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"As many of you know, I believe that due to economic conditions (which are a reflection of heart conditions) in the United States, almost any casual observer can see this situation won’t last a whole lot longer...This is a BIG problem.
So I believe that a new economy is coming soon. I hope we’re ready. I think we can be and I think we’re destined to be. But we have to get strategic and unified in a hurry.
I think that the economy will break down soon, if not totally, then at least significantly. And when it does "Joseph," if he has trained and been processed, will be in position to bring about a level of societal transformation unseen in human history. What the real Joseph did in Egypt will pale in comparison to what this corporate Joseph will do now.
I believe it’s not a matter of if, but when. Call it what you like.
I know many others are hearing this call besides me. But beyond religion and dogma, beyond institution and denomination, we have a window that is opening and the risk is real if we miss it."
I WASN'T KIDDING! And unfortunately, I wasn't wrong.
So, here's why I'm writing. You may have a sense that you can be a Joseph in this famine. You may be sick of wage slavery that is literally bankrupting us all. You may want to do work that is value based and wealth oriented. If that's you, don't wait.
Go here to find out how to become a Joseph.
Click Here!
Now is the time.
Best,
Eric J. Beck
Last spring, my accountant delivered some news that I thought was going to rock the very foundation of my 10-month-old business.
I had vowed to run my business debt-free, but my tax bill was atrocious!
Fortunately, God provided the added surge of work that we needed, and we were able to meet our tax obligations. I learned -- the hard way -- about the tax burden on small business owners, and am now planning ahead and saving extra money for those taxes. However, this whole experience got me thinking about the theological nature of taxes...
The Bible says "Render unto Caeser what is Caeser's..." But today, "Caeser" demands three times as much of my income as I am commanded to give back to God.
Does this seem out-of-whack to you?
Noah Knox wrote an article a couple of years ago for our website called "Should Christians Pay Tax?" In it, he tackles this question, and provides some very interesting biblical insight.
The article is usually part of the CBD Article Vault - available just for CBD Insider members and former magazine subscribers. But this afternoon, I opened up access to this article for 7 days. That way we can all read it and discuss it on here.
I'd like to encourage you to take a look at Noah's article, and then come back here and discuss it with the CBD community.
http://www.christianbusinessdaily.com/article.php?articleID=10558
It didn't take long after Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech before the media started discussing gun control laws.
And today, our website linked to a controversial story on MSNBC that really opened a can of worms. I should note that we often intentionally choose stories that we don't agree with, in order for our readers to see what the media is saying. This story is no exception.
Here's an email I received from Ron Gaskins, a CBD reader this morning:
I am sad about the way this story, The 'unremarkable sale' of gun to student killer, is reported. It plays up the positions of the anti-gun lobby without any consideration that this university spent big money to become a 'gun free zone' in Virginia which obviously only works if you are a law-abiding citizen.
Had only one of the students this man shot (or a designated staff member!) been armed, many of these 32 students might be alive. Gun takers don't save lives. They make victims of private citizens because the police state that they cannot be everywhere to protect its citizens.
The guns in this crime were NOT high capacity magazine guns as intimated in the gun-grabber comments. FACTS are not the coin of the realm for those who would infringe on the right of self-protection.
CBD community -- what do you think?
Do "gun free zones" -- like the one Virginia Tech implemented -- merely get guns out of the hands of the good guys?
And, how will this current public debate play out? What impact will it have on gun owners? What about gun shop owners?
Test Your Biblical Economics IQ:
1) What main "stronghold" leads companies to create this situation?
2) How should a believer in this situation, as the employee, respond when faced with this?
3) How can a believer setup his or her business so that employees don't wind up in this situation?
[I'll post my answers after about 10 responses]
If you have been laid off, what were the most immediate challenges? In looking back, what would you have done differently during or shortly after that experience?
Click here to view my article on being laid off.
If you want to know, please go to this web page:
http://www.strategieswork.com/publications/gleanings/2007/2007-04.htm
In all things that we endeavor to do, we must seek and gain an answer to the question of purpose. Without an understanding of purpose, abortion is practically inevitable - even apart from malice.
If I don’t understand the purpose of a hammer, the chances of me taking care of it are slim.
In business, therefore, we must ask, “What is the purpose of business?” Some argue that the purpose of business is to make money through the buying and selling of goods and services in an environment of economic scarcity. In plain language, “buy something for a dollar, sell it for three because this offer won’t last long.” If you’re Christian, you might add to that phrase, “in Jesus name and 10% to the church.”
Even so, this thinking causes abuse in ways we don’t readily see. I submit that the purpose of business is actually quite different. The highest purpose of business is to train people to think and act strategically. It doesn’t sound very economic or spiritual, but it is both.
Some say economics is the study of how people get what they want. In the post-modern world driven by profits we’ve been sold on the notion that “wants” equal “needs” equal “rights.” Right? The dividing lines have become very porous here.
Using fear, greed, envy, and lust to generate sales, the marketplace has become rife with abuse. And all for one simple reason: a lack of understanding of the purpose of business.
Here’s just one evidence of this wide-spread purpose vacuum. In 1973 it became legal to end the life of a developing child prior to birth. In the name of a “want-need-right” the Supreme Court stated, “We, therefore, conclude that the right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision.” Since that time, according to the CDC and the AGI, this event has occurred 47,282,923 times since 1973.
Let me draw a stark parallel. In my work with business owners I have discovered something that I believe is a helpful phrase in understanding human behavior and identity. It goes like this: The way you do anything is the way you do everything. By that I mean that a decision in one instance and a seemingly unrelated decision in another are both precisely reflective of the values-system that you anchor your identity to. While we may rail otherwise, in actuality our decisions are consistent to a common decision-making process. And the more adverse our situation, the clearer we can see this commonality. Weren’t we told that “offenses must come” and “that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed?” And again, “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.”
So decisions about personal liberty, for instance, are not limited to that area alone and are made manifest in a multitude of other areas. Why? Because the way we do any particular thing comes out of the thinking and reasoning we use in all situations - because we are the same person - we cannot pretend ourselves more disciplined or principled than we actually are for more than a few moments.
So aborting children is related to what? Glad you asked, I was almost off writing a blog on human nature. Back on target: It is related to Aborting Visions.
I believe that a business owner (man or woman or board) at the beginning becomes pregnant. Not physically with a child, but pregnant with a vision. (Let me save you some money on leadership books. All leadership issues come down to this one question: Is the company going to become vision centered or stay leader centered?)
You see when a woman gets pregnant with a vision to, let’s say…own a shoe store. She is up at all hours with excitement. She may even feel sick to her stomach. She’s dreaming of the carpet, the signage, the customers, the shoes, the marketing, the location, etc! She has “that glow.” There truly is life inside of her. But make no mistake the clock is ticking.
If she is spiritually discerning she knows her first and most important task is to discern the true purpose of this “child.” You see if she doesn’t, abortion is practically inevitable. She’ll use the pregnancy to satisfy her “want-need-rights” instead of empowering her child to do what all children are designed to do: grow, mature, and be fruitful.
Many business owners who don’t ask the purpose question stay pregnant too long. When they should have been delivering the baby, they instead REFUSED TO PUSH. And you know the consequences don’t you? A dead baby and possibly a dead or dying owner.
