Tag Archives: Christian business

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Do You Love Jesus More Than These?

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As I look back on Easter and the events surrounding the resurrection, I cannot help but also think about Peter’s denial of Jesus. Though he is clearly a leader that we would do well to emulate, Peter really messed up this time – just like we do! In fact, we are constantly faced with opportunities to deny Jesus. I want to look at three different ways we could look at Jesus’ response to Peter and what we can learn from each about how we love Jesus.

love Jesus

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

Just in case you are not familiar with the story, Peter was following at a distance behind Jesus as He was taken to the house of the High Priest the night before He was to be crucified. Three times, Peter is asked about his relationship with Jesus. Three times, Peter denies knowing Jesus.

While there are reams of sermons about Peter’s denial, I want to look at a different part of the story. Fast forward to sometime after the resurrection and Jesus is having breakfast over a fire with Peter and the other disciples. Jesus is focused on Peter and from what we can tell, restoring their relationship.

In John 21:15, Jesus asks Peter a fairly straightforward question:

Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?

Straightforward Question?

While this appears like a straightforward question, there may be more to it than we think. Clearly, Jesus is giving Peter a chance to admit his love for Jesus. That is not hard to figure out. In fact, Jesus gives Peter this chance three times – the same number of times that Peter denied knowing Jesus.

There are many lessons we can pull from this part of the story as well. Still, I want to focus elsewhere. Instead, I want to focus on the last three words of Jesus in the question above. I want us to look at what Jesus meant by asking if Peter loved Him “more than these?”

More Than These?

What did Jesus mean when He added these three words to the end of His question? He did not include these words as He asked the question two more times. Was it a mistake? Of course not! Can we know for sure exactly what He meant? Maybe not.

But if we really think about the possible meanings Jesus intended, I think there are at least three solid lessons we can learn. As Christian business owners and leaders, we can take these three words and gain some insights into some potential pitfalls we may face regarding the way we love Jesus.

Let’s take a look at the first of these potential pitfalls today. We will cover the other two in my next two posts.

More Than You Love These Disciples?

In order to get an idea of one question Jesus could have been asking of Peter, let’s modify His question slightly.

Do you love me more than you love these disciples?

IF this indeed is what Jesus was asking Peter, what are the implications? What would this mean to us in the business world? What can we do about it?

Well, if this was truly what Jesus meant when He asked Peter the question, then the implication is that Peter had the potential to put his relationship with one or more of the disciples ahead of his relationship with Jesus. Maybe Peter had indicated this with some of his behavior at some point and Jesus was calling him out on it.

How Do We Love Jesus?

I am not sure about this problem with Peter, but I am confident it is a problem for you and me! I think we make decisions every day that place our love for and relationship with others ahead of Jesus.

Take a moment and think about it. Have you made decisions to bend the rules a little in your business or job because it would benefit you and your relationship with others? Maybe the “others” were your wife or children or even other employees or coworkers. Have you ever made these kinds of decisions even though you knew it was not exactly what you “should” do?

Have you ever chosen, or even allowed yourself, to spend time with someone else instead of keeping your commitment to time with Jesus? Maybe it is simpler to ask it this way. Do your relationships with others come between you and Jesus?

I Am Guilty!

If you are anything like me, you have to answer “yes” to some or all of these questions. If you are like me, it is also true that these decisions seem to slip under your radar. There is not always a sharp nudge from your conscience when this happens.

I guess this is because we tend to put our sins on a scale, assigning differing values to each. Some sins (especially when we see it in others!) are considered more dangerous. Some (those we detect in our own lives!) are less serious. Because no one is visibly hurt when we choose another relationship over Jesus, I guess we just tend to minimize this.

Love Jesus First!

Unfortunately, I do not think Jesus sees it this way. A quick glance at a couple of Scriptures confirms this (Luke 14:26, Matthew 8:18-22, Revelation 2:4). Quite simply, Jesus expects to be our first love. We are to put all other relationships aside when it comes to Him. He gave it all for us and expects us to fully commit to Him.

I encourage you to search your heart (and your business) to find what relationships you are putting ahead of Jesus. Pray for Him to show you where He should be first. Be open to hear and willing to change. I promise, He will answer you.

Do you see any relationships in your life that come between you and Jesus?

Do you love others more than you love Jesus?

Are you praying for clarity in this situation?

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The Number One Problem With Accountability!

