Tag Archives: share your faith

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Ministry Action: Gospels in the Lounge

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Several weeks ago, I did a post on Christian Ministry in Business. I mentioned that I would be following up in the future with ministry actions that our company takes. So far, I have posted about several examples listed below:

Other Ministry Action Posts

ministry action

    Newsletter article
    Christ-centered TV ad
    Christ-centered message at company Christmas party
    “Merry Christmas” on business windows
    New Testament in every glove box

Another Ministry Action Idea

Today, I would like to tell you about another idea that you may be able to use in your own business. This is a very simple idea that costs very little.

ministry actionOur business has three separate buildings with three separate service departments (one for each franchise group – Honda, Ford, Chrysler). In each of these buildings is a customer lounge that includes leather club chairs and sofas, laptop workstations with free WiFi, flat screen TV’s, and complementary refreshments. These lounges are very comfortable and are frequently full of customers getting maintenance completed on their cars.

As most waiting areas do, we offer various magazines and newspapers for customer use. We also have brochures for vehicles, accessories, and warranty protection. Up to this point, you are probably thinking that there is nothing abnormal about our customer lounges.

Pocket-sized Gospel of John

Well, the part that I wanted to tell you about is the way we offer God’s Word as a part of this experience. We also have a small display case full of pocket-sized Gospels of John. We have one of these display cases in each of the lounges.

We included a sticker on each of the displays that says, “Please Take One!” in an effort to encourage customers to take one to read or share. Inside each gospel is a simple plan of salvation along with a phone number to call for more help.

Pocket Testament League

We order these gospels from The Pocket Testament League. The league has been around since 1893 and has given away more than 110 million gospels in its history! You can order the gospels for free, but they ask for donations to support the ministry. We donate $1 per gospel, or $30 per box of 30 gospels.

One cool feature of these gospels is the variety of cover designs they offer. Currently, they offer 50 different cover designs that are all very attractive. You can choose from so many themes that I cannot even begin to list all of them here. You just have to take a look yourself to see which ones fit your needs!

Pocket Testament

Above is just a sampling of the 50 or so covers they offer. While we have not yet done it, they also offer custom covers for orders over a certain volume. This organization is so flexible!

Inexpensive Results!

As I said earlier, this is a very inexpensive way to spread the gospel message in your business. The plastic displays may have cost $3 each and the gospels themselves are just $1 each. In 2011, we had roughly 200 gospels taken from these displays. I do not know what the results are beyond this, but I do know in Whose hands they rest!

Give this a try in your own business!

Does this ministry action encourage you to do something similar?

What are some other ways you could distribute these gospels?

What is holding you back from signing up and ordering your first box right now?

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How To Measure Spiritual Value Added

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spiritual valueAs owners or leaders in Christian businesses, we should be looking at our businesses from an eternal perspective. Profitability is a must and team development is critical to our success, but the impact we have on eternity (spiritual value) should be our primary concern. Quite simply, nothing else will last.

Spiritual Value Added

When all is said and done and we stand in judgment, nothing material from this world will count. Only what we have done that survives the fire will matter. While there are no metrics that fully capture this eternal impact we desire, I believe we must do the best we can to track our efforts in this area. Let’s look at Spiritual Value Added (SVA) from C12’s Tri-Value model.

As the final component of the Tri-Value Model from the C12 Group, SVA consists of three elements (a.k.a. “The Three S’s”)”

    1. Salvation – those coming to know Jesus for the first time
    2. Sanctification – helping believers to grow or be strengthened in their faith
    3. Service – giving money or service to those in need, especially the “least among us”

Each of these elements requires different actions from us. Each has different results that we can expect. If we are serious about evaluating our performance from an eternal perspective, then we need to measure both our actions and the results they produce. We need to do this for each of The Three S’s!

Salvation

Let’s first look at Salvation. The first thing we must realize about this element is that we cannot make it happen! Nothing we can do will save anyone…that is the job of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, we certainly can make sure that we are spreading the Word – teaching people about the gospel message. Here are a couple of examples of when this could happen:

    1. Chaplain is given permission by employee to share the reason for his faith
    2. Gospel-centered devotion is shared with all employees
    3. Gospel is shared at company-sponsored Boy’s & Girls Club Christmas party
    4. New Testament given as gift after a transaction with a customer

Rate you and your team are doing in this area on a 1-10 scale compared to your potential. You will also want to have a system to gather the results – those who actually turned their lives over to Jesus. This is probably the most difficult to track because you may never find out about some decisions. Other times you may have just planted the seed and someone else will be there to see it harvested. Regardless, start counting those you are aware of and see what happens.

Sanctification

The next “S” is Sanctification. The activities in this area can range from Bible studies or classes offered to employees, customers, or anyone you choose. Any work done to teach, strengthen, or support believers in their walk with Christ should be counted here. Some examples include:

    1. Lunch-and-Learn video series offered to employees, customers, vendors
    2. Small group studies held at lunch or before/after work
    3. Classes offered to employees and their families on financial or marriage issues

Again, rate you and your team on a 1-10 scale compared to your potential. For the results in this area, you want to count how many people participated.

