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Articles Library
What does Christian mean on Monday
morning? It means, first and foremost, that we recognize God as our ultimate boss
and work for God in all that we do. And that has enormous
implications, among them, that we:
Enabling all of this is the
cultivation of Christian character -- taking seriously our call to be Jesus' disciples by growing to become
more like Him. This is the foundation for faithful living,
including living our faith in the workplace.
In this free Articles Library, we’ve compiled dozens of the
best insights into all these topics -- insights that we hope you
can use this coming Monday morning!
(See also our
editorials for some original commentary on
these topics, as well as several other articles
on church and educational leadership.)
Work for God in All We Do
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The Christianity 9 to 5 Bible Study
Michael
Zigarelli
The
Christianity 9 to 5
Bible Study
is designed specifically for your busy work life. Previously
published by Moody Press, we've now reformatted this study into
ten 45 minute sessions. Perfect for Sunday school, before-work or lunchtime small
group discussion, it also includes a leader's guide to help you
disciple people into a deeper reflection of what it means to do
their jobs as Jesus would.
As part of our
ministry to you at Christianity9to5.org, we are now pleased to offer
The
Christianity 9 to 5 Bible Study free of
charge in a downloadable (pdf) format. All we ask is that you pray for
us as part of your study and that you drop us an
email once you've
completed the study, to let us know what God is doing in your work
life.
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Doug Sherman and William Hendrix
Does your work matter to God? If
so, how? In this best-selling book, the authors explain five ways
that our work serves God’s purposes: Through work we serve people,
we meet our own needs, we meet our family’s needs, we earn money to
give to others, and we show our love for God.
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Wayne Grudem, On Kingdom Business
In this article, a world-renown
theologian turns his attention to business, identifying several
business activities that glorify God. In particular, he makes the
case that God-honoring business activities include producing goods,
employing people, buying and selling, earning a profit, and
borrowing and lending.
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A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
Which parts of
your job please God the most? Which parts are more sacred, and which
are more secular? Don’t be surprised if your answers change after
you read this masterpiece from Tozer.
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Learning from Brother Lawrence
from The Practice of the Presence of God
Brother Lawrence (1614-1691) was a monk who is most remembered for
his persistent, close walk with God, for the peace that he enjoyed
as a result of that walk, and for his teachings that are preserved
in The Practice of the Presence of God. This excerpt from that book
shares some of that wisdom, especially as it related to doing our
daily work in the presence of God. (Click
here for the full text version of the book ;
Click here for the full text audio version of the book)
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Bob Briner, Roaring Lambs
Looking for your vocation? Seeking your calling in
life? Consider abandoning the comfort zone of the Christian
sub-culture and pursuing a career in secularized industries like
art, entertainment, the media, and education. In this classic work,
the nationally-renown author fervently challenges Christians to
engage and change the world by taking positions in culture-shaping
professions.
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We're Asking the Wrong Question
Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God
If we ask the
wrong question, we’re likely to get the wrong answer. With piercing
clarity and insight, Pastor Henry Blackaby shows that when we ask
the common question “What is God’s will for my life?” we open
ourselves up to a range of misinterpretations and missed
opportunities. It may be better for us to simply ask “What is God’s
will?” and then get on board with what we see Him doing in the
world.
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What Drives Your Life?
Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Life
Without a
clear purpose, the author of The Purpose-Driven Life
explains, you will keep changing directions, jobs,
relationships, and even churches, hoping each change
will finally fill the emptiness in your heart.
If this describes you even a little, the timing of this article
may not be a coincidence.
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Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth
No Christian, says Nancy Pearcey, can
be truly happy at work when torn between a secular and a
supernatural perspective on that work. In this excerpt from her
profound book, Total Truth, Pearcey encourages Christians to
discover the joy of finally thinking rightly about their work--of
thinking about it from a biblical worldview.
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David Miller, God at Work
Yale Divinity
School professor David Miller offers us a rare, erudite perspective
on the broad-based movement to live out our faith in the workplace.
If you're hungry for something deeper than what's typically offered
by workplace Christianity books, this excerpt from Dr. Miller's new
book,
God at Work, is just for you. |
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Pope John Paul II
A major
document in the tradition of Catholic Social Teaching, this lengthy,
landmark encyclical from Pope John Paul II sets forth the Catholic
Church’s position on the dignity of human labor, on the primacy of
labor over capital, on worker rights, on labor unions.
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Michael Zigarelli, Faith at Work
How can you
assess what really matters in your work and in your career? Try this
powerful exercise: consider what Jesus would say about you if he
were asked to speak at your retirement dinner.
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Buck Jacobs, A Light Shines Bright in Babylon
A brief but powerful story that
poignantly reminds us about what’s really important in God’s eyes.
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Os Hillman
From major companies to proliferating ministries to colleges to
local churches, there’s abundant evidence that the faith at work
movement is spreading rapidly.
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What Work Matters to God? Three Dangerous Myths
Doug Sherman and William Hendricks, Your Work Matters
to God
What work
really "counts" from God's perspective? Some people mistakenly
believe (or even teach) that God sees some work as contributory and
holy, but is indifferent to "secular" work. This article sets the
record straight, affirming that what we do is less important to God
than why we're doing it.
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Os Hillman, Faith & Work: Do They Mix?
Many people today see no relevance between God and work in
today’s marketplace. Why is this? And, more importantly, why do so
many Christians believe this? In this article, a leader in
the marketplace ministry movement tackles the problem of our
separating “sacred” work from “secular” work.
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Should Your Leave Your Job for Full-Time Ministry?
