Tag Archives: Christian faith

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Do You Remember Your First Love?

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When I say, “First Love”, what is the first thing to come to mind? If you are like most people, your mind goes back to high school and that first love or first kiss. For others, a certain type of food comes to mind! There are even those who think of their first car! Whatever the case, almost everyone has some clear association with the phrase “First Love”.

first love

First Love Forgotten

In my last post, I talked about how I had read a passage from Revelation that resonated with me – up to a point. Jesus was praising the church at Ephesus for their works, labor, and endurance.

But then He turned and criticized them severely for forgetting their first love (Him!). Evidently, this church was doing good works, but their motives were out of whack. As I began to assess my own motives, I realized there was definitely room for improvement!

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What is Christian Ministry?

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Christian ministry

Have you heard anyone say, “I think I am going to quit my job and go into the ministry!” Have you ever heard a pastor talk about so-and-so that left the business world to go into full-time ministry? Has anyone ever told you that you should not be in business, but should be in full-time Christian ministry?

“The” Christian Ministry

So, what is all the fuss over “the” ministry? What exactly do you have to do to qualify for Christian ministry? What exactly is full-time ministry? Is it something you must be called to do?

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Who Do You Teach First?

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Assume for a moment that you only have enough tuition money to engage a teacher for yourself OR for your children. What do you do? If you are a Christian business leader, this same question could apply to you OR your employees. Who do you teach first?

teach

Teach Yourself First

In his book, Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money, Rabbi Daniel Lapin refers to Deuteronomy 11:19 to give us the answer.

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Handling Sin In The Camp – Part 2

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There is no real question as to why business, as an industry, is seen by much of the general public as less than trustworthy. So many business leaders are more interested in power, wealth, or winning than they are in doing the right thing when crisis hits. As Christian business owners and leaders, we are called to a higher standard. We are called to deal with the sin in the camp, regardless of the potential consequences.

sin in the camp

Sin In The Camp – Part 1

In my last post, we looked at how Joshua performed in a tough situation. If you missed that post, it would be helpful to go back and read it first. In that post, I took you through the first three of six steps for dealing with sin in the camp:

    1. Set Clear Guidelines
    2. Stay Close To God
    3. Trust God’s Provision

Today, I want to cover the last three steps. Hopefully, you can then see the actions Joshua took and how we can apply them to our current business situations. I would love to hear your thoughts on these steps in the discussion area at the end of the post.

Step 4 – Identify Sin In The Camp

Early on the morning after the defeat at Ai, Joshua got up and began the process of determining who among the Israelites had violated the covenant with God by taking the sacred items (Joshua 7:16-23). He followed God’s instruction to the letter and the guilty party, Achan, was selected. He quickly confessed to his crime.

When we face situations like this, we likely will not have specific instructions from God on how to select the guilty. At the same time, it is clear we are to investigate and dig until we find the truth.

Waiting it out or hoping someone will come forward on their own – these are not viable methods. We must be proactive if we expect to find the truth. We must see the urgency and dig in.

Step 5 – Act Immediately

After narrowing the search down to Achan and hearing his confession, Joshua acted. He did not hesitate. He did not waffle. He did not try to rationalize Achan’s actions. He simply acted (Joshua 7:24-25).

While the punishment was severe and extensive (including Achan’s family), I don’t see that to be the point of what we should learn here. In a business environment, we are not going to stone the guilty. At the same time, our commitment to our core values is on display in these moments.

If your core values include integrity, honesty, truth, or other similar ideals, then dealing decisively with violations of these values is not optional. Clearly, you must weigh the violation and determine the appropriate discipline. Just remember that others are watching to see how your scales work. How “core” are your values?

Step 6 – Remember

The crisis was over and the Israelites were likely ready to move on. The Promised Land was ahead of them! However, this is when Joshua’s leadership stands out even more. In Joshua 7:26, we see that the Israelites erected a large pile of rocks over the body of Achan.

This was not simply a grave. This act was in addition to the norm. This was an act of remembrance. In fact, the place was known going forward as the Valley of Trouble. Joshua wanted to make sure that Achan’s actions were remembered and not repeated.