Service

The final “S” is Service. There are many ways you and your team can give to those in need. Get creative and include as many employees as possible. While it may be easier to just write a check at the end of the year and be done with it, you will miss incredible blessings if you do. here are some examples:

    1. Sponsor a Thanksgiving meal at a local shelter & enlist employees to volunteer
    2. Sponsor a team of employees in a local event like the March of Dimes walk-a-thon
    3. Sponsor a kids organization with Christmas toys & let employees do the shopping!

Rate yourselves on a 1-10 scale the same as before, comparing your actions with your potential. The results here are fairly easy to track. Whether you count the money given in dollars or percent of net profit, either works. I would also count the number of man-hours your employees log.

So there it is – Spiritual Value Added – the final component of the Tri-Value model series. Get started evaluating your performance and let me know how you are doing. If you are at all disappointed at your current performance, remember this is not a sprint! Just decide to make a change for the better and get on your horse and ride!

Looking back over all three assessments (TVA, EVA, SVA), where are you the weakest?

What will it take for you to see improvement when you do this assessment again next year?

What is your first step?

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10 Reasons for an Employee Exit Interview (with Purpose)

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I called a friend the other day and asked him out to lunch.

While that may not seem unusual, consider that this friend had worked for our company up until that week and was terminated for non-performance.  Now are you interested?

I told him that my offer to buy his lunch had two main purposes.  First, I wanted to take the opportunity to learn from him whether there was anything he thought we could do better as a company.  He is also a Christian and could give me insight about that aspect of our company.  While I think I have a good feel for what happens from day to day in my business, I always hear something in an exit interview that surprises me.  If I am open to it, I can always learn something from an ex-employee.

My second purpose was to take the opportunity, with his permission, to offer advice to him.  I had observed him for close to a year and I felt I had a perspective that could help him.  If I am truly in this business for an eternal impact, why would I not intentionally mentor another Christian when I have the chance?  I felt we had a good enough relationship that he would give me that chance.

I learned about a couple of things that we could improve on immediately.

We had a great lunch and it went just as I expected.  He gave me some honest and thoughtful feedback.  As always, I learned about a couple of things that we could improve on immediately.  Also, as I expected, he was open to my feedback on his performance and future work opportunities.  With our company, he was not in a job that fit his strengths.  We discussed another job he is already considering as well as some he has not considered, based on my assessment of his strengths.  All in all, we both profited from the meeting.

Typical Reasons to Conduct an Exit Interview…

    1. Gain a new perspective about your own business (or department, team, etc.).
    2. Learn what you are doing well…or not so well.
    3. Confirm what you may already know (but have not verified) to be true.
    4. Uncover real reason for leaving company (if voluntary termination)
    5. Make peace with an ex-employee

Additional Reasons from a Christian Perspective…

    1. Gather frank accountability feedback on your witness
    2. Give them frank accountability feedback on their witness (if they are a believer)
    3. Offer advice, mentoring for their future.
    4. If applicable, recommend resources for help (substance abuse, financial distress, etc.).
    5. If appropriate (your witness is intact and ex-employee is non-believer), share the Gospel!

What are your thoughts on this list?

Are there any reasons you would add or remove?

Does your company execute exit interviews?  If not, should you?

If so, do you have a success story to share?

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Reason #1 (of 5) to Run Your Business According to Your Christian Faith

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Have you ever tried to reconcile your Christian faith with the way you run your business? Have you always been taught to keep faith and business separate? Are you trying to determine God’s purpose for your life?

If you can say yes to any of these questions, then this series is for you!

This post is the first of five posts in a series that will show you why you should run your business according to your Christian faith.

Anytime we want to determine the heart of God, the first place to start is with His Word.  If He has already said it, then we are in no position to question it.

The Great Commission
After Jesus was crucified and resurrected, He appeared to the disciples.  Just before ascending into heaven, Jesus gave them their marching orders through what is called the Great Commission below.  I believe these are our marching orders as well.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all I have commanded you.  And I will be with you always, even to the end of the earth. – Matthew 28:19-20

We are all, as Christians, commanded to go to the nations and make disciples.  This is not a suggestion or a request.  It is a command.  This does not mean that we are all to sell our possessions and move overseas to be missionaries.  There are plenty of opportunities to make disciples right here where we are.  We just have to look around.

Barna Research
According to a recent survey by George Barna and his research group, almost 40% of American adults are classified as “unchurched,” meaning they have not attended a conventional church more than once in the past year.  Even worse, only 15% of adults surveyed considered their faith in God as their top priority in life!  It appears the field is ripe for making disciples right where we are!

For typical business leaders, most of our time is allocated to our work.  We carve out some for family and leave a little left over for church on Sunday.  While some business leaders may buck this trend, they are in the minority.  That being the case, does it not make sense to fulfill the Great Commission exactly where we spend most of our time – in our business?

What better way for us as business leaders to reach those people (customers and employees) than through our business?  If we exercise and example our love for God through the way we run our business, maybe we can connect with them in a way (and in an environment) they have not found in a church.

Have you considered your responsibility to make disciples?

Do you see opportunity in your business to impact others in this way?

What are your obstacles to doing this?

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I do not have the gift of evangelism!

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Evangelism

I have always feared being called to be a missionary or even worse, a street corner preacher.  Before you get mad, I am NOT saying there is anything wrong with either of these…I believe both are called and used by God.  I was simply afraid it would be me!