Tom R. Harper, Career Crossover
If you've been
sensing that God is calling you into full-time ministry, read
this first. Based
on his study of 344 “crossover leaders”—church leaders who once
worked in the secular marketplace but then crossed over to
full-time ministry work—Tom Harper offers some clarifying
perspective.
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Care for Those Around You
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John Beckett, Mastering Monday
According to
John Beckett, one of the great ambassadors of the faith in the
business world, “It is because of the Father’s great love for
each person that every follower of Christ is called to put
people first.” Despite the financial tradeoffs that may entail
in management, “from God’s perspective there is no greater
priority on this earth than people.” What does that mean on
Monday morning? This excerpt from John’s new book, Mastering
Monday, explores some of the practical implications.
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Les Carter and Jim Underwood, The Significance
Principle
Whether in the board room or on the loading dock,
people are starving to hear that they are significant, that they
matter, that what they are doing is valued and appreciated. In this
article, the authors argue that it is our task as Christians to be
encouragers and to recognize the God-given worth of each person.
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John Beckett, Loving Monday
In this article, the author, a
Christian CEO, describes how and why his company has used
corporate resources to “give something back” to the local community,
to the employees, to the needy around the world, and to many others.
As he explains, this is simply an outgrowth of good stewardship,
acknowledging that the business really belongs to God and that its
resources are to be managed for His purposes.
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Michael Zigarelli, Management by Proverbs
Scripture has a lot to say on
the topic of encouraging one another – a testimony to the issue’s
significance. In particular, it counsels us on the value of praising
others, as well as on the specifics of how and when to bestow it.
This article unpacks some of that Biblical wisdom.
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Michael Zigarelli, Faith at Work
If you don’t care as much about
the people around you at work as you used to, you may suffer from
“compassion fatigue” – a common stress that is a cousin of burnout.
In simplest terms, it means that you’ve grown tired of caring, that
you don’t have anything left for anybody else. What can a person do
about it? This article explains what scripture says as well as what
we’ve learned from research.
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Operate with Integrity and Excellence
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Phillips Brooks (1883)
Is the abdication
of responsibility merely a modern phenomenon? How about the
tendency to excuse our transgressions because we’re “victims” of
society? Not even close. Reverend Phillips Brooks lamented these
habits as far back as 1883—and he did it by citing Biblical evidence
from three millennia earlier than that! This sermon is a timeless
classic about a pervasive deception: the inclination to blame others
for what is, in fact, our own willful wrongdoing.
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Alexander Hill, Just Business
Dishonesty and deception are
concepts that are pervasive in business, but they are concepts that
are often difficult to apply with precision. In this article, the
author, a former dean of a Christian business school, presents a
careful exposition of the nature and consequences of dishonesty and
deception in business, replete with useful examples and case
scenarios. He also addresses the tough question of whether deception
is ever justified.
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William Nix, Transforming Your Workplace for
Christ
Breaking even
small promises can affect your witness, so become intentional about
promise keeping. In this article, the author offers three useful
guidelines to help keep us on track: promise only what is consistent
with God’s will; promise only what is in the best interest of the
recipient; and promise only that which you know you can deliver.
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Buck Jacobs, A Light Shines Bright in Babylon
In this article, the author
teaches about God’s calling for our companies to do everything with
excellence, providing nine practices of excellent companies.
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Michael Zigarelli, Christianity 9 to 5
Workplace gossip is everywhere. So what’s a Christian
to do? This article explains what gossip is, why it’s so pervasive,
and most importantly, what a person can do to diplomatically
extinguish it.
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Balance Work and Life
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Bill Hybels, Christians in the Marketplace
In this article,
internationally-acclaimed author Bill Hybels, founder of Willow
Creek Community Church, describes the problem of workaholism, its
effect on the worker and his family, its root cause, and its cure.
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Pat Gelsinger, Balancing Family, Faith & Work
You
think you’re busy? How busy would you be if you were the
Chief Technology Officer at Intel? Here are his secrets to success
for putting family before work.
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Distracted from God: A Five Year Worldwide Study
Michael Zigarelli
Among the primary
obstacles to living well is today’s frenetic pace of
life. Busyness, hurry, overload, burnout—it’s known
by many names, but there are two common outcomes: this lifestyle distracts us from God and
undermines the abundant, joyful life God desires
for us.
That's not just speculation; it's the conclusion from this study
of 20,000 Christians in 139 countries.
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Bill Hybels, Christians in the Marketplace
Bill Hybels builds on his
thoughts from “Profession or Obsession” (above) with some candid
observations about the consequences of overwork and over-scheduling,
and he encourages the adjustment of priorities so that family time
is both abundant and non-negotiable.
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A Theology of Enough
Greg Pierce,
Spirituality @ Work
In many
workplaces, enough is never enough. But from God's perspective,
saying "enough" is a critically important discipline, both on and
off the job.
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Michael Zigarelli, Christianity 9 to 5
Family comes before work, and not just in the
dictionary. That’s God’s intention. This article describes the
serious consequences of putting work and career first and offers
several practical tips for how to strike an appropriate work-family
balance.
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Benny Tabalujan, God on Monday
There's a reason
that God created the Sabbath, but it may not be what you think.
Discover, or perhaps re-discover, the meaning of Sabbath, and take
inventory of whether some "Sabbath spoilers" are stealing from you
God's awesome gift.
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Michael Zigarelli, Freedom from Busyness
We live in a
culture that encourages us to work too much, to spend too much, to
do too much, and to strive for “the good life" through accumulation
and activity. The bitter irony, of course, is that the pursuit of
that sort of good life makes us miserable. Excerpted from the
author's book,
Freedom
from Busyness, here's some Biblically-based perspective on how
to escape, once and for all.
