Park Cities Presbyterian Church (PCA)

Measuring success for Christians in business

Working hard with a purpose and making sound business decisions that glorify God begin with a firm foundation built on the rock of Christ.

Published August 1, 2011 in Witness

As a young professional, I wrestle daily trying to balance and prioritize the calls on my life. It is difficult to understand how to achieve a harmony that glorifies God. There are many avenues to travel as a young man, and it is tremendously helpful to have the guidance of others who have been in my very situation and have developed into strong Christian leaders.

At PCPC’s Workplace Ministries luncheon forum on May 17, Ray Nixon and Bob Rowling shared their life experiences and insights on how to serve God both in and outside the workplace. Each man humbly admitted that he did not have the single right answer, but rather he could relate how God has worked in his life and used him to further His Kingdom. Listening to their personal stories powerfully impacted my understanding of how to apply their message to me. Both men have  excelled in the workplace, which is useful to many of us who spend a significant portion of our waking hours in the office.

It can be very difficult to find the right steps to take as a young man, especially with what society tells us. Both men testified that working hard with a purpose and making sound business decisions that glorify God begin with a firm foundation built on the rock of Christ.

Christ first
Both men emphasized the importance of a personal relationship with God. A daily quiet time to read and meditate on His Word is essential. Because of our human nature, we can never pacify our burning desire to succeed by simply feeding the fire with more of what we desire. We often become trapped in a vicious cycle—we say that we will be happy once we achieve our goals, however, we never actually run out of goals. Instead, finding one’s identity in Christ permeates all areas of life, including the workplace. Stopping and listening to God will allow us to hear what His goals for us are. And they will satisfy.

Naturally, my immediate response to being advised to spend substantial time with the Lord every morning is that I simply do not have the time. A hard truth that I am learning to accept is that I will never have “enough time!” But my other responsibilities will be fruitless unless I am fed by the Holy Spirit daily, and I have been encouraged to set this standard now rather than later.

In order to make difficult business decisions daily that glorify Christ, it is essential to have a high level of intimacy with the Lord to understand what ultimately will bring Him glory. Both men specifically told of instances where they made unpopular decisions based on Christian principles. Bob described his decision to remove pornographic material from Omni Hotels, sacrificing millions of dollars to send a positive message to his customers.

Relationships second
Intentionality is also important in your relationships. The relationships that Bob and Ray emphasized were not necessarily the ones that will lead to the big deal, but rather those with family, friends, and in the church—ones easily consumed by work.

Since God created humans to live in fellowship, we should seek out relationships with other Christians with the intent to sharpen one another.  This comes through intentionality with family and friends, but, perhaps most importantly, these relationships are facilitated through serving in the church and fellowshipping in the body of believers. This luncheon enhanced my commitment to a Bible study dedicated to collective long-term growth of the individuals in the group.

Service to others third
Both men conveyed the importance of engaging others who need to experience Christ’s love. Reaching out connects us with others on a more meaningful level than simply striking a deal while also extending the grace and goodness of Christ into our world.

Both men elaborated on the role mentoring has had in their lives—both on the giving and receiving end of such relationships. Fortunately, PCPC provides the opportunity for young men and women to seek such guidance as well as to participate on the other side of mentoring relationships.

We all have God-given gifts designed to further His Kingdom, yet we have the choice to use them to be self-serving or to give them back to the One who enabled us in the first place. These gifts take all shapes and forms, from prayer for some to “striking a deal,” as in Bob Rowling’s case. Both men implored us to begin seeking His purpose today. After all, it will never be easier to pursue the Lord wholeheartedly than it is right now.
—Chase Gosselin