I don’t see us putting up a plaque on the wall to commemorate a dishonest manager and his termination. I do, however, think that we need to follow Joshua’s thought process. We need to figure out the best way for us (and those we lead) to remember how crucial our core values are to our success.

Constant communication about our core values is a must. Talk with new hires about real consequences of infractions. Don’t let the memory of the crisis completely disappear.

Summary

This can be a tough passage to read due to the extreme punishment delivered. Don’t let that keep you from learning from Joshua and his handling of the crisis. If you read on past this passage, you will see the continued success of the Israelites against Ai and other cities.

God honored their faithful elimination of the sin in the camp. He will do the same for us if we will learn and apply the wisdom found here. He is faithful.

What other advice would you offer someone facing sin in the camp?

Which of these 6 steps is toughest for you?

Are you prepared to effectively address sin in the camp?

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5 Lies Too Many Christians Believe

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Every once in a while, I like to stop and take a look around at the world we live in and the assumptions we make every day. I like to think about ideas that we have heard for years and those we just accept as truth. It is especially good to compare these very ideas to Scripture to test their validity. Today, I want to discuss five of these “lies” that I think too many Christians believe.

lie

Do You Believe These Lies?

Be warned: you may believe some of these! In fact, you may be tempted to stop reading once you see one that you believe is absolutely true, one that you are very comfortable with believing. I encourage you not to stop reading, but instead to take a look at the Scripture I reference and pray about it.

I will tell you that I have done this over the years and it is life-changing. Once you stop accepting what you have been taught all of your life and begin comparing it to God’s Word, you will likely see that you have been operating on a shaky foundation in some areas. You will begin to seek more of God’s truth and how to apply it to every area of your life.

Let’s jump in!

Lie #1. God doesn’t care about my work.

    This is a very common lie that trips up many people in their Christian walk. If we begin to believe this lie, then we can basically do anything we want on the job and it should not impact our relationship with God. This idea is an escape from accountability on the job. Before you decide whether it is true or not, take a look at the following from Colossians 3:23-24…

    Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Lie #2. Getting fed at church on Sunday morning is enough.

    This is another common belief, but it is very far from the truth. Folks, we need more of God than we can possibly get from a couple of hours a week. We need to be reading His Word and praying for His guidance. We need accountability from other believers. We need community and relationships within the family of faith.

    While some of this happens on Sunday, it is simply not possible to get all of it accomplished in such a short time. We need a daily quiet time when we are alone with God. We need to participate in some sort of community group. For a great model of this behavior, take a look at Acts 2:42-47.

Lie #3. My customers will be offended if I…

    I have addressed this one in an earlier post, but it bears repeating. Too many Christian business owners think that the media today is the best indicator of how their customers would react if they were open about their faith. Read this post, with data from a research study by the Barna Group to back it up.

Lie #4. Faith and work are to be kept separate.

    I do not have to look far to find Scripture to refute this lie. In addition to Colossians 3:23-24, you can certainly see from Matthew 22:37-40 that God is not just interested in part of our lives. He will not settle for a portion – He wants it ALL.

    This does not mean we all have to be paid staff members in the church (addressed next). Instead, it means we are to surrender our entire life to God, job and/or business included. There is no half-way here.

Lie #5. Christian ministry is someone else’s responsibility.

    For many years, Christians, and some pastors included, think that you are only a Christian minister if you are on staff at a church. As a result, most Christians leave the job of ministering to those staff members of their church. This simply is not how God designed it.

    When defining ministry as “the service or functions of a minister of religion,” we are all included! While we may not draw our compensation from a church, we are still responsible for carrying out the service and functions of our faith.

    Paul called us Christ’s ambassadors in 2 Corinthians 5:20. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about how every member of the body of faith is to play a role and every role is important. Let’s start acting like we believe this!

Other Lies?

Well, there they are! I am sure you could come up with others if you started thinking about it. I actually encourage you to do just that. Take a quiet time one morning and ask God to reveal to you some similar “lies” that you believe. Ask Him to show you assumptions you make on a daily basis.

