In the story of Esther, Esther’s goal was to convince the king to save the Jews from annihilation. She wisely decided to first invite the king and Haman to a feast. She could have made her request then, but she didn’t. In Esther 5:6, the king says, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is ...
A study reported in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion found four important ways in which those interviewed feel “called to work:” As an opportunity to use gifts and opportunities provided by God; As a chance to share or model one’s faith; Through producing goods or services that benefit society, and As a means to a higher calling ...
Twenty-eight years ago, my wife, Kathy, had to have surgery due to breast cancer. That morning me and a team of prayer warriors prayed over a skeptical surgeon. After the surgery, this surgeon looked dazed as he said, “I don’t know what just happened, but that was the best surgery I’ve ever performed. It felt like I was watching someone ...
In July 1776, 56 men representing 13 colonies signed the Declaration of Independence, declaring America’s freedom from Britain. These men’s written commitment made a difference for centuries to come. There is power in taking a stand, putting it in writing, and then having your leaders sign their commitment. In Nehemiah 9, Israel was at a turning point. After hearing the ...
If you had known me when I was working construction during college, you would have experienced a very different person. At that stage in my life, my language was filthy, I drank heavily, I was a thief, and women were not treated respectfully. In my early 30s, when God finally captured my heart, I had to begin killing off my ...
A Wall Street Journal-NORC poll finds that what used to be core values for most Americans have declined dramatically. Over the last 25 years, this poll has tracked American views on patriotism, religion, having children, community involvement, and money. Each of these values in 2019, except money, were held by the majority of the population. Unfortunately, each of these values ...
A young man I mentored worked in a telemarketing position for a large company that had very demanding call quotas and results. My young friend was constantly pressured to lie, manipulate, or do whatever was necessary to close deals. If he pushed back against his boss’ demands, he was verbally abused and threatened. He eventually decided the only choice ...
A Gospel Coalition article by Miranda Carls provides four steps to improve your experience at work and to represent Christ more fully. The second step in this series is to defend your faith. The workplace is full of skeptics of the Christian faith. If you’re not prepared to defend your beliefs, you may inadvertently undermine your credibility. You don’t need ...
In this series, we’re discussing some of the snares that can surface when a business leader begins experiencing success. The first snare that often comes is praise. When Anne Beiler began growing Auntie Anne Pretzels, people started praising her for her success. But Anne kept thinking, “I’m not brilliant, I’m an 8th grade educated Amish stay-at-home mom.” But eventually, ...
Early in my career I observed a couple of guys who were both working hard to climb to the top of the corporate ladder. Over time, one of the two became a ruthless competitor. He would do anything to reach his goals. Although these two were best friends, they eventually found themselves vying for one key position. The ruthless one ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