If owners abort their visions in pursuit of profit, prestige, comfort and convenience…those children never see the light of day. Everything hangs on the owner. Those businesses stay leader centered and never become vision centered, because the owner refuses to do the strategic work of pushing the baby out!
And because, out of self-interest, when the pregnancy has dragged on far too long the leader realizes that it’s either me or the baby - guess who loses? The leader, out of a selfishness makes an ugly decision and carries out that deed of death. While they enjoyed the ego rush of being pregnant, they somehow missed the purpose of pregnancy.
The leader who’s committed her hidden abortion is now forced to act pregnant again and again. Faking that glow even while there’s guilt and bitterness inside. After every new conference or seminar they attend the charade has to go on. They have to act pregnant at each company picnic or year end meeting. Why? Because a pregnant woman is the center of attention, protection, and nurturing.
If someone realizes she’s not pregnant… if the company realizes that there is no vision, then its over. Then all those employees visions just follow the same dark fate.
And what we are left with in our self-made post-modern economy is millions of groups of people pretending to believe in something that everyone knows is dead. They play the game because they’ve probably had an abortion too and feel too guilty to take a stand. But those babies need us to take a stand! Those babies are gifts, not accidents, not inconveniences.
Those who have ears to hear and eyes to see - wake up to the new economy. Wake up to the real world. You’re a wage slave and Pharaoh’s having his way with you - getting you to do his killing for him. Just look around at all those abortions. Ex 1:16 Pharaoh said, “When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him.” The Pharaoh spirit is giving the same command today but this time directly to those who are pregnant…and they are obeying by the millions.
Without an understanding of purpose, abuse is practically inevitable. All that is needed is to understand the purpose of that tiny life and to bring it full term. To let is aunts and uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters help raise that blessed gift to maturity. There’s a lot more to say on this, but hopefully this will do for today’s blog.
If you wanted to get a glimpse of the true spiritual condition in today’s marketplace; if you want to see what Mammon really produces, here it is. It’s time to bring him down. Let’s make 2007 a year where business abortions stop and where we stand faithful to protect, nurture, and raise the gifts God gives us.
Here’s the strategic point: Serving any one of these false gods happens because their appearance is always CLOAKED in goodness. After all a counterfeit dollar that looks like Monopoly money isn’t going to get very far, is it? But the enemy is very skilled at deception. It won’t be that obvious and many won’t even notice. There is only one way to get good at recognizing counterfeits: become an expert on that which is authentic. Touch it, handle it, smell it, taste it, feel it.
To pick up this thread I’ve been on recently, one mark of a “Christian business” is that it’s owner(s) and employees are consistently and self-consciously training on how to recognize the “real money.”
Anything we can systematically, strategically do to become more familiar with God, His word, His work, and His ways will help us combat the enemy effectively. Certainly you must know by now that there is a war going on for humanity. The current statistics on divorce, violent crime, etc. bear this out daily. I believe the epicenter of this war is not in church buildings on Sundays. I believe it is currently located in the marketplace - offices, cubicles, warehouses, restaurants, etc. Why? Because of the money/heart connection detailed in Luke 12:34. The enemy may be evil, but you can be certain he’s not stupid. After all he’s gotten 100% of us to break God’s laws. That’s a pretty impressive record of “success”.
The questions we all must answer daily are “Who are we going to serve?” and “How do we know when we’re serving Him?”
To some these questions will seem juvenile. They will seem “old hat” and redundant or even obvious. They might say, “Well if it’s in the Bible do it and if its not don’t.” And while that is great advice for kids in Vacation Bible School, for those who are no longer children on summer vacation, but are “training themselves through constant use” (ala Heb 5) we’re going to need to get a bit more intense and specific. Would a good General in combat say to his Sergeants, “Fire the howitzer at the enemy” and fail to give them specific coordinates? Of course not.
If we want to hear “well done thou good and faithful servant,” we’re going to need to get strategic in our daily actions. There are real risks in this spiritual war. There are real casualties. Read the news, look at the statistics. Wake up. Taking time to be sure, to authenticate our coordinates, isn’t anything less than ESSENTIAL. If your business doesn’t have a way to actively, specifically “choose you this day”, I couldn’t think of anything you may have on your to-do list today that’s more important.
Pressing for victory!
Eric Beck
Thanks to all of you who have joined us in praying about the domain name issue. We received a lot of encouragement over the weekend from readers, and it's reassuring to know that thousands of people are praying about it.
Since updating everybody on Friday, the following has unfolded:
First, we grabbed the domain name ChristianBusinessDaily.com to at least serve as our temporary domain name while we attempt to get things resolved.
However, it may not get resolved easily because we learned that the person who purchased the other domain out from under us is an erotic art dealer from Europe.
At best, they are just looking to make a few bucks off of us, and at worst, they have bad intentions for the domain name.
Either way, it is my opinion that these people shouldn't get a penny from us. I'd rather continue with a different domain name then allow them to profit in any way from us.
However, there might be some other ways to resolve this controversy, because the whole process they used to buy the domain out from under us was crooked and unethical.
There's more to tell about how they obtained the name, but until we have a few more facts, I'm going to leave it at that. Please continue to pray for this situation!
Important: In the meantime, be sure to change your bookmarks and Favorites to point to ChristianBusinessDaily.com. There's no telling what might end up on that other domain name.
Some of these business owners also happen to believe in Christianity. And they add to this idea of a profit driven business the notion of sowing some of that profit into a local church or ministry and thereby supposedly earning the title “Christian business.”
But what really makes a business “Christian?” Can there even be such a thing? Is it that the business only sells overtly religious items like bibles or commentaries and that makes it Christian? Is it that the business only employs Christians? Or perhaps it’s that the business “tithes” to a church or ministry?
You see by using the term Christian in this context what we usually mean is “God approved.” A “Christian” business is one that honors God or that God is proud of, or one that leads to a “well done thou good and faithful servant” at the end of our days. But those vague terms, those unquantifiable ideas, while emotionally comforting, provide little strategic guidance when Monday morning rolls around.
If we are going to get into strategic position for the changes coming, I think we need to answer this question definitively - both qualitatively and quantitatively. Why? Because if we continue to suffer from an identity crisis, (that is, not knowing what we are as “Christians in business”) we will be ineffective, out of position, and fail. We will mostly likely stay gleefully deceived, sanitized wage slaves chasing the same thing every other business is chasing when it really comes down to it…money. Or if you want to be spiritual: mammon.
Imagine a dog who believes he’s a chicken - comical but sad. Imagine a short man who thinks he’s not really a man because he’s under 6 feet tall - not comical, also sad, and potentially dangerous. Imagine a woman who thinks she’s beautiful simply because of her measurements - not comical, quite sad, and abusive.
Imagine a business who doesn’t know its identity, its true mandate, its essential purpose for being in existence. Imagine a business run by a Christian who doesn’t know or even inquire as to what God’s purposes are specifically for that business.
Imagine a country full of businesses like this - most never knowing their purpose, their Name, their role…and all guiltily, frenetically chasing money…some “to the glory of God” or “in Jesus’ name.”
Like we learned from the Matrix…whose writers learned from the serpent’s techniques in the garden…IT’S THE QUESTION THAT DRIVES US.