Then take the next step and begin removing these assumptions from your life. Ask Him to show you what you should be doing differently now that you are seeing more clearly. If you will do this exercise, I think you will be shocked at what He shows you.

Do you believe any of these lies?

Which lie will be the toughest for you to overcome?

What other lies came to mind?

Original date of post – September 30, 2012

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Where Is Your Happy Place?

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I got a text from my wife recently. The first line, “At my happy place!” let me know exactly where she was. I knew she had left town with one of our daughters and was going out to eat. When I got her text, I knew exactly which restaurant they (she) had chosen!

happy place

Her Happy Place

I knew this because this particular restaurant is the one she and I visit the most often when we are in that area. I knew if she was within a few miles, that was where she was going. The food is healthy, but very tasty. The atmosphere is clean, energetic, and bright. The service is great and the prices are good.

All of the right conditions exist in this restaurant. That is why it is her happy place!

Your Happy Place?

Do you have a happy place? Can you picture it right now? Describe this happy place and why it makes you feel so good. What are the conditions like there? Is it sunny, breezy, warm, but not hot? Are the sounds soothing?

Most of us know what we mean when we talk about a happy place. It might be an actual place (this restaurant) or it might be something in our mind. Regardless, it is a place where the worries of the world fade. Conditions which make us happy are at the forefront.

So, what happens when we return from our happy place? When normal comes roaring back into the picture, what happens to our disposition? Do we change? Does our countenance darken? Are we a little on edge? More than a little?

Does Joy Remain?

Let me ask this from a different perspective. Is your happiness (or better said, joy) attached to, or dependent upon, where you are or the circumstances you are in?

Unfortunately, I think too many of us would have to answer, “yes” to this question. Too often, we allow our joy to be dictated by circumstances rather than coming from within, from our relationship with God.

We stop looking at our reasons for being “here”. We begin to focus on the circumstances that are characteristic of “here”. If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that there is a serious problem with this line of thinking.

Go Back To Your “Why”

So, how do we change it? How do we fight back against the disappearance of the joy in our happy place?

I think the key is to go back to our “Why”. We have to return, in our minds, to our reasons for being where we are. This is true even when “here” includes circumstances and conditions that we would prefer to avoid.

God Is In Control

That’s because we know that God is still in control. We know that He has a plan for us and that our current “here” is not our final destination. It is only a way station on a much bigger journey.

We must remind ourselves that He has us here and it is for good reason. Until He moves us on, we must find our joy in knowing He loves us and is taking care of us.

Joy Despite Circumstances

We must also make the most of every opportunity while we are “here”. There are people around us watching. They want to know if the faith we claim is any better than going without it. They need to see us full of joy, regardless of the circumstances.

This does not mean we are without grief or anger or frustration. It simply means that they can see something else in us that they do not have. The joy that fills us regardless of conditions around us – that is what they want.

Pray To Find It!

Do we have it?

If not, I encourage you to pray that God would show you how to find it again. He is faithful and will show you where you left it. Try Him. You won’t be disappointed!

Do you have joy in all circumstances – happy place or not?

What typically causes you to lose it most often?

When you lose this joy, how do you normally regain it?

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Don’t Believe These 5 Myths About Christian Business!

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I get many opportunities to talk to other Christians that own or operate a business. When I try to explain to them why they should be using their business to impact people for eternity, I sometimes get a blank stare. They often ask me questions that indicate they have significant misconceptions about Christian business. Today, I want to dispel 5 of the most common myths I have encountered regarding Christian business.

myths

Misconceptions Galore!

The problem is that many people, even Christians, misunderstand what the Bible says about being a Christian. This is even more true when it comes to being a Christian in the business world.

As a result, they often associate Christianity with weakness, laziness, and blind faith. If you have been in business for any length of time, you know these qualities don’t add up to business success. So when I explain my efforts to run a Christian business, the response is not always very positive!

