The Divisive Mix of Politics and Religion
Posted inCurrent Events

The Divisive Mix of Politics and Religion

Because we all tend to associate with those like us, we will also tend to select media sources that give opinions with which we agree. When we allow ourselves to be discipled by these external forces by consuming too much of their content, we necessarily disallow the discipline influence of the Holy Spirit. When those media sources are primarily political, we may overlay our political philosophies onto...
July 5, 2024Posted inCurrent EventsTags: , ,
The Debt Ceiling and Why It Matters
Posted inCurrent Events

The Debt Ceiling and Why It Matters

What is the debt ceiling? The debt ceiling dates back to 1917. It caps the level of debt that the federal government can assume. Once the U.S. hits the limit and exhausts ways to pay its bills, Congress must lift the ceiling in order for the government to continue to borrow to meet its obligations. If it doesn’t, the country could be forced to default, which experts...
February 16, 2023Posted inCurrent EventsTags: , ,
Posted inCurrent Events

Give Me Neither Poverty nor Riches: Lessons from the FTX Debacle

Two things I asked of You, do not refuse me before I die: keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God. (Proverbs 30.7-9...
November 16, 2022Posted inCurrent EventsTags: , , , ,
Posted inChristian Stewardship Current Events

US Adults Giving Patterns show Christian Church Still Number One

If you wonder where US adults give their money, the Barna Group has answered this question. In a survey of 2,016 adults in 2021, Barna found that US adults give to the following causes and institutions, as follows: Christian Church - 19%Animal Welfare - 12%Extreme poverty - 10%Christian ministry - 10%Medical research - 10%Global climate change - 9%Environmental issues - 9%Racial justice - 8%Sexual abuse causes -...
August 22, 2022Posted inChristian Stewardship, Current EventsTags: ,
LGBTQ Activists Protest Hiring Practices of Seattle Pacific University
Posted inCurrent Events Leadership

LGBTQ Activists Protest Hiring Practices of Seattle Pacific University

These protests against the university for upholding a policy prohibiting hiring LGBTQ people are coming from the university's students. Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson is (effectively) supporting the students in their litigation against the school. In response, the university is suing the State of Washington over its probe into the school's LBGTQ exclusion, claiming a violation of its first amendment rights. This is another example of...
July 29, 2022Posted inCurrent Events, LeadershipTags: , , ,
Don’t Get Caught Up in all the Anger
Posted inCurrent Events Executive Insights

Don’t Get Caught Up in all the Anger

I recently published my latest book, titled Biblical Wisdom for Business Leaders: Thirty Sayings from Proverbs. In that book, I gave a devotional on Proverbs 22.24-25, which reads: Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. This proverb reminds us that angry ways can be learned. And after learning them,...
June 27, 2022Posted inCurrent Events, Executive InsightsTags: ,
You can hide from men but not God
Posted inCurrent Events

You can hide from men but not God

I was reading a JulieRoys.com story this morning about Bruxy Cavey, a megachurch pastor near Toronto who has been involved in a multi-year affair with a church member he had counseled. He was able to keep his affair private for years, but God recently revealed his private sin and he was forced to step down. In reading this story, I was reminded of all the various scandals...
March 16, 2022Posted inCurrent EventsTags: ,
Who Will Answer? Only Jesus Christ.
Posted inCurrent Events

Who Will Answer? Only Jesus Christ.

With the conflict going on in Europe and a very real possibility of WWIII, I find the lyrics and the core question posted by Ed Ames in 1967 to be just as relevant today as it was 55 years ago. Our political and business problems will *not* be solved by our politicians in either political party. They will only be solved when Christians – those who claim...
February 27, 2022Posted inCurrent EventsTags: , ,
A Violation of the Purpose of Products
Posted inCurrent Events

A Violation of the Purpose of Products

One of the four purposes of business is Products. Quoting from my book, A Christian Theology of Business Ownership, I wrote this: "Simply stated, the first purpose for business is this: Business exists to provide a means to produce products that enables the community to flourish." When businesses aggressively market their products or services to those who cannot afford them, they are violating this principle. Case in...
November 9, 2021Posted inCurrent Events
Courage. Faith. Sacrifice.
Posted inCurrent Events

Courage. Faith. Sacrifice.

Todd: Hello… Operator…listen to me…I can't speak very loud. – This is an emergency. I'm a passenger on a United flight to San Francisco.. We have a situation here….Our plane has been hijacked…..can you understand me? Lisa: (exhaling a deep breath to herself) I understand… Can the hijackers see you talking on the phone? Todd: No Lisa: Can you tell me how many hijackers are on the...
September 12, 2021Posted inCurrent Events
Should You Require Vaccinations as a Condition of Employment?
Posted inCurrent Events

Should You Require Vaccinations as a Condition of Employment?

So many organizations have swiftly mandated COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, I doubt any of us can recall a time when there was this much consensus coupled with velocity in action around any given topic. It is truly remarkable how fast this train is leaving the station, or should I say, shot out of the station. As a business owner, you might be asking yourself,...
September 1, 2021Posted inCurrent EventsTags: , , , ,
Business Ownership and Philanthropy
Posted inCurrent Events Theology and Business

Business Ownership and Philanthropy

The Associated Press recently reported that only half of Americans are giving to charity. They cited a study conducted by Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy: "The findings confirm a trend worrying experts: Donations to charitable causes are reaching record highs, but the giving is done by a smaller and smaller slice of the population." Philanthropy is one of the four core purposes of business. If...
July 30, 2021Posted inCurrent Events, Theology and BusinessTags: , , ,
Shrinkflation and Gods Purposes for Products
Posted inCurrent Events

Shrinkflation and Gods Purposes for Products

An interesting site, mouseprint.org, reports on numerous examples of shrinkflation, the shrinking of product size/volume/weight without lowering their price or changing the look and feel of their packaging. Essentially, companies reduce how much they are including in their product but they charge you the same. Some say this is a way for them to control costs and not contribute to inflation. That's fine. But then they should...
July 28, 2021Posted inCurrent Events
Sallie Mae an Example of Violating God’s Purposes for Business
Posted inCurrent Events

Sallie Mae an Example of Violating God’s Purposes for Business

This article in the Wall Street Journal, Al Lord Profited When College Tuition Rose. He’s Paying for it is an example of how violating God’s purposes for business creates inefficiencies and inequities in our society (or any society for that matter). The article (adapted from the book The Debt Trap: How Student Loans Became a National Catastrophe) reveals that back in the seventies – nearly 50 years...
July 24, 2021Posted inCurrent EventsTags: , ,
We are Overcomers Through Christ
Posted inCurrent Events

We are Overcomers Through Christ

At the time of this writing, our world seems to be spinning out of control. A majority of our country has placed their faith in the new Biden administration, having rejected President Trump at the polls. By the end of this calendar year (2020), as a nation, we will have taken on another ~$5 trillion of debt due to the pandemic, which has now killed over 350,000...
December 23, 2020Posted inCurrent EventsTags: , ,