Letting God Set the Agenda

Richard examines how god moves us from where we are to where he wants us to be while growing our character and faith to match his assignment.

"When Things Go South"

"Life in the Workplace: God Ordained Interruptions"

"When Plans Change"

"Evil"

"Stepping Out in Faith: Making Obedience A Priority in Your Life"

"Calm in the Storm"

"Seeking God's Guidance"

What's blocking you from from living out God's purpose in your life in 2019?

"Focus"

"How To Live a 'Start-Up' Life!"

"The Seasons of God"

"The Business Person's Indispensable Skill!"

"The Fatherhood of God: The Power of Words to either Curse or Bless!"

Hear Doug discuss the current legal landscape on religious liberty, discuss current cases impacting Christian business owners, and discuss how to keep your business faithful.

"What is it the causes me to bend knee in prayer?"

Hear Mark Whitacre's story of losing his way, and learn how the Lord has redeemed his life.

Hear Phil answer the question: Why do so many high achieving individuals have a hard time accepting their accomplishments and have a persistent fear of being exposed as a 'fraud'?

Hear Michael Farris, President of Alliance Defending Freedom, assert how dissenters can neither legitimately be coerced to speak nor silenced. Christians are being coerced in both ways. How can we stop this dangerous trend?

Hear Mark relate what he has found it takes to achieve satisfaction at work and the role that three principles from god's word play in accomplishing that fulfillment.

Hear Frank discuss the state of religious freedom around the world, and in the United States. Learn about the threats, as well as the opportunities to influence the future. His words will create a new awareness about this freedom that many have come to take for granted.

Hear Cheryl share how she and her team engineered the extraordinary turnaround of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen by making a tough but rewarding decision to lead through service.

Hear Kevin share his experiences working and living in various environments and how to identify ways to be impact-full from a Christian perspective.

Hear Frank discuss the state of religious freedom around the world, and in the United States. Learn about the threats, as well as the opportunities to influence the future. His words will create a new awareness about this freedom that many have come to take for granted.

Hear Anne share how God has woven economic principles into the very fabric of his creation. When we make decisions based on God’s desires, we will bring about more flourishing for His glory.

Since writing God at Work: the History and Promise of the Faith at Work Movement in 2007, a lot has changed in the marketplace. Or has it? Hear David share some of his research and observations about how companies and individuals are approaching the sometimes awkward question of faith at work.

Hear Dave share lessons learned that helped Southwest build its financial and reputational success, lessons that have as much personal application as business. Southwest Airlines’ is well recognized as one of the premier brands in the world, no small fete coming from an industry that is generally not on the top of peoples’ most favored list.

One of the main reasons I love my job as a banker is because it offers such a great opportunity for ministry. As bankers, our jobs are to build very close and personal relationships with our customers, so that we know their needs and can help them accomplish their lifelong goals. In building those relationships, you walk through the good and the bad times of their lives.

“I AM NOT A ROLE MODEL.” With that tag line for a 90’s Nike Ad, Charles Barkley ignited a debate on the role of athletes in American society. Now, the inappropriate actions of another group of professional athletes has reignited this debate and opened an often heated discussion. This sobering reminder about shirking the responsibility of role model provides a unique opportunity for us as Christians to reflect on our own personal responsibilities.

So we began the soul searching journey of “surrender” and I noticed stories in the Bible that I had read since I was a kid and found a type of surrender in every story.

A lack of humility and a lack of courage hinder one from being a realistic optimist. I would never start or join a company or even a challenging change initiative with a team of pessimists. It is very difficult to innovate with a team led by a pessimist. If you don’t know if you are an optimist or a pessimist just ask your spouse or a close friend. If they indicate you’re a pessimist or delay in their response you should pray about becoming more optimistic. Jesus knew the heart of man but was never cynical. His optimism was based on knowing the Father. Being a realistic optimist is a further characteristic required of a leader worth following.

Hear Richard share how the shifting patterns of your life reveal God's purposes for you.

Will DeSanto talks about how he and his wife Ginny have been able to bring Christ to people through their life insurance business. Gail Cardwell reflects upon the life of a missionary who gave up everything to serve God in Russia.