For a video version of some findings from this
study,
click here.
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Michael Zigarelli
Three out of four Christian leaders we surveyed say that the
busyness of their lives undermines their relationship with God. Most
also say they eat quickly and they are exhausted at the end of their
day. Here's help for a lifestyle that crowds out God. |
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Too Busy for God? This minor prophet
explains the major consequences
Michael Zigarelli
I hadn't given too much thought to
the consequences of an overloaded lifestyle until awhile back when
something was published with my name and title on it. It was
supposed to read: "Michael Zigarelli, Associate Professor of
Business." Instead, there was a typo so that it read: "Michael
Zigarelli, Associate Professor of Busyness."
I chuckled at the typo. I got a
kick out of it … for about ten seconds. Then it hit me. Most weeks,
that typo would be more accurate than my business card! But I found
some solutions in the 2,500 year old Book of Haggai. |
Expect Conflict and Respond Properly
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Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
"The
only reason why criticism cuts you to the heart is that you are
still ruled by your old nature and take more notice of men than you
should." In the fifteenth century, theologians didn't mince words or
worry about people's self-esteem. They just told it like it is.
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G.D. Watson, Soul Food
Is there someone at work who’s simply driving you crazy? Maybe
someone challenging you or even undermining you at every turn? This
nineteenth century classic offers some profound insight into how to
pray for our enemies.
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William Nix, Transforming Your Workplace for
Christ
If you work around
people for any prolonged period of time, you will be wronged. In
this article, the author succinctly and helpfully offers four
guidelines that enhance our ability to forgive these wrongs: see
others from God’s perspective; leave the offense at the cross; act out of
reason, not emotion; and then restore and rebuild the relationship.
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Michael Zigarelli, Christianity 9 to 5
This article presents a step-by-step approach for
dealing with unfair treatment. The author offers four sequential,
scripturally-grounded steps that will help to resolve most conflicts
while at the same time reflecting Christian character.
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American Center for Law and Justice
Sometimes, as a last resort, it will make sense for a
Christian to rely on the legal system for protection. This article,
a Q-and-A with the American Center for Law and Justice, offers
answers to the most commonly asked questions regarding the rights of
Christian employees and employers.
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The Litigation
Trap
and
The Christian Conciliation Alternative
Stephen Bloom,
The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues
In our litigious society, it’s become a
cultural norm for people to turn to lawyers and the courts to settle
their conflicts. But when should a Christian litigate? Under what
circumstances should we rely on the judicial system to resolve our
disputes? And what alternatives, if any, are there for those with
legitimate claims? In this pair of chapters from his book
The Believer’s Guide to Legal Issues, Stephen Bloom provides
some clarifying perspective. |
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Michael Zigarelli, Faith at Work
At the
emotional moment of decision, we have two powerful forces pushing us
toward reprisal – our desire to strike back and the abundant
opportunity to strike back. Addressing these two forces is
the key to responding to conflict God’s way.
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Michael Zigarelli
There's a lot of advice out there—some
good, some not so good—for
how to handle that conversation you've been dreading. Here's a handy
checklist from the most reliable Source.
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Os Hillman, The Upside of Adversity
If you’re
experiencing significant adversity in your life, congratulations!
God has selected you to embark on the journey of a lifetime. He has
chosen you to join the select company of people like Job and Joseph,
Daniel and Paul—people who have undergone adversity to emerge with
stronger character and enlarged leadership ability. |
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Managing a Micromanager
Michael Zigarelli
If the title
of this article caught your eye, you’ve probably known a
micromanager or two. Maybe you see the profile daily, in all of
its domineering, insulting, oppressive, control-freakish glory.
Most of the standard approaches to persuasion will not get this
person to back off. But here’s an idea that just might work.
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Understand Other Worldviews and then Share Ours
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Michael Zigarelli
How people make decisions, what
they find persuasive, and their whole philosophy of right and wrong
is a function of their “worldview” – their core assumptions about
God, about the world, and about the relationship between the two. In
this article, the author demystifies the concept of worldview,
identifies the predominant worldviews we see in the workplace, and
shows how to strategically use this knowledge to advance the kingdom
at work.
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Tim Downs, Finding Common Ground
With wit and wisdom, this
article offers five powerful approaches to becoming more persuasive
with non-Christians: Speak the Unbeliever’s Language, Show an
Understanding of the Unbeliever’s World, Be Intelligent and
Credible, Use Tools That Raise Good Questions, and Have a Reasonable
Persuasive Goal.
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Four Ways Christians Should Not Engage the Culture
(and Two Ways We Should)
Andy Crouch, Culture Making
Condemning,
critiquing, consuming, copying. Each of these approaches to culture
is sometimes the only appropriate response, as award-winning author
Andy Crouch shows. But the problem, he says, occurs when any of
these responses becomes the only way we know how to respond to
culture – when it becomes our unconscious stance toward the world,
our default stance, our “posture” – to the world around us.
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Os Hillman, The 9 to 5 Window
The Great
Commission makes no exception for the workplace, but in a corporate
culture that's often hostile to the gospel, how can we share the
love of God on the job? Os Hillman, a leading spokesman in the
faith-at-work movement, offers these four great ideas in his new
book.
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Michael Zigarelli, Influencing Like Jesus
Jesus used
stories all the time, but he used them for far more than inspiration
or entertainment. He introduced, through his parables, a new way to
understand and relate to God and to the people around us. In fact,
storytelling was arguably Jesus’ primary approach to persuasion.