I would modify that a bit: It’s the RIGHT questions that make all the difference and give us the fuel to fulfill our destiny. What questions are you asking? How to get more sales?
Here’s one I’d recommend moving to the top of your list: In measurable, strategic terms, “What is a Christian business?”
Eric Beck
Consider also that our federal government is doing no better. Currently the estimated population of the United States is 299,681,948 so each citizen's (not working adults, but all citizen’s) share of the Federal debt is $28,529.60 per person. Add that to the negative savings rate…ugly!
The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $1.64 billion per day since September 30, 2005. We are now at a total of $8.5 trillion in Federal debt. But that is not all. In the last 50 years, the United States has raised its debt ceiling more than 70 times, and lawmakers have become expert at delaying or disguising this politically if not morally perilous fact.
If, as I and many teach and speak on, money is a leading indicator of a person’s or a nation’s true heart condition (ala “where your treasure is there your heart will be also”), then this situation is grim to say the least.
So I believe that a new economy is coming soon. I hope we’re ready. I think we can be and I think we’re destined to be. But we have to get strategic and unified in a hurry. I think the answer is the Spirit of God revolutionizing American small business. Why?
Consider, there are 4.8 million businesses in the U.S. with less than 99 employees representing nearly 41 million people (not including their families) accounting for over $2 billion in payroll wages. In addition, small businesses produce two-thirds to three-quarters of all the net new jobs. They also produce 51 percent of private sector output as well as represent 96 percent of all exporters of goods. Small businesses play a role in federal contracting as well. Small businesses obtain 33.3 percent of federal prime and subcontract dollars. Small business accounts for 52% of our Gross Domestic Product. Spiritually, I believe this is none other than “Joseph.”
I think that the economy will break down soon, if not totally, then at least significantly. And when it does "Joseph," if he has trained and been processed, will be in position to bring about a level of societal transformation unseen in human history. What the real Joseph did in Egypt will pale in comparison to what this corporate Joseph will do now.
I believe it’s not a matter of if, but when. Call it what you like.
Joseph understood value. He understood that God is the source of value in all realms - material and spiritual. He was excellent at his work, even work for a dictator, and it eventually positioned him to save his family. Our family is beginning to starve and something must be done. How many more school shootings do we need to see?
My mission is to equip as many of these 4.8 million hardworking individuals to make that “identity journey” from slavery in Pharaoh’s economy to freedom in God’s economy and to see their small businesses transformed into embassies or granaries or store houses of value for God’s kingdom.
I'm calling business owners to train in the strategic skills necessary to bring the highest value and values to the marketplace and to the lives of their employees. I’m not talking about how to buy something for a dollar and sell it for two.
I know many others are hearing this call besides me. So I’m not claiming some independent word of knowledge. But beyond religion and dogma, beyond institution and denomination, we have a window that is opening and the risk is real if we miss it.
Many like Michael Pink, Bill Thomas, Dennis Peacocke and others have a significant role in this effort and I'm honored to be aligned with them. If you'd like to see what my role is, google my name. In any case, please consider getting into strategic training as fast as possible.
Eric Beck
However a new economy is coming. In this new economy slaving won't cut it. We have a window of opportunity to get prepared for this change.
We have to leave our lives of slaving and start our training to be kings in the marketplace.
What is a king in the marketplace? Simple: someone who numbers his days to gain a heart of wisdom (ps 90:12), who understands that God's economy is one of relationships providing true value.
The keys of the kingdom are ours, but if we haven't trained ourselves (Heb 5) we won't be able to use them to bring transformation...in particular to the marketplace.
Consider that over 85% of all people employeed in the United States are employeed by small businesses. What if these small businesses could be turned into kingdom embassys that train their people in God's way of providing value?
As a young entrepreneur with a 6-month-old business, I'm still pretty new to the hiring process. Granted, I've held management positions in the past and made some hiring & firing decisions. But somehow the decision I face now is different.
I've been interviewing for an employee who will help alleviate my personal workload... someone that I want to be on board for the long haul who either knows -- or is able to learn -- the skills at which I make a living.
There are two books that came to mind today as I continued to reflect on this decision... but the two books seem to contradict one another:
"Good to Great" by Jim Collins In Good to Great, Collins talks about how great companies get the right people on the bus -- the most talented people they can find -- and then they determine where the bus is headed, tapping into the skills and talents they have on board.
"The E-Myth Revisited" - Michael E. Gerber In The E-Myth Revisited, Gerber suggests that you should seek to hire people with the lowest level of skill necessary to do the job. He reasons that these people are more teachable -- allowing you to build a system that can be reproduced.
See my dilemma?
I've interviewed a number of people who are competent enough to do the job. Some are fantastic -- almost overqualified. Others seem to lack a few skills, but seem teachable.
So Christian Business leaders... what have you experienced?
Is it Gerber or Collins who have it right? Do you hire people who bring the most skill to the table up front? Or do you hire somebody who's lacking a few skills, but has the humble spirit to be mentored?
Amidst remembering the tragic events of Sept. 11th today and the memories of those who were lost are countless stories of great acts of leadership that day by ordinary people.
One physician's remark stood out to me, and I am paraphrasing what I recall - "when people are put in extraordinary situations where they have no choice in the matter, ordinary people will very often do the right thing"
What has been your leadership crisis where you had no choice in the matter? Are you stepping up to do the right thing trusting God for the outcome?
Here’s something everyone can use to get more strategic.
1. Start you day off by taking 10-15 minutes to review your calendar for the day. Pray over your appointments and to-do’s. Ask God, “Are these the right items, in the right order, is everything accounted for? Are you authorizing me to do this work?” Listen and write down what you think you hear.
2. Follow the plan.
3. When “interruptions” come, and they certainly will, take a deep breath and check back in with what work was confirmed to be authorized in your morning meeting with God. Ask God again, “Are you authorizing this, or is it a distraction?” You can do this mentally, but it’s even better to do this by looking at the notes from your morning strategy time or better yet at your calendar/Day-Timer.
4. Make course corrections if needed and continue to execute your plan.
5. At the end of the day, take 10-15 minutes to review the day. How many times did you get interrupted? Why? Is your time protected or not? Why? Did you do the work that you truly believe was authorized or did you get taken off post by pressure, fear, or speed?
This is a solid process that I’ve used successfully to help business and ministry leaders around the country. I think you’ll find that “numbering our days to gain a heart of wisdom” is a tougher cross to bear than just trying to not break any of the ten commandments at work.
Ps. If you think, “aw this is easy and sooooo obvious” then do it. Follow the steps exactly…you’ll see that while it is simple, it is far from easy - and maybe to your surprise you’ll find out just how deeply rewarding it is to be back in control of your time.
If you want, post your results/questions here and let’s work out the kinks.
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THE NEW ECONOMY IS HERE - AS PREDICTED Mon, Sep 29, 2008
On Oct 12, 2006 I wrote:"As many of you know, I believe that due to economic conditions (which are a reflection of heart conditions) in the United States, almost any casual observer can see this situation won’t last a whole lot longer...This is a BIG problem.
So I believe that a new economy is coming soon. I hope we’re ready. I think we can be and I think we’re destined to be. But we have to get strategic and unified in a hurry.
