Christian Business Leaders Mix Faith, Work
Christian business owners and executives have traditionally kept their faith and business separate. However, a growing number of Christian business leaders are starting to unite the realms of finance and ministry.
Christian business owners and executives have traditionally kept their faith and business separate. However, a growing number of Christian business leaders are starting to unite the realms of finance and ministry.
The Mockler Center for Faith & Ethics, headquartered in Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, hosts a group of local Christian business executives once a week. Rather than discuss business strategy or economic outlooks, they gather in fellowship, pray, and look over scripture together.
The group members take turns introducing a business-related issue, and other participants speak out about the topic. Everything is discussed in light of the Scripture, often referring to specific Bible verses to determine the correct path of stewardship. For the people gathered at this weekly meeting, their faith in God and their desire to serve him is what drives them to excel at the business they are involved in.
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The Mocker Center group meeting is only one instance of a growing number of Christian business leaders who are bringing together faith and business. Time Magazine published an article in August 2005 detailing how many Christian leaders are taking steps to make their businesses either more Christian-friendly, or Christian businesses outright.
Cindy Griffin is a Christian salon owner who had shunned using Christian materials in her store, out of fear of offending her clients. However, as the atmosphere opened up for business owners to proclaim their faith in their workplaces, Griffin has put up stenciled scriptures on her walls, and plays Christian music out of the salon loudspeakers. The salon's haircuts and massages are competitively priced, but her main service – prayer – is free.
Os Hillman is an author that has written about the new culture of mixing faith and business. His book on the subject, entitled "The 9 to 5 Window: How Faith Can Transform the Workplace," is a mirthful reference to the 10-40 window often referred to by missionaries as the latitudinal lines where mission work must flourish.
Hillman says that Americans are spending more time at work, and as a result, increasingly bring their spiritual life to work as well. He said of the new movement to bring faith into companies: "Corporations are becoming a little more sensitive to the issue."
Indeed, prayer and fellowship groups are popping up throughout corporate America. Coca-Cola, the Ford Motor Co., and Continental Airlines are some of the house-hold companies that have Christian groups within their companies. The groups meet often over lunch to share fellowship and to pray together, comforting each other in spirit and scripture, according to Hillman.
This week, over 1,600 business leaders are expected to attend the annual High Tech Prayer Breakfast in Atlanta, Georgia. The event will feature Wayne Huizenga, Jr., president of Huizenga Holdings and owner of the Miami Dolphins of the NFL.
The purpose of the breakfast is to "share the message of Jesus Christ to men and women in the high tech industry in a business setting." Bill Leonard, chairman of High Tech Ministries that hosts the event, said, "This is an evangelistic event… We are really reaching out to our friends and family in the community who we believe need to hear the message of the Gospel."