This article explores what makes that approach so powerful and
offers several practical tips for improving our own storytelling.
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Randy Newman, Questioning Evangelism
There's a better approach to sharing the gospel than our traditional
argumentation -- an approach that looks, sounds, and feels more like
Jesus the rabbi, than Murray, the used car salesman. It involves
more listening than speaking, more inviting rather than demanding "a
decision." And, perhaps most importantly, it involves answering
questions with questions rather than giving answers.
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How the Gospel of Evolution Steals Our Faith
Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, How Now
Shall We Live?
If Darwin's theory is right, then
the Bible is wrong. Notwithstanding, his ideas are usually presented as
facts rather than theory -- irrefutable facts that
"everyone" knows to be true. In this article, Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey tell an
eye-opening story about how this unproven but dogmatic gospel of evolution
steals our faith by subtly changing our thinking about God.
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Maintaining a Christian Worldview:
An
Introduction to the Work of Francis Schaeffer
Todd Kappelman, Probe Ministries
Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984) was one of the most
recognized and respected Christian authors of the twentieth century.
As a consummate scholar with a deep concern for the average
Christian, his books are both profound and highly-accessible. Here's
an introduction to some of his greatest work.
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The Suicide of Thought
G.K. Chesterton, from Orthodoxy
Chesterton's insights are as applicable and
instructive today as they were a century ago. In this excerpt
from Orthodoxy, he masterfully shows that the shift from a
Christian worldview to a relativistic, postmodern worldview ("A
man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about
the truth; this has been exactly reversed") leads ultimately to
the denial that anything is truly knowable and, further, that
life has any real purpose. This is why he can make the profound
and arresting claim that "There is a thought that stops thought
(and) that is the only thought that ought to be stopped." Today,
as then, because this relativistic dogma has not been "stopped,"
many remain alienated from God and despair that life is
meaningless.
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Doug Spada and David Scott
The members of
every church are in touch with thousands of spiritually-needy people
from Monday through Friday. Here’s how they can be equipped to make
the most of that opportunity.
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Kent and Davidene Humphreys, Show and Then
Tell
When is the best time to broach the sensitive subject
of God with our co-workers, our friends or our family? A veteran
businessman and his wife share their vast experience about when
people are most amenable to talking about God and considering the
invitation of Jesus.
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James O'Donnell. Walking with Arthur
1984. The
hinge of my life. I found I believed in nothing. I trusted no
one. And no one I knew was worth trusting. That is, until I met
Arthur.
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Five Keys to Spiritual Influence at Work
William Peel and Walt Larimore, Going Public with Your Faith
In
every part of the world, people are looking for spiritual answers
and resources as never before. But you don’t need to travel to some
exotic foreign mission field to find hungry hearts. You spend hours
every day in the most strategic place of impact in the world—your
workplace. Here are five practical keys to help you with your
ministry.
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George Barna, Barna Research Group
Reporting on a survey of over 1,000 adults nationwide, the Barna
Research Group found relativism to be the most pervasive worldview
among Americans. Among both adults and teenagers, “doing whatever
feels right or comfortable” far outpaced Biblical principles as the
basis on which people make ethical and moral decisions.
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George Barna, Barna Research Group
A nationwide survey of 1,000 non-Christians finds
that fewer than half of those sampled have positive views of clergy,
only one-third have a positive impression of born again Christians,
and just one-fifth have a positive view of evangelicals.
Interestingly, according to the lead researcher, “Our studies show
that many of the people who have negative impressions of
evangelicals do not know what or who an evangelical is.”
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Buck Jacobs, A Light Shines Bright in Babylon
Your business may touch more
lives than most churches ever do. In this article, the author
reminds us that the marketplace – customers, employees, suppliers,
competitors, trade associates, and so on – is as much a mission
field as are the jungles in some far-off land.
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Os Hillman, Faith and Work: Do They Mix?
In this article, the author
encourages the Christians in business to do great things to grow
God’s kingdom. In support, he offers some helpful historical
perspective to show how marketplace Christians have been used by God
throughout the centuries.
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Manage Based on Christian Principles
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Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth
“The central
problem of our age is not liberalism or modernism,” writes Francis
Schaeffer—or even hot-button social issues like evolution, abortion,
radical feminism, or homosexual rights. The primary threat to the
church is the “tendency to do the Lord’s work in the power of the
flesh rather than the Spirit.” This paradigm-changing article, excerpted
from Pearcey's book, Total Truth, presents an
essential alternative for every ministry leader.
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Max DePree, Leadership Jazz
A dozen qualities of an
effective leader, presented by a Christian CEO with more than forty years
of corporate experience. Here is the culminating chapter in
his bestselling book, Leadership Jazz.
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Three Temptations of a Christian Leader
Henri Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus
Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a Dutch-born Catholic
priest whose 40 books have been widely read by Catholics and
Protestants alike. In his later years, his ministry shifted from
teaching ivy-leaguers at Harvard to pastoring at Daybreak, one of
the L’Arche communities for mentally handicapped people. Soon after
that transition, Fr. Nouwen was invited to give a series of talks
about Christian leadership to a group of clergy, talks that were
eventually published under the title In the Name of Jesus.
This article shares the essence of Nouwen’s ideas from that book.
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Michael Zigarelli
Many books speak to issues of what Christians should do in business
and in ministry. But what do Christians actually do when they're in
these roles? And, more importantly, what can we learn from their
many years of experience?
