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Why We Work

Exploring Vocation at HoneyRock through Vanguard

By HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development

November 30^th, 2022

Part I

This story is part one of a four-part series. This four-part story series focuses on Vanguard Gap Year and the three Tracks (Equestrian, Journeys, and Adventure Programming) that Vanguard students participate in during their year at HoneyRock. Follow along as we continue to release the next three parts, each focusing on one of the three Vanguard Tracks.

The purpose of Vanguard is to help emerging adults live out their faith in healthy rhythms of work, rest, reflection, and communion with God.

A Way of Life

The lifestyle that Vanguards live for eight months is distinctly counter-cultural. Our culture seems to struggle with maintaining a healthy work-life balance. HoneyRock is set apart in its approach to work when it comes to vocational discernment with Vanguards. It aims to guide students towards first asking the questions: "What did God design work to be?", and "Why do we work?". The trend in American culture is characterized by a life of toil because we have to work and comfortability and retirement are the ultimate goal. We see work as a means to an end. In contrast, a Christian world view takes a different approach to work and rest: God designed humanity to work and then rest on the seventh day, a lifelong rhythm and investment in God's kingdom. We are commanded to do both, work and rest, because both are good.

The purpose of Vanguard is to help emerging adults live out their faith in healthy rhythms of work, rest, reflection, and communion with God. But this idea of a structured and close-knit life consisting of work, rest, prayer, and worship is far older than HoneyRock's mindset towards work. It dates back to St. Benedict in 530 A.D. and his approach to a monastic lifestyle structured by a rule of life. While the monastic lifestyle may not appeal to many, adopting parts of this way of life builds strong communities, develops a wholistic lifestyle, and fosters a deep and rich relationship with the Lord.

We work and we rest, both depend on each other.

The Three Track Model

The three Tracks within the Vanguard Program are essential to the Vanguard experience and their process of vocational discernment through work. Vanguards can choose from the Equestrian Track, the Journeys Track, and the Adventure Programming Track. Each Track teaches Vanguards how to balance work, prayer, and rest. Three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) Vanguards work in a variety of vocational areas within the Track they have chosen for the year.

While the three Track system is a newly reimagined element of the Vanguard program, grappling with vocational discernment through work is a foundational element of the Vanguard Gap Year. This three Track approach allows Vanguards to get useful work experience, discover their talents, and explore career options (without the pressures of being in a professional work setting or while being a full time student).

HoneyRock's School Year Program Director HoneyRock, Charlie Goeke, elaborates on the idea behind taking a three Track approach:

“In the shift towards a Track model, students can have the opportunity to go a little bit deeper in each area that they choose. It was an intentional shift for a couple of reasons. Primarily, when we just did the work rotations model, where you do three [vocational areas] over the course of the year, it was about six weeks per rotation. Just as you got competent, you were done. As you began to feel “Oh, I know what I'm doing. I can contribute!” it's over, and you move to the next one. While there are some benefits to that model, like people getting more exposure to different experiences, what we found is: if we allowed students to have a little bit more choice in picking a Track they wanted to go into, it gave more buy in and ownership. It helps with engagement, it helps with how we learn to make choices, and how to make the most of your experience.”

Coaching & Mentorship

While Vanguards are working in their specific Tracks they are also working closely with HoneyRock Professional Staff and Fellows.

Fellows play a unique role in the lives of Vanguard students. The Fellows role gives them the ability to mentor and coach Vanguards while they work together three days a week. Fellows live and work alongside Vanguards, sharing in daily life and the rhythms of the year.

Learn more about the Fellows Program at HoneyRock

Joseph Kruse (Vanguard '23), Josiah Maservo (Fellows '23), and Ryan Tsai (Vanguard '23) work on the new van shelter at the Elsen Operations Complex.

Brian Keller (Vanguard '19, Fellows '22) working in the auto shop

Katie Rieger (Fellows '23), Becca Gamlin (Vanguard '23), Jocelyn Ereble (Vanguard '23), and Megan Mermonti (Vanguard '23) mucking a horse trailer

"If we allowed students to have a little bit more choice to choose which Track they wanted to go into, it gave more buy in and ownership. It helps with engagement, it helps with how we learn to make choices, and how to make the most of your experience.”

God's Creation of Vocation

Vanguards engage in dialogue and learning, wrestling with work versus toil. The classes that Vanguards take, are rooted in the Truth, that God created humanity in His image. One of the first things He did in and after creation was show us how to work and how to rest.

