Of course, even if we understand this and make every effort to live it out, it is easy sometimes to drift. An example of this occurs when we get to the point where we are out of touch with our employees or team members. It doesn’t have to be intentional to happen. Business can come at us at light speed and it is easy to return our focus to the urgent rather than the important.

It Can Happen To Anyone

You really don’t even have to forget this truth to get into trouble here. It may be very clear to you that your team is the most important aspect of your company or department mission. The problem simply may be your circumstances for a season.

When this happens, regardless of the reasons or intent, unrest is often quick to appear. Depending on the culture you have built over time, this unrest may not be a huge factor. A stronger culture can handle a season like this. A weaker culture, however, could quickly deteriorate.

Do Your Employees Say This?

In an effort to encourage you to take a look at this issue before it becomes a problem, I have compiled a list of five things your employees (or coworkers) may be saying about you. I hope you will take the time to assess your current situation and determine corrective action if necessary. I know I am!

1.) “All he seems to care about is _____.”

What is it that you talk about all the time? What do you spend the majority of your time focused on? What upsets you the quickest? The answers to these questions may give you a clue to what your employees think is most important to you.

If the answers you gave relate more to business metrics or results than to the people producing them, then you may be out of balance. Sure the metrics are important, but the people producing them are more so.

Check yourself and see if maybe you have forgotten about the individuals on your team. Begin thinking about and focusing on how to engage them and their passions and you might find out that the metrics take care of themselves.

2.) “He doesn’t know what I go through.”

This is a tough one for most because it is true. You and I do not really KNOW what it is that others are going through. However, that does not mean we cannot attempt to learn and understand it.

Intentionally making yourself available to have seemingly random conversations with your team members about what they are experiencing – at work AND outside of work – can give you incredible insights into their needs and desires.

Just showing an ounce of understanding will give you the connection with them that both of you need. This is the stuff that relationships are built on, leading to opportunities to influence them for eternal impact!

3.) “He’s too busy to talk to me.”

For some crazy reason, we have been taught to believe that moving quickly and with purpose will convince those around us that we are getting things done. We think they will see our hustle and be in awe!

I am sorry, but that is hogwash. People are not enamored with leaders that rush around all the time. People want and need connections. That is simply not possible if we are always moving so quickly that we are not approachable.

Some of you are thinking that you can’t help it – you are that busy!

If so, there is a problem.

Maybe this is true in extreme situations and for short seasons. For all other times, it simply shows you are not building enough margin into your schedule. Take a couple of responsibilities off of your plate and create margin for yourself and those around you.

4.) “He would be mad if I asked for help with ____.”

There could be multiple reasons for this statement. Maybe you have a problem with #3 above and they don’t want to try to slow you down. Maybe you are impatient and they feel they would frustrate you by asking for help. It could even be something they should already know but were not properly trained to do.

Whatever the reason, they likely see you as somewhat of an expert and would love to be coached by you in one way or another. For you to give the impression that you are not available for help like this only eliminates another opportunity to influence someone.

Work at making yourself more approachable and available. Even in small increments, you may be surprised at the impact that comes out of it! Try it and see!

5.) “He doesn’t care about me.”

Assuming you are a Christian in business with an eternal perspective, this could be the worst of the five. Unlike #1, this statement reflects how they think you feel about them as an individual. This is personal to them.

There are many ways you could cause them to feel this way. In fact, this could be an accumulation of the four issues listed above. Whatever the case, you need to recognize (1) that this can happen and (2) that it is critical for you to address.

The first step – actually care about them! Make sure you are praying for them daily. Pray that God would reveal to you ways you can show them that you care. Think about them as individuals more than you do now.

The amazing thing – they will begin to realize the truth that you DO care about them if you will just start doing it! Be intentional. And get honest feedback about your progress from those you trust the most.

Have you ever been one of the employees making these statements?

Do you think you are guilty of any of these?

