is the workplace, whether at home, factory, farm, mines, shops, building sites or offices, where we usually face the challenges that shape our lives.
• Christians are to be different. By seeking God’s rule in their work, they are to act as salt and light in society, preserving it from corruption, and pointing the way to the source of the fulfilled life in Christ.
• To exercise power in the interests of others as a Christian leader, and be a role model in terms of integrity for others, is an immense privilege.
• The Lord is interested in every aspect of our lives, and not simply in what we think of as our spiritual activities. Our daily work is to be done for Him.
• Heaven will be no boring rest home, but a hive of fascinating activity where the skills and experience developed on earth will be transformed into something higher, richer, and infinitely satisfying.
• The fact that our work not only has a temporal but also an eternal significance is one of the unique glories of the Christian faith.
Appendix A: Principles of Gospel Support
Appendix B: Insights from Neuroscience
Throughout the book, Lennox shares helpful stories, including some from his own life, as well as examples from the Bible about David, Daniel, Nehemiah, Joseph and Zacchaeus. Among the subjects he addresses in the book are making work an idol, rest, anxiety, evil, suffering, evangelism, moral issues (money, sex, and power), our motivation for work, sin, the artificial secular-sacred divide, work as a calling, gospel patronage, reward and principles for the support of the gospel.
Throughout the book, Lennox refers to material from Iain McGilchrist’s 2021 book, The Matter with Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions and the Unmaking of the World, though I didn’t feel that the material added a lot to this book (though this could certainly be due to me not being able to fully comprehend the information).
The author tells us that the purpose of work is seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness, and that whatever our work, we are to do it as accountable to the Lord, seeking His righteousness and desiring to develop our moral integrity. He suggests asking ourselves in every situation we find ourselves in (paid and unpaid work): what does it mean to please the Lord now?
A Good Return is a book that lays about helpful principles about work and wealth.
Below are some of the quotes I found most helpful from the book:
• It will be important for us not to fall into the trap of imagining that the only kind of work that matters is paid work.
• This creation pattern established the cycle of work and rest for human beings and, therefore, in any consideration of work, it is important to think about the necessity of taking regular rest from that work.
• If we are busy people, indeed, especially if we are busy people, we need to remind ourselves constantly that we should do what we do to please the Lord, because He has accepted us. We are not doing it to impress Him, so that He will accept us. Only then, will we have the right attitude to our work.
• Christians are not to be lazy and idle; they are to work to provide for themselves and dependents.
• Our colleagues and fellow workers are a network in which God has placed us as witnesses by how we live (in character), and what we say to them about the gospel when we get the opportunity.
• Doing our work as unto the Lord will therefore mean, not only doing it with integrity to the best of our ability but will mean having a responsibility to prayerfully look for opportunities to witness to our fellow employees/workers/ colleagues, as and when we can credibly do so.
• It is the workplace, whether at home, factory, farm, mines, shops, building sites or offices, where we usually face the challenges that shape our lives.
• Christians are to be different. By seeking God’s rule in their work, they are to act as salt and light in society, preserving it from corruption, and pointing the way to the source of the fulfilled life in Christ.
• To exercise power in the interests of others as a Christian leader, and be a role model in terms of integrity for others, is an immense privilege.
• The Lord is interested in every aspect of our lives, and not simply in what we think of as our spiritual activities. Our daily work is to be done for Him.
• Heaven will be no boring rest home, but a hive of fascinating activity where the skills and experience developed on earth will be transformed into something higher, richer, and infinitely satisfying.
• The fact that our work not only has a temporal but also an eternal significance is one of the unique glories of the Christian faith.
January 26, 2024
Das Buch beleuchtet die Arbeitswelt aus der biblischen Perspektive und bietet biblische Richtlinien für den Job und Finanzen. Die Kapitel sind sind nicht außergewöhnlich lang und behandeln ein bestimmtes Thema. Am Ende helfen die Fragen das Gelesene zu rekapitulieren. Man muss das Buch nicht unbedingt chronologisch gelesen werden. Der Leser kann direkt zu einem Thema gehen, das ihn besonders interessiert.
Besonders interessant fand ich die Einsichten aus der Neurowissenschaft im Kapitel 2, wo es in einem Abschnitt um die Motivation für die Arbeit ging. Ebenso spannend waren die Darlegungen des Autoren zu verschiedenen Gleichnissen aus den Evangelien, die zum jeweiligen Thema gut ausgesucht waren. Insgesamt eine hilfreiche Lektüre, um in dieser Welt, wo sich vieles um Arbeit dreht, eine gesunde Perspektive und Balance zu behalten.
Besonders interessant fand ich die Einsichten aus der Neurowissenschaft im Kapitel 2, wo es in einem Abschnitt um die Motivation für die Arbeit ging. Ebenso spannend waren die Darlegungen des Autoren zu verschiedenen Gleichnissen aus den Evangelien, die zum jeweiligen Thema gut ausgesucht waren. Insgesamt eine hilfreiche Lektüre, um in dieser Welt, wo sich vieles um Arbeit dreht, eine gesunde Perspektive und Balance zu behalten.
January 9, 2024
This is a helpful read for vocational ministers that are seeking to better understand those in the workforce as it provides applicable preaching and discipling points. This is a helpful read for everyone else cause it identifies the need that many feel to have their lives fulfill a purpose. Lennox points out that all of life can be used for God’s glory and purposes.
