Take a risk with Jesus

The following is an inspiring blog entry from John Michael Talbot's blog:

LOOK TO THE HEART

Luke 7:36-50If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is that touches him - that she is a sinner. v. 39 Are we like Jesus, allowing ourselves to be touched, kissed, even washed by the tears of sinners? Do we look beyond the externals of morality, culture, and religion to the heart? Do we judge and condemn or practice mercy and justice?

BE SENSITIVE TO REPENTANT SINNERS

The Pharisees provided no water for Jesus to wash his dusty feet, no kiss of greeting, and no perfumed oil of anointing. Despite their rigorous religious exercises, they were sensitive neither to Jesus nor to a sincere repentant sinner. The woman was a known sinner, yet she experienced a radical change of heart. From her repentant heart, tears flowed and fell upon the feet of Jesus. Where she once embraced and caressed men for profit, she instead wiped Jesus’ feet and anointed his head out of reverence. These external acts are made holy because of her change of heart.

LET YOUR HEART BE MOVED

Jesus responded to the Pharisees criticism by saying, "I tell you, that is why her many sins are forgiven - because of her great love. Little is forgiven the one whose love is small ... Your faith has been your salvation." In this, Jesus directly connects faith and love. "God is love, wrote John. Likewise, the book of James reminds us that true religion consists of "looking after orphans and widows and keeping oneself unspotted from the world." How can one look after orphaned children and widowed women and mothers without having their hearts moved? The world tells us to look out for yourselves while James said we must not be defiled by the self-centeredness that hardens the human heart.“Love covers a multitude of sins,” says the proverb. So today let us be people of human love if we profess true faith in God. Today look to the sinner: the prostitute, the whore, the drug addict, and let your heart be moved. Treasure their tears, let them anoint your head. Let them kiss you and touch your life. Ironically, you might find your own life "cleansed" by the "unclean," and your openness may be the door to their salvation.

Take a risk with Jesus.

- John Michael Talbot

To read more from John Michael Talbot see: http://johnmichaeltalbot.blogspot.com/

The Leader as Spiritual Director

Lately, I have been taken with the idea that the basic premise of the discipline of spiritual directing could be a good metaphor to explore the intersection of leadership and spiritual formation. Barry and Connelly's definition for Spiritual Direction might be a good place to start:

"We define Christian spiritual direction as help given by one Christian to another which enables that person to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live out the consequences of the relationship."

Barry and Connelly's good definition reminds me of a description I once read of the ministry of the Old Testament Prophet, where the purpose of the prophet was to recapture the imagination of God's People back to Him. Christian leaders get the attention of those that follow and lead them back into the presence of God.

Source:

William A. Barry and William J. Connelly, The Practice of Spiritual Direction (New York: Seabury, 1982)

Leadership in the Love of God

"And today God keeps on loving the world. He keep on sending you and me to prove that He loves the world, that He still has that compassion for the world. It is we who have to be His love, His compassion in the world of today. But to be able to love we must have faith, for faith in action is love, and love in action is service."

- Teresa of Calcutta

Giving all to Jesus

I recently finished the newly published book on the private writings of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. What struck me was her complete and total determination to offer her whole life as a sacrifice to God. There is story towards the end of the book where one of the missionary sisters in her community witnessed the following a few days before the death of Mother Teresa: "I saw Mother alone, facing....a picture of the Holy Face....and she was saying, 'Jesus, I never refuse you anything.' I thought she was talking to someone. I went in again. Again I heard the same: 'Jesus, I have never refused you anything.'"

May we learn to give all that we have in obedience to Him. Nothing less could be called authentic Christian Leadership.

Creativity, Tribulation and Virtue in Leadership

Jackie Faulhaber's sacred texture analysis of 1 Peter in the New Edition of the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership (JBPL) explores the interaction between virtue, tribulation and creativity in leadership.

The abstract of Faulhaber's paper reads as follows:

"God’s strategy to diffuse Christianity in vacillating economic, political, and economic environments is creative and reflects his nature to work in inexplicit and paradoxical ways. In a sacred textual analysis of 1 Peter, employing the exegetical strategies of socio-rhetorical criticism, it is proposed that God uses tribulation and trials to effect individual and collective transformation. This transformative process, predicated on a believer’s grateful response to grace, produces organizational cooperation over competition, forgiveness over grudges, and harmony over discord, which is necessary to attain moral excellence and the good relationships needed for creating innovative organizations that require ongoing renewal for today’s turbulent environments that organizations face. This essay further focuses on the nuances of spiritual transformation and character development, a process similar to that noted by Paul in Romans 5:3-6. It also focuses on the creative tools Peter uses, such as metaphors and opposites, to teach the requisites for spiritual formation/character development, as well as transformational leadership used by Peter in seeking to transform the Christian community toward moral excellence."