What are you going to do next?

Photo by Rawpixel / iStock

In fact, one of my main focuses for this blog has been to write as the one in the trenches DOING ministry in business, not the one on the sidelines TALKING about it. Of course, sometimes my mind wanders and I drift to lessons I am learning (or re-learning!) and I forget to flesh them out with specific examples. I am glad I was called out this time!

As a result, I will make an effort over the next several posts to do exactly that. I will attempt to give you examples of what a Christian business leader should see if he or she has died to self and is living out a life of ministry in business.

Take note that my examples will not be perfect. They will not cover everything. At the same time, they should give you a starting point to determine how your own evidence stacks up. We are each going to experience our call to ministry in different ways, but I hope you will find that some of these examples resonate with you.

In an effort to keep it simple today, I have put together a quick list of things your employees really want to hear you say. Sure, these could also be true of a business leader that is NOT a Christian, but that is not the point. The point is that the business leader who has died to self is no longer focused on their own self, but on others.

Employee Engagement

If you are focused on them, then the list below should be familiar to you – and you should be noticing a healthy level of employee engagement. As you read through it, ask yourself if you are saying these things to your employees on a regular basis. If not, why aren’t you?

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but I think it is a good start toward a top 10. Read through the list and then let me know what you would add or change.

1. “I care.”

Your employees or team members are not going to care how much you know until they know how much you care. You can have the greatest information, tips, and techniques for how they can get better at their jobs. You can have all the desire in the world to teach them how to do their jobs. But until they know you care, they will not hear you like you want them to.

Of course, just telling them that you care is not enough either. To gain true (and enduring) employee engagement, you must show them that you really mean it! This obviously can come in many forms. It can also be abused. Regardless, it is critical that you figure out how to communicate your concern for them if you want full engagement from them. Without doing so, you may get their time, but you will never get their heart!

2. “I have these expectations.”

One of the worst things we can do as business leaders is to set expectations for our employees without communicating those expectations to them! You may think you have done this in the past or that they should just know what you expect. If this is the case, you are missing it. We all need to know what is expected of us in all areas of our lives. This is especially true of our work.

Your employees are no different. If you want them to reach certain goals, make those goals clear to them. If you expect certain behaviors, then describe those behaviors and give examples. Get them to play these descriptions back to you so everyone is clear on what is expected. Ignoring this simply leads to frustration on both sides.

3. “Good job.”

Why is it so hard for some of us to praise someone for a job well done? For some (incredibly misguided) reason, too many of us think our employees will get an inflated feeling of importance if we tell them they did well at something. We think they will ask for a raise or promotion just because we said something positive about their performance.

The truth is that they will look for that…somewhere else…if we do not praise them. Forget the fears you may have about giving them a huge ego with a simple, “Good job!”. Step out and try it. Make a habit out of it and see what happens! I think you will be surprised at their response. Employee engagement does not happen without praise and recognition.

4. “I need you. You matter here.”

In a similar way to the fears mentioned above, too many business leaders think they will show weakness if they acknowledge to an employee that they are needed and important to the team. Why is that? Do we really think that they will suddenly turn on us and hold us hostage with unreasonable demands? Do we think that the acknowledgment of their importance will put us in a vulnerable position?

What will put you in a vulnerable position is failing to consistently recruit and develop a deep bench. Give attention to this part of your job, but don’t fail to tell those on your team that they are important. They want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Let them know you think they are – that is essential to employee engagement.

5. “This is how to improve.”

Our employees need to know what a good job looks like and to be told when they accomplish it. At the same time, they need to know what parts of their jobs are not meeting our expectations and how to grow. You can’t just keep telling them that they are not getting it done without also telling them how to get it done.

Granted, some will not get it even when you tell them. Maybe they are not a good fit for the job. There could be many reasons. That is a topic for another post. Regardless, you need to do everything in your power to get through to them on how they can get better. If one method does not work, try another. Just don’t expect them to figure it out on their own. You hired them. Employee engagement will increase when you take responsibility for developing them.