Let’s take a look at the 5 most common myths you might encounter or even believe yourself. Once we dispel these, I think you might have a much better picture of what your business should look like (and what it shouldn’t look like!).

Myth #1 – Christian Businesses should hire anyone!

This is a very common myth and it is rooted in the desire to be kind and fair to everyone. Do unto others what you would have them do unto you, right? While that last statement is true, it does not equate to a wide open hiring policy!

First of all, it is not fair to the applicant to hire them if they are not a good fit for the job. They will never get fulfillment from a job that does not fit them. By not hiring this applicant, you will “help” them move on to find the job that IS a fit for them. You may even choose to assist them in this search if you see enough potential in them.

Not only is it not fair to the applicant, it is not fair to the other current employees to make them work with someone that does not fit the job. This will only increase their load and cause other issues. Of course, the final damage is to the business itself. It is tough enough to run an efficient business without having to work around those not fit or qualified for their jobs.

Myth #2 – Christian businesses should say yes to any request!

I cannot specifically say where this myth originates, but it certainly exists. Sometimes you get a local sports team looking for a sponsorship. In other cases it is a customer looking for an excessive amount of free products or services. You will even have employees ask for difficult exceptions to company policies.

I certainly believe we should try to accommodate requests to the extent that we can and when it makes good business sense. Sometimes, we might do it even when it does not make business sense (but we know it is the right thing to do at the time)! However, for us to say yes to (virtually) every request is impossible.

There are times when the only wise answer is, “No.” A Christian business owner must accept this and not let guilt take over. Jesus did not say yes to every request. Neither should we. Do the best you can, but don’t fall prey to this myth!

To Be Continued!

I have run out of room for today, but will finish with the last three myths about Christian business in my next post. I hope these have been helpful to you.

Have you believed either of these myths?

Do you see how accepting these myths as truth can limit (or destroy) your business?

What are some other myths you have encountered?

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Are You Getting The Right Return?

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What is the purpose of business? If you ask a dozen people this question, you will likely get some common answers. Some will say it is to make money. Others might say it is to provide products and/or services at a profit. Those most educated in business theory may come back with something like this – to create a return, or added value, for the stakeholders.

return

Stakeholders’ Return

Let’s run with this last answer for today. I think it is likely closest to the answer we understand. Stakeholders are those who have an interest or concern in an organization. In our businesses, stakeholders include employees, owners, vendors, etc. – anyone with an interest in our business.

For the sake of today’s post, I want to focus on the owners of the business. Hopefully, you have already come to the understanding that you are not actually an owner of your business (or job). You are simply a steward of that business or job for a season.

God Is Owner

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it (Psalm 24:1). Therefore, He is the rightful owner of the business. He has entrusted it to you for a time (Matthew 25:14-30). He expects you to manage it well, bringing a return for the stakeholders – all of them.

This means your employees must get a return for working there (compensation, fulfillment, education, etc.). The vendors must get a return (fair pricing, timely payment for products or services). You are to get a return for the work and effort you put in as steward (compensation, fulfillment, share of profits, etc.).

Finally, there is God. He is actually the owner, right? Therefore, He should get a return as well. What exactly should His return be? He already owns everything. He has no real need for money because it is all His!

God’s Return?

I have spent a lot of time thinking through this question and have come to a conclusion. As with anything else on this site, you have the right to disagree with me. However, before you do, I encourage you to pray through this. I think you might see I am onto something.

I have racked my brain to figure out what God wants, but does not yet have. What is his ultimate goal for us and how does that play into my operating of a business for Him?

Well, the only answer I could come up with is that He desperately wants everyone to come to Him in faith, repent, and have a relationship with Him (2 Peter 3:9). He sent His only Son for this very purpose (John 3:16). I think we all agree with this, right?

Point Them To Him

So in that light, if I can operate His business in such a way as to point other people to Him, then I am bringing Him a return that is pleasing to Him. I am bringing Him something He does not yet have, but desperately wants.

Now, there is no way for me to bring everyone to repentance that comes into contact with His business. I cannot “save” them. That is absolutely His job. My job is to point them to Him in such a way that they are drawn to Him.