For the full paper see: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/jbpl/

A Martyriological Model of Leadership

Jack Niewold's paper, entitled "Beyond Servant Leadership," in the new edition of the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership (JBPL) makes a good case for a renewed and determined examination of our models of Christians Leadership in the light of the sacrifice of Christ and his early followers.

The abstract of the paper reads as follows:
I argue that the servant leadership model that has been widely adopted by Christians has not been an unmixed blessing. Servant leadership in its secular form is based on non-Christian secular and religious ideas. But even in its Christianized form it is reflective of a heterodox and distorted Christology, which it in turn helps to perpetuate. I attempt to identify the elements of Christology that modern evangelicalism and its version of servant leadership neglect. Next, I endeavor to rehabilitate these neglected aspects of Christology in order to formulate a new model of leadership that I call martyria, a biblical term that I briefly explicate. Following a short exercise where I speculate what martyria might look like today, I argue that it is within this new martyriological model of leadership that the servant motif finds its true home. The implication is that when servanthood is lifted from its matrix as adjunct to martyria and permitted to usurp a central role in leadership formation, the result is weak leadership ill-suited to the exigencies of our time. Martyrological or witness-based leadership, on the other hand, contains the role of servant, but is much better suited in critical ways to the present historical kairos.

For the full article, see: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/jbpl/

Picture by Leon Gerome

Upper Echelons Theory at work in the Church in Ephesus

Gail Longbotham and Ben Gutierrez have an article in the current issue of the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership on upper echelons theory and the church in Ephesus. The abstract of this paper reads as follows:

This study relates Proposition 21 of Hambrick and Mason’s (1984) Upper Echelons Theory (UET) to Paul and Timothy’s leadership of the Ephesian church. Proposition 21 states, “In turbulent environments, team heterogeneity will be positively associated with profitability.” Using the texts of Acts, Ephesians, and I and II Timothy, this study demonstrates the merit of this proposition as evidenced in the historical, ministry context of Paul and Timothy as a leadership team in the turbulent environment of the first century and provides rationale for translating these concepts into a contemporary ministry context. A brief sketch of Paul and Timothy’s personal backgrounds (birthplace, family, education, and conversion experience) and leadership experiences provides evidence for the heterogeneity of their leadership relationship. Evidence of heresy and persecution support the contention that theirs was a turbulent environment. The conduct of the Ephesian church in the years after the instruction (documented in Acts, Ephesians, and I and II Timothy) and leadership of Paul and Timothy provides supporting evidence of the profitability of that leadership. A summary of the study, its benefits, and suggestions for future research conclude this study.

For the rest of the paper see: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/jbpl/vol1no2

What would Jesus Lead?

Jay Gary's paper in the new edition of the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership (JBPL) is entitled: "What would Jesus lead: Identity theft, leadership evolution and open systems."

Here is the abstract of the paper:

Recent discussions of “What would Jesus drive?” by environmental groups have raised the issue of whether Jesus of Nazareth would embrace the industrial growth paradigm. This paper evaluates this public policy debate by examining various leadership typologies that have been used to study Jesus. Drawing upon Daft’s four-cell evolutionary theory of leadership studies, this paper lays out an open systems and post-industrial research agenda for leadership scholars as they examine Jesus’ actions within a first-century context.

Link to the full paper: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/jbpl/vol1no2/JBPLVol1No2_Gary.pdf

Check out Jay Gary's site: www.jaygary.com

Second Edition of the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership (JBPL)

It is with great joy that I can announce that second edition of the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership (JBPL) is finished and have gone "live" on the web today. This edition of JBPL contains a wide variety of views and approaches in our common quest to explore leadership perspectives in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. It is our hope that the articles in this edition will serve to further extend the base for rigorous and well-grounded exegetical research in leadership.

I want to thank the members of our international editorial board for their continued guidance and hard work. I also want to thank the dean and faculty of the School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship at Regent University for their continued interests and support of the journal.