Have you said any of these phrases lately?

What would you add to this list?

Do you disagree with anything on this list?

Christian Business Leader Truths

1. You must live by example, to a higher standard.

As the owner or leader of a Christian business, you are the example to follow, whether you like it or not. You are the head of the business and your employees are going to look to you for the example. What do they see?

You can talk all you want about your “Christian business” and how you want everyone to live it out, but if YOU are not living the witness that matches your talk, then you are wasting your breath. And just in case you want to take Charles Barkley’s approach (watch this video), forget it. You cannot vacate this position just because you say so!

2. Others need to know you care before they will listen to you.

You can have a full alphabet of letters after your name to represent your education. You can have decades of experience in your field and have the scars to show for it. You can even have a book you wrote on every desk in your business to prove your expertise.

All that is fine, but if you truly want your employees or team members to listen to you, you had better show them how much you truly care about them. This cannot be faked or imitated. You must sincerely care about those around you AND they must know it before you can expect them to hear what you have to say and act on it.

Sure, you can demand obedience, but you will never get their heart. Without their heart, you have no engagement. Without engagement, your struggle will be long and difficult!

3. Dollars given are nice, hands-on ministry is better.

It is so easy for successful Christian business leaders and owners to see a cause that touches their heart and give money to it. There is nothing wrong with this at all! In fact, I encourage it!

The problem is that this act requires very little investment or sacrifice in many cases. If you really want to change lives, you need to get your hands dirty! In addition to giving money, you need to step out and give of yourself.

This can mean different things to different people, so I encourage you to simply pray God will reveal His will in this for you. Ask Him to send you out and teach you through hands-on experience in giving!

4. This life is a marathon, not a sprint.

Too often, it is easy to get caught up in the fact that we have not seen any immediate results from our efforts lately. We bust our tails for a period and then look around for the payoff. When none is found, we get discouraged.

We cannot forget that the race we have been called to run is not a short one. We will eventually finish it and get the rest we deserve, but until then we are to run. This is not to say we do not take our sabbath rests and breaks to sharpen the axe. We must. However, we simply cannot afford to depend on the run-reward-run-reward pattern that often exists in world around us. God’s pattern is different…BETTER, but different!

5. You are not alone.

This is the Achilles heel of so many Christian business leaders today. We think that God has called us, equipped us, and then sent us out alone into the world to impact it for Him. In fact, if you did not read that last sentence carefully, you may be thinking it was a true statement!

The problem with this statement is the one word, “alone.” Look at Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples. He also tells us He will be with us, to the very end of the age! Also look at God’s words to Joshua (Joshua 1:2-9). Twice, He told Moses He would not leave him or forsake him.

Just like the disciples and Joshua, we are sent out to do ministry in a tough world. Please, do not get caught in the trap that allows you to think you are alone. With the presence of the Holy Spirit in you and Jesus at the Father’s side interceding for you, you are anything but alone. Draw strength from Him and press into Him for the endurance you need. It is there for the asking!

Which of these truths are you most guilty of forgetting?

What truth would you add to this list? Why?

What are you going to do to remember these truths?

Photo by hxdyl/Shutterstock

Our new hire training consists of several components and each is important. However, the most critical in my opinion is a one-hour session I lead with all new hires. In this new hire training session, I cover three elements:

• The History of our Business
• Our Core Philosophy (our Why)
• The Successful Employee Profile

New Hire Training

I start by giving the full history of our company. This does not take long, but I believe it gives each new employee context for what comes next. I then cover our core philosophy. In this segment, I cover our mission, vision, and core values. I probably spend the most time here as I see this to be the most important part of my training. You can read more about the content of this training [HERE].

While the first two on this list are specific to our business, I believe you can most benefit from the details of our Successful Employee Profile. Today, I will share the first three qualities in our profile. I will follow up in my next post with the final three qualities.