However, I CAN operate the business in such a way that everyone who comes into contact with it is positively impacted and directed toward a relationship with Him. Read through that again, slowly.

Not Just “Nice”

I am not saying we are to make it our focus to verbally witness to every employee, customer, and vendor so we can lead them in the sinner’s prayer. I am not saying that we should hire everyone that comes to us needing a job just so we have the opportunity to influence them at some point.

Nor am I saying that we are to give away our product or services until we go broke, just so we can impact customers in need. None of these practices are biblical business practices. They may sound “nice”, but they will only serve to bring your stewardship of His business to a premature end.

Purpose Is Different

It is my belief that we are to run businesses that focus on integrity and excellence. These businesses should make significant profit and seek healthy growth and expansion. Our customer satisfaction should be at the top of our industry and other similar businesses should imitate us.

If this sounds like a normal business, then so be it. The difference is that the overriding purpose of our business should be to bring God glory. I believe we will be held accountable as stewards of His business. I believe we will be accountable for the “return” of lives being pointed to Him because of the way we operated the business.

If we do this well, these people will eventually spend eternity with Him. In some cases, we will get to see their transformation. In other cases, we will only find out in eternity what we did to influence them. Again, it is not our job to “close” the deal…that is God’s job. We are only to point them toward the closing table!

What return has been your focus?

Do you think your focus needs to shift?

Are you prepared to make decisions that lead to this return?

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One Choice You Need To Make Every Day

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I don’t need to tell you that you will have to make choices every day that determine your effectiveness and success in whatever your endeavor. You already know this. What you might find interesting is how Paul framed a choice that he faced on a regular basis.

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Paul’s Choice

If you will read the first chapter of Philippians, you will see that Paul is on a mission to take the gospel to the Gentiles. He is determined in this mission, even to the point of finding himself in jail over it. Yet he continues to carry out his mission, despite the interruption!

In the letter he is writing to the church at Philippi, Paul mentions a choice in his mind that he continues to wrestle over. Take a look at how he frames this choice:

For me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ – which is far better — but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.
Philippians 1:21-24

Can You Identify?

When you first read this (and you are completely honest with yourself), you may not really identify with Paul’s struggle. I will say for myself that I understand Paul’s struggle. On occasion, I even feel the same way…to a degree. I wish I could say that I have the exact same struggle on a daily basis…I don’t.

Maybe one day, I will mature to the point where that is my actually struggle. For now, I will keep striving toward that day!

Two Pairs Of Words

Fortunately, I do not want to focus on Paul’s struggle in this post. Instead, I want to isolate two pairs of words that I truly believe we all wrestle with on a daily basis. Paul’s words should echo in your mind after reading this post or I have not done a very good job of communicating.

Go back to the above passage and notice how he describes his two choices with a pair of words for each…”far better” and “more necessary”. Stop and think about how powerful and insightful these words are when compared to each other.

Frequent Choice?

How many times a day do you face a decision between “far better” and “more necessary”? If you are anything like me, you face this decision a number of times before you even leave the house to go to work.

Before lunch, you have likely faced this same decision multiple times. The same is true after lunch. Once you are home again for the night, this decision shows up a few more times – at least.

Tough Choice!

Here’s the deal. You and I are constantly faced with the decision between doing what, at that moment, is far better or more necessary. This is the root question that determines whether you will be a responsible or irresponsible leader – at home, in business, with relationships, etc.

At home, the decision might be whether to kick back and relax after a hard day (far better) or perform acts of service for your spouse (more necessary). It could be deciding between the Moose Tracks ice cream (far better) or the apple (more necessary).

Business Choices

In the business world, this decision can take on many forms as well. Will you take the day off to play golf with your buddies or will you put in the extra time to make sure the project beats the deadline for a customer? Do you personally enjoy the rewards of all of your profit (or income) or do you use it to promote the Kingdom?

Sometimes with these decisions, it can even be difficult to discern which is which. Do you keep the low performing employee and give them another chance or do you go ahead and terminate their employment so they get started on a new, more productive path?

