What constitutes success in the workplace
Christianity Today recently ran this editorial titled Neighbor Love Inc. With the recent and upcoming trials of corporate executives who are known as active churchgoing believers, one begins to wonder if those working in the for-profit world truly understand how their faith relates to their work.
The article does a nice job of describing what the Christian's calling in the business world is and is not. There is a great quote by Father Robert Sirico who leads the Acton Institute: "When people accept the challenge of an entrepreneurial vocation, they have implicitly decided to meet the needs of others through the goods and services they produce. If the entrepreneur's investments are to return a profit, the entrepreneur must be 'other-directed.' Ultimately, business persons in a market economy simply cannot be both self-centered and successful."
In other words, business leaders should utilize the principles of servant-leadership in the work that they do. They should understand the importance of the common good and how it can help guide their actions. Unfortunately, this is not happening.....yet.
So where does the blame lie? With the business execs themselves? With the business school they attended? A place that is far too often overlooked is the church to which they belong. The article explains that most pastors do not feel equipped to discuss violations of business law at the top levels of major corporations. But the church does need to help its businesspeople develop a fundamental understanding of what it means for Christians to engage in business.
One of the many ways that pastors can do this is by affirming businesspeople in their calling. What does that look like? It is about getting out from behind their desk and meeting their parishoners in their places of work! Ask questions about the successes, failures, frustrations, etc. that they have in running a business. And most importantly, ask their parishoners what they as pastors can do to help them.
The article does a nice job of describing what the Christian's calling in the business world is and is not. There is a great quote by Father Robert Sirico who leads the Acton Institute: "When people accept the challenge of an entrepreneurial vocation, they have implicitly decided to meet the needs of others through the goods and services they produce. If the entrepreneur's investments are to return a profit, the entrepreneur must be 'other-directed.' Ultimately, business persons in a market economy simply cannot be both self-centered and successful."
In other words, business leaders should utilize the principles of servant-leadership in the work that they do. They should understand the importance of the common good and how it can help guide their actions. Unfortunately, this is not happening.....yet.
So where does the blame lie? With the business execs themselves? With the business school they attended? A place that is far too often overlooked is the church to which they belong. The article explains that most pastors do not feel equipped to discuss violations of business law at the top levels of major corporations. But the church does need to help its businesspeople develop a fundamental understanding of what it means for Christians to engage in business.
One of the many ways that pastors can do this is by affirming businesspeople in their calling. What does that look like? It is about getting out from behind their desk and meeting their parishoners in their places of work! Ask questions about the successes, failures, frustrations, etc. that they have in running a business. And most importantly, ask their parishoners what they as pastors can do to help them.
<< Home