In teaching these qualities to our new hires, I explain that every company has their own way of doing things. In other companies, the profile of a successful employee might look different. However, based on our core philosophy and the resulting practices, a successful employee must exhibit these qualities.

Quality #1 – Character

This is should be an obvious quality, but too often we simply do not talk about it like we should. Maybe we assume everyone knows they should have character. It could be that we assume everyone has the same definition of character.

Whatever the problem, this quality should top our list. At our company, we define character as always embracing and living out the mission, vision, and core values we have established, regardless of cost. This is to be done whether people are watching or not.

Quality #2 – Servant Heart

In teaching our new hires about this quality, I start with a quote from Zig Ziglar. If you have never read or listened to material from Zig, I strongly urge you to do so. He was an inspirational, godly leader and speaker. Here is what he said:

“ You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. —ZIG ZIGLAR

At first glance, some people might see this as somewhat self-serving. Maybe it is, just a little. However, the key is where you start. I teach our new hires that they must start by serving our customer as well as each other. Their mindset must be to meet the needs of others first, before addressing their own.

The whole key to Zig’s statement is where you start. If you start by trying to get what you want in life, you will likely find the path difficult and virtually never-ending. If, however, you begin by seeking to serve others first, your desires are more likely to come to pass. I urge our new hires to choose the latter.

Quality #3 – Customer First

This quality seems at first glance to resemble the last one, but the key here is I to focus on the customer in the course of doing the job. Too often, we get caught up in doing our job or process, following “policy”, etc. and we forget the customer we are there to serve. We can have all of the best policies and processes in the world, but if the customer is not served, we will go out of business.

When I am teaching the new hires, I try to make sure they understand they must balance our need for process and policy with the needs of the customer. I urge them to make decisions to serve the customer over a policy or process. If they choose incorrectly, there will not be disciplinary action. Instead we will simply review their decisions afterwards and determine the best course for the next time.

The other key point I make is that they each have a specific job and role in the business. However, if they ever see a customer in need, they are to meet that need – even if it is someone else’s job. “Not my job” is never an acceptable excuse in our company! This is the quote I use:

“ Customer Service is not a department here; it is everyone’s job!

Successful Employee Profile

These are the first three qualities in what we call our Successful Employee Profile. I would love to hear if you have something similar in your company. If you do, please share in the comment section below. If you have something to add to the ones I listed so far, I am eager to learn. Share that as well!

What qualities make up your successful employee profile?

Is this something you teach all new hires?

What are some other ways you reinforce this profile on an ongoing basis?

Photo by Jirsak/Shutterstock

Christian Business Leader Truths

1. You must live by example and to a higher standard.

As the owner or leader of a Christian business, you are the example to follow, whether you like it or not. You are the head of the business and your employees are going to look to you for the example. What do they see?

You can talk all you want about your “Christian business” and how you want everyone to live it out, but if YOU are not living the witness that matches your talk, then you are wasting your breath. And just in case you want to take Charles Barkley’s approach (watch this video), forget it. You cannot vacate this position just because you say so!

2. Others need to know you care before they will listen to you.

You can have a full alphabet of letters after your name to represent your education. You can have decades of experience in your field and have the scars to show for it. You can even have a book you wrote on every desk in your business to prove your expertise.
All that is fine, but if you truly want your employees or team members to listen to you, you had better show them how much you truly care about them. This cannot be faked or imitated. You must sincerely care about those around you AND they must know it before you can expect them to hear what you have to say and act on it.

Sure, you can demand obedience, but you will never get their heart. Without their heart, you have no engagement. Without engagement, your struggle will be long and difficult!

3. Dollars given are nice, hands-on ministry is better.

It is so easy for successful Christian business leaders and owners to see a cause that touches their heart and give money to it. There is nothing wrong with this at all! In fact, I encourage it!