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“If you really loved me, you would already know what I expect!” Have you ever heard that? I am assuming there are a few men out there chuckling right now. If you are a woman, I am sorry, but we DON’T know what you expect! We do love you, but we need your expectations spelled out clearly if you want there to be any accountability.

accountability

Same With Employees

Hopefully, you can handle this example without getting offended by thinking I am really talking about marriage relationships. While this is certainly a well-known example of what most men think is unfair, we can be guilty of doing the very same thing to our employees on a regular basis! In fact, this issue can be the number one problem with accountability.

Think I am wrong? Then answer this question.

Have you communicated clear, written expectations for each of your employees and the jobs they perform?

Guilty!

If your answer is “No” or “Somewhat” or “I am not sure” and yet you are still attempting to hold them accountable to doing a good job, then you are guilty. You are just as guilty as the example above in wanting accountability without communicating clear expectations.

It is impossible to have true accountability without first communicating clear expectations. Accountability is not possible because neither party is clear on what was expected in the first place. Without the communication of clear expectations, chaos ensues!

Jesus’ Expectations

Before I discuss a recent example of a renewed accountability in our company, let’s look at what Jesus did with the 12 disciples. If you will read Matthew 10:5-15, you will see that Jesus has gathered his disciples and is sending them out to do ministry.

Notice the detail He uses when telling the disciples what He wanted them to do. Jesus did not send them out without telling them exactly what He expected.

He told them exactly where to go and where not to go. He told them who to talk to and what they were to say. He was clear about what they were to do and what they were supposed to take with them on the journey.

Accountability with Jesus

In Luke’s account, we see that the disciples returned to Jesus after their journey and reported to Him all they had done. Here is the accountability. We have to assume Jesus coached them on what went well and what did not, but we already know his expectations were clear.

Confession

Before you think I have this issue completely under control myself, I will confess. In our business, there are quite a few numbers, ratios, and formulas for measuring success in all job levels. We are not short on metrics.

Unfortunately, we ARE short on accountability. We are just not very good at this part of the job and we pay a price for this every day. Fortunately, we have finally had enough and we are determined to correct the problem.

Correcting The Problem

Just the other day, the managers from one segment of our operations met together and worked through all of the most important metrics for a specific job position. While they started out with 15+ important metrics, they were able to boil them all down to the Top Five.

With five primary metrics that encompass roughly 75-80% of the activities of this specific job, we can now start to build in some accountability. Because these five measurements are clear and straightforward, each employee in this job will be able to know at any given time whether they are doing a good job or not.

Common Sense?

As you read this, you may be thinking that common sense should tell you when you are doing a good job or not. It should be really clear to everyone without having to go to such lengths.

Well, maybe that is true for your job, but I have found otherwise in my experience. I have seen people react with shock when their performance was rated at below acceptable levels. I have seen people rationalize that consideration should be given to other activities (most of which fell outside of their job description) in order to raise their performance review scores.

Ask Around

We like to think that everyone knows exactly what they should be doing, but the truth is they often do not. In fact, if you compare your expectations with theirs, you may be surprised at just how far apart they are!

I encourage you to poll those people in your company or on your team and ask them if they are clear on your expectations. If you get anything other than what you think their answer should be, determine that you will correct it immediately. Don’t blame them. Accept the feedback as constructive and take the necessary actions to correct the problem!

How would you rate your communication of clear expectations?

Do you feel you have strong accountability with your team?

If not, where are you going to start?

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Do You Understand God’s Training?

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I am not asking much. I simply want to know what God is doing in my life to prepare me for whatever is down the road. I don’t need to know everything, but I would like for Him to explain His purposes for the frustration I often experience. If He would just explain His training plan to me, then I think I would be able to handle it better!

training

True For You?

Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever just wished God would explain your suffering (or training) and how it will play into His plans for you in the future?

If so, you are not alone. In fact, I would imagine that all of us have felt this way at one time or another. It is human nature to want to understand. Not only do we think it would help us to do better in the training itself, we also want to see that there is a higher purpose for the training.

Example From The Karate Kid

If you ever watched the movie The Karate Kid (the original or the remake!), then you have seen this dynamic illustrated. If you have never seen the movie, then I recommend you watch it.

In the movie, an older karate expert (Mr. Myagi), agrees to teach a teenager (Daniel) about karate for the sake of defending himself. Rather than take Daniel into a karate studio for training as expected, Mr. Myagi begins giving him various chores to complete around his house.