We welcome any comments, suggestions, and correspondence from our readers. I look forward with great anticipation to our continued interaction.

Peace and all good,

Corne J. Bekker

Editor of JBPL

Here is a link to online version of the Journal:
http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/jbpl/

In the Footsteps of Saints Benedict, Francis and Clare of Assisi 2008

In the Footsteps of Benedict, Francis and Clare of Assisi Italy June 20-29, 2008

If you have a passion for discovery, consider joining us for an incredible learning journey as we retrace the footsteps of the Saint Benedict, Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Clare of Assisi. This Study Abroad program, offered by the Regent University School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship, will take you to some of the most significant sites of our Christian history and examine, firsthand, the dynamics that changed the world .

• Retrace the footsteps of the Saint Benedict, Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Clare of Assissi
• Explore key historic sites through private tours.
• Examine biblical perspectives, archaeology, theology, religion, humanities and the arts.
• Gain spiritual insights and a deeper understanding of biblical leadership and its contemporary applications.
• Enjoy the program as a leisure traveler or enroll for optional graduate-level credit (M.A. or Ph.D.).

For the first few years, the Leadership Study Abroad Program concentrated on the work, ministries, and leadership of the Apostle Paul in Asia Minor and Greece, covering most of the sites of Paul's first, second and third missionary journeys. The 2008 PROGRAM brings us to Italy, where we will walk in the Footsteps of Saints Benedict, Francis and Clare of Assisi.

For more information see: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/abroad/home.htm

The Entrepreneurs Guild

Entrepreneurs are drivers of the world economy. They are more than owners of businesses, they are innovators and, in many ways, trailblazers in commerce and industry. Within the many successes and failures are their stories. The Entrepreneurs' Guild seeks to tell those stories through a values-based worldview and, in turn, provide a stage for learning, dialogue and advancement of social business practice.


The [e] guild is co-hosted by Distinguished Professor and former Regent University President David Gyertson, Ph.D. and Regent Global Business Review Editor Julianne Cenac. Each digitally recorded program features leading and emergent entrepreneurs in dynamic and engaging interviews to uncover each guest's unique path to success.

The following notes is from Julianne Cenac, who oversees the work of the Guild:

"All,

I am excited to announce the upcoming fall series of the Entrepreneurs' Guild October 8-10th, 2007. Guests include: Pilar Nores de Garcia, First Lady of Peru; Ogbonna Abarikwu, CEO of CK Engineering, and Dr. M. G. "Pat" Robertson.

The Entrepreneurs' Guild is the vision of Dr. Winston and features leading and emerging entrepreneurs who have successfully integrated their faith in creating, launching and sustaining innovative ventures. Each program is digitally recorded before a live studio audience and will be available for viewing on the Entrepreneurs' Guild website.

While the website is being updated to include all the programs from the summer series, please click on the following link to view the outstanding interview with David Gyertson and Michael Louis of South Africa: http://media.regent.edu/schgle/eguild/ep2_h.wmv

To reserve your seat(s) for the current program series, visit the Entrepreneurs' Guild website at: www.regent.edu/eguild

In His Service,
Julianne Cenan"

Giving Ourselves to God

"If I am to know the will of God, I must have the right attitude toward life. I must first of all know what life is, and to know the purpose of my existence. It is all very well to declare that I exist in order to have my soul saveed and to give glory to God by doing so. And it is all very well to say that, in order to do this, I obey certain commandments and keep certain counsels. Yet knowing this much, and indeed knowing all moral theology and ethics and canon law, I might still go through life conforming myself to certain indications of God's will without ever fully giving myself to God. For that, in the last analysis, is the real meaning of His will. He does not need our sacrifices, He asks for our selves. And if He prescribes certain acts of obedience, it is not because obedience is the beginning and the end of end of everything. It is only the beginning. Charity, divine union, transformation in Christ: these are the end."

- Thomas Merton. No Man Is An Island. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1955: 63.

