I know you have noticed it. There are words your parents use (or used) that no longer mean the same thing today as when they began using them. If you are a parent with teens, you are the one using the words that no longer mean what they meant when you were growing up. I believe the perceived meaning of the word “Christian” has changed as well.
As I have read the Bible over the years to find examples to follow and lessons to apply to our business, one particular character stands out. You are probably familiar with the story of the rich young ruler, but have you ever taken the time to apply that story to your life and business? Are you willing to let go of your possessions so that you can follow Jesus more fully?
When I mention the word competition, what comes to your mind? For most business leaders, thoughts of rival businesses are the first to appear. While this is not wrong at all, I think there is a competition that deserves more of our attention than these other businesses. It is this competition that renders many of us useless in God’s kingdom. It is this competition that we must destroy by every means necessary!
Have you ever set some seriously strong goals for yourself or your business, only to later find yourself so far from them that you lost hope? Have you done the math and realized you simply had too far to go in too little time? If you have ever set huge goals, it is likely you have experienced this frustration. When you did, how did you feel? What was your overall outlook at the time?
[This is a guest post by Todd Miechiels, founder of The 3:15 Project. I think you will appreciate what he has to say! I encourage you to check out his ministry and consider how you can participate.]
In the consulting world we love to use all sorts of silly lingo that makes us appear smarter than we really are. At least that’s what I did for 20 years as an internet marketing consultant, and still struggle with it today. One of those gems is “Key Performance Indicator”, or KPI. It’s simply a number or value that we measure and report on that tells us how we are doing in a certain aspect of the business.
A good friend of mine was recently telling me about a ministry he is working to build. Part of this ministry is a retreat that caters to ministry and church leaders, giving them much needed rest and refreshing of the minds and vision. I have heard of other retreats and programs seeking to meet the same need. Evidently, Christian ministry is hard, often frustrating, work for God and can wear us out, right? I think there may be a good reason for part of this problem.
I do not have the national polling data to support this, but I would bet heavily that the one obstacle keeping most non-believers from being open to a relationship with Jesus is the hypocrisy of those calling themselves Christians. Even more critical is the hypocrisy of Christians that hold leadership positions. Fortunately, Jesus spoke many times about hypocrisy, giving us clear instructions on how to avoid these obnoxious behaviors associated with it.
Look around at the business world today and take note of those who claim to be Christians. Include yourself in this assessment. Some are easy to identify because their business practices clearly align with what they believe the Bible says. The rest are more difficult to identify because their practices are no different than the non-Christians around them. Why is this? Are these business people guilty of paying lip service to God or is there more to it?
If you could take a look at the libraries of some of the more recognizable names in business, you would likely find that many of them have certain books in common. Great business classics like Good to Great, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The One Minute Manager, and In Search of Excellence – all would likely be there. The problem, as I see it, is that you would be much less likely to find the Bible on those same shelves. An even bigger problem is that many Christians in business put more stock in the business classics mentioned above than they do in the Bible, even at the risk of violating Scripture.
I enjoy talking to older people, especially those who have experiences they are willing to share for the purpose of teaching others. I often make intentional decisions in group meetings or gatherings to sit near someone I know to be older and wiser so I can learn something from them. If you are like me in this, then you will love the following 7 crucial business principles.