Included in these chores are sanding the floor, waxing his cars, painting the house, and painting the fence. Each chore is exhausting and takes several days to complete. The further along Daniel goes in doing these “chores”, the more frustrated he gets until he finally blows up at Mr. Myagi.

Training Revealed

It is at this point that Mr. Myagi shows all that Daniel has been learning about karate while doing the chores. Daniel’s training had been going on all along, but he was unaware of it. Not only did he do a good job of overhauling Mr. Myagi’s home, he also gained invaluable training in the basics of karate.

Same For Our Lives

Folks, it works the same way in our lives – whether in business, at church, or with family. God is training us for the future. In Romans 8:29, Paul describes it as conforming us to the likeness of Christ. In Jeremiah 18:1-6, this training is compared to a potter and his clay. In Malachi 3:1-4, it is described as a refining and purifying of silver.

In each case, this training we will endure can be very painful and difficult. We will not understand it at the time and will likely push back in one way or another. We will question God. We will pray for relief and ask Him to deliver us from it. We will probably even share our frustration with our small group and ask them to pray with us.

God Understands

Fortunately, God understands. He is not frustrated by our blindness. He does not give up on us, despite our weakness. He never stops loving us, even if we shake our fist at Him for our situation.

At the same time, He does not relent. He does not stop the training just because we are not comfortable with it. He does not deliver us from the training when we beg or get angry. No, He continues.

Why?

God’s Character

Because He is good. Because He loves us. Because He has plans for us.

God would be doing harm to us if He stopped the training. He would not be looking out for our best interests if he removed us from the struggle. He would be thwarting His own future plans for us if He relented when we asked.

So what is the answer to this?

Our Part

Trust.

Trust that He is good. Trust that He loves us. Trust that He has plans for us.

Simply trust God on a daily, even hourly, basis. Trust Him even when He does not reveal His plans to you. Trust Him and you will eventually see that the results of His training are worth it. Trust in His goodness, love, and vision. Then, when the training is complete, you will see the fruit of all He has done in you.

Is this easy? NO!

Don’t Forget!

No, this is something that we have to remind ourselves of over and over. It is not a once and done type of thing. It is something that you will understand this moment and forget the next. That is part of being human.

The cool part is that He has given us His Word as a reminder. If we will bury ourselves in the Bible on a daily basis, we will often come across His promises and we will get the reminder we need for that day! If we will bury His Word in our hearts, we can draw from it whenever we need it!

What training are you experiencing right now?

Have you asked God to explain?

Do you trust God’s character?

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Do You Believe In The Mentor Process?

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I recently had the opportunity to participate in an interview process that was unrelated to our business. During the interview with a candidate, he mentioned one of the main desires he had for the job he was seeking. This main objective was to be mentored by his more experienced boss in a one-on-one setting. He felt this was the only way he would ever grow into the person he wanted to become.

How often do you hear that in an interview?

mentor

Still Learning!

I had another experience recently where I needed some advice from an older, more experienced friend in the business. As he responded to my questions, he included some ideas he had recently learned in a seminar he had attended.

Remember that I was seeking advice from him because he is older, wiser, and much more experienced in our industry. And yet he is still being intentional about his continued learning! I was impressed!

Not Impressed?

Maybe these examples are not that impressive to you. Maybe you already understand the importance of being mentored so that you are always learning. Maybe this idea is something you have experienced many times and you are looking for something new.

Well, I think I may have something for you.

What about BEING the mentor?

As Christian business owners and leaders, I think we can all agree that continuous learning is critical to our success. There are very few, if any, solid Christian leaders that would argue against continuous learning – whether by being mentored or self-taught.

Now A Mentor?

Unfortunately, you will likely get a very different answer if you ask those same Christian leaders if they are actively mentoring someone else! Of course, you will get many excuses and reasons for the lack of activity in this area. I can even come up with a few good ones myself!

Consult Scripture

The problem is that these excuses do not hold water when compared to Scripture. Just looking at one verse in Paul’s second letter to Timothy will shoot holes in these excuses:

And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:2

While that may be enough to convince you to intentionally become a mentor, let’s also take a look at the following verses:

One generation will declare Your works to the next and will proclaim Your mighty acts.
Psalm 145:4

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17

Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God’s will; not for the money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
1 Peter 5:2-3

I think you are getting the picture.

Learning Is Not Enough!