In this wide-ranging and provocative study, 328 Christian leaders
talk candidly about their attitudes, priorities, failures and
successes. Professor Zigarelli describes their approaches to
employee management, financial stewardship, marketing, strategy, and
customer service, and reveals, based on the collective wisdom of
these leaders, several best practices.
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William Pollard, The Soul of the Firm
The ServiceMaster Company is a
global corporation, operating in over 40 countries and generating
annual revenues of several billion dollars. But it is also a company
whose first objective is “To honor God in all we do.” In this
article, the Chairman of ServiceMaster explains the company’s
connection between honoring God and generating profits.
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Michael Zigarelli, Management by Proverbs
How should
Christians in managerial and leadership positions make decisions?
Here’s one time-honored tool that can keep us on track to do His
will consistently.
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You Need a Leadership Coach
Andy Stanley, Next Generation Leader
In
the world of athletics, nobody performs his way out of needing a
coach. In the world of leadership, though, we operate under the
misguided assumption that because we are leaders, we don't need to
be led.
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Richard Chewning, Biblical Principles &
Business
The author, one of the most
revered thinkers in the field of workplace Christianity, presents in
non-academic language his justice-based model of what it means to be
a Christian in the marketplace. In particular, he unpacks here what
it means to do justice to employers, employees, peers, customers,
competitors, owners, the government, and to society generally.
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Jean-Yves Calvez and Michael Naughton
For more than a century, the
Vatican has spoken to social and economic issues, from poverty to
world peace to the morality of capitalism. Collectively called
“Catholic Social Teaching,” these pronouncements also include
significant guidance about a proper conceptualization of business
management. In this article, the authors distill for us the essence
of Catholic Social Teaching regarding the nature and purpose of the
business enterprise.
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Michael Zigarelli, Ordinary People
Extraordinary Leaders
What’s preventing you from more
God-honoring leadership? And what can you do to make real progress,
overcoming these impediments? Based on a study of over 300 Christian
leaders and managers, the author presents both the major obstacles
and the primary pathways to authentic, consistent Christian
leadership.
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Dennis Bakke, Joy at Work
Dennis Bakke
co-founded The AES Company in 1981 and grew it to be a major
multi-national organization by the time he retired from the company
in 2002. The real news, though, is how he grew it on the core value
of ensuring that employees experienced joy in their work. How did he
do it? Read this article for a chapter-by-chapter executive summary
of his book, Joy at Work.
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Steve Rundle and Tom Steffen, Great Commission
Companies
You too can
launch a “Great Commission Company” -- a successful business that
also introduces people to God in the least developed areas of the
world. Based on a five year study of such companies, here’s a
step-by-step guide to getting started.
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R. Paul Stevens
A professor of theology, widely recognized for his
practical application of the faith to everyday life, turns his
attention to business. Here, Dr. Stevens answers the pervasive
question of what makes a business “Christian” by offering ten
distinctives.
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Christopher Crane and Mike Hamel, Executive
Influence
It is possible to
put God first and run a successful business at the same time – but
it isn't easy. Here is the inspiring and instructive story of how
Ken Eldred, founder of Inmac and of Ariba Technologies, did it.
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Buck Jacobs, A Light Shines Bright in Babylon
In this article, the author,
seasoned veteran of the business trenches, presents several
common-sense principles and practices that are not always common in
business.
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Michael Zigarelli, Management by Proverbs
By most accounts, delivering negative feedback remains one of the
greatest workplace challenges, even for senior managers. And when a
Christian does this poorly, there's even more at stake since he or
she is quickly considered a hypocrite by the person receiving the
feedback. So here are ten Biblically-consistent tips to deliver
criticism with care.
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Michael Zigarelli, Management by Proverbs
Want to succeed in your career
and reflect the love of God at the same time? Your interpersonal
skills are critical. At work, in the home, at church, around the
neighborhood and just about everyplace else, these skills can
enhance your ability to both get things done and to model Christ. In
this article, the author offers an extensive and practical list of
people skills strategies.
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John D. Rockefeller, Jr., The Atlantic Monthly
A path-breaking article
originally published in 1916. In the era of Scientific Management,
when employees were routinely exploited and often abused, a
Christian CEO came forward to call for a radical change in mind-set.
Rejecting both neo-classical and Marxist assumptions about the
employment relation, the author argues that “mutual respect and
fairness produce larger and better results than suspicion and
selfishness” – an argument that spawned more humane and even
paternalistic treatment of employees and, in the modern era, more
productive, more profitable corporations.
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George Barna, Barna Research Group
What are the character strengths and weaknesses of
Christian leaders? This survey of more than 1,300 church leaders
concluded that among their strongest character attributes are
morality, sensitivity to sin, godly demeanor, and trustworthiness.
Attributes that are not as strong include using appropriate speech
and having a controlled temper, and attributes that rate lowest are
a loving heart, servanthood, and having godly wisdom.
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Michael Zigarelli, Ordinary People
Extraordinary Leaders
What do Christian managers do on
Monday morning? What are their priorities and practices? Based on a
study of over 300, the author offers a first-of-its-kind look at
practices related to customer focus, financial management, employee
management, and workplace evangelism.
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Michael Zigarelli, Management by Proverbs
The prospect of terminating an
employee can turn even the most seasoned business professional
into a nail-biting novice. And when that professional is also a
Christian, there’s the added difficulty of reconciling the firing
with God’s call to servanthood, forgiveness, and love. In this
article, the author presents a Biblical approach to firing people
and offers termination tips that comport with both God’s law and
man’s law.
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Michael Naughton
As Christians,
how much should we pay people? What’s too little and what’s too
much? How should we balance employee needs with the economic
realities of the organization? These are not easy questions, but one
courageous theologian, who’s also a professor of management, tackles
them head-on.