I think that the economy will break down soon, if not totally, then at least significantly. And when it does "Joseph," if he has trained and been processed, will be in position to bring about a level of societal transformation unseen in human history. What the real Joseph did in Egypt will pale in comparison to what this corporate Joseph will do now.
I believe it’s not a matter of if, but when. Call it what you like.
I know many others are hearing this call besides me. But beyond religion and dogma, beyond institution and denomination, we have a window that is opening and the risk is real if we miss it."
I WASN'T KIDDING! And unfortunately, I wasn't wrong.
So, here's why I'm writing. You may have a sense that you can be a Joseph in this famine. You may be sick of wage slavery that is literally bankrupting us all. You may want to do work that is value based and wealth oriented. If that's you, don't wait.
Go here to find out how to become a Joseph.
Click Here!
Now is the time.
Best,
Eric J. Beck
Posted by Eric Beck on September 29th, 2008 18:48 EST | Economics
HOW MUCH TAX SHOULD CHRISTIANS PAY? Mon, Sep 3, 2007
Last spring, my accountant delivered some news that I thought was going to rock the very foundation of my 10-month-old business.I had vowed to run my business debt-free, but my tax bill was atrocious!
Fortunately, God provided the added surge of work that we needed, and we were able to meet our tax obligations. I learned -- the hard way -- about the tax burden on small business owners, and am now planning ahead and saving extra money for those taxes. However, this whole experience got me thinking about the theological nature of taxes...
The Bible says "Render unto Caeser what is Caeser's..." But today, "Caeser" demands three times as much of my income as I am commanded to give back to God.
Does this seem out-of-whack to you?
Noah Knox wrote an article a couple of years ago for our website called "Should Christians Pay Tax?" In it, he tackles this question, and provides some very interesting biblical insight.
The article is usually part of the CBD Article Vault - available just for CBD Insider members and former magazine subscribers. But this afternoon, I opened up access to this article for 7 days. That way we can all read it and discuss it on here.
I'd like to encourage you to take a look at Noah's article, and then come back here and discuss it with the CBD community.
http://www.christianbusinessdaily.com/article.php?articleID=10558
Posted by Jeremy Harrison on September 3rd, 2007 19:49 EST | Business Theology
PARTNERS COLLIDE OVER PERFORMANCE AND MONEY Mon, May 28, 2007
Two men, both of whom were professing Christians, entered into a business partnership. One had money and expertise and other only had expertise. Though they talked extensively about the partnership prior to inception, they did not set mutually agreed upon performance expectations. Over the two years of the partnership, the partner with money made several capital contributions and the partner without money made none. Then the partnership needed capital again, but the partner with money was not pleased with the performance of the company. Based on Acts 4:32 which records of the nascent church in Jerusalem that no one claimed anything for himself but they all held everything in common, the partner without money insisted that the partner with money make the capital call as he had in the past. The partner with money refused based on the poor performance of the company. This caused the partner without money to accuse the partner with money of reneging on their agreement and lacking integrity. How would you resolve this conflict? What actions could the partners have taken to prevent this situation from occurring?Posted by Gerald Chester on May 28th, 2007 10:50 EST | Management / Leadership
ETHICAL DILEMMA Thu, May 3, 2007
A real estate agent sold a home to a middle aged couple. The closing date was scheduled for next week. The wife called the real estate agent and requested that the agent provide her a blank copy of the standard real estate contract. Curious, the agent inquired as to why. The wife explained that they were using retirement funds for the down payment, which is allowed without penalty. But the couple wanted to have some extra money from the retirement account for other purposes. These funds would be subject to penalty. Hence, to avoid this penalty the couple planned to prepare a bogus contract to support withdrawing more than the actual down payment amount. The real estate agent was a Christian who valued truth and honesty, but he didn’t want to anger the couple and jeopardize next week’s closing and his commission. He reasoned that the couple was going to carry out their subterfuge with or without him, so why risk angering them by declining their request in the name of morality. Did he make the right choice?Posted by Gerald Chester on May 3rd, 2007 22:51 EST | Business Ethics
GUN CONTROL: THE POLITICS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN... Thu, Apr 19, 2007
It didn't take long after Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech before the media started discussing gun control laws.And today, our website linked to a controversial story on MSNBC that really opened a can of worms. I should note that we often intentionally choose stories that we don't agree with, in order for our readers to see what the media is saying. This story is no exception.
Here's an email I received from Ron Gaskins, a CBD reader this morning:
I am sad about the way this story, The 'unremarkable sale' of gun to student killer, is reported. It plays up the positions of the anti-gun lobby without any consideration that this university spent big money to become a 'gun free zone' in Virginia which obviously only works if you are a law-abiding citizen.
Had only one of the students this man shot (or a designated staff member!) been armed, many of these 32 students might be alive. Gun takers don't save lives. They make victims of private citizens because the police state that they cannot be everywhere to protect its citizens.
The guns in this crime were NOT high capacity magazine guns as intimated in the gun-grabber comments. FACTS are not the coin of the realm for those who would infringe on the right of self-protection.
CBD community -- what do you think?
Do "gun free zones" -- like the one Virginia Tech implemented -- merely get guns out of the hands of the good guys?
And, how will this current public debate play out? What impact will it have on gun owners? What about gun shop owners?
Posted by Jeremy Harrison on April 19th, 2007 13:39 EST | Politics & Culture
EMBEZZLEMENT – ROUND TWO Thu, Apr 19, 2007
A business owner discovered that his office manager, who professed to be a Christian, embezzled from him. This was the second office manager within less than two years who, without the owner’s permission, had paid for personal items using company credit cards, cash, and checks. Now the owner has to spend considerable time investigating, gathering information, and working with law enforcement. Plus he has to replace the office manager while running his small business during its peak season. The business owner is desperate to find a solution so that he will not have to face this problem again. He thought by hiring a Christian that he would get a trustworthy individual. Plus he implemented several mechanisms to protect against embezzlement, such as signing all checks and opening the bank statement. Despite these measures, the Christian office manager was able to deceive the owner for a number of months before getting caught. At this point, the embezzled funds appear to be ~$50,000. Should the owner pay the bill? What should the owner do to solve the embezzlement problem?Posted by Gerald Chester on April 19th, 2007 01:02 EST | Management / Leadership
TEST YOUR BIBLICAL ECONOMICS IQ Wed, Apr 18, 2007
"My job is OK, but the work environment has deteriorated. We are constantly threatened with replacement by Indian workers. Most of my co-workers have been replaced by foreigners who never leave the country. We are not treated well because management figures that they can always replace us with a foreigner. We are always apprehensive and stressed. I'm just another foreigner in my own country."Test Your Biblical Economics IQ:
1) What main "stronghold" leads companies to create this situation?
2) How should a believer in this situation, as the employee, respond when faced with this?
3) How can a believer setup his or her business so that employees don't wind up in this situation?