The point here is that it is NOT enough for us to be always looking for opportunities to learn more. While this is certainly something we should seek, there must be more. To follow Scripture, we must also be seeking out those who are eager to learn. We must be willing to mentor them, teaching them what we already know.

Paul taught Timothy and then told him to go teach others that would be qualified to do the same thing! We need to do this as well.

Different Formats

For some, this will mean a regular one-on-one meeting schedule with someone not as far along in their business or their walk. For others, this may mean leading a group study or teaching through a blog!

It really does not matter the format. What matters is that we are making the effort to pass on our knowledge and wisdom to those who can learn from it.

Nor does it matter if we can teach them everything they need to know! Most likely, we cannot. The good news is that we are not responsible for filling their tanks with knowledge. We are simply responsible for emptying ours!

Pray About Your Role!

I encourage you to pray this very day about who you need to mentor and how you should go about doing it. Do not put this off or it will never happen. This must be an intentional effort on your part.

If nothing else, at least begin praying that God would show you the path to being the mentor He wants you to be. I promise you He will answer if you are willing to be used!

Are you actively mentoring someone else right now?

If not, why not? What is holding you back?

Are you willing to pray about it?

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6 Keys To Graceful Employee Terminations, Part 2

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When running a business, there are many things you will enjoy doing! Termination of an employee is most likely NOT one of those things. While it is not enjoyable, it is sometimes necessary.

In my last post, guest poster William Higgins wrote about the pain that can be caused with a poorly handled employee termination. William gave us his first 3 Keys in that post. The following continuation of this guest post from will give you the remaining 3 great tips on how to execute terminations with grace. William is Founder and Managing Director of Mindware, Inc., a performance development, consulting, and publishing organization.

termination

What Should You Do?

As an employer, there are numerous valid reasons for termination of an employee’s business relationship, and you cannot stop the pain the person experiences. The pain is real. The experience hurts. It’s condescending and degrading to just ask them to trust God and know it will all work out for the best. While it’s true God will work things out, that kind of observation minimizes their feelings.

You will want to be sure you coordinate with your Human Resources department to be sure you are abiding by federal and state laws. While you cannot sidestep the pain of a termination, there are things you can do to terminate with dignity, value, and grace.

Keys 4-6 For Graceful Terminations

4. Be affirming.
A termination can feel very demeaning to the individual being laid off. It’s like what they were doing wasn’t of value, like their time invested with the organization was wasted. Whatever the reason the person is being terminated, there is always something in them that can be affirmed. At one point they contributed something of value to the organization. Find that and reflect back to them the value of that contribution. Or, identify what you see as strengths they have at the present, and tell them about those.

If they’re being terminated for performance reasons, be sure to let them know their performance is not what it once was, with examples to demonstrate your point, and that they still have something to contribute to another organization. 1 Corinthians 12 is a chapter devoted to this purpose; everyone in the body of Christ has a purpose and is of value. So it is in your organization. Mirror that back to the individual being laid off.

5. Be helpful.
Provide resources to help the person move on with their life. They may feel like it’s the end of life as they know it when they hear the news, but you need to let them know they still have skills and abilities to contribute elsewhere. Be sure they understand that God has not deserted them just because they are now unemployed. When Jethro spoke to Moses in Exodus 18, he didn’t just tell him he was not being as efficient as he could be, he also provided resources in the form of counsel on how to delegate some of the responsibility to others.

Be sure the individuals impacted understand what their severance package includes; continued medical and other benefits, lump sum, continued salary period, etc. Provide all details in writing so they can refer to them later after the shock wears off. Also review work completion expectations and plans to transition their projects.

The person you are terminating requires resources to both affirm their faith and provide practical assistance in moving forward. Your Road to Damascus: 6 Biblical Secrets for an Effective Job Search does just that. This book integrates biblical guidelines and strategies with cutting-edge techniques to give the reader a spiritual advantage in their search. Outplacement assistance with Christian career coaches is also available for individuals and groups based on this book.

Go to www.MindWarePublishing.com for more information on the book or to Contact Us regarding outplacement service.

6. Be open.
Survivors need to know what the future holds. Let them know why this action was necessary, and how it will enable the organization to move forward to achieving the goals that have been established. Let them know the resources you are providing those individuals laid-off, to help them see that you’re not dismissing people without caring for their future well-being.

When Christ was preparing for the crucifixion and to leave His disciples He let them know what was going to take place, the resources they were going to receive in the person of the Holy Spirit, and how they were to move forward. In John 14-17 we read how He helped them understand that, while things were not going to be the same with Him gone, they were going to move forward in power.