The problem is that this act requires very little investment or sacrifice in many cases. If you really want to change lives, you need to get your hands dirty! In addition to giving money, you need to step out and give of yourself.

This can mean different things to different people, so I encourage you to simply pray God will reveal His will in this for you. Ask Him to send you out and teach you through hands-on experience in giving!

4. This life is a marathon, not a sprint.

Too often, it is easy to get caught up in the fact that we have not seen any immediate results

from our efforts lately. We bust our tails for a period and then look around for the payoff. When none is found, we get discouraged.
We cannot forget that the race we have been called to run is not a short one. We will eventually finish it and get the rest we deserve, but until then we are to run. This is not to say we do not take our sabbath rests and breaks to sharpen the axe. We must.

However, we simply cannot afford to depend on the run-reward-run-reward pattern that often exists in world around us. God’s pattern is different…BETTER, but different!

5. You are not alone.

This is the Achilles heal of so many Christian business leaders today. We think that God has called us, equipped us, and then sent us out alone into the world to impact it for Him. In fact, if you did not read that last sentence carefully, you may be thinking it was a true statement!

The problem with this statement is the one word, “alone.” Look at Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples. He also tells us He will be with us, to the very end of the age! Also look at God’s words to Joshua (Joshua 1:2-9). Twice, He told Moses He would not leave him or forsake him.

Just like the disciples and Joshua, we are sent out to do ministry in a tough world. Please, do not get caught in the trap that allows you to think you are alone. With the presence of the Holy Spirit in you and Jesus at the Father’s side interceding for you, you are anything but alone. Draw strength from Him and press into Him for the endurance you need. It is there for the asking!

Which of these truths are you most guilty of forgetting?

What truth would you add to this list for other Christian business leaders?

What are you doing to remember these truths?

[Original Post Date – May 29, 2012]

Unusual Accusations

As a result of some turnover in our business recently, I have seen two out-of-the-ordinary accusations against us. While these accusations were certainly unusual for us, they are not uncommon in our industry.

As I have said before, we are not perfect. We do not claim to be so. At the same time, these accusations appear to have come from former disgruntled employees. Even so, left unaddressed they could lead to greater consequences for us.

Issues Addressed

Digging into each of them, we found one of them to be completely baseless.

Unfortunately, the other (and more serious) turned out to be partially true. This one concerned a safe workplace. The accusation indicated there was some equipment that was not 100% safe for use by our employees. As a result of the accusation and resulting inquiry, we identified two separate machines that needed some attention to be in proper working order.

Fortunately, the equipment did not fail or cause any injuries and can be replaced or repaired easily. Unfortunately, in my mind this is a mark against our pursuit of excellence and is something that could have been prevented with a little foresight and accountability.

Consider The Potential Consequences!

Imagine if these equipment issues had not been discovered at this point. Consider the eventual possibility of someone getting hurt due to their unsafe operation. How would that potentially impact their livelihood? How would it effect their family and anyone else dependent on them?

Beyond the possible injury and recovery, what are the additional ramifications? What would the employees think about our claim to run our business as God would have us to? What would customers think about our business? How would this impact our witness in the community?

Our Responsibility

Folks, thinking about strategy and ministry are critical parts of our job descriptions. Holding our teams accountable for revenue generation and expense control are also critical components of our jobs.

But if these are getting done while our equipment remains unsafe or our employees are working in less than adequate conditions, then we are failing in our jobs overall. These basics, like a safe workplace, are often taken for granted. However, they are the very issues that will destroy our witness for the Lord if we aren’t diligent in executing them.

Learn From The Situation

For my part, I am putting a couple of measures in place to make sure this does not happen again. I am also meeting face-to-face with each department leader to be certain they are clear on our philosophy regarding this issue. I cannot afford to allow us to slip back into this position again.

Have you looked at your equipment lately? Maybe you do not have heavy machines like we do, but I am sure you can draw the parallels to your business.

