A life immersed in godly ‘dirty work’

None of his seminary studies better prepared Ron Newton for his life time of ministering to working class people than the lessons he learned while performing the ‘dirty work’ of ordinary labor in support of his ministry.

Whether it was scrubbing a sewage-filled elevator pit, cleaning outdoor toilets, or enduring record summer heat while working as a carpenter, Ron’s dirty jobs taught him that God is to be worshipped through our everyday work and that we are to labor as if working for Him, regardless of the pay level and pain.  

Without this holy perspective, Ron feels he would have failed miserably during the 5 decades of character-challenging work that God called him to do.

• 20 years leading a rugged wilderness camp ministry to rehabilitate delinquent youth; conducting inner-city ministry to impoverished youth; and serving as a juvenile prison chaplain.
• 30 years teaching faith-based leadership skills to change-resistant workers in 75 companies on 5 continents; advising business leaders on how to better serve their line-level employees; and writing and speaking on the topic of jerks on the job.         

From Ron’s extensive experience in many blue collar industry sectors, he developed unique insight into the nature of ordinary work and the ministry challenges it presents to Christians in the workplace. These are among the industries that relied on Ron’s ‘dirty work’ expertise.

As host of the video series Blue Collar Man Stuff, Ron now shares how the Word of God comes alive in the hard work of ordinary laborers.

Ron Newton is the founder and President of Integrity at Work (iWORK), a non-profit ministry dedicated to increasing the intersection of biblical faith and the front line of work. He is a 1978 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and the author of the award-winning book No Jerks on the Job.

Click here for a detailed list of Ron’s Blue-Collar Clients, Associates & Training Participants.

Ron’s construction skills are a source of deep personal and professional satisfaction even when the toilet overflows.