While terminations are sometimes necessary as economies shift, suppliers change, product lines are altered, and organizational objectives transition to reflect other changes, a termination does not have to be a demeaning, distasteful, and destructive experience. It can launch the impacted individual into a whole new adventure with God, but it needs to be handled sensitively, with grace, and with the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

As a leader you model the person of Christ in your organization. How would He handle a termination? Actually He did. Read how He handled Judas in Matthew 26:20-25 and you’ll see He practiced what we’ve been discussing.

You can too.

I would love to hear what you think about this approach to handling employee terminations.

What do you think was the best tip of the six?

What struggles have you had in termination of employees?

Did you learn something here that will help in the future?

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6 Keys to Graceful Employee Terminations

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When running a business, there are many things you will enjoy doing! Termination of an employee is most likely NOT one of those things. While it is not enjoyable, it is sometimes necessary.

The following two-part guest post from William Higgins will give you some great tips on how to execute terminations with grace. William is Founder and Managing Director of Mindware, Inc., a performance development, consulting, and publishing organization.

termination

Terminated

When it’s time for the termination of one or a number of employee’s relationships with the organization, it will almost always be painful, but it can be done with grace.

    The call on Monday came unexpectedly on my office phone, “I have some bad news,” the caller said after identifying themselves, “Friday will be your last day as an employee here.”

    The emotional blow from that pronouncement was like a heavyweight boxing champ giving me a roundhouse punch to the stomach. My knees were wobbly as if I had just finished running a marathon, and the stress induced noise in my head was like I was standing inside a skyscraper that had been brought to dust and debris from an implosion.

Such are the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of one just terminated.

No More Information?

There was no announcement to the team to let them know what had taken place. Nothing was said thanking the individual for their contribution, or informing co-workers of what lay ahead. It was just he was there one day and gone the next.

Can you imagine the blow to the individual, the drag this action had on morale, the fear in the minds of other team members as they asked themselves, “Am I next?”

What Should You Do?

As an employer, there are numerous valid reasons for termination of an employee’s business relationship, and you cannot stop the pain the person experiences. The pain is real. The experience hurts. It’s condescending and degrading to just ask them to trust God and know it will all work out for the best. While it’s true God will work things out, that kind of observation minimizes their feelings.

You will want to be sure you coordinate with your Human Resources department to be sure you are abiding by federal and state laws. While you cannot sidestep the pain of a termination, there are things you can do to terminate with dignity, value, and grace.

6 Keys To Graceful Termination

These 6 biblical keys will help integrate grace into the difficult termination process:

1. Be personal.
If at all possible meet with the person face-to-face. It’s terribly impersonal to receive this news over the phone, and it’s easy to feel like the person delivering the news took easy way out. If the person resides in another city, telephoning may be the only way, but it must be a second choice. In Matthew 18 Jesus instructs us to meet with a brother that has sinned against you in person. While the situation is different, the principle is the same.

2. Be honest.
There was a problem with the way some believers in the New Testament were welcoming those not walking in truth. John wrote to “the chosen lady” in 2 John to warn her of this. He was kind, gentle, and affirming, but he also spoke the truth. Don’t mince words with the terminated individual. Let them know the decision has been made and the reasons; performance issues, budget containment, or other valid resons. This approach will ensure they’re not confused or think there is still a way to salvage their position.

Don’t apologize. Don’t tell them everything will be okay. Don’t tell them they won’t have any trouble finding a new job. Don’t tell them they’ll feel better after they sleep on it. Don’t tell them how badly you feel about the decision. All of these can be viewed as condescending, even if said sincerely, since you still have a job. Assure them God is still at work, and He’s not finished with them yet.

3. Be gentle.
Paul discusses this principle in Galatians 6 in the context of a believer caught in sin, but the same principle applies here as well. In verse 1 of Galatians 6 Paul says to restore the person “gently.” The word gently in the original has in mind the care and compassion of a doctor firmly but tenderly setting a broken bone. You need to be firm, but you also need to be gentle. Don’t rush roughshod over the person. Inform them of the decision, but be willing to listen to their pain, to their frustration, to their anxiety without feeling the need to change the decision, or have an outplacement coach that will do this on your behalf.

**** Check out the next post for the remaining 3 keys! ****

What are your thoughts on graceful termination so far?

Do you see the benefits to the first 3 keys?