Viewing work as a form of toil and means to an end is a secular or worldly perspective, a mostly meaningless experience that quickly loses a sense of joy or purpose. Looking at work without Christ at the center can also force us into worshipping our work, toiling our lives away under the idols of success, hurry, and hustle. Vanguards are invited to wrestle with why God created Sabbath, and how they can honor Him by resting on the seventh day of the week.

Looking at work without Christ at the center can also force us into worshipping our work, toiling our lives away under the idols of worldly success, hurry, and hustle.

Beyond what is discussed in class and experienced in their vocational areas, Vanguards experience regular routines and rhythms of prayer and worship. These practices and rhythms aim to foster spiritual growth and maturity. A typical weekday schedule looks and feels pretty routine with daily rhythms of prayer, work, fellowship, and rest.

Vanguards and a Fellow having fun feeding the horses in the Hay Barn

Fellow and Vanguards clearing trails to HoneyRock campsites (pictured here: Voyageur Point).

Fellow working on the van shelter at Elsen Operations Complex.

A Vanguard tacking up a horse for a trail ride

Emerson Slaughter (Fellows '22) and Liam Cunningham (Vanguard '22) work in the media office.

Spiritually Formative Work

Vanguard Tracks do more that help gap year students grow their skills and develop their spiritual life with Jesus. These vocational experiences also offer the unique opportunity for Vanguards to explore possible careers and get real job experience in areas they may be interested in. While not all Vanguards go into the fields that they have been exposed to at HoneyRock, it helps emerging adults discover new talents and establish their confidence.

Charlie Goeke spoke on how the vocational areas within each Track set Vanguards up for success in the future:

“Spiritual formation has the ability to be happening all the time. It’s not limited just to a Bible study, to a one-on-one, a worship service, prayer, or things like that. Rather, it is an embodied life as Christians: the sacredness of work, God calls us to be faithful workers in whatever it is we’re called to do. Work is an act of worship in and of itself. Part of what we ask Vanguards to consider is: “How am I reorienting myself around work?”, “How am I doing that in a way that is an expression of who God created me to be?”

Charlie continued, explaining, "We need to be a good steward of our work. We need to see the good that is coming from our work, both for the sake of others, as well as in our personal growth and development. That is a very spiritual thing, as opposed to seeing work as a thing we do to make money, to pay bills, so we can do whatever we want. Those are two very different ways of thinking. If work is part of who we were created to be, then work is not this thing that we just tolerate and kind of do just to survive, work is a part of who we are.”

“Spiritual formation... is an embodied life as Christians: the sacredness of work, God calls us to be faithful workers in whatever it is we’re called to do. Work is an act of worship in and of itself."

Joseph Thar (Vanguard '23) cutting onions in the kitchen

Libby Gerhart and Sharlotte White (Vanguard '23) cleaning the windows in the Chateaus.

Caleb Ledbetter (Vanguard '23) on the job catching those Northwoods fall colors.

Walker Lucas (Vanguard '23) prepping lunch

Vanguards cutting lumber for the Hay Storage facility at the Elsen Operations Complex.

"If work is a part of who we were created to be, then work is not this thing that we just tolerate and do to survive, work is a part of who we are.”

Challenge Begets Growth

Charlie shared a powerful closing thought, reflecting on the purposeful challenge of work and the central questions within the Vanguard Tracks:

“Vanguards get the time and space to develop a work ethic for work’s sake. So, they’re not only dwelling on thoughts like: Can I do the job if I was motivated? If it was my perfect dream job and it was like exactly what I want to do, then I will do it. Rather we challenge our Vanguards to think through questions like: How do I engage with things that maybe I’m not as passionate about? Why do I enjoy certain types of work compared to others? What do I get to do versus what do I have to do? Standing in that tension, that’s character. That’s perseverance. That can’t be given, it has to be developed. Vocational Tracks allow Vanguards to be able to have that time and space to develop that and I’ve seen that come out over the years.”

How do I engage with things that I’m not as passionate about?

Why do I enjoy certain types of work compared to others?

What do I get to do versus what do I have to do?

Fellows, Vanguards, and Professional Staff work on pouring a fresh slab of concrete for some activity area updates.

Olivia Sanchez Moreno ('23 Journeys Vanguard) practicing photography

Sabina Wetterling (Vanguard '22) vacuuming Base Camp in Vanguard Center.

Vanguards putting up netting in the hay feeder

Vanguards, Fellows, and Professional Staff building new fences in the pastures.

"Vanguards get the time and space to develop an ethic of work for work’s sake."

Up Next: Part II The Equestrian Track

Keep an eye out for part two of our four-part story series on the Vanguard Tracks and how HoneyRock facilitates vocational discernment through work and community.