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The Puritan Perspective on Money
Leland Ryken, Worldly Saints
Jesus
talked about money and wealth quite a bit. The Apostle Paul did too,
as well as the writers and prophets from the Old Testament. So
what should our perspective about these issues be? And what about
the related issues of profit and success? This time-honored wisdom
from the Puritans may help.
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William Heisler
There are a
lot of models of leadership, but for the Christian leader,
three pillars of success will always be commitment, character, and
compassion.
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Keith Starcher
Workplace chaplains
are not just for the military
anymore. Here's info on the practice of chaplaincy, the
legal issues, the costs, and the business results you
can expect.
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Michael Zigarelli, Management by Proverbs
When it comes
to building trust at work, the principle of reaping and sowing is
clearly in full operation: trust begets trust, distrust begets
distrust. This article uses lessons from the books of Proverbs and
Isaiah, as well as from the research on trust-building, to show that
the transition to a more trusting work environment can begin
entirely with you.
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Wayne Alderson and Nancy Alderson McDonnell,
Theory R Management
While vice
president of Pittron Steel Foundry, Alderson faced the monumental
task of unraveling decades of mistrust between labor and management.
Within twenty-one months he had moved the company from 35th
to one of the top ten divisions in Textron. He shares with us in
this article how he did it.
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Steve Denning, The Leader's Guide to
Storytelling
Storytelling is an art, but there's also a science to knowing when
to use what type of story. In this excerpt from his book, The
Leader's Guide to Storytelling, best- selling author Steve Denning
advises leaders how to choose different stories for different
managerial situations.
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Essential Lessons from Peter Drucker (pdf file)
John Pearson, Mastering the Management Buckets
Of all the
lessons Peter Drucker taught us, what are the most essential? And
how can we continue to learn from this remarkable man? Consultant
John Pearson, former President of the Christian Management
Association, offers some insight in his practical new book,
Mastering the Management Buckets.
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Michael Zigarelli
Looking for
something humorous to post on your door? Check out these 15 worst
practices in management. Beware, though: your boss may find them
less humorous than you do.
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Cultivate Christian Character
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Why You Are Not Making Spiritual Progress
William Law, from A Serious Call to the Devout and
Holy Life
It really comes down to one thing: “If you look
into your own heart in utter honesty, you must admit that there is
one and only one reason why you are not even now a (fully devoted
follower of Christ): You do not wholly want to be.”
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Donald S. Whitney, Simplify Your Spiritual
Life
From his refreshingly practical book,
Simplify Your Spiritual Life, Professor Whitney counsels us how
to strengthen our prayer life through simplifying it.
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A Pattern for Spiritual Change
Dallas Willard, Renovation of
the Heart
Like all of Dallas Willard's work, this is an article to be
studied, not just read. Willard explains the general pattern for
how we can change and applies it to spiritual transformation,
giving us a much-needed road map for how to become more like
Jesus.
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Pride: The Great Sin
CS Lewis, Mere Christianity
A "spiritual cancer," "the complete anti-God state of mind," and
"the chief cause of misery in every nation and in every family
since the world began." These are just of few of the descriptors
that C.S. Lewis uses to describe our pride. Here is his
penetrating chapter on "The Great Sin" from his classic, Mere
Christianity.
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The Pitfall of Possessions
CS Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
If you are already familiar with The Screwtape Letters—CS
Lewis’ ingenious dialogue between a senior devil, Screwtape, and
his apprentice, Wormwood—this excerpt about the peril of
thinking we “own” anything is well worth re-reading. And if you’re not
familiar with the book, you have an extraordinary opportunity to
gain new insight into how Satan operates in our lives.
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The Pied Piper of Peoria: How American Culture Can Lure You from God and
Weaken Your Faith
Michael Zigarelli
Whether you
realize it or not, you are constantly being sold a set of ideas
by our secular culture about how to live. About what it means to
have "the good life." About God, relationships, parenting, work,
money, success, sexuality, what clothes to wear, and about
everything else. It's an indoctrination taking place without
your knowledge or consent and it's time for you to break free.
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Michael Zigarelli, Cultivating Christian
Character
What’s the
difference between joyful Christians and the rest of us? How do they
manage to retain a joyful disposition, despite their circumstances?
What’s the secret to success here? This study of more than 5,000
Christians provides some answers you won’t find anywhere else.
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Michael Zigarelli, Cultivating Christian
Character
"Gratitude is
not only the greatest of virtues, it is also the parent of all the
others." So said the ancient philosopher Cicero. Two millennia
later, our study of thousands of Christians confirms that gratitude
indeed spawns myriad elusive virtues, like joy, inner peace,
patience, forgiveness, and self-control.
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Coming Home: A Christian CEO Recounts His Spiritual Journey to
Help Us With Our Own
John Beckett
John Beckett,
author of Loving Monday and Mastering Monday, has
become a role model for his faithful implementation of Christian
values in business. But here he offers more than wisdom for
God-honoring business practice; he offers wisdom for living a
God-honoring life.
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Contentment: Wise Counsel from the 18th Century
Richard Steele (modern English version by Randall Caldwell),
The Religious Tradesman
You
probably haven't heard of 18th century author Richard Steele, but
one of his books, a classic in its day, has been given new life by
editor Randall Caldwell. Steele's teaching on the elusive virtue of
"contentment" still rings true today and it may bless you with some
timely perspective on a timeless problem.