What issues do you anticipate so far?

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The Most Dangerous Source Of Misinformation For A Christian Business Leader

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In my last couple of posts, we have been looking at sources of misinformation for a Christian business owner or leader. We have looked at worldly wisdom and fleshly lusts, both of which are dangerous sources of misinformation. Today we will look at the one source that may be the most dangerous of all – Satan’s deception.

misinformation

Intentional Misinformation

Before I go any further, let me make sure I differentiate this misinformation from the two prior categories. When discussing worldly wisdom and fleshly lusts, I am assuming no direct influence from the enemy. I am only considering the kind of misinformation that we either create ourselves or receive from someone else. This misinformation is neutral in its intent. There is no malice in this misinformation.

On the other hand, misinformation that falls under this third category – Satan’s deception – clearly has malicious intent. Based on what Scripture says, there is no doubt at all that Satan is out to destroy us and our witness. Take a look at the following Scriptures:

    The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. – John 10:10
    Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. – 1 Peter 5:8
    Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 6:12

If you are not convinced by these verses, then you may as well skip the rest of this post and come back on another day. No offense taken. Just know that you do it at your own risk!

Satan’s Opposition

Hopefully you are still reading. If so, please know that Satan is real and he is in total opposition to anything and everything we want to do to glorify God. If there is any part of our business that is having an impact for eternity, then he is going to come against it. This is a very intentional enemy.

Okay, maybe you agree that Satan is against us, but does he really actively deceive us? Is he intent on, or even capable of, giving us misinformation? In response to those questions, consider some more Scripture:

    You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. – John 8:44
    But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
    – 2 Corinthians 11:3

Hopefully, you are now convinced that Satan is fully and completely against us, using deception and lies as misinformation in an effort to destroy our eternal impact. While we know he cannot take us from God’s hands and steal our soul at this point, he can prevent us from influencing anyone else to turn back to God. He can ruin our witness to the point that we are completely ineffective in our ministry efforts.

What Are You To Do?

Since you know all of this to be true, what are you to do about it? How in the world are we supposed to fight against an enemy that we cannot see? How do we defend ourselves from the one who is out to destroy us?

I am glad you asked! While I cannot give you a 100% money-back guarantee that my advice is fool-proof, I can tell you that it will work to the extent that you are committed to it. This advice is only as good as you make it by how far you take it!

Rather than giving you a 5-point plan on how to defend against the misinformation of Satan, I am going to make it very simple for you. I am going to base all of my advice on one idea. That should be easy enough, right?

Well, I actually said “simple,” not “easy.”

Simple (Not Easy) Solution

The idea I am referring to is found in John 10:1-5, 27-29. In this passage, Jesus is describing how His followers are like sheep that follow Him because they listen to and know His voice. These sheep, Jesus says, will never follow a stranger because they do not know the stranger’s voice.

Folks, we are these sheep. We are the followers of Jesus and we are supposed to listen to His voice. We are supposed to know His voice. We are supposed to know it so well that we can discern it from a stranger’s voice.

This is a HUGE idea! Please do not miss this point. Read it again if you have to.

Dark Room Illustration

Imagine yourself in a dark room. Imagine you are not at all familiar with the layout of the room and it is full of dangerous items. You are charged with crossing this room in pitch black darkness without getting hurt. Oh yeah, there is someone else in the room trying to hurt you!

Now imagine you hear a voice telling you to follow. Do you? How do you know if it is friend or foe? If you were to clearly and without hesitation recognize the voice as a friend, would you then follow? What if it was not a voice you recognized at all?

This may be a poor analogy of this life, but it fits. We are moving through this life as if in a dark room, unaware of the dangers we are facing from all sides. Our only hope is to have a Friend lead us. It is that voice of Jesus that we want to hear when we are facing such danger. It is His ability to see what we cannot that we want to trust.

What About You?

So here is the $50,000 question.

Do you recognize His voice?

Do you have such regular and intimate conversations with Him that any other voice would stand out as a stranger? Do you know His voice so well that you could easily recognize it above the other voices of misinformation being cast your way?

If so, good for you! If you are confident in this, then you are in great shape to make wise and effective decisions. You are much less likely to fall victim to misinformation from Satan’s deception.

Why Not?

If not, why not? Why are you not so familiar with His voice that it calms your every fear and silences your every doubt?