[I'll post my answers after about 10 responses]
Posted by Eric Beck on April 18th, 2007 23:23 EST | Human Resources
SHARING TRADE SECRETS WITH COMPETITORS? Sun, Apr 8, 2007
A client of mine believes that he has a competitive advantage over his competition. One of my client's competitors asked to have lunch. Over lunch, the competitor proposed that my client provide certain services for the competitor's customers on a subcontract basis. However, in providing these services, my client will enable his competitor to learn some of his trade secrets. My client wants to honor God in his business. Should he agree to his competitor’s request and effectively give his trade secrets to his competitor? What is a biblical view of sharing trade secrets with competitors?Posted by Gerald Chester on April 8th, 2007 21:14 EST | Management / Leadership
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LAID OFF? Mon, Apr 2, 2007
If you have been laid off, what were the most immediate challenges? In looking back, what would you have done differently during or shortly after that experience? Click here to view my article on being laid off.
Posted by Karin Combs on April 2nd, 2007 15:48 EST | Human Resources
HIRING A HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVIST - YES OR NO? Tue, Mar 27, 2007
A Christian businessman owned a technology company that provided software services for other companies. In responding to a proposal request from a key customer, the owner needed someone with specific technical skills to perform this project. Since the project would be a long-term engagement, the Christian business owner decided to hire someone with the requisite skills. After a search of several weeks, he found one candidate with the needed skills; however, the candidate was a self-proclaimed homosexual activist. The Christian business owner was very concerned about his testimony, but wanted to serve his key customer. Should the Christian businessman hire the homosexual and risk damaging his reputation and testimony? Or should he decline the engagement with the key customer?Posted by Gerald Chester on March 27th, 2007 13:21 EST | Management / Leadership
ETHICAL CONUNDRUM Thu, Mar 15, 2007
A construction company was low on work and on the verge of having to lay-off a number of key employees. The company bid and won a contract to build an addition to an airport in India. However to receive the contract, the construction company would have to pay a bribe to local officials. Being a Christian, the owner of the construction company did not want to pay the bribe. But if he didn’t, he would not get this much-needed contract and would therefore have to release a number of good workers. What should the owner do?Posted by Gerald Chester on March 15th, 2007 00:34 EST | Management / Leadership
MANAGEMENT MISTAKES DRAINS CASH AND KILLS COMPANY MORALE Tue, Feb 27, 2007
The construction company was in its third generation. The company survived the economic slump after 9/11 and enjoyed an outstanding year in 2004. Believing that 2005 would be a good year as well, the owner spent the profit from 2004 in a variety ways, mostly frivolously. However, in 2005, the company suffered a large loss on one project. In addition, the owner used the company credit line to invest in an opportunity unrelated to the business, which failed. The owner became discouraged and lost confidence, which was quickly sensed by the employees. By the end of 2005, the company’s financial condition was dire. There was no cash, the credit line was max’d out, vendors payments were approaching 90 days, and company morale (and productivity) was low. What should the company owner do? Would you want to do business with this company?Posted by Gerald Chester on February 27th, 2007 10:06 EST | Management / Leadership
CHINESE DISCOVER THE SECRET TO AMERICA'S PROSPERITY - DO YOU KNOW? Thu, Feb 15, 2007
The Chinese desire to enhance their economy. They observed that the United States is the most economically prosperous country in the world; hence, they studied the United States to discover why. The Chinese researchers developed what they believe is a clear compelling explanation. What did they discover?If you want to know, please go to this web page:
http://www.strategieswork.com/publications/gleanings/2007/2007-04.htm
Posted by Gerald Chester on February 15th, 2007 00:24 EST | Business Smarts
IS REPAIRING A POTHOLE KINGDOM WORK? Wed, Feb 7, 2007
A client of mine is a part-time worship leader and a full-time salesman for a paving company that repairs potholes. He is the only pastor on his church’s staff that is bi-vocational. As a result, he feels that his work is not as important as the work of the other pastors because most of his work time is spent selling pothole repairs. Is he right? Is pothole repair work Kingdom work? Is pothole repair work as valuable toward advancing the Kingdom of God as the work of a pastor?Posted by Gerald Chester on February 7th, 2007 16:59 EST | Management / Leadership
OPEN SEASON ON THE IRS? Wed, Jan 31, 2007
Recently at a trade association meeting, a presentation was given that promoted deceiving the IRS as good business practices. Most of the members of this association receive a significant portion of their income in the form of cash for services. As a tool to reduce taxes, the presenter advocated that the business owners not keep a written record of all cash transactions. Since tax returns are substantiated by written records, these business owners can save taxes with this practice. There were Christians present at the meeting who agreed with this business practice. Clearly, this is not legal. Regardless of what you think of the IRS and the federal tax statutes, is this business practice ethical? Furthermore, would you want to do business with someone that believed such business practice was ethical even if that person professed to be a Christian?Posted by Gerald Chester on January 31st, 2007 12:53 EST | Business Ethics
IS THERE PURPOSE FOR EVERYONE? Thu, Jan 25, 2007
Scott was frustrated and depressed with life. Sometimes he felt like the woman not the man in the family. His efforts to financially support his family were not working. As we talked about individual destiny and purpose, he struggled with the concept. He said, isn’t our job to simply, “. . .act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 [NIV]). Scott believed that God cared about important people, but found it hard to believe that God really cared about the little people, like himself. Does God have a specific purpose and destiny for everyone?Posted by Gerald Chester on January 25th, 2007 00:47 EST | Management / Leadership
FROM CORPORATE AMERICA TO ENTREPRENEUR AND NEARLY BANKRUPT Tue, Jan 16, 2007
Dick was a successful manager for a large company. He sold air conditioning sytems and quickly became a ‘golden boy’. Believing his on PR, he decided to go into business for himself. How could he lose, so he thought? So he started his own company. Four years later, he has yet to turn a profit. Instead, he has incurred a massive amount of debt. He has discovered that being a successful manager for a large company is not adequate preparation for being a small business entrepreneur. His debt load is so massive that if went back to his old job, he would spend 10 years or more paying off the debt. On the other hand, his latest proforma for his revised business plan (version 4)is barely cash flow positive this year, but could, if it works, enable him to pay off his debt in less than 10 years. Another option is bankruptcy. From a biblical perspective, what should he do?Posted by Gerald Chester on January 16th, 2007 01:06 EST | Management / Leadership
DOING BUSINESS WITH MUSLIMS Tue, Jan 9, 2007
Supposedly Allah used deception to protect Mohammad from his enemies; hence, Muslims value deception, particularly in dealing with non-Muslims. Recently, one of my clients starting doing business with a Muslim. The first project was characterized by conflict. My client would like to decline future engagements with the Muslim, but the Muslim has referred several other companies to my client. So far the referrals are working out well. Given the opportunity for referrals, what should my client do about the cantankerous Muslim client, particularly in light of the Muslim value of deception?Posted by Gerald Chester on January 9th, 2007 22:35 EST | Management / Leadership
BUSINESS ABORTION Sat, Dec 30, 2006
Business AbortionIn all things that we endeavor to do, we must seek and gain an answer to the question of purpose. Without an understanding of purpose, abortion is practically inevitable - even apart from malice.
If I don’t understand the purpose of a hammer, the chances of me taking care of it are slim.
In business, therefore, we must ask, “What is the purpose of business?” Some argue that the purpose of business is to make money through the buying and selling of goods and services in an environment of economic scarcity. In plain language, “buy something for a dollar, sell it for three because this offer won’t last long.” If you’re Christian, you might add to that phrase, “in Jesus name and 10% to the church.”
