Calling Dependencies
Posted inTheology and Business

Calling Dependencies

I will offer, for your consideration, the notion that there are calling dependencies in the Christian life. These dependences form the foundation of our leadership in business and are visceral to our life. I will submit that these dependencies look like this (bottom to top): Call to Service Call to Faithfulness Call to Dependence Call to His Presence Call to Covenant God’s call on our lives is...
November 27, 2022Posted inTheology and BusinessTags: , ,
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: , , ,
Leadership Lessons from the Life of Daniel: The Importance of Identity
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons from the Life of Daniel: The Importance of Identity

A transcendent life purpose is essential to leading well as a Christian in the marketplace. We cannot lead the way God intended if we don’t have a set of core convictions about our life purpose that extends beyond our vocation. Without deeply held beliefs, you’ll negotiate away too much of yourself when normal business pressures and uncertainties come your way. From a leadership viewpoint, the book of...
January 7, 2022Posted inLeadershipTags: , ,
Leadership Lessons from the Life of Moses, Part 1
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons from the Life of Moses, Part 1

View the video here. Download PowerPoint slides here. In this leadership series, I’ll explore what we can learn from the life of Moses about leadership. We’ll spend our time in the book of Exodus. Let’s start by reading Exodus 1.1-7: These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun and...
February 1, 2021Posted inLeadershipTags: ,
Best Practices for Hiring an Interim CEO
Posted inExecutive Insights

Best Practices for Hiring an Interim CEO

Having run several businesses, I'll say that the process to being a successful CEO in an interim situation includes attention to several key areas. But the change for the owner who is hiring the interim CEO is significant. This article outlines the foci of an interim CEO and also lays out the best practices for the ownership group. People There is a plethora of relationships that need...
November 26, 2020Posted inExecutive InsightsTags: ,
Top Ten Things Owners Do to Demoralize Their Employees
Posted inExecutive Insights

Top Ten Things Owners Do to Demoralize Their Employees

Drawn from my experience of working with business owners in my consulting work at the Platinum Group, I've developed the top ten things that business owners do that drives their staff crazy and eventually, drives them out of their business. #10: You're a moving target You'll tell your staff to focus on task A this week and then blow your stack that they didn't focus on task...
November 1, 2020Posted inExecutive InsightsTags:
Eight Responsibilities Which Christian Business Owners Cannot Delegate
Posted inExecutive Insights

Eight Responsibilities Which Christian Business Owners Cannot Delegate

I have found that some responsibilites cannot be delegated to others when I'm serving in the role as CEO. I'm most successful as a leader when I'm highly focused on the things that only I can do within the organization. When I focus on the things listed below, I find my swimlane that best compliments what others do in the organization. So, here are eight responsibilities which...
September 29, 2020Posted inExecutive InsightsTags: ,
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons from the Life of David – Part IV: David Fights Goliath

Listen to the podcast here. In this post, we’ll look at how David passed the test of leading a nation when the future and the obstacle(s) seemed overwhelming and likely to end their existence as an independent nation. This lesson is directly applicable to Christian Business Owners because we face dangers every day which are seemingly insurrmountable.  How did David respond in the face of Goliath? We’ll...
September 19, 2020Posted inLeadershipTags: ,
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons from the Life of David Part III

Listen to the Podcast here. In my previous post, we learned how David experienced being underestimated. We observed that he started his journey to becoming King of Israel by first being underestimated by his own family. We also learned that when one is given seemingly insignificant tasks, one must infuse those tasks with as much effort, learning and development as possible if one is to absorb all...
September 2, 2020Posted inLeadershipTags: ,
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons Life of David Part II

Listen to the podcast here. The first leadership lesson that David needed to learn was about being underestimated: Sometimes, you will be underestimated in your leadership potential and consequently, you will be overlooked even though you are chosen by God. Let's read from 1 Samuel 16: The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your...
August 14, 2020Posted inLeadershipTags:
What Does the Bible Have to Say About Opportunity?
Posted inTheology and Business

What Does the Bible Have to Say About Opportunity?

This blog post was originally posted in May of 2012. For some reason, this post has been visited over twice as often as the next most visited post. I'm at a loss as to understand why. Here is the post – edited a bit, but still largely the same. What does the Bible have to say about Opportunity? Well, here is what I've learned in my studies....
August 8, 2020Posted inTheology and BusinessTags: , , ,
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons from the Life of Daniel II

In this post, we'll look at what we can learn about leadership from what Daniel did right. This post will focus on Daniel, chapter 2: In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before...
September 8, 2018Posted inLeadershipTags: , , , ,
Leadership Lessons from the Life of Daniel I
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons from the Life of Daniel I

In this series, I'll highlight some leadership lessons which we can learn from the life of Daniel. Unlike King David, who was the King of Israel, Daniel provides significant leadership lessons for those who are high up in an organization, but report to someone who is antagonistic toward God. Chapter 1 of Daniel reads as follows: In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of...
August 20, 2018Posted inLeadershipTags: ,
When Starting as a CEO, First Define Yourself
Posted inChristian Stewardship

When Starting as a CEO, First Define Yourself

Taking a page out of Bowen Family Theory, when a person differentiates themselves within a family system, the anxiety (think fusion that results in conflict) tends to dissipate over time. In Bowen's thinking, differentiation was all about defining yourself relative to others around you. The role of defining one's self is central to creating boundaries (to use Henry Cloud's terminology now) that let's others know where your...
August 20, 2016Posted inChristian StewardshipTags: , ,
Lessons from the Life of Joseph Part IV
Posted inLeadership