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The Red Lizard of Lust
C.S. Lewis, from The Great Divorce
C.S. Lewis wrote The Great Divorce to
demonstrate the differences between Hell and Heaven. This excerpt
metaphorically and poignantly shows how challenging it can be for
some people to let go of lust, but it then shows how we are
strengthened and advanced once we muster the courage to finally do
so.
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Jeff Wright and Mick Bates
You understand
the problem, but you might not understand its many causes and
consequences – or what to do about it. Here’s substantive help for
one of our greatest battles.
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Slaying Your Golden Calf at Work
Michael Zigarelli, Faith at Work
Money. Power. Respect. Reputation. Security. Control. If any of
these motivates your work more than "pleasing God" motivates your
work, it may be time to slay your golden calf once and for all.
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Jim Petersen and Mike Shamy, The Insider
It is possible to
discredit the gospel by our inadequacies, but this doesn’t happen as
often as we may think. And beyond that, often the gospel is advanced
because of our inadequacy.
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Michael Zigarelli, Cultivating Christian
Character
Based on a
study of almost 2,500 Christians age 20 to 40, here are the striking
findings: Without question, this is the time of life when God gets
crowded out, character bottoms out, and life satisfaction strikes
out.
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Reversing the Power of Porn
Michael Zigarelli
Hey you. Yeah,
you. Married guy surfin’ the Internet for your daily dose of porn.
I’ve got a potential solution for you that doesn’t involve a
twelve-step program or a public confession in front of your church.
It leverages in reverse the very power that got you into this mess.
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Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy
Willard may be to
the 21st century what C.S. Lewis was to the 20th. He says more in
this brief devotional piece than most writers say in an entire book.
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Devotional:
Must I Listen?
Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
"We do not consciously disobey God, we simply do not heed
Him. God has given us His commands; there they are, but we do not
pay any attention to them, not because of willful disobedience but
because we do not love and respect Him."
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Devotional:
A Better Way to Think About Prayer
David
Steindl-Rast, Gratefulness: The Heart of Prayer
For some of
us, saying prayers wholeheartedly may be the crowning achievement
after we have learned to make every other activity prayer. If your
prayer life is not what it should be, maybe it's time to try
something else.
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Devotional:
The Science of the Crucifixion
Cathleen Shrier and Tally Flint
Reflecting on
the physiology of Christ’s crucifixion is a powerful reminder of the
magnificent demonstration of God’s love for humanity, expressed that
day on Calvary.
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Devotional:
Courage, Character and Civility
Randy Kilgore
It was a
moment it took twenty years of incredible sacrifice to create,
and even then it would be another twenty-seven years before the
real celebration could begin. But it was an inspiring moment for
the ages.
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Devotional:
The Battle for Your Heart
Michael Zigarelli
When
we live and work in a secularized culture, the transformation of our
worldview—of our most basic assumptions about who God is and how we
should live—happens invisibly and it happens inevitably…unless, that
is, we actively guard against it. |
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Devotional:
How to Know God is About to do a Big Thing
Michael Zigarelli
I knew God was about to do something big when an attractive woman on
the plane struck up a conversation with me that culminated, one hour
later, in a roguish proposition from her. |
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Devotional:
The Parable of the Thermostat
Michael Zigarelli
I came in
today and the thermostat was set on 70 … but it was 58 degrees in
the office! So I moved the thermostat to 75 and a few hours later it
was 60 in the office. Being a researcher, I went one more step and
set the thermostat to 55 to see what would happen. A few hours
later, it was 65 in my office. Hmmm. |
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Devotional and
Small Group Exercise:
Improving Your Process for Spiritual Growth
Michael Zigarelli
Among the famous
business adages is this little gem: "Your process is designed
perfectly to produce your outcome." This is a truism not just
in business, of course, but in everyday life, including our
spiritual life. Here's a powerful exercise that can help you and
your friends make permanent progress.
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Editorials
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Decoding
The Apprentice
The Apprentice
is just a TV
show, right? Just another one of those insipid, gimmicky
attempts by Hollywood to win the ratings war. In reality,
though, this “reality show” can shape the reality of how people
think about business and how they behave in organizations. Mere
entertainment? We think not. |
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Dictators Masquerading as Christian Leaders
It’s a dirty little secret in Christendom, but it’s
becoming more and more public. There are some Christian leaders
who are veritable ogres. And it's nothing short of scandalous. |
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Teach the Whole Truth
Pastors and
Christian educators can suffer from two opposite but related
errors in their teaching. Pastors usually impart Biblical
knowledge while ignoring scientific revelation; Christian
teachers usually impart scientific knowledge while ignoring
Biblical revelation. We would all benefit if these leaders
broadened their epistemology—their understanding of what counts
as "knowledge"—and taught more often from the whole truth of
theology plus science.
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GM's Hit-and-Run
on Christian Employees Cannot Be Ignored
General Motors has put the brakes on the establishment of a Christian
employee group, while permitting several other affinity groups to be
created. This is dangerous precedent for several reasons. |
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A Rebellious (Court) House
On June 26, 2003, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the American
people can no longer deem certain sexual conduct to be immoral, striking
down a Texas law that criminalized gay sex acts. That precedent poses an almost
unprecedented problem for Christians. |
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The "What Would Jesus Drive?" Campaign
Would Jesus drive an SUV? A controversial ad campaign suggests that he
wouldn't - and that you shouldn't either. Is this a legitimate
interpretation of scripture or just more "eiseJesus"?