Safe Workplace Self Assessment

If your employees are on the road a lot, what are your policies about their sleep between trips? Over-the-road trucking companies have these guidelines, but other companies may overlook something like this.

Other issues to consider would be tripping or slipping hazards, electrical hazards, or unwelcome visitors in the workplace. Any of these can lead to injuries or trouble if left unaddressed. No, these are not the fun issues to tackle, but creating and maintaining a safe workplace is absolutely part of your responsibility as leader.

Determine that you are going to review your own company’s situation regarding a safe workplace and proper equipment maintenance. Engage your employees and team members in this effort. Put the proper processes in place to make sure you never find yourself having to explain why you did not do this. You will be glad you did!

Do you and your employees have a safe workplace?

Does everyone on your team see the necessity of having a safe workplace?

What, if anything, do you and your team need to address?

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?

Not Too Excited

If you are like too many people in this world, you could not answer “yes” to any of these questions. In fact, you possibly felt that a “yes” answer was not even a remote possibility. If anything, you may could think of a handful of days over too long a period of time when you were excited to go to work, but they probably were not normal days.

If this is true of you, it may also be true to say that you have drifted into a kind of survival mode at work. Maybe you are on some kind of cruise control in your job. You are just doing your best to keep things going as they have been. You may not necessarily be falling behind or slacking on your job, but you are not really gaining ground either.

Know Why You Are Stuck?

Does any of this describe you? Are you tired of being stuck? Do you wish there was a way to get out of this rut? Have you thought about it on occasion but you don’t really know what to do to change things? Hopefully, you CAN answer “yes” to some or all of these questions.

I say that because I think I might have your answer.

Please know up front that I am not the expert here. I do not claim to be able to fix everything about your job. I may not even be able to completely resolve this specific situation I am describing right now.

Why I Can Help

At the same time, I do believe I can help. I believe I can help you get your passion back. I think I can show you something you might be missing. In doing so, I think you can quickly move into a position where you are eager to go to work again!

Does this sound too good to be true?

Based on my experience, it is not.

Why Is The Secret!

It is my belief that too many people struggle with their work for one simple reason….

Either they have forgotten their true “Why” or they have the wrong “Why”.

If you ask the majority of people why they do the work they do, they likely have a hard time answering you. Some will say they do this work because its what they know how to do. Or it is what they (or their family) have always done.

Others will point to their income and say that no other work would pay them as well. You might hear someone answer that they do the work they do because it used to excite them. They used to love it, but it has now gotten old or no longer thrills them the way it did before.

What About You?

What is your answer to this question? Why do you do the work you do? Why do you have the job you have? Why do you go to work every day?

If you have not thought about this, I encourage you to take some time and think about it. In fact, if you are serious about improving your situation, then I suggest you actually take the time to write out an answer to these questions. Act as if you must turn in this answer for a grade…an important one.

The Why Is The Root

Here is the root problem – you cannot get fulfillment from a job (and the fulfillment is what is missing) when you are not there for a clear reason that gets to the core of who you are.

More simply put, you cannot enjoy your job if you don’t know why you are there.

More Than A Paycheck

And this “Why” has to be more than just a paycheck or an entry on a resume. It has to resonate with your soul. The “Why” must connect directly with the person you want to be. It needs to bring goosebumps or cause a chill to go down your spine.

It has to be that significant.

Anything less will fade over time and put you right back where you are now.

Too Much To Ask?

So, the first thing you are probably thinking is that this is asking too much. Maybe someone like Dr. Ben Carson can have this kind of a “Why” when he surgically separates conjoined twins and enables them to have fully separate and productive lives.

Or you might think that kind of a feeling is possible for someone like Mother Teresa or Billy Graham. Maybe you think that these are the kinds of people that get chills when they think about the impact they can have on others, but for you to hope for this kind of “Why” is just not reasonable.

I disagree.