If this is you, I am fairly certain I know why. You are not familiar with His voice because you do not talk to Him very much. Or maybe it is because you ONLY talk to Jesus, but never listen.

Another possibility is that you are not reading, studying, and memorizing His Word. To know His voice, you have to know His heart. Often, other voices may sound similar, but the message is off. If the message does not match His Word, then it is not His voice.

The bottom line is that we MUST be students of His Word and regularly listen to Him in prayer. We cannot expect to recognize His voice at a critical time if we rarely hear it. That just won’t work.

What are your thoughts about this source of misinformation?

Are you familiar with this?

Are you one that recognizes His voice?

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Another Dangerous Source Of Misinformation For A Christian Business Leader

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Have you ever faced a decision or an opportunity that seemed right at the time, but later proved to be completely wrong? At the time, there were so many facets of the opportunity that appeared to fit. The more you thought about it, the more right it felt! Later, nothing fit and you were amazed at how different it looked. This is how it often goes when misinformation is clouding your vision.

misinformation

Fleshly Lusts

In my last post, I described how misinformation can make already difficult Christian business challenges even more troublesome. In that post, I went into detail on worldly wisdom, the first of three sources of misinformation that we can face in Christian business. Today I want to talk about the second source of misinformation – fleshly lusts.

Real-Life Example

Years ago, my father had an opportunity to purchase a particular dealership. At the time, he was in a growth mode in his business and was looking for deals. This dealership was much further away than he thought was ideal. It was also much pricier than he originally had decided he could handle. In fact, its purchase would likely have stretched his resources.

He went to his father and described the deal to him and asked for his advice. As more and more questions were thrown his way, the truth came out. My father was most interested in this dealership because it included a Porsche franchise! He had always had a love for Porsche’s and now he had the opportunity to have a dealership full of them! This would allow him to drive his dream car as part of his job!

Blinded

This is an example of allowing a fleshly lust to serve as misinformation and drive a risky decision. Looking back at this decision later, my father could clearly see the danger, but at the time he was blinded. At the time, he saw Candy-Apple Red (his favorite color Porsche!) rather than a clear picture of business pros and cons.

This may be an extreme example and a large decision, but the danger is just as big in the little decisions we make every day. Our fleshly lusts can be sources of misinformation across a variety of categories.

Many Lusts

Obviously, the first lust most people think of is sexual lust. Certainly, that is a deadly one. But there are many more kinds of lust that can bring misinformation into our decision-making process.

How often do people make poor decisions because of the lust after a get-rich-quick scenario? What about lust after a prominent job title or house on the golf course? Even something as simple as the lust for respect in the community?

Immunity?

We are not immune to any of these! And all of these can serve as misinformation that can cause us to make poor decisions. If we do not work to avoid them, we will end up being ruled by them!

As I said in my previous post, I am quick to say that I do not have this source of misinformation defeated. I am a victim of fleshly lusts as much as anyone else. I fight it, but it is a deceptive pitfall. Just when you think you have it beat, it sneaks in another door!

Misinformation Awareness Is Key

All I can tell you is that awareness of this misinformation and the damage it can do is the beginning of the battle. I am not sure we can ever get to the point where it is not a danger, but we can certainly fight it with the power of the Holy Spirit.

God says we will not be tempted beyond what we can handle and He will always provide a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13). We have to trust Him in this truth and make sure we are putting up defenses where we know we are especially weak (Ephesians 6:11-17).

By the way, I need to finish my story about my father’s dealership opportunity. He did not purchase the store. In fact, he followed his father’s advice. His father told him he was crazy – it would be much cheaper to just buy a Porsche car than it would be to buy the whole dealership!

Have you been blinded by a fleshly lust in business?

What defenses do you use for avoiding this?

Do you see how an accountability partner can help identify misinformation?

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3 Dangerous Sources Of Misinformation For A Christian Business Leader

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Have you ever been given the wrong directions to an important meeting? If you are like me, you were likely already running on a tight schedule and could not afford delays! I can feel the frustration in my throat just thinking about it. Well, running a Christian business can be the same way. It is hard enough to do on a normal day, but having to deal with misinformation can make it especially difficult – maybe even near impossible.

misinformation

Business Is Challenging Enough!

Business in general can be very challenging these days. When you consider all that is going on – healthcare reform, tax law changes, economic uncertainty, etc. – it can be very difficult to make decisions and navigate to a profitable outcome. When you are trying to use this business as a platform for ministry with an eternal impact, you can further complicate it!

While it makes sense that it should be as simple as just following God’s lead in all you do, this is often very difficult to do. Maybe I am alone in this, but I find this to be a huge challenge. To make it even more difficult, consider the illustration about getting wrong directions…this happens in a Christian business as well!

3 Sources Of Misinformation

As I have thought about it, I have come up with three sources of misinformation that can create significant obstacles for a Christian business leader. These sources of misinformation are distinctly different from each other. However, they are often not the exclusive cause of trouble in a Christian business. There are certainly times where two – even all three – can combine for an especially challenging situation.

I will address the first of these sources of misinformation today. I will save the other two for my next posts.

Worldly Wisdom

The first source of misinformation for a Christian business leader is worldly wisdom. I will define worldly wisdom as being based on any knowledge, experience, or expertise that is not from God. I know you are probably thinking that this is a huge category. Well, you are right.

Not only is worldly wisdom a huge category, it is also very dangerous because it is not always ugly or even obviously immoral, illegal, or unethical. In fact it most often disguises itself as very good advice – even common sense.

Folks, this is probably what makes worldly wisdom the most common form of misinformation for a Christian business leader! As a result, it very well may be the most dangerous.

Examples Of Worldly Wisdom

Let me give you some common examples of worldly wisdom.

Let’s say you are out on your own now as a Christian business owner or leader. You run into an issue that throws you for a loop. Remembering that your former boss offered to help you anytime you needed it, you pick up the phone and make the call. He gives you an answer that makes sense and you run with it.

In another situation, you run into a difficult situation with an employee and you remember how you had faced a similar situation years before. You wince as you think about the trouble that came as a result of the decision you made then. You quickly decide to go in a different direction.

Finally, you are reading through the latest business book by a well-known industry guru. As you read, the author addresses a very similar situation to the one you are currently facing. You are floored! His solution is unconventional, but it seems to make perfect sense so you begin plans to implement it immediately.

Harmful Or Not?

You are probably thinking that none of these situations seem harmful. Maybe, maybe not. I am not telling you that all of these examples are going to get you in trouble. What I am telling you is that without prayer and comparison to Scripture, there is no advice that you should follow based on its own merits.

Quite simply, as Christian business leaders we will avoid being misled by misinformation if we always and only follow advice that has been vetted by prayer and comparison to God’s word. This includes our own experience and expertise. It includes anything that we might rely on other than God.

How Does It Work?

So, you might want to know how this works. How in the world are we supposed to pray about every single decision we face during the day, BEFORE we make it? Are we really expected to search through Scripture and compare our every advice, hunch, and decision before we move forward? That’s crazy!

Well, yes and no. Yes, I think this is the expectation. No, it is not crazy.

Scriptural Support

First of all, we are not of this world (Colossians 2:20). We are now part of God’s family (John 1:12) and we are to follow his lead (Galatians 5:25), not the wisdom of the world (1 Corinthians 3:19). While just trying to imagine stopping twenty times a day to pray and search through the Bible may give you a headache, work with me here.

Instead, picture a mindset of continuous prayer, conversation with God (1 Thess. 5:16-18). Imagine a quick pause before responding to situations requiring a decision (Nehemiah 2:4-5) and see if that looks better.

Imagine The Possibilities!

Now think about the possibility of Scripture actually popping into your head the moment you face a decision. Consider the reality that you could be so versed in God’s Word that you did not have to search it for the decision. Maybe it comes to you instinctively instead.

Folks, if we are spending the daily time in God’s word and in continuous prayer, then this is a reality that is not far off! Rather than risking the common misinformation that surrounds us every day, we could actually be drawing on the knowledge, experience, and expertise of the very Creator of the universe!

Continuous Improvement

I will quickly confess that I am not living this reality. I struggle with this just like you do. However, I am determined I am not going to be in the very same place of dependence upon worldly wisdom (and likely misinformation) a year from now. I am committing to continuous effort and improvement in this area. I challenge you to do the same!

What are your thoughts?

Do you currently rely on worldly wisdom?

Are you familiar with the dangers of misinformation?

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Is A Good Name Important In Christian Business?

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good name

There have been several incidents lately that have caused me to think about the importance of a good name or reputation and how it relates to a Christian business owner or leader. Most recently, I received a request from Rajeev (my friend in Chandigarh, India). He has faced a challenge or two relating to this idea and asked me to post about it. In this post, we will answer the following question:

Is a good name important in Christian business?