December 7, 2024
John Lennox does a excellent job eloquently arguing. Why, as Christians, we should be not just cultural Christians but Christians throughout our job and profession. He argues that we are not just Christians at church or when we do ministry,, but we are also Christians when we interact with those that we work with. He also argues with how we should use our money, not living in selfishness, but also recognizing what our responsibilities are and providing for those. another recommended book after reading this would be God and Money by John Cortines and Gregory Baumer
Read
October 22, 2024Astute. Incisive. Worthwhile for highlighting all of life (being most meaningfully lived out) as total ministry.
October 20, 2024
This was a good read and my second John Lennox book ever. It was a book all about wealth. But it wasn’t about tithes and offerings but a deeper teaching on wealth.
My take aways
1- when employ people we are helping them be workers like Adam and Eve.
2- the sacred and secular divide I have seen play out and it was a great chapter
3- gospel patronage was a great chapter. I kind of knew it all but he put an entire teaching to it that I throughly enjoyed
4 the other teaching which is not often taught is the idea of kingdom rewards. We often just want to get into heaven :) and that’s the reward but his teaching on your rewards will be based on your character is something I have never heard before and something that I’d like to learn more about but have no idea where to start or to find that info. We often think our rewards are based on what we do not who we are.
My take aways
1- when employ people we are helping them be workers like Adam and Eve.
2- the sacred and secular divide I have seen play out and it was a great chapter
3- gospel patronage was a great chapter. I kind of knew it all but he put an entire teaching to it that I throughly enjoyed
4 the other teaching which is not often taught is the idea of kingdom rewards. We often just want to get into heaven :) and that’s the reward but his teaching on your rewards will be based on your character is something I have never heard before and something that I’d like to learn more about but have no idea where to start or to find that info. We often think our rewards are based on what we do not who we are.
August 25, 2024
I have read several books on wisdom, work, and wealth from a Christian point of view. This is by far the most sensible and workable one I have read. It is only 176 pages and can be read quickly, but don't make the mistake of thinking that because it is not lengthy it is simple. A few chapters that were the most thought provoking for me were: 1) Motivation for life and work, 2) Seeking God's kingdom in work, and 3) Secular or sacred. Lennox has a way of giving difficult concepts everyday illustrations to help us see them differently. I have been convicted in several areas that are going to require some changes in my own thinking. John Lennox is one of my favorite authors and this book is one of my favorites.
October 12, 2024
This is an excellent Christian book on wealth/work. Its not a 'how to' book at all, but more of a handbook which scriptually deals with many questions/principles. I learnt a lot, in particular it reinforced/refuted commonly held beliefs such as
- ministry is more important than the secular workplace
- its not wrong to build business and wealth, in fact it is admirable, as long as its for the right reasons.
- there are certainly rewards in heaven, for what we do on earth (I was leaning away from this teaching before this book, but now Im convinced again)
-the quality of our entrance into heaven is linked to the character we develop during our time on earth. 2 Peter 1. 10/11. This was a very interesting teaching, and a new one for me, but something I was already thinking about alot.
- ministry is more important than the secular workplace
- its not wrong to build business and wealth, in fact it is admirable, as long as its for the right reasons.
- there are certainly rewards in heaven, for what we do on earth (I was leaning away from this teaching before this book, but now Im convinced again)
-the quality of our entrance into heaven is linked to the character we develop during our time on earth. 2 Peter 1. 10/11. This was a very interesting teaching, and a new one for me, but something I was already thinking about alot.
November 2, 2024
insightful
John Lennox has an incredible mind his mathematical ability enables him to bring things to the surface that can usually go undetected. He has given a very balanced understanding and appreciation for work and has successfully debunked the myth that work is divided into categories of sacred and spiritual.
I do think that this divide has robbed many who are now in what is called full time ministry of the ability to develop other gifts that could be used not only for their financial benefit but their overall social development. Western culture has a lot to rethink in relation to its posture regarding this great divide identified in the book as SSD.
John Lennox has an incredible mind his mathematical ability enables him to bring things to the surface that can usually go undetected. He has given a very balanced understanding and appreciation for work and has successfully debunked the myth that work is divided into categories of sacred and spiritual.
I do think that this divide has robbed many who are now in what is called full time ministry of the ability to develop other gifts that could be used not only for their financial benefit but their overall social development. Western culture has a lot to rethink in relation to its posture regarding this great divide identified in the book as SSD.
March 4, 2024
This is an excellent book on how a follower of Jesus should think about work. Prof. Lennox took aim at and demolished the false sacred-secular divide that has been a damaging part of the church for millennia. Instead, he ably demonstrated how each person has a calling from God based on their individual situation and capabilities. Each person is to be a good steward of whatever God has provided. While this may be money, for most it is other things, including time. The title of the book does it justice.
November 26, 2024
I enjoyed this solid, and in places challenging, look at the Christian understanding of the world of work. Definately one I will go back to in order to work through issues at work or with work in the future. Would highly recommend.
December 3, 2024
Great read. A fresh perspective on what it means to work for the Lord.
November 16, 2024
Highlights saved in kindle
November 22, 2024
Have been following John Lennox for some time now. Wonderful and refreshing to learn from him as he learns form God.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews