Tag Archives: eternal perspective

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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.

choice

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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Does Imminent Bankruptcy Change Your Investment Plan?

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Imagine for a minute that you know me as a 100% reliable and trustworthy source. Imagine also that I have just told you that I have undeniable evidence that the U.S. Government is going to file bankruptcy in Federal Court next Monday morning. What would be your reaction?

Bankruptcy

Ripple Effects of Bankruptcy?

I am not a guru when it comes to these types of issues, but I am fairly sure I could make some educated guesses about some of the ripple effects of an event like this. I assume you could do the same. In light of that, how does your current investment portfolio look? What would be your new financial plan?

Would you buy more shares of stock or sell what you have? Would you invest in the U.S. Dollar or move toward gold and silver? Would you make plans to spend as much as you could before the date of the event or would you try to invest in those areas (food, barter materials, etc.) that would contribute to your long term survival and well being?

Would any of these actions change if I told you the date of the bankruptcy filing was actually 6 months from now versus next week? What about one year from now or longer? How would your urgency change?

Truth Is Worse!

Obviously, I do NOT have advance notice of a bankruptcy filing like this. Unfortunately, the knowledge I have is far worse than this. In fact, I am fairly confident that you have this same knowledge that I have.

Folks, the truth is that this entire world that we inhabit is bankrupt. The filing has already been made and we are simply living out the discharge process. What is the only major difference in this news and my fictional bankruptcy filing?

Timing.

We read in 2 Peter 3 that this world is already scheduled to be destroyed. Everything in it will be destroyed and our works laid bare. Bankruptcy has been filed, but the discharge process is taking time. Peter tells us here that the Lord is patient, but the events are coming nonetheless.

Lost Value

Let me translate to be clear. Everything you “own” right now will be destroyed. It will have a value of $0. Any investments you have in land, buildings, stocks, etc. will be brought to a total value of zero. This is a total and complete bankruptcy with full liquidation of assets.

So…what is your plan? How does your current portfolio look? Do you feel good about its diversity? Are you wisely invested in those areas that will last after this bankruptcy?

Vague Timing?

Back to the issue of timing. In my fictional bankruptcy, I gave you a hard date, a timeline that you could see and one that would allow you to make necessary adjustments. The world bankruptcy explained by the Bible does not do this. No one knows when the final discharge will happen.

And that, my friends, is why many of us are asleep at the wheel. We think we have time. We are living with the illusion that we can deal with these eternal investment issues at some point in the future. Unfortunately, we simply do not know. Therefore, many sleep.

Portfolio Shift?

I am sorry, but I just don’t think that is what we are supposed to be doing. As for me, I am certain that I have entirely too much left invested in this world and not nearly enough laid up in heaven. I am working on that, but I have a long way to go.

What about you? What if this “world bankruptcy” were to be discharged today…how would your portfolio fare? If you are like me, that is a scary proposition. While I know without a doubt that my soul would survive the fire, I am concerned that I have too much stuff that would not.

Future Investment

I have told you before that my job description, and life’s goal, is to add silhouettes. To the extent that I can accomplish this goal, my investment in this effort will survive the fire. My struggle is to invest more and more time, energy, and resources into this effort and less into the material rewards of this world.

I must continue working to shift my portfolio away from the temporal and toward the eternal. I am convinced that we are called to live IN this world. I am just as convinced that we are not to make it our home. We should be renters here, not owners.

I encourage you to take some time and think through this idea of world bankruptcy. Think about where you are currently investing your time, treasure, and talents. Consider Paul’s warning (1 Corinthians 3:10-15) to us and begin doing work that will survive the fire. I think this would be a great investment for you!

What does your portfolio look like today?

What action do you need to take to correct it?

What is your level of urgency? What should it be?

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7 Reasons Your Eternal Goals Are Short Sighted, Part 2

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[This is the third post in a series about setting goals that have an underlying eternal purpose.]

In the first post, I explained eternal goals – what they are and why they are important. In my last post, we began looking at the 7 reasons why most people neglect to set eternal goals. We used one of my personal goals for 2015 to illustrate these reasons.

eternal goals 2

Today, I want to jump right in and go through the rest of the 7 reasons. Let’s do it!

Reason #4 – I Can’t Know For Sure If I Have Hit Them

A critical part of an effective goal-setting process is having a very clear way to know when you have achieved the goals. When you first start talking about eternal goals and the results you want, it does seem like it would be impossible to know if you have achieved them or not.

That is another reason for us to base our eternal goals on activities that we believe will best LEAD to the eternal results. We must trust God for the actual eternal results, but we can certainly do what is within our control to give us the best odds at eternal impact.

Using my example of wanting to impact more people for eternity through my blog, the measurement I chose was email subscriber count. Like I said before, it is not perfect. However, it is measurable and I can know if I hit the goal. I have to rely on God to turn that count into eternal impact.

Reason #5 – These Goals Cause Abnormal Behavior!

This is a tough one. It is tough because it is true. Seeking to set and achieve eternal goals will absolutely drive you toward behaviors that are not common or normal in today’s culture.

At the same time, Jesus called us to be salt and light. We are going to stand out from the crowd if we follow His calling. The sooner we get comfortable with this idea, the greater the impact we will have!

Reason #6 – Eternal Goals Conflict With My Current Goals

Much like Reason #5, this is also potentially true. Many people set goals to save a certain amount of money by the end of the year. Or maybe their goal is to buy a new house. These goals are not bad in and of themselves.

Unfortunately, there CAN be conflict when we begin to think about giving and other similar ways to achieve eternal impact. For me, I have a goal for our family to give a certain percentage of our income to faith-based efforts. The money we want to give could make other large ticket purchases difficult or impossible.

Conflict like this is best resolved by seeking godly advice and counsel from accountability partners and trusted advisers as well as prayer and study of the Bible. This conflict is greatly reduced when your goal-setting process begins with prayer and includes an eternal perspective from the start.

Reason #7 – I Cannot Fully Control The Results

For those of us who are “Type-A” personalities, this can be one of the toughest reasons to overcome. We want our goals to be based on our own performance. We do not want to rely on someone else to help us hit our goals.

Maybe that mindset works in individual sports, but it absolutely will not work when it comes to spiritual matters – even goal setting. We are designed by God to need Him. We are incomplete and cannot achieve anything meaningful or of lasting value without Him. We must accept this and set our goals accordingly.

While I cannot control the eternal impact He creates with my writing, I CAN control the activities that LEAD to that impact. I set my goals based on controllable activities and leave the rest to Him. I am usually surprised at the results!

Summary

Like I said earlier, most people have never set eternal goals. After going through the most common reasons for this and explaining how to set these goals, I hope you are more comfortable with attempting it going forward.

I have also given you this advice before: start small and feel free to contact me with questions! Try this with one goal and see how it goes. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the results!

Have you started with an eternal goal yet?

What is holding you back from jumping in?

Who are you getting to hold you accountable?

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7 Reasons Your Goals Are Short Sighted

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I do not argue that the timing of talking in March about setting goals is a little off. Anyone that sets annual goals likely did so in December. By now, they have either made great progress toward them or have given up on them altogether. Hopefully you are in the first group. Either way, very few have actually set eternal goals and that is what I want to discuss!

goals

In my last post, I talked about eternal goals and what they are. I also gave you a list of the most likely reasons why most people have never set them. I told you we would try to respond to those reasons, using some examples from my own 2015 goals in the process.

Let’s just take one reason at a time from the list and respond to it:

Reason #1 – I have never thought about it.

Okay, so this is probably the number one reason most people have never set eternal goals. It is a legitimate reason in that I don’t think I have ever heard of a book, webinar, or other learning tool that mentions setting eternal goals.

At the same time, since you have read my post you can no longer use this reason! Therefore, I will not spend a lot of time on this one.

Reason #2 – I don’t know how to set eternal goals.

Even if you have thought about setting eternal goals before, it is likely that your next thought was that you had no idea where to start. The funny thing is that you actually do know how to set them, but you don’t even realize it.

Setting an eternal goal is not really that different from setting a normal (shorter-term) goal. In fact, they often look exactly like normal goals, but there is an underlying eternal purpose to the goal.

For example, one of my 2015 goals is to triple the number of people subscribing to this blog. While this looks like a normal goal, the main point of this goal is not actually increasing subscribers. The point is that the more subscribers there are, the greater the opportunities for impact!

In setting this goal, here are the steps I took:

  • I determined my purpose: I want to help Christian business owners leverage their business for eternal return.
  • I decided how to achieve that purpose: I want to reach more business owners with continuously improving content.
  • I chose the most effective and simplest way to measure my path to that impact: I decided that increasing my subscriber count is the best measurement for my goal of eternal impact.
  • I established a stretch goal for this measurement: This part is the same as for a normal goal.
  • I put it in writing and enlisted accountability partners: I have shared my goals with my wife and a small group of peers that are pushing me hard!

Reason #3 – Eternal goals are too tough to measure.

As I showed you in my example above, I realize I cannot actually measure the eternal impact I am having with my blog. I can only tell you stories and point to actual events that we would all agree reflect eternal impact. The problem is physically measuring this impact.

If we are going to move past this problem, we must accept that measurement for these goals will not be perfect. Once we are willing to agree to this, the task becomes easier.

The next step is to focus on activities that will LEAD to the impact you desire. For me, increasing my subscriber count is not the perfect measurement. At the same time, the activities that are necessary for me to achieve this increase in subscriber count will certainly lead me to greater impact.

Remaining Reasons Next Time

I have run out of room for this post, but I will pick up where I left off next time. I hope you are seeing that eternal goals are not that difficult. In fact, I really hope you take a look at your current goals and see where you might be able to modify them for your own eternal impact! If you have not set goals for 2015, now is the time to start!

Which of these reasons have caused you not to set eternal goals?

Can you see some ways to modify your current goals for eternal impact?

What needs to be your next action?

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Have You Set Your Eternal Goals?

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I am sure your first thought is to ask why I am talking about goals when we are so far past the first of the year! Isn’t that a topic for January? Haven’t most people given up on their goals for the year already? You may also be asking what I mean by eternal goals. Good questions! Let’s see if we can answer them!

eternal goals

Goals In March?

First of all, I am talking about goals in March because some of you have already given up on your goals for the year. Maybe you have not completely given up on them, but you are likely getting into the messy middle in some of them. In others, you never got out of the starting blocks.

Whatever the case, we are going to talk about goals because you need to talk about them. If you are stuck, then this is the perfect time to jump back in with a renewed energy! I am hereby holding you accountable to those goals and encouraging you to get back in the game.

Eternal Goals?

At the same time, I want to know – how many of your goals for this year are eternal goals? To be more clear, how many of your goals for 2015 have an eternal consequence as the motivation for the goal? Still not tracking with me? Let me explain.

I am assuming you are in business and you have a strong desire to integrate your Christian faith into your business. That is great, but WHY do you desire that? Hopefully, you recognize that God is the true owner of your business or job and that you are simply a steward for a time.

Purpose Of Business

Sure, your business has the purpose of providing for your family’s food, shelter, clothing, education, etc. It can also provide for your enjoyment of this life God has given you, right? But that is not where it stops. He gave you this business for a bigger purpose. He wants a return on His investment (Matthew 25:14-30)

Hopefully, you want to bring Him an eternal return because you realize that He does not need a material or financial return. He already owns it all! Therefore, you know that the only way to bring God the return that He does not already possess is to impact other souls for eternity by pointing them to Him.

Goal Alignment?

If all of this makes sense to you, then how well are your 2015 goals aligned with this ultimate measure of your work here on earth? Which of your annual goals can also be labeled eternal goals? Which of your goals, if achieved, will have an eternal impact on those around you now and those to come after you are gone?

If some of your goals are easily categorized as eternal goals, then congratulations! You are certainly on track to have the eternal impact God has in mind for you. If not, please do not get frustrated or lose heart. You are not alone!

Reasons For Lack Of Eternal Goals

In fact, there are many reasons why many of us have not already set eternal goals. Below is a list of some of these reasons. See if any of these apply to you and your situation.

    1. I have never thought about it.
    2. I really don’t know how to set eternal goals.
    3. Eternal goals are too tough to measure.
    4. I can’t know for sure if I have hit them.
    5. These goals are not normal or cause abnormal behavior.
    6. Eternal goals conflict with my current goals.
    7. I cannot fully control the results of these goals.

What Will You Do About It?

I am sure you can think of additional reasons, but I think this list is a good start. So now that we know why we have not set eternal goals, what are we going to do about it? Surely we won’t just stop here and say, “Oh well. Maybe next year.” It’s not too late to take action, is it?

I am so glad you asked! In my next post, I will try to respond to the above list of reasons by using examples from my 2015 goals. I will walk you through my thought processes and see if you can gain some perspective that will help you set your own eternal goals!

Do you already set your own eternal goals every year?

What process do you go through to do this?

If you have never thought about eternal goals, what is your next step?

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What I Learned From My Reader Survey

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Last month, I completed my very first Reader Survey. I have been writing this blog for 3.5 years now and I am ready to take it up a level. In order to do this, I felt it was critical to get your feedback about what you like best, what could improve, and any other ideas that might come from a survey.

survey

Reader Survey Results

I had 71 responses overall. This represents just over 15% of the number of email subscribers currently receiving my posts. My goal was to exceed 20%, but I think 15% was acceptable for a first effort. I know I got enough consistent feedback to give me the direction I need moving forward.

I have heard from the results that some of you are interested in the results, so I thought I would summarize them in this post. First I will give you a profile of the typical reader. Then I will tell you the five conclusions I reached based on the comments and suggestions offered.

Reader Profile

Let’s start with the profile:

  • My typical reader is male (72%) and falls between the ages of 45 to 64 (also 72%).
  • He is a business owner, entrepreneur, or a leader/employee in a business (65%).
  • He lives in the U.S. (86%) and his household income is over $75,000 (62%).
  • He has been integrating his faith and his work for years (64%).
  • His favorite topics have been Personal Growth (63%), Leadership (59%), and Business Practices (51%).
  • He has recommended my blog to others (58%).
  • He is most active on LinkedIn (86%) and Facebook (71%).
  • He prefers to read my blog via email (57%).

Since this is my first survey, I will be interested to watch how these demographics change over time. I will keep you updated as I complete future surveys.

My Conclusions

Now, let me share what I have learned from this survey. While I took lots of notes and learned more than this, I will share the main 5 lessons I gleaned from your feedback. The following five conclusions stood out above the rest.

1. Keep focusing on application!

    I heard loud and clear that you like that I most often focus on content that is easily applied to what you do. Like me, I understand that you are interested in reading about topics that you can take and apply to your own situation. This is cool to me because this was my number one goal from the beginning! I will commit to maintaining this focus.

2. Keep it real!

    I am so thankful that the way I write seems to resonate with you. I am not fancy or scholarly. I simply write the way I think – real, honest, and to the point. Your feedback told me to keep it this way. Evidently, most of you are as busy as I am and don’t have time for eloquent, fluffy posts about theory. Good thing – I can’t write any other way!

3. Keep the mix as/is!

    Your two favorite topics are also my top two most-frequent categories as well (Personal Growth & Leadership). For the most part, my mix of topics matches very well with your preferences. Since this mix has not been something I consciously determine, I will continue taking my own advice (and yours): I will continue to let God lead the content!

4. Keep it short(er)!

    Another clear message from the survey results – you prefer posts that are short and to the point. You do not have time to read lengthy posts. In fact, there were a few that would like to see my posts a little shorter. My focus going forward will be to work harder to keep the length down without sacrificing the message. When it makes sense, I will break a longer post into two or three to help with this.

5. Add some variety!

    I received many good ideas about what I could add to the blog to make it more useful to you. These ideas included doing more book reviews and adding video content. There was also the idea of taking time to go through Proverbs and apply it to business. I love the ideas and have already started working on some of them. Give me some time, but you will see some of these implemented in the not-too-distant future.

Thank You!

Overall, this survey was a great experience for me. I have received many new ideas from your comments and suggestions. I promise to take your feedback to heart and I hope you will see the benefits moving forward. Thank you for taking the time to give me your thoughts. I am grateful!

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Why Are You Feeling Stuck In Your Job?

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When you wake up in the morning, are you truly excited to go to work? Why? Be honest, does your mind jump to all of the thrilling opportunities you have in front of you for that day? Do you start thinking about how fortunate you are to be able to do what you do for a living?

why

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?

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15 Killer Ideas For Christian Ministry

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In my last post, I described a house that had gas cans, lit candles, and exposed wiring throughout. We agreed that the owner of this house is clearly trying to create conditions for a fire to break out. We also looked at how this same idea applies to Christian ministry in our businesses if we are looking for eternal impact by pointing people toward God.

Christian ministry

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.