Different, But Still Impactful

It is true that your “Why”, and especially your “How”, can be different from theirs. At the same time, your “Why” can and SHOULD have the same impact on you that theirs has on them! No joke!

In my next post, we will go a little deeper into what your “Why” should be. Before I do that, I am charging you with taking some time to think about this on your own. Pray about it. Ask for wisdom and insight into this idea. God is faithful and He will answer you. I will be praying for you as well.

Have you thought about your “Why” before?

What are some of your reasons to do what you do?

Does your “Why” reach to your core?

Examples Of Christian Ministry

Today, I would like to give you some specific ideas about how we take this same approach in our business. I do not have the space to fully describe each item on the list. Instead, I will give a brief description and then, when possible, direct you to another post on this site that goes into more detail.

My hope is that you can take even just a couple of these ideas and adapt them to your business. If you have any questions or want to discuss them further, please comment below or send me an email. I will respond as quickly as I can!

1. Mission Statement
God is central to our company mission statement and core values.

2. Chaplain program
We offer chaplain services to our employees on a weekly basis through Corporate Chaplains of America. This service is incredible and has too many benefits to list here!

3. Owners Manuals For Life
We put a New Testament Bible in the glove box of every vehicle we sell. The cover says “Owners Manual For Life” and we have a note inside that explains how we believe it is the greatest book they will ever read. We don’t point it out to the customer, but let them find it later.

4. Christ in Christmas Party
We celebrate and have fun like other companies, but we also make sure there is a story or illustration at the end of the party that contains the gospel message to keep our focus on the real reason for the party.

5. Christian magazines, Gospels of John in lounge
We keep Christian magazines like “TwoTen” on the tables in the customer lounges at each of our stores. We also keep pocket-sized copies of the Gospel of John stocked there.

6. Bible Studies
Our chaplain (and sometimes our Controller) leads a weekly Bible study in the employee break room. We do one at lunch and one at breakfast so everyone has the opportunity to come, regardless of work schedule. We provide the food and we watch a video series followed by discussion.

7. Devotions
I go around to each department once a month and tell a quick story or illustration with a business and spiritual message woven in. These take five minutes or so and stay very light, but get great responses!

8. Employee Newsletter
I write an article for our employee newsletter once a month. In this article, I follow much the same pattern as the devotions mentioned above.

9. Library
We have a couple of library areas across our locations where we keep books for use by employees. Topics range from spiritual to family to parenting to business. If they are looking for a book we don’t have (and it fits our mission), then we will get it.

10. Sponsorships
We sponsor a number of faith-based organizations around our community. While these are mostly financial sponsorships, there are also opportunities to help with things other than money. Use of facilities, social media marketing, etc. are some examples.

11. Car wash
We host faith-based organizations on our parking lot and provide all necessary materials for them to hold a car wash fundraiser. They provide the labor and keep the revenue from the customers. We give a per-car donation as well.

12. Open meetings with prayer
We take time at the beginning of our sales meetings to open in prayer.

13. Employee recognition
We recognize employees who go above and beyond expectations outside of their job with a couple of awards – the RPM award and the Lightning Strike.

14. Christian music
Our overhead and on-hold music comes from a Pandora station with upbeat Christian music. It is not overwhelming, but provides a great atmosphere in the showroom and around the dealerships.

15. Pay for volunteering
We provide opportunities for employees to volunteer during community events we sponsor and pay them for half the time they spend doing so.

Not Everything

This is not everything we do to create the potential for eternal impact, but it should give you some ideas about what you can do in your business.

The idea I want to make sure I convey is that all of this does not happen at once. This is an accumulation of over ten years of intentional thought and action. We started small. You can do the same.

Progress Over Time

If you work at it over time, your business will look like the house described in my last post. Everywhere you turn, you will see potential for Christian ministry to happen. You will also realize that it is good for business!