Even so, this thinking causes abuse in ways we don’t readily see. I submit that the purpose of business is actually quite different. The highest purpose of business is to train people to think and act strategically. It doesn’t sound very economic or spiritual, but it is both.
Some say economics is the study of how people get what they want. In the post-modern world driven by profits we’ve been sold on the notion that “wants” equal “needs” equal “rights.” Right? The dividing lines have become very porous here.
Using fear, greed, envy, and lust to generate sales, the marketplace has become rife with abuse. And all for one simple reason: a lack of understanding of the purpose of business.
Here’s just one evidence of this wide-spread purpose vacuum. In 1973 it became legal to end the life of a developing child prior to birth. In the name of a “want-need-right” the Supreme Court stated, “We, therefore, conclude that the right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision.” Since that time, according to the CDC and the AGI, this event has occurred 47,282,923 times since 1973.
Let me draw a stark parallel. In my work with business owners I have discovered something that I believe is a helpful phrase in understanding human behavior and identity. It goes like this: The way you do anything is the way you do everything. By that I mean that a decision in one instance and a seemingly unrelated decision in another are both precisely reflective of the values-system that you anchor your identity to. While we may rail otherwise, in actuality our decisions are consistent to a common decision-making process. And the more adverse our situation, the clearer we can see this commonality. Weren’t we told that “offenses must come” and “that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed?” And again, “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.”
So decisions about personal liberty, for instance, are not limited to that area alone and are made manifest in a multitude of other areas. Why? Because the way we do any particular thing comes out of the thinking and reasoning we use in all situations - because we are the same person - we cannot pretend ourselves more disciplined or principled than we actually are for more than a few moments.
So aborting children is related to what? Glad you asked, I was almost off writing a blog on human nature. Back on target: It is related to Aborting Visions.
I believe that a business owner (man or woman or board) at the beginning becomes pregnant. Not physically with a child, but pregnant with a vision. (Let me save you some money on leadership books. All leadership issues come down to this one question: Is the company going to become vision centered or stay leader centered?)
You see when a woman gets pregnant with a vision to, let’s say…own a shoe store. She is up at all hours with excitement. She may even feel sick to her stomach. She’s dreaming of the carpet, the signage, the customers, the shoes, the marketing, the location, etc! She has “that glow.” There truly is life inside of her. But make no mistake the clock is ticking.
If she is spiritually discerning she knows her first and most important task is to discern the true purpose of this “child.” You see if she doesn’t, abortion is practically inevitable. She’ll use the pregnancy to satisfy her “want-need-rights” instead of empowering her child to do what all children are designed to do: grow, mature, and be fruitful.
Many business owners who don’t ask the purpose question stay pregnant too long. When they should have been delivering the baby, they instead REFUSED TO PUSH. And you know the consequences don’t you? A dead baby and possibly a dead or dying owner.
If owners abort their visions in pursuit of profit, prestige, comfort and convenience…those children never see the light of day. Everything hangs on the owner. Those businesses stay leader centered and never become vision centered, because the owner refuses to do the strategic work of pushing the baby out!
And because, out of self-interest, when the pregnancy has dragged on far too long the leader realizes that it’s either me or the baby - guess who loses? The leader, out of a selfishness makes an ugly decision and carries out that deed of death. While they enjoyed the ego rush of being pregnant, they somehow missed the purpose of pregnancy.
The leader who’s committed her hidden abortion is now forced to act pregnant again and again. Faking that glow even while there’s guilt and bitterness inside. After every new conference or seminar they attend the charade has to go on. They have to act pregnant at each company picnic or year end meeting. Why? Because a pregnant woman is the center of attention, protection, and nurturing.
If someone realizes she’s not pregnant… if the company realizes that there is no vision, then its over. Then all those employees visions just follow the same dark fate.
And what we are left with in our self-made post-modern economy is millions of groups of people pretending to believe in something that everyone knows is dead. They play the game because they’ve probably had an abortion too and feel too guilty to take a stand. But those babies need us to take a stand! Those babies are gifts, not accidents, not inconveniences.
Those who have ears to hear and eyes to see - wake up to the new economy. Wake up to the real world. You’re a wage slave and Pharaoh’s having his way with you - getting you to do his killing for him. Just look around at all those abortions. Ex 1:16 Pharaoh said, “When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him.” The Pharaoh spirit is giving the same command today but this time directly to those who are pregnant…and they are obeying by the millions.
Without an understanding of purpose, abuse is practically inevitable. All that is needed is to understand the purpose of that tiny life and to bring it full term. To let is aunts and uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters help raise that blessed gift to maturity. There’s a lot more to say on this, but hopefully this will do for today’s blog.
If you wanted to get a glimpse of the true spiritual condition in today’s marketplace; if you want to see what Mammon really produces, here it is. It’s time to bring him down. Let’s make 2007 a year where business abortions stop and where we stand faithful to protect, nurture, and raise the gifts God gives us.
Posted by Eric Beck on December 30th, 2006 19:09 EST | Marketplace Movement
CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY Mon, Nov 6, 2006
There are TOO many competing “masters” who would have us serve them in today’s post-modern marketplace. And they are exceedingly good at diverting our attention from God, at pressuring us, at manipulating us. What are these false gods: Fear, Greed, Selfishness, etc. They’re not new. But they can continually disguise themselves.Here’s the strategic point: Serving any one of these false gods happens because their appearance is always CLOAKED in goodness. After all a counterfeit dollar that looks like Monopoly money isn’t going to get very far, is it? But the enemy is very skilled at deception. It won’t be that obvious and many won’t even notice. There is only one way to get good at recognizing counterfeits: become an expert on that which is authentic. Touch it, handle it, smell it, taste it, feel it.
To pick up this thread I’ve been on recently, one mark of a “Christian business” is that it’s owner(s) and employees are consistently and self-consciously training on how to recognize the “real money.”
Anything we can systematically, strategically do to become more familiar with God, His word, His work, and His ways will help us combat the enemy effectively. Certainly you must know by now that there is a war going on for humanity. The current statistics on divorce, violent crime, etc. bear this out daily. I believe the epicenter of this war is not in church buildings on Sundays. I believe it is currently located in the marketplace - offices, cubicles, warehouses, restaurants, etc. Why? Because of the money/heart connection detailed in Luke 12:34. The enemy may be evil, but you can be certain he’s not stupid. After all he’s gotten 100% of us to break God’s laws. That’s a pretty impressive record of “success”.
The questions we all must answer daily are “Who are we going to serve?” and “How do we know when we’re serving Him?”
To some these questions will seem juvenile. They will seem “old hat” and redundant or even obvious. They might say, “Well if it’s in the Bible do it and if its not don’t.” And while that is great advice for kids in Vacation Bible School, for those who are no longer children on summer vacation, but are “training themselves through constant use” (ala Heb 5) we’re going to need to get a bit more intense and specific. Would a good General in combat say to his Sergeants, “Fire the howitzer at the enemy” and fail to give them specific coordinates? Of course not.
If we want to hear “well done thou good and faithful servant,” we’re going to need to get strategic in our daily actions. There are real risks in this spiritual war. There are real casualties. Read the news, look at the statistics. Wake up. Taking time to be sure, to authenticate our coordinates, isn’t anything less than ESSENTIAL. If your business doesn’t have a way to actively, specifically “choose you this day”, I couldn’t think of anything you may have on your to-do list today that’s more important.