Response to a Comment on Yesterday's blog

I normally do not respond to comments left on this blog, but I would like to comment on an anonymous and good response to yesterday’s blog. It is a great joy that we can interact and learn from one another – so I offer my small contribution to this well thought-through response. The measure of success in leadership that yesterday’s response to my blog proposes - the quality of relationships build with God and others - is precisely the transformation of leadership values that Nouwen hopes for and proposes in his little, provocative book. A close reading of Nouwen will reveal that he does not propose that leadership should not be relevant, spectacular or heroic: it is the desperate temptations to be relevant (in Nouwen’s Dutch-informed sense of writing – a desire to play to the whims and movements of the market), spectacular and powerful that he identifies as the main temptations for those who lead. These are the temptations that often lead to the kind of dysfunctional and ineffective leadership that all of us have witnessed too well. For Nouwen obedience to God equals effective Christian leadership, authentic leadership in the Name of Jesus – and this could end up being very relevant, quite spectacular and full of the right kind of power – but those leadership results are ultimately the work of God. Nouwen’s genius lies in his understanding that authentic leadership cannot start with those desires – it has to start with the determined commitment to follow God – and to leave the effects of that leadership to Him. For too long have we located the phenomena of leadership solely in the person of the leader. I would propose that leadership is much more complex that the desires and actions of one person (as good, needed and intentional as they might be) – at minimum any talk of Christian leadership should include the serious consideration of the empowering presence of God, the community, context, organization, mission and followers. Nouwen proposes in a very simple way, based on his reading of the last chapter of John’s Gospel (21), that the phenomena of leadership includes and depends upon these above-mentioned constituents.

Does Nouwen’s small book on Christian leadership address all the philosophical or Biblical elements necessary to construct an adequate theory for Christian Leadership? I do not think so. But this book, written in the early 1980’s does open the door to start to examine what a communal, values-based approach to leadership could look like. Nouwen is no longer alone in his call to a values-based approach to leadership (one could consider the work of Robert Greenleaf, Richard Barker and even the most recent writings of Bernard Bass for a few examples of this). Leadership scholars world-wide has proposed that a shift is occurring in our understanding of leadership and that this new, emerging, post-industrial paradigm of leadership has helped leaders to start to think of leadership as something that is done in community instead of the acts of one privileged and empowered individual. This paradigm shift from extreme individualism to perspectives in communal leadership is a global phenomena and is contrasted by Jean Lipmen-Blumen (Thorton F. Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Drucker School of Leadership) with the individualistic, competitive leadership approaches of the past: “…we finally began to reexamine more critically our traditional concept of leadership. It is based on an outmoded ego ideal glorifying the competitive, combative, controlling, creative, aggressive, self-reliant individualist…”

I fully agree that Bruce Winston’s concept of Agapao love as the prime motivator of Christian leadership, is the closest we have come so far to describe this values-driven approach (and in my reading to the concepts Nouwen describes): doing the right thing, for the right reason, at the right time, to the right people will result in authentic Christian leadership that might very well turn out to be spectacularly relevant and powerful – but those results are God’s work, our work is to be obedient to the call to lead in the Name of Jesus.

I would also confess that Nouwen's three temptations: the temptations to be the person of the hour that is known for his spectacular and powerful personage and leadership are all temptations that I can deeply relate to.

Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)

Leadership in the Name of Jesus

I struggle with the shameless pride and determined self-promotion that so often accompany those of us who present ourselves as "leadership gurus". Am I tempted by the "style over substance" stance that leadership simply equals influence? Where are we leading people to? Henri Nouwen's little book on Christian Leadership, "In the Name of Jesus" remains one of the few voices that calls for a renewed commitment to authentic leadership.

Jeanné Morson's review of Nouwen's book summarizes his most important thoughts:

"The increasing trend of many individuals seeking to nurture their leadership skills is to submit to the motivational gurus who preach well-packaged and dramatically staged formulas for success. The quest for self-direction, personal efficiency and effective leadership habits, however, still leaves many individuals empty over the long run. The late Henry Nouwen provides the link that is essential for those individuals who not only seek effective leadership skills but an approach that is consistent with their Christian identity. IN THE NAME OF JESUS provides a foundational understanding of effective leadership that centres itself in Christ. Any proposal of personal leadership styles that negate or avoid this authentic presence can offer only a partial definition of what genuine leadership and effectiveness is.

Where leadership gurus talk about an individual's internalized habits and methods of empowerment, Henri Nouwen begins his reflections on Christian leadership with a focus on the collective. His wisdom is grounded in the foundation that we are a people 'called'. He acknowledges that it is the real presence of the Holy Spirit who motivates us toward a life that is lived not merely 'with' but 'for' others. This adds a distinctively unique layer to general leadership principles that tend to focus on an individualistic perspective. Nouwen's understanding of leadership is other-centred as opposed to self-centered; it is communal as opposed to individual. Skills are not what 'build me up' as a good leader, but what 'build us up' as a community.