Strive For Paul’s Example

Folks, I think we are to strive to follow Paul’s example (1 Corinthians 11:1). We should be struggling between “living is Christ” and “dying is gain” like he did. At the same time, we know this is a high standard to reach.

Until we reach that level of maturity, we will still have the choice between “far better” and “more necessary”. My encouragement to you is that you start trying to see your day-to-day decisions in this light. Try to figure out which is “more necessary” and choose that one.

I believe the more we will do this, the closer we will get to Paul’s struggle between living and dying. That is where I want to be!

Do you see how critical this choice can be?

Do you see yourself more often doing what is “more necessary” or not?

How do you need to move closer to Paul’s example?

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What Do You Do With The Interruption?

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Business is busy. That may seem obvious, but for anyone in a leadership position in business, it can be a big problem. We are always working on something. Some projects require very little focus from us. Others require our complete attention. That is usually when the interruption comes, right?

interruption

Forms Of Interruption

For me, this “interruption” could come in the form of a customer asking a simple question. It could be an employee that needs clarification on a process. Maybe it is phone call from a vendor that needs my authorization on an expenditure.

Interruptions can come in many shapes and sizes. When we are intently focused on getting something important done, how do we handle the interruption? I am not really asking about your manners or patience with the cause of the interruption.

The Bigger Question

The question I am asking is much bigger than that. We all know that we should be gracious and approachable when interrupted. That’s not my point.

The real question is more about your mindset regarding the interruption. In fact, I am actually asking about the bigger interruptions in your plans. To be more clear, let’s look at an example from Scripture.

Paul’s Interruption

Paul is on a mission. He has been called by God to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Anyone who has read any of his letters in the New Testament would agree that he was focused on this mission. Nothing deterred him from accomplishing the mission.

Then we read in Philippians 1 that Paul has been put in jail. Imagine that you are in his sandals and you have this mission in front of you. This is a big “project” with huge ramifications for those you seek to teach about this gospel. Then you find yourself in jail…for no real good reason! How could this happen?

How Would You See It?

Would you see THIS as an interruption? Would you get frustrated at the injustice and start trying to figure out how to escape? Would you lose focus on the overall goal and become preoccupied with your circumstances?

What did Paul do? Well, he uses the time wisely and continues to accomplish the mission God gave him. He does this in several ways.

Paul’s Response

First, he uses the time to write four letters to various churches (and one individual). In these letters, Paul encourages, chastises, and teaches about the gospel. He made very effective use of his time in prison to continue his mission to spread the gospel!

Second, he took advantage of the fact that he was imprisoned by Gentiles! He likely saw a number of different guards each day as they fed him and guarded him. He used this time to witness to these guards and explain to them the cause of Christ!

Paul even recognized that others were preaching more boldly about Jesus as a result of his imprisonment. While some had pure motives and others did not, Paul welcomed any accurate preaching of the gospel as helping to accomplish his mission.

What About Us?

Paul tells us to follow his example (1 Corinthians 11:1). If we do this, how can we handle the interruptions that come our way? Not only the little daily interruptions, but even more so the big ones?

When we have big plans for ministry through our business and something interrupts these plans, how can we react in a way that imitates Paul? Can we reasonably expect to stop and pray that God would reveal that part of His plan to us?

If He chooses not to reveal His plans, can we patiently look around at our circumstances and determine how to continue our mission despite the interruption? Is our eternal perspective so ingrained in our mind that we could adapt to the circumstances and maximize the opportunities they presented?

How Close Are We?

Are we so close in our relationship with God that this behavior is possible?

If not, what are we going to do to change?

I encourage you to stop and pray about this. As business owners and leaders, we are normally trained to overcome the circumstances of any interruption and move on with the mission. We are problem solvers and have wiring that keeps us moving.

Instead, sometimes we need to recognize that God may want us to sit still and look for His will IN the interruption. If we will draw closer to Him, it is more likely we will be able to do this when the time comes.

How good are you with handling an interruption?

Do you see interruptions as potentially coming from God?

What do you need to do differently?