Reminder for WorldMovers

Just a reminder to World Movers that we will still be in this issue (pictured at right) for one more Sunday (tomorrow).  Having discussed the cover article last Sunday, it's wide open for any article people want to talk about.  I will bring additional follow up material on the Biblical economics principles I introduced last week. We will probably want to discuss the article about Chick-Fil-A in this regard.   

Honor where honor is due

Today I honor David Schexnayder (who honors his French ancestry) who single-handedly argued off a table of six skeptics regarding French military ineptitude at Wednesday's New Barleymen Choir Practice. 

David "schooled" us in the accomplishments of the French in erecting the Maginot Line (an aspect of WWII I had not concentrated on since my dad was in the Italian Campaign).  He then pointed out that it was actually the Belgians (see "weak fortifications" above) who let the German army into France, an event which spawned the noble efforts of the French Resistance (which he also extolled before us).  Touche, David.  Vive la France!

Christians in the Workplace

D. Michael Lindsay, a sociologist at Rice University, recently completed a study of Christian leaders in the workplace, focusing on what role religion plays in busines decisions-making, particularly the motives which drive those decisions.  His conclusion is that leaders fall into four general categories regarding the role their faith place in their business life:  pragmatic, heroic, circumspect, and brazen. 

The "pragmatic" leader, exemplified by PepsiCo executive Steve Reinemund, defines himself as evangelical, but admits that he doesn't have all the answers.  Self-reflection by such a leader reveals that his decision-making is largely pragmatic;  they end up hoping they have made the right decisions.  Sometimes, Lindsay notes, they feel they are choosing between "the lesser of two evils - or the better of two goods."

Lindsay's "heroic" evangelical believes his or her faith is not "checked at the door," but rather drives the moral philosophies by which decisions are made.  He notes Sherron Watkins, the Enron wihistleblower, as an example of such a leader - one who would "do the right thing," even if it costs her her job or eventually brings down the company.

A "circumspect" leader is one who is "deeply religious, but isn't outward about it."   Like John Aden, a senior vice-president at Walmart International, such a leader is generally attracted to a workplace where the company's values resonate with faith convictions the leader already embraces.  While not always vocal about their faith, such men and women do peform their duties and make personal decisions that are based on faith convictions.  

An example of a "brazen" leader would be former Arizona Cardinals' quarterback and NFL Most Valuable Player Kurt Warner, says Lindsay.  These are the ones who are most unabashed about their faith alignment, and feel that their religion and jobs go hand in hand.  For these Christians, anything less than complete openness about their faith would be a matter of "being ashamed of the gospel."

Linday's conclusion is that "there is a lot more Christian commitment in the corner office than people think...it is entirely possible to be faithful and yet sensitive to the context of where God has placed you."

I find ths study encouraging, and its implications for our lives as Dove Mountaineers in the working community of Tucson are multifold.  I pray that we will be self-reflective about the impact we are making for Christ, regardless of which of the four categories we may most comfortably fall into.

Like drowning kittens....

I have used this space to promote Chuck Colson's daily Breakpoint articles a few times before.  I do so once again because today's article is timely and well-said.  It also happens to agree with my biases, so he must be a pretty smart fellow. 

Here's a teaser from what he said today:

"The conservative position is that advocating tax hikes, even to reduce the deficit, is the moral equivalent of advocating the drowning of kittens. Like the liberal position, it is also popular among the American people, who only favor tax hikes on 'the rich.' And by 'the rich,' they mean 'anybody other than me.'"

And another:

"And as Christians, we have to ask examine our own motivations -- are we dancing to an ideological tune, or are we relying on revealed truth to show us the way out of this mess?"

You can read the whole article here.

If you like it, consider becoming a daily e mail subscriber, as I am.  Good stuff!

Champions need the Spirit of the Lord

As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands. Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men. Then Samson said, “With a donkey’s jawbone I have made donkeys of them.With a donkey’s jawbone
I have killed a thousand men.”
Judges 15:14-16

And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
Judges 16:28

And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
Hebrews 11:32-33

Thank you, Mike Jones, for this messsage.

Bin-Laden: "The end of something"

Do not gloat when your enemy falls;

when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,

or the LORD will see and disapprove

and turn his wrath away from them.
 

Proverbs 24:17-18

 

Thanks to Dave Dent and Todd Vandenbranden for this reminder.

Caring for the proper things

I assume many Dovemountaineers have been following, as has my family, the media coverage of the royal wedding. I like what radio commentator Dennis Prager had to say on Friday:  "This was a celebration of all that is excellent in human achievement."  He also commended the fact that the wedding was decidedly non-secularist in the worldview and cultural impact that it had.

I later found the paragraphs below by a blogger identified simply as "hogan."   His reflections are worth paying attention to:

"But whatever one thinks of the Monarchy, in an increasingly pathetic MTV world - the ceremony today was extraordinary, and a good thing for the world to see. It was nothing short of impressive - timely, carried out with precision, dripping with military, Christian and royal traditions. The music was magnificent - there were actual hymns rather than gaudy “praise music” rock bands, a church that looks like a church, and the participants and guests were dressed not just appropriately, but perfectly… The procession was extraordinary, with hand-sewn uniforms and white and black horses leading the carriages - the Union Jack lining the streets.

The event was broadcast to an estimated 2 billion people. And in my view - that is a good thing. It can hardly be bad - for whatever flaws of the people involved - to remind people through the broadcast of a high religious ceremony that Christ is Lord. It can hardly be bad to have 2 billion people hear a Christian reminder of the importance of marriage in furthering mankind. It can hardly be bad to remind people that for all its flaws, the Anglo-influence has indeed made the world a far better place. And it is hardly bad to remind people that tradition matters - that carrying ourselves the proper way matters."

And I say, "Amen."