Nouwen regards self-actualization -- that desire to be relevant, spectacular, heroic or powerful -- as a temptation. Leadership is not so much about personal effectiveness and success as it is about one's vocation to proclaim in the word and witness of one's life that God's redemptive presence continues to manifest itself even in the ordinary events of our lives. This emphasizes that it is not so much about what we do or who we are in terms of social labels, but our capacity to reveal WHOSE we are in the way we choose to live out our relationships and involve ourselves with the others in our community. According to Henri Nouwen, all principles by which we live, whether it be honesty, integrity, integrity, fairness, excellence, service, etc., pale in their capacity for effectiveness if LOVE is not at the root of them. Love is the first principle and finds its origin in what Nouwen refers to as God's first love - that creative extension of God's self into the life of the world. Stripped of all the criteria that made him relevant, spectacular and powerful, Nouwen discovered at l'Arche a deeper well-spring with which to identify his contributions as a Christian leader: "Success was putting my soul in danger...my constantly changing involvement in what seemed most urgent were signs that the Spirit was being suppressed." (P.10) Nouwen invites the Christian leader to nurture her/his spirit by contemplative prayer so that "we can keep ourselves from being pulled from one urgent issue to another and from being strangers to our own and God's heart." (p.28) Nouwen defines this balance as something attainable when one responds in the affirmative to Jesus' question: Do you love me?

For a society that measures successful leadership in terms of the effectiveness of the individual, Nouwen offers a counter definition that is witnessed by a "communal and mutual experience". (p.40) He reflects on the success of Jesus' disciples who were sent out in twos to proclaim the good news: Christian leaders are called to live the Incarnation...not only in their own body but... the corporate body of the community, and to discover there the presence of the Holy Spirit. (p.48) For Nouwen, leadership cannot function apart from the community.Like other types of leadership, Christian leadership too can get tangled in the charisma of a high profile individual who has all the skills to function well and be effective within the community. Nouwen challenges all Christian leaders to function WITH and FOR their particular community, not in the radiance of their own name and reputation but IN THE NAME OF JESUS. "

Unmasked Leadership

"Our media are saturated with images of individuals wearing the mask of 'all togetherness'. I rub shoulders daily with people quick to reassure me of the unreality 'I'm fine, thanks'. I find myself trapped in a superficial community, stuffed in my self-imposed cocoon of fear and shame, afraid to admit my brokenness and weakness. I can't face the possibility of rejection and loss, not making the cut, not fitting in. To break out of this prison, we are invited into the honesty of becoming vulnerable. Vulnerability dismantles our obsession with getting it right.

As I take off the mask of 'all togetherness', I discover a vast world of freedom. In my vulnerability, I become accessible to fellow companions on the journey. My vulnerability invites others in, offers understanding and empathy, but also can be a cry for help. Even though vulnerability's path is often painful, its reward of deepening intimacy is welcome. Being vulnerable opens my heart to a larger worldview. I become free to explore beyond the exhausting self-focus of supporting my false image of 'OKness'. I find myself challenged to deeper transparency as I sing along with Leonard Cohen 'Ring the bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in'."

- Steve Imbach (A Spiritual Director with Soul Stream in the Vancouver Area)

http://www.soulstream.org/

Gentle Leadership

"Once in a while we meet a gentle person. Gentleness is a virtue hard to find in a society that admires toughness and roughness. We are encouraged to get things done and to get them done fast, even when people get hurt in the process. Success, accomplishment, and productivity count. But the cost is high. There is no place for gentleness in such a milieu.

"Gentle is the one who does "not break the crushed reed, or snuff the faltering wick" (Matthew 12:20). Gentle is the one who is attentive to the strengths and weaknesses of the other and enjoys being together more than accomplishing something. A gentle person treads lightly, listens carefully, looks tenderly, and touches with reverence. A gentle person knows that true growth requires nurture, not force. Let's dress ourselves with gentleness. In our tough and often unbending world our gentleness can be a vivid reminder of the presence of God among us."