Comment below and let me know what you would add to this list! Have a question, ask it! I would love to engage in conversation about this.

Background

Two posts ago, I shared how we see our community as a critical part of the answer to the question, “Why does our business exist?” Our answer to that question, also our mission statement, is that our business exists to honor God by impacting the lives of our employees, customers, and community.

In my last post, I gave a specific example of how we attempt to create a culture of impacting the community by hosting monthly car wash events to benefit local, faith-based organizations. To get the whole picture here, you really need to go back and read these posts first.

Blanket Drive

About a week or two after our last car wash event for the year (due to the weather getting colder!), we held an employee blanket drive for Emmaus Women’s Shelter, a local homeless shelter for women and children. With the cold weather quickly approaching, they had a need that we wanted to help meet.

In order to deliver the 100+ blankets we collected from employees, we enlisted the help of one of our Clean-Up department employees, “Joe”. He was eager to help and the blankets were delivered without incident, or so I thought!

Surprise Twist

The next day, “Joe” came to me and asked if he could have a minute to share something. I quickly agreed. What I heard was incredible to me! He told me that he had helped to deliver the blankets to the shelter and was shocked to find children there. He could not believe there were so many children that were homeless.

Keep in mind that “Joe” is in the most “entry-level” position in our company and has more financial needs than most. He went on to tell me that he could not get the children off his mind, wondering what they were going to do for Christmas. He said he wanted to help make sure they had gifts at Christmas.

He then asked if we could do another car wash event where we asked people to bring toys instead of paying for the car wash. I then asked him who would actually work the event, washing the cars, since that was typically the job of the organization we were helping. He said he would get other employees to volunteer their time (their Saturday off) to do it.

Another Car Wash?

My first reaction (transparency here – it wasn’t culture!) was to think about the cold weather (this was mid-November) and many other reasons it would not work. I really did not think we would have many employees volunteer to give up their time off to do it. I am not knocking them, but that is a big deal when they work so hard during the week.

To check his commitment level, I gave “Joe” a test. I told him to go create a sign-up list and see how many employees he could get to volunteer for this car wash event. I told him we would talk further when he came back.

Less than 90 minutes later, he was in my office with a list of 25 employees willing to staff the event! I was shocked!

Not The Best Conditions

I have to tell you, I still did not know what to do. Thanksgiving was less than two weeks away and people were not going to come out in droves for a car wash. It could be snowing that day (it’s possible!) or raining and cold.

My mind continued to flood with excuses. The problem was that I had a very committed employee in front of me, and whether he knew it or not, he was calling me on my commitment to real ministry.

I told him it was a done deal. We would hold the event on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, hoping that the natural shopping traffic would help our cause. We posted details about the event on Facebook and our normal channels.

Not satisfied, “Joe” got another employee to create a paper flyer for him and he went from gas station to grocery store and to the WalMart parking lot, passing them out. He did this by himself!

Culture Victory!

The day of the event was cold…maybe not cold for some of you, but sub-40 degrees. That is cold enough when you are washing cars with hoses, buckets, etc.! The traffic was not overwhelming, but it was decent. My brother and I joined in and worked the whole event right there on the hoses! We were soaked and exhausted, but I can’t remember being more fulfilled recently.

The end results amounted to roughly $1,200 raised along with a truck load full of toys donated! “Joe” ran the entire event and delivered the toys and the money. He was on cloud nine (and deserved it).

He single-handedly motivated 25 employees to volunteer their time washing cars in the cold and provided Christmas for a crowd of homeless children. In fact, when we later recognized his efforts with a “Lightning Strike” award at the company Christmas party, everyone in attendance gave him a standing ovation!

Tough Question

Folks, I still get emotional thinking about the impact that one guy had on so many people. He had the least to give, but produced amazing results. What about you and me? In anyone’s book, we have so much more to give than “Joe” does.

So the question is this:

What are you doing with your time, treasure, and talents to impact eternity?