Lessons from the Life of Joseph Part IV

Genesis 39.21 – 40.23: "But while Joseph was there in the prison,the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because...
May 31, 2016Posted inLeadershipTags: , , , , ,
Lessons from the Life of Joseph Part III
Posted inLeadership

Lessons from the Life of Joseph Part III

The Life of Joseph can be highly instructive for Christian business owners, if we are willing to look at ourselves through the examples we find in Scripture. Joseph became a man of integrity and forgiveness, which was a result of God's work in his life over a 13-year period to prepare his character and skills for a work that would save millions of lives. You might recall...
February 9, 2016Posted inLeadershipTags: , ,
Lessons from the Life of Joseph Part II
Posted inLeadership

Lessons from the Life of Joseph Part II

Genesis 37.26-36: "23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing—24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and...
January 26, 2016Posted inLeadershipTags: , , , ,
Lessons from the Life of Joseph Part I
Posted inLeadership

Lessons from the Life of Joseph Part I

The Life of Joseph is a portrait of a man of integrity and forgiveness. Joseph was a highly talented guy. In today's vernacular, we'd say he was "crazy smart". His strongest gifting from God was his ability to interpret dreams, yet his greatest ministry to mankind would not utilize his strongest gift. Gifting and the Call of God Our gifts and calling to serve in particular ways...
January 19, 2016Posted inLeadershipTags: , , , ,
A Man of Understanding
Posted inExecutive Insights Theology and Business

A Man of Understanding

"Seek to understand before being understood" is a phrase I've heard repeatedly in my 12+ years as a Christian Business Owner. It's good advice, frankly, because when you can understand what the other person is saying or understand the "why" behind their actions, the root of the problem or the core issues can be more clearly understood. "Man of Understanding" in Proverbs In Proverbs, the Bible refers...
November 15, 2014Posted inExecutive Insights, Theology and BusinessTags: , , , ,
Leadership Lessons Part XIV: Living Under a Government that is Opposed to Your Faith
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons Part XIV: Living Under a Government that is Opposed to Your Faith

Christians in America find themselves living under a Government that is increasingly opposed to our faith. It's not as strong here as it is in the United Kingdom or Canada, or Australia, but it is a growing element that we must factor into the running of our businesses as Christians. We don't have it nearly as bad as David did when he was on the run from...
September 8, 2014Posted inLeadershipTags: , , ,
Leadership Lessons Part XII: Going without God
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons Part XII: Going without God

In 1 Samuel 21, we find that David is going to let his anger drive his decisions and move forward without consulting and following God's leading. David makes some crucial mistakes that are both understandable and damaging to him. Here is the text: David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, "Why are you alone? Why is no one...
September 2, 2014Posted inLeadershipTags: , ,
Leadership Lessons Part XI: The Value of a Close Friend and Supporter
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons Part XI: The Value of a Close Friend and Supporter

Find the companion podcast here. David had a huge gift from God in the form of Jonathan, his friend. Even though Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne since he was Saul's son, he God had long since given the kingdom to David because of his father's sin. David learns the valuable lesson of having a close, lasting friendship who will supports his leadership. Our story...
August 31, 2014Posted inLeadershipTags: ,
Leadership Lessons Part X: God’s Protection
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons Part X: God’s Protection

God's Preparation of David for leadership led Him to put David into a multi-year (well over a decade, actually) experience in which he was on-the-run and without a "base" that many of us take for granted: he was a hunted and wanted man by the government, he lacked a physical home and he spent years away from his first wife. Leaders go through "desert" experiences. God refines...
August 31, 2014Posted inLeadershipTags: , , ,
Leadership Lessons Part IX: The Test of the Broken Vow
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons Part IX: The Test of the Broken Vow

You can listen to the Companion Podcast here. If you're in leadership, chances are good that you have had someone lie to you and perhaps even break their promises to you. This is as aspect of Christian Business Ownership which many who get into business ownership don't anticipate: a few employees will take purposeful actions that they know will hurt you and the business. In essence, an...
June 16, 2014Posted inLeadershipTags:
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons Part VIII – Impacting the Quality of Leadership Through Righteousness

Continuing on in our study of David's life from the time he was anointed King until he actually became King, we find ourselves now in 1 Samuel 18.10-30: 10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it,...
March 17, 2014Posted inLeadershipTags: , , , ,
Leadership Lessons Part VII – The Lesson of Success
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons Part VII – The Lesson of Success

The worst thing that can happen to a person is to succeed before he is ready. -Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones The Companion Podcast can be found here. Thus far, we have seen David learn the lesson of being underestimated, the lesson of submission, the lesson of knowing when to risk and the lesson of authenticity. Now, he will learn how to handle public success in a Godly way....
March 5, 2014Posted inLeadershipTags: , ,
Leadership Lessons – Part VI: David Fights Goliath – Part III
Posted inLeadership

Leadership Lessons – Part VI: David Fights Goliath – Part III

Being Yourself in Your Calling The Companion Podcast on this Article can be found here. Reading from 1 Samuel 17.15-40: Now the Israelites had been saying, "Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family...
February 16, 2014Posted inLeadershipTags: , , ,