~Henri Nouwen

Leadership Wisdom from Unlikely Voices

I am rereading Dave Fleming's book, "Leadership Wisdom from Unlikely Voices." It is excellent and practical exploration of the leadership wisdom that the leaders from Church History offer us. Fleming surveys leaders such as Francis of Assisi, Augustine, Hildagard of Bingen and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. It is a worthwhile read.

Here is a link to Fleming's website: www.davefleming.org

And his blog: http://davefleming.typepad.com/

The Privilege of Focus

“Keep a clear eye toward life’s end.

Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God’s creature.

What you are in His sight is what you are and nothing more.

Remember that when you leave this earth,

you can take with you nothing that you have received

– fading symbols of honor, trappings of power

– but only what you have given:

a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”

– Francis of Assisi (1182-1226 AD)

New Book by David Miller on the Theology of Work

There is a great new book out by David Miller of the Yale Center of Faith and Culture on the theology of work. The book is enitled " God at work". Here are a few reviews on the book:

"The most thoughtful attempt so far to take both religion and business seriously as partners."--Harvard Business Review"As both a theologian and a business person, David Miller provides a unique perspective on the faith/work movement. This book contains a scholarly review of its roots, a careful and thorough description of its current momentum, and a thoughtful critique of its future. It is a must read for the person who wants to understand how God and worship relate to the reality of the workplace." -- C. William Pollard, Chairman Emeritus, ServiceMaster

"Rather than celebrate late life atonement to compensate for careers of corruption, David Miller shows a long, proud tradition of leaders who reach for purpose in their work and compassion in their workplace. This richly textured, historically accurate and spiritually uplifting book should be read not only by those who need it the least and will love it, but also by those who badly need it and don't know it." --Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Senior Associate Dean, Yale School of Management and co-author of Leadership and Governance from the Inside Out

"God at Work, by David W. Miller, is an important contribution to the discussion of the growing role of religion in business life. It ought to find its way into MBA courses on human relations, business ethics, and marketing, among others." --Robert W. Fogel, Charles R. Walgreen Professor of American Institutions, Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago, and 1993 Nobel Prize Winner in Economics

"David Miller explores the next major chapter that most companies are wrestling with on the Diversity and Inclusion journey --- religion in the workplace. He provides excellent insights. " --Steve Reinemund, Chairman, PepsiCo

"God at Work draws on Miller's background in corporate management, theological training, and extensive research to provide an insightful analysis of recent efforts to bring religious faith into more active engagement with the complex decisions of the contemporary workplace. At a time when corporate scandals have rocked the nation, this inside look at the ethical challenges facing top executives is sorely needed. Miller shows that local congregations have seldom provided guidance for members with managerial responsibilities and academia has rarely provided a hospitable environment for discussions of faith and ethics in the business world, either. Still, there are some hopeful signs that this neglect is changing. Miller's engaging discussion helps chart the course." --Robert Wuthnow, author of The Crisis in the Churches: Spiritual Malaise, Fiscal Woe

Interview: Bruce E. Winston, PhD at Online Degrees Online

There is a great interview with my dean and mentor, Dr. Bruce Winston at Online Degrees Online: http://www.online-degrees-today.com/blog/2007/08/30/interview-bruce-e-winston-regent-university/

Working with Dr. Winston has been one of the most transformational events in my life. I am deeply grateful. The following is one of those deeply inspiring Winstonian sayings on leadership:

"A leader is one who can clearly communicate a vision and motivate others to action...one who discovers and maintains a lifelong pursuit of God's truths to positively impact individuals and the world."

Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me

Blood of Christ, inebriate me (refresh me)
Water from Christ's side, wash me

Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Your wounds hide me

Suffer me not to be separated from You
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto You
That I may praise Your with Your saints
and with Your angels
Forever and ever
Amen

14th Century Christian Prayer

Bridging Sunday and Monday: Making Faith Really Matter in Business: Seattle Pacific University

This is from an online brochure of the Christian Business Faculty Association:

Over the past two decades the Christian community has seen an explosion of activity around the subject of the “ministry of our daily work.” The growing number of books on this subject is one piece of evidence. Pete Hammond (with Paul Stevens and Todd Svanoe) published an Annotated Bibliography in 2002, and maintains an exploding database of books and other publications on the subject. The Marketplace Ministry report from the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelism conference in 2004 demonstrates the international nature of this activity. Marketplace ministries have “sprung up” in cities around the world. It appears that God is truly at work stirring passions and insight regarding the wholeness of the gospel and the destruction of the “sacred/secular” divide. Theology of Work is even finding its way into a few seminaries.
From this foundation, we seek to go deeper. If God cares about our daily work, does he also care about its institutions: government, education, the medical field, and business? And if so, what do the Scriptures have to say about how this work should be conducted? And if Christians can grasp what the Bible is saying about this work, does this insight translate to a secular world where the authority of the Scriptures is not recognized?

