Leadership Journal recently completed the first of two years of events dedicated to equipping pastors and church leaders in faith and work integration.

On Tuesday, September 9, the third Redeeming Work was held in Denver, Colorado. As has been the case in Chicago and Twin Cities, the event was strategically held in a unique venue that is—or has been—a place of work. This time the event was held at Mile High Station—the former Midwest Steel and Ironworks building built in 1897.

This venue that once employed ironworkers and craftsmen set the stage for the day's conversations about how people involved in the workplace can integrate their faith into what they do, and see how work is part of God's creation and integral into how they live their lives as disciples of Christ.

Over 100 leaders attended and interacted with Andy Crouch, Amy Sherman, and Tom Nelson, all who led powerful sessions on the theology of work and how to reaffirm vocational discipleship in our congregations.

Sherman described this whole conversation as advancing our vocational stewardship, or "the strategic and intentional deployment of all of the dimensions of our vocational power to advance foretastes of the kingdom of God." Attendees left with many practical examples given throughout the day, including chef Nikki Heckmann who planted her restaurant in an underdeveloped Pittsburgh neighborhood in order to help revitalize the community she calls home. An accountant-turned-pastor, Hunter Beaumont, from Fellowship Denver Church was interviewed about how he teaches a gospel that touches all of life, including issues of work, and challenges his congregants in what they can give to the world instead of what they can take from the world.

Another highlight of the day was hearing from award-winning slam poet, Ayinde Russell, who in a commissioned piece challenged pastors on their biblical calling and responsibility to their church.

After the first year of the first event series ever by Christianity Today, Leadership Journal is turning its focus on how to take the conversation to the next level in 2015. The vision is to help more churches practically find ways to incorporate the faith and work conversation into what they're already doing to advance holistic discipleship. Three more events will take place in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and a 6th city that has not yet been announced. A video curriculum on faith and work, with a special pastor's guide, will be released next year as well.

Cory Whitehead is director of marketing at Christianity Today.