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Leveraging Hollywood: "If We Come, They Will Build It"
This month marks the release of the big screen version of
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a $200 million gamble
by Disney that evangelicals will turn out in huge numbers to see
another Christian-friendly film. We should ensure that the gamble
pays off. Hollywood is willing to step to our side in the culture
wars, but only if we make it profitable for them to do so. |
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Cut Off By A Little Fish
What do your
co-workers think when you do something that's less than godly?
Here's some quick perspective.
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Never Go to "Work" Again
Here's a powerful exercise. Try it in earnest and you may be
surprised by what you learn. Changing how we frame our work can
instantly change everything about that experience.
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Why Discipleship Fails
Why
is it that even when we know what's right, we often do what's
wrong? A lot of reasons, perhaps, but the most basic is this: We
never really intended to do what's right, at least not
consistently. That's a personal failure, for sure, but it's also
a failure of how we disciple people.
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Church and Educational
Leadership |
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Churches that Develop the Christian Mind
J.P. Moreland,
Love God with All of Your Mind
The church
– not the university, the public schools, or the media – has the
primary responsibility to teach truth, train the mind, and
properly orient our thinking. But you would never know that by
examining the structure, practices or goals of our local
churches. In this chapter from his path-breaking book, Love
Your God with All of Your Mind, philosopher and theologian
J.P. Moreland calls local churches back to this vital function
of developing the Christian mind and offers several practical
suggestions for how any church can do that.
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Building a Simple Church
(pdf file)
Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger, Simple Church
Based on an
in-depth study of four hundred American churches, the authors
now share their breakthrough conclusion: "simple" churches --
focused, well-aligned churches with complete clarity of purpose
-- are more vibrant, more effective churches. Here's
chapter 1 from their award-winning book, Simple Church.
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Marketing for Ministries: How to Win the Battle for Hearts and
Minds (pdf file)
George Babbes and Michael Zigarelli, The Minister's MBA
Why should
a ministry care about marketing?
Because people do things for their reasons, not yours. And
because we live in a world of unlimited choices. To help you
win the battle for people’s hearts and minds, this chapter from
The Minister’s MBA offers a primer on ethical,
effective marketing.
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Overcoming Discouragement: Some Advice for Pastors and Other
Leaders
Jonathan
Falwell, Innovate Church
Pastor Falwell understands well the challenges
inherent in leadership, challenges that discourage other pastors
and even drive them away from their churches. In this chapter
from his book, Innovate Church, he offers four insightful,
“non-negotiable commitments” every pastor—and, for that matter,
every Christian leader—should make to navigate the storms of
conflict and strengthen his or her leadership.
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The Art of Leading a Small Group
(pdf file)
Michael Zigarelli
There’s been
a lot written on how to lead a small group and how not to lead
one. Here’s a compilation of some of the best ideas out
there—twenty tips that will assist you in leading your group to
a life-changing experience.
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The Gap Between Pastor Perceptions and Church Member Realities
George Barna
Based on
interviews with a representative national sample of 627
Protestant pastors, this Barna study discovered that pastors
believe the vast majority of their congregants deem their faith
in God to be the highest priority in their life. But when the
researchers asked the congregants to identify their top
priority, a very different picture emerged.
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A Dozen Ways to Improve Your Worship Service
Michael Zigarelli
As good as
worship is at many churches, there are many things churches can do
to make Sunday morning services more effective. Here are a dozen
suggestions from a management professor and organizational
consultant who's spent a lot of time in a lot of churches.
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Michael Zigarelli
As secular
forces gain ground throughout the culture, what should Christian
universities be doing in response? How can they reclaim their
role as agents of redemption and transformation in society? This
article offers substantive advice for how Christian
schools can train-up students to think christianly and engage
the culture as
influential ambassadors of the faith.
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David Gushee, The Future of Christian Higher
Education
Whether you're in Christian higher education or
secondary education, this is a must-read piece from one of today's
leading thinkers. Gushee, a Christian ethicist and regular
contributor to Christianity Today, lays out an incisive
framework for how to re-conceptualize and restructure the work of
Christian educators.
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Michael Duduit
Today's Christian colleges and universities must provide an
intellectual bulwark against the secularizing cultural trends that
have swept through American higher education. According to Duduit,
if any institution is going to train America's next generation of
leaders that "truth" has meaning, it will be our Christian
universities. How can we insure that our church-supported colleges
and universities stand firm in these essential tasks? Here are five
ways.
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Robert Harris
Harris, a
long-time Christian educator, says that if
students do not learn to integrate faith and learning during their
undergraduate years, then it may not occur. In graduate school and
professional life, students may adopt the current paradigms of the
field without realizing that those paradigms include a set of
metaphysical assumptions, often naturalistic and humanistic, that
conflict with Christian truth.
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Robert Harris
Christian educator Robert Harris
presents a terrific, back-to-basics collection of teaching
practices, generously seasoned with some insights you may have never
considered. |
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Mark Sanborn
According to
Sanborn, a professional speaker, an essential
way to improve our speaking ability is to
anticipate and eliminate those behaviors that undermine our message
and our credibility. Here are seven of those behaviors.
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Michael Zigarelli
For most people,
great teaching doesn’t just happen. Whether we’re in the classroom,
in the pulpit, on stage, on the radio, or anywhere else, to teach
people with excellence—and in a way that can change hearts and
minds—requires more than some good ideas and lots of preparation. It
requires that we engage in the kind of lifestyle and professional
habits from which outstanding teaching naturally flows.
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Michael Zigarelli
Are you
called to train up people to become Christian leaders? There are
a lot of models for how to do that. This road-tested approach,
built on the ideas of Dallas Willard, can encourage not just
inspiration, but genuine transformation of the person into a
more faithful, more effective leader.
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