For those of us in business, the development of faith and work integration provides the foundation for developing a biblical view of business. At the School of Business and Economics at Seattle Pacific University, we started this discussion in earnest in 2002. The result was a paper published in 2004 on our view of the biblical purpose of business, [Van Duzer, et. al.].
Using biblical language, the paper demonstrated that God cares about the institution of business and has called people to that field to carry out his work in this world. The fundamental conclusion of that paper was that the purpose of business is to serve. Two vital ways that businesses serve are to distribute goods and services that are needed in the world, and to provide meaningful work enabling people to respond to God’s call for them to work. This is a vastly different conclusion than Milton Friedman drew, and many people accept today, that the purpose of business is to maximize the shareholder value subject to the constraints of the law and ethical norms.

We also believe that when something is true, it is true even for those who don’t recognize biblical authority. We have found that our conclusion about the purpose of business can be discussed using different arguments for audiences who don’t look to biblical authority for answers, such as Rotary, universities, and general business groups. Since most ethical problems in business over the past decade have come from greed rooted in the bottom line, these ideas on purpose offer hope through another way of thinking about business.

Now the question is this: can we go another step deeper? If biblical insight can help us understand the purpose of business, can it also help us understand the practice of business? Can we look at areas of business such as leadership, organizational culture, marketing, finance, human resources, and corporate social responsibility and gain biblical insight about them? And if the answer is yes, can we take this insight another step further to develop business theories that can be communicated in a secular language, offering insight to business leaders for all sizes of businesses, from all cultures, and all types of industry.

That is what the conference “Bridging Sunday and Monday” is all about. We put out a Call for
Papers and selected responses from 14 universities (both general universities and those that call themselves Christian) with research ideas in these areas. We had numerous responses from faith-based practitioners in business who have found insightful ways to carry out their work in honor to God. We organized sessions for the presentation and discussion of these ideas on October 4, 2007 in Seattle.

Our goal for the conference is to bridge two gaps. The first is between Sunday and Monday. Can we create a strong link between biblical faith and the practice of business? Of course this means acting ethically, and finding ways to demonstrate our commitment to Christ. But it means more than this, in demonstrating the missional value of business as more than a means to some other end.

The second gap we sought to bridge was between those in business and those in the academy. Many academics have not had to deal with the day to day challenges of being in business, while many people in business have not sought to ground what they do in solid theory. So sometimes these groups talk past each other, or don’t talk at all. By having strong representation from both communities at this conference, in each session, and in the presentations, we looked to create a dialogue.

Ultimately, however, Jesus calls us to be stewards of the resources he has given us, and to be accountable for our work in the world. While we believe that business is a worthy calling, some recent activity in business has been far from worthy. The identification of new and better practices for business can bring healing and help to a hurting world, with the end, that “they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven,” Matthew 5:16.
A one day conference, October 4, 2007 7:00 am—4:30 pm (includes breakfast and lunch)Seattle Pacific University. For more information click on this link or any of the links below.

Program
I. Introduction, why the importance of the subject, what else has been done

II. The Purpose of Business—Jeff Van Duzer

III. From the Viewpoint of a Person of Christian Faith in Business

A. Don Flow—CEO and Owner, Flow Automotive Customer Service

B. Jack Van Hartesvelt—Executive Vice President, Kennedy Associates Negotiations

C. Sherron Watkins, former Vice President of finance, Enron Dealing with Crises

IV. Business Leadership

A. Gerard Beenen, Carnegie Mellon University, and David Miller, YaleUniversity “Do Biblically Consistent Models of Leadership Work?”