Pressing for victory!
Eric Beck
Posted by Eric Beck on November 6th, 2006 12:59 EST | Management / Leadership
UPDATE ON THE DOMAIN NAME CONTROVERSY Sun, Nov 5, 2006
Thanks to all of you who have joined us in praying about the domain name issue. We received a lot of encouragement over the weekend from readers, and it's reassuring to know that thousands of people are praying about it. Since updating everybody on Friday, the following has unfolded:
First, we grabbed the domain name ChristianBusinessDaily.com to at least serve as our temporary domain name while we attempt to get things resolved.
However, it may not get resolved easily because we learned that the person who purchased the other domain out from under us is an erotic art dealer from Europe.
At best, they are just looking to make a few bucks off of us, and at worst, they have bad intentions for the domain name.
Either way, it is my opinion that these people shouldn't get a penny from us. I'd rather continue with a different domain name then allow them to profit in any way from us.
However, there might be some other ways to resolve this controversy, because the whole process they used to buy the domain out from under us was crooked and unethical.
There's more to tell about how they obtained the name, but until we have a few more facts, I'm going to leave it at that. Please continue to pray for this situation!
Important: In the meantime, be sure to change your bookmarks and Favorites to point to ChristianBusinessDaily.com. There's no telling what might end up on that other domain name.
Posted by Jeremy Harrison on November 5th, 2006 22:08 EST | BR Updates
IT'S THE QUESTION THAT DRIVES US Wed, Oct 25, 2006
For many business owners, the driving force that dominates all action is PROFIT: buying something for a dollar (or yen or lira) and selling it for two. Many would say the ONLY reason to be in or to start a business is to MAKE MONEY.Some of these business owners also happen to believe in Christianity. And they add to this idea of a profit driven business the notion of sowing some of that profit into a local church or ministry and thereby supposedly earning the title “Christian business.”
But what really makes a business “Christian?” Can there even be such a thing? Is it that the business only sells overtly religious items like bibles or commentaries and that makes it Christian? Is it that the business only employs Christians? Or perhaps it’s that the business “tithes” to a church or ministry?
You see by using the term Christian in this context what we usually mean is “God approved.” A “Christian” business is one that honors God or that God is proud of, or one that leads to a “well done thou good and faithful servant” at the end of our days. But those vague terms, those unquantifiable ideas, while emotionally comforting, provide little strategic guidance when Monday morning rolls around.
If we are going to get into strategic position for the changes coming, I think we need to answer this question definitively - both qualitatively and quantitatively. Why? Because if we continue to suffer from an identity crisis, (that is, not knowing what we are as “Christians in business”) we will be ineffective, out of position, and fail. We will mostly likely stay gleefully deceived, sanitized wage slaves chasing the same thing every other business is chasing when it really comes down to it…money. Or if you want to be spiritual: mammon.
Imagine a dog who believes he’s a chicken - comical but sad. Imagine a short man who thinks he’s not really a man because he’s under 6 feet tall - not comical, also sad, and potentially dangerous. Imagine a woman who thinks she’s beautiful simply because of her measurements - not comical, quite sad, and abusive.
Imagine a business who doesn’t know its identity, its true mandate, its essential purpose for being in existence. Imagine a business run by a Christian who doesn’t know or even inquire as to what God’s purposes are specifically for that business.
Imagine a country full of businesses like this - most never knowing their purpose, their Name, their role…and all guiltily, frenetically chasing money…some “to the glory of God” or “in Jesus’ name.”
Like we learned from the Matrix…whose writers learned from the serpent’s techniques in the garden…IT’S THE QUESTION THAT DRIVES US.
I would modify that a bit: It’s the RIGHT questions that make all the difference and give us the fuel to fulfill our destiny. What questions are you asking? How to get more sales?
Here’s one I’d recommend moving to the top of your list: In measurable, strategic terms, “What is a Christian business?”
Eric Beck
Posted by Eric Beck on October 25th, 2006 15:42 EST | News / trends / ideas
THE NEW ECONOMY WILL BE HERE SOON! Thu, Oct 12, 2006
As many of you know, I believe that due to economic conditions (which are a reflection of heart conditions) in the United States, almost any casual observer can see this situation won’t last a whole lot longer. We are at a negative savings rate (average -1.8%) for the first time since the Depression. This means that on average every adult in the U.S. is spending more than they are earning, more than they have saved, more than they have in equity. This is a BIG problem.Consider also that our federal government is doing no better. Currently the estimated population of the United States is 299,681,948 so each citizen's (not working adults, but all citizen’s) share of the Federal debt is $28,529.60 per person. Add that to the negative savings rate…ugly!
The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $1.64 billion per day since September 30, 2005. We are now at a total of $8.5 trillion in Federal debt. But that is not all. In the last 50 years, the United States has raised its debt ceiling more than 70 times, and lawmakers have become expert at delaying or disguising this politically if not morally perilous fact.
If, as I and many teach and speak on, money is a leading indicator of a person’s or a nation’s true heart condition (ala “where your treasure is there your heart will be also”), then this situation is grim to say the least.
So I believe that a new economy is coming soon. I hope we’re ready. I think we can be and I think we’re destined to be. But we have to get strategic and unified in a hurry. I think the answer is the Spirit of God revolutionizing American small business. Why?
Consider, there are 4.8 million businesses in the U.S. with less than 99 employees representing nearly 41 million people (not including their families) accounting for over $2 billion in payroll wages. In addition, small businesses produce two-thirds to three-quarters of all the net new jobs. They also produce 51 percent of private sector output as well as represent 96 percent of all exporters of goods. Small businesses play a role in federal contracting as well. Small businesses obtain 33.3 percent of federal prime and subcontract dollars. Small business accounts for 52% of our Gross Domestic Product. Spiritually, I believe this is none other than “Joseph.”
I think that the economy will break down soon, if not totally, then at least significantly. And when it does "Joseph," if he has trained and been processed, will be in position to bring about a level of societal transformation unseen in human history. What the real Joseph did in Egypt will pale in comparison to what this corporate Joseph will do now.
I believe it’s not a matter of if, but when. Call it what you like.
Joseph understood value. He understood that God is the source of value in all realms - material and spiritual. He was excellent at his work, even work for a dictator, and it eventually positioned him to save his family. Our family is beginning to starve and something must be done. How many more school shootings do we need to see?
My mission is to equip as many of these 4.8 million hardworking individuals to make that “identity journey” from slavery in Pharaoh’s economy to freedom in God’s economy and to see their small businesses transformed into embassies or granaries or store houses of value for God’s kingdom.
I'm calling business owners to train in the strategic skills necessary to bring the highest value and values to the marketplace and to the lives of their employees. I’m not talking about how to buy something for a dollar and sell it for two.
I know many others are hearing this call besides me. So I’m not claiming some independent word of knowledge. But beyond religion and dogma, beyond institution and denomination, we have a window that is opening and the risk is real if we miss it.
Many like Michael Pink, Bill Thomas, Dennis Peacocke and others have a significant role in this effort and I'm honored to be aligned with them. If you'd like to see what my role is, google my name. In any case, please consider getting into strategic training as fast as possible.
Eric Beck
Posted by Eric Beck on October 12th, 2006 13:05 EST | Entrepreneurship
THE CLASSIC CONFLICT - MERCY OR ACCOUNTABILITY Thu, Oct 5, 2006
Maria was hired by a company as an administrative assistant. Initially, she wowed everyone with her bilingual skills and work ethic. However over time, her work ethic faded. She developed a pattern of tardiness. Frequently she was tired and lacked focus. Despite admonitions and warnings, Maria’s work ethic did not improve. Maria’s boss recommended to the owner of the company that Maria be terminated. Upon investigating, the owner discovered that Maria was a divorcee with three young children. Her ex-husband was not providing any support, but was in fact harassing Maria causing her much difficulty. The owner faced the classic conflict – mercy or accountability. What should the owner do about Maria?Posted by Gerald Chester on October 5th, 2006 17:49 EST | Management / Leadership
MARKETPLACE KING OR PHAROAH'S SLAVE? Thu, Oct 5, 2006
Pharoah's slaves are people who...well...slave. They work all day and sometimes into the night to accomplish one main objective: keeping their jobs. They are stressed, frustrated, and frozen.However a new economy is coming. In this new economy slaving won't cut it. We have a window of opportunity to get prepared for this change.
We have to leave our lives of slaving and start our training to be kings in the marketplace.
What is a king in the marketplace? Simple: someone who numbers his days to gain a heart of wisdom (ps 90:12), who understands that God's economy is one of relationships providing true value.
The keys of the kingdom are ours, but if we haven't trained ourselves (Heb 5) we won't be able to use them to bring transformation...in particular to the marketplace.
Consider that over 85% of all people employeed in the United States are employeed by small businesses. What if these small businesses could be turned into kingdom embassys that train their people in God's way of providing value?
Posted by Eric Beck on October 5th, 2006 10:57 EST | Entrepreneurship
HIRING DILEMMA Tue, Oct 3, 2006
As a young entrepreneur with a 6-month-old business, I'm still pretty new to the hiring process. Granted, I've held management positions in the past and made some hiring & firing decisions. But somehow the decision I face now is different. I've been interviewing for an employee who will help alleviate my personal workload... someone that I want to be on board for the long haul who either knows -- or is able to learn -- the skills at which I make a living.
There are two books that came to mind today as I continued to reflect on this decision... but the two books seem to contradict one another:
"Good to Great" by Jim Collins In Good to Great, Collins talks about how great companies get the right people on the bus -- the most talented people they can find -- and then they determine where the bus is headed, tapping into the skills and talents they have on board.
"The E-Myth Revisited" - Michael E. Gerber In The E-Myth Revisited, Gerber suggests that you should seek to hire people with the lowest level of skill necessary to do the job. He reasons that these people are more teachable -- allowing you to build a system that can be reproduced.
See my dilemma?
I've interviewed a number of people who are competent enough to do the job. Some are fantastic -- almost overqualified. Others seem to lack a few skills, but seem teachable.
So Christian Business leaders... what have you experienced?
Is it Gerber or Collins who have it right? Do you hire people who bring the most skill to the table up front? Or do you hire somebody who's lacking a few skills, but has the humble spirit to be mentored?
Posted by Jeremy Harrison on October 3rd, 2006 20:39 EST | Management / Leadership
PM TERMINATED WHEN SUBORDINATE GOES OVER HIS HEAD Sun, Oct 1, 2006
A project engineer needed some equipment to complete a project on time. His boss, the project manager (“PM”), requested the equipment, but the request was turned down by upper management. The equipment was not essential, but would have made life easier for the engineer. The PM failed to advise the engineer of the directive. After waiting several weeks, the engineer inquired about the equipment and was chagrined to discover that it was not ordered and would not be ordered. Expressing his disdain to the PM, the PM cavalierly dismissed the engineer’s remarks. The engineer protested to the CEO who, after a short investigation, discovered a pattern with the PM. Most of the time, the PM was very sensitive to people and a good communicator. However periodically, the PM demonstrated insensitivity to people’s feelings and poor communications. The CEO decided to terminate the PM. Was the CEO right?Posted by Gerald Chester on October 1st, 2006 01:33 EST | Management / Leadership
GREAT MOMENTS OF LEADERSHIP BY ORDINARY PEOPLE Mon, Sep 11, 2006
Amidst remembering the tragic events of Sept. 11th today and the memories of those who were lost are countless stories of great acts of leadership that day by ordinary people.One physician's remark stood out to me, and I am paraphrasing what I recall - "when people are put in extraordinary situations where they have no choice in the matter, ordinary people will very often do the right thing"
What has been your leadership crisis where you had no choice in the matter? Are you stepping up to do the right thing trusting God for the outcome?
Posted by Dennis Raup on September 11th, 2006 11:27 EST | Management / Leadership
IS CONSULTING KINGDOM WORK? Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Ron’s first words to me were, I see little fruit in my life and the life of those that I serve. His 15 years in ministry were, in his eyes, not very successful. However because of his anti-terrorist training with the Israeli military, the US government sought out his help. Ron tended to decline consulting opportunities with the government agencies because he doesn’t view this as Kingdom work. Ron was clear that he started his ministry to do Kingdom work, how he could now lower himself to do military consulting? This would be tantamount to admitting defeat and failure as a minister. What do think of his perspective?Posted by Gerald Chester on August 23rd, 2006 00:14 EST | Management / Leadership
“WHY I SHOULD THINK BEFORE I ACT” Wed, Aug 16, 2006
Many of us want to succeed in our calling in the marketplace. But in order to do so, in order to produce “fruit that lasts” we have to get more strategic. Integrating strategic work into our daily routine is the best way I know to make this dream a reality.Here’s something everyone can use to get more strategic.
1. Start you day off by taking 10-15 minutes to review your calendar for the day. Pray over your appointments and to-do’s. Ask God, “Are these the right items, in the right order, is everything accounted for? Are you authorizing me to do this work?” Listen and write down what you think you hear.
2. Follow the plan.
3. When “interruptions” come, and they certainly will, take a deep breath and check back in with what work was confirmed to be authorized in your morning meeting with God. Ask God again, “Are you authorizing this, or is it a distraction?” You can do this mentally, but it’s even better to do this by looking at the notes from your morning strategy time or better yet at your calendar/Day-Timer.
4. Make course corrections if needed and continue to execute your plan.
5. At the end of the day, take 10-15 minutes to review the day. How many times did you get interrupted? Why? Is your time protected or not? Why? Did you do the work that you truly believe was authorized or did you get taken off post by pressure, fear, or speed?
This is a solid process that I’ve used successfully to help business and ministry leaders around the country. I think you’ll find that “numbering our days to gain a heart of wisdom” is a tougher cross to bear than just trying to not break any of the ten commandments at work.
Ps. If you think, “aw this is easy and sooooo obvious” then do it. Follow the steps exactly…you’ll see that while it is simple, it is far from easy - and maybe to your surprise you’ll find out just how deeply rewarding it is to be back in control of your time.
If you want, post your results/questions here and let’s work out the kinks.
Posted by Eric Beck on August 16th, 2006 19:26 EST | Business Smarts
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