Midway through the year, we sat down with Os Hillman—a pioneer of the modern faith-at-work movement—to talk calling, crisis, convergence, and what revival might look like in the marketplace. If you’ve ever wondered whether your 9–5 can carry Kingdom weight, Os’s story (and very practical counsel) will fuel your faith.
Os spent 12 years building a strong advertising agency—until, within three months, a client defaulted on $140,000, a Madoff-style scheme wiped out $500,000, and his marriage collapsed. The fallout launched a seven-year crucible.
“Almost every leader God used entered through a crisis. Mine retooled me.”
Out of that pit came TGIF—Today God Is First, a daily devotional Os initially wrote to minister to himself. Once posted online, emails poured in from around the world: “You read my mail today.” Invitations followed, books were published, and a movement took shape: your work is a spiritual calling.
Os teaches on convergence—that season when life experience, spiritual formation, and opportunity align for maximum impact. Many leaders encounter it after decades of growth and testing.
“We get to a place where God can use the full weight of our story. That’s convergence.”
We asked Os if this is a once-in-a-generation inflection point. He sees pockets of revival, especially among students, and a “Nehemiah rebuild” moment in culture. But he’s clear: true transformation requires hearts revived, and the local church better embracing marketplace callings.
When the New York Times asked Os, “What’s the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian in the workplace?”, his answer still preaches:
Most leaders do #1–#3. #4 is the gap. Os’s mentor kept asking, “How will you manifest the life of Jesus in this activity?” That question unlocked a life of expectancy and stories that make spreadsheets sing.
Drawing from Joshua 3:4, Os and our team call it the 2,000-cubits rule: leave space for God to lead. Practically, that’s pausing in decisions, praying over projects, and inviting the Holy Spirit to “manifest Jesus” in emails, pitches, and production schedules.
“I laid hands on unsold boxes of books and told them, ‘Go be a blessing.’ A few hours later—closed office, Saturday—a ministry called and ordered 300 copies.”
Is it prescriptive? No. But it’s descriptive of a posture that expects God to move.
A few stats Os loves to share:
Translation: work is not “secular.” It’s the stage where the Gospel touches daily life.
Jesus solved problems—broken bodies, empty nets, unpaid taxes, dead friends—and His influence grew. Marketplace leaders gain influence the same way.
“What problem has God called you to solve? Solve it with excellence, integrity, service—and leave room for miracles.”
1) Reset your identity
Ditch the false self built on what I do/have/people think. Receive your identity in Christ; lead from sonship/daughterhood.
2) Reframe your work as worship (Col. 3:23–24)
Your inheritance is tied to your work life. Treat it as an altar.
3) Ask the daily question
“How will You manifest the life of Jesus in this activity?”
4) Practice expectancy
Pray specifically. Bless what’s in your hands. Watch for “God winks.”
5) Track and tell the stories
Testimonies build faith—yours and your team’s.
Os’s take: both, depending on the user’s heart. It can amplify truth or manipulation. He uses AI to serve his audience—training, research, even an app that answers questions from his content in his own voice. The rule of thumb: discernment, stewardship, transparency.
After years of family pain, a prophet who knew nothing of Os spoke with precise detail about his daughter’s struggles and promised restoration. Within three months, she came to Jesus on her 18th birthday, moved in with Os, and later worked with him for eight years.
“Everyone needs that moment: you know that God knows your name.”
“In your day, ask the Lord: How will You manifest the life of Jesus in this activity? In this meeting? In this contract? Invite Him—and expect Him—to answer.”
Tags
faith at work, marketplace calling
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