B. Corne J. Bekker, Regent University “Sharing the Incarnation: Towards a Model of Christological Leadership”

C. Carter Crockett, Westmont College “In Search of a New Language and Model for Business”

D. Kristi Nelson, Seattle Pacific University “Using Power for the Greater Good”

E. Rick Franklin, Biola University and Regent University“ Authentic Leadership from the Image of God”

V. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

A. Dan Lawson, Ashland University “Applying Christian Values to CSR and Workplace Ethics”

B. George S. Babbes, Azusa Pacific University “In Search of a Sustainable CSR Business Model”

C. Samuel Seaman, Pepperdine University “A Personal Ethic to Sustain Virtuous Business”

D. Faith Wambura Ngunjiri, Yale Center for Faith and Culture “A Case Study of Cascade Engineering Company”

VI. Human Resources Practices

A. Mark Russell, Asbury Theological School, and Jeff Russell, YaleUniversity “A Theological Foundation for Off-Shoring Practices”

B. Jay Gary, Regent University“ Does Forgiveness Fit in the Workplace?”

C. Oneita Burton, Abeline Christian University “Faith-Based Approach to Organizational Communications Research”

D. Sean McHugh, Vice President, Block Imaging International “Designing and Leading Company-Wide Spiritual Development Programs”

VII. Organizational Values

A. Robert Eames, Calvin College; Stacy Jackson, Todd Steen, andSteven VanderVeen, Hope College “Making Values Matter in Organizations”

B. Tom Buckles, Biola University “Teaching Values in a Christian Business School”

C. John Kilroy, Emerging Concepts LLC “Values from the Beatitudes”

VIII. Marketing

A. Gary Karns, Seattle Pacific University“ A Theological Reflection on Exchange and Marketing”

B. Steve Strombeck, Azusa Pacific University “Corporate Integrity and Communication Strategies”

C. Marketing Business Leader—not yet finalized

IX. Finance

A. Tom Cottrell, University of Calgary “Resolving the Scriptures and Corporate Financial Markets”

B. Grant Learned and Herb Kierluff, Seattle Pacific University “Sources and Uses of Wealth from a Christian Perspective”

C. Finance Business Leader—not yet finalized

X. Conclusions and Panel Discussion: Denise Daniels, Chair; Don Flow, Jack VanHartesvelt, and Sherron Watkins

How to Register - Through the CBFA conference site http://www.spu.edu/sbe/cbfa/index.htm

Immersed in the River of God

"But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:14, NIV)

"[A] mature contemplative is far more simple than any child or any novice, because theirs is a more or less negative simplicity-the simplicity of those in whom potential complications have not yet had a chance to develop. But in the contemplative, all complexities have begun to straighten themselves out and dissolve into unity and emptiness and interior peace.

The contemplative, nourished by emptiness, endowed by poverty and liberated from all sorrow by simple obedience, drinks fortitude and joy from the will of God in all things.Without any need for complicated reasoning or mental efforts or special acts, the contemplative's life is a prolonged immersion in the rivers of tranquility that flow from God into the whole universe and draw all things back to God.

For God's love is like a river springing up in the depth of the Divine Substance and flowing endlessly through His creation, filling all things with life and goodness and strength.All things, except our own sins, are carried and come to us in the waters of this pure and irresistible stream."

Thomas Merton. New Seeds of Contemplation. New York: New Directions Press, 1961: 266.

Photograph by Thomas Merton.

John Michael Talbot - Psalm 42 - Live

Psalm 42
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and 6 my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Forecasting Patterns of Change

My good friend and colleague, Jay Gary (http://www.jaygary.com/) is hosting a one day foresight seminar on September 20, 2007. Graham Molitor will be the main speaker.

Mr. Graham Molitor is a foremost authority on forecasting government policy, is president of Public Policy Forecasting, and former vice president/legal counsel of the World Future Society. He headed lobbying staffs at General Mills and Nabisco, chaired a legislative Commission on the Future, directed research for the White House Conference on the Industrial World Ahead, served on the White House Social Indicators Committee, and served in elective, appointive or advisory capacities in each government branch -- executive, legislative, judicial, and independent regulatory. Graham is the editor of the Encyclopedia of the Future (1996) and author of over 100 journal articles and essays on social and technological forecasting. Molitor will be offering seven 30-minute lectures on September 20th to a Doctoral residency, in a video-taping format.

The seminar topics will include:

• Scanning the Environment
• Framing the Issues
• Advancing the Issues
• Resolving the Issues
• Cyclical Patterns
• Bellweather Jurisdictions
• Next Five Economic Eras

Here is a link to the seminar's web page: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/conferences/foresight/home.shtml