As a planner, this verse appeals to me. I’m the kind of guy who loves casting a vision, building a plan to make that vision a reality, then executing the plan. I know that when an organization (a company, a non-profit, a church, a family) has no vision from leadership, the people inside get lost and they “perish.”

In the September 2014 Newsletter, CIC co-founder Louis Grams describes how he and his wife helped to change the culture of their condo community when he joined the board of their Home Owner's Association. Larry Favor of the Santa Cruz Chapter talks about being denied employment based solely on the fact that he was a Christian. Introducing our new Tampa Chapter in the News section!

Since my dad went to heaven in February, my sister (btw…a great sister) and I have been working to finalize my dad’s estate.

Do I really want to be blessed by God? At a recent SLI class, we talked about Mary being blessed and I think most of us glossed over that statement since we have all heard it so many times. Sure Mary was blessed and didn’t she have it so wonderful being Jesus’ mom…

Hear Bill share about overcoming the tendency of separating our faith from our work and the many other challenges Christians face in today’s workplace. By accepting God’s offer to dwell in us and allowing his Holy Spirit to empower us, we can fulfill our purpose of being stewards of God’s creation and building his kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.”

Recently, I was in a friend’s office and noticed a book on the corner of his desk, "The Gospel According to Starbucks" by Leonard Sweet. Since I love reading and coffee I couldn’t help but ask if I might borrow the book.

The word “wrestle” may conjure up a sweaty match with a victor and a loser; however, when we wrestle with our God, we are always a winner. Just as Jacob was finally pinned by the angel of the Lord, he was also blessed with his full inheritance. His limp is a symbol of the transformation he went through. Consider ...

I always had a good marriage. I was happy. Then I attended a retreat of the New Canaan Society in DC. I have heard people talking of transformation before, but ...

Hear Frank share his thoughts on the past 34 years and his passion to be an advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves as he looks forward to working on human rights and religious freedom -- both domestic and international -- as well as matters of the culture and the American family.

I started 2013 with some major challenges and brought them before the Lord in my quiet time with Him. I discussed them at length with my Spiritual Leadership Institute (SLI) discipler, Dick Schultz, and then waited to hear from God. The clear leading I was receiving from the Father was to "pray the Psalms." So ...

Hear Luis Palau share biblical insight on what it looks like to truly reflect Christ to your friends, neighbors, and coworkers. You will be encouraged by Luis as he takes through his personal story of spiritual growth and the lessons he has learned from 60 years of ministry experience.

In Part 1 of this devotion, I shared that we all find ourselves struggling and in pain at various points in our journey with Jesus and wanting to escape the pain. Maybe it is a health problem—maybe something we caused ourselves. Maybe it is something with the kids; maybe there was a recession, maybe, maybe, maybe . . . .

When you are going through trials that you don’t understand have you ever ask the questions –Why me? Where is God? Isn’t God hearing me? Being in the real estate investment business in Phoenix for the last 40 years and never having a major loss until the recession in 2008, those are questions that I asked over and over without answers – that led to bouts of depression, many sleepless nights, loss of hope, and a very uncertain future. Then I started sensing maybe there was more to this ...

When my son, was 11, he devised the most mischievous, brilliant plan his warped little mind had ever conceived. Adept at teasing his four year-old sister Carrie, he found dastardly delight in pulling pranks on her. As Christmas approached he planned a masterstroke – his opus. He carefully gift-wrapped a lump of coal and tagged it “From Santa.” Then, late on Christmas Eve he stealthily deposited the package prominently under the Christmas tree.

Hear Joel share his experience as a chaplain for the Washington Bullets/Wizards from 1979-1998. Joel will provide a glimpse into the learning curve he experienced from the first day to the last, and how it impacted his life, his family, his church, his friends and his business.

The company I lead completed a significant acquisition a few years ago during the downturn in the U.S. economy. Despite the tough economic times, this acquisition was an opportunity to dramatically improve our competitive position and chart a course toward growth and prosperity. However, the integration activities, combined with a weak economy, took their toll on our people and created a challenging environment for the first two years after the acquisition.

Hear Phillip, previously co-founder of webMethods which became the most successful software IPO to date in 2000, discuss some of the struggles and joys of living out his faith in dynamic and rapidly growing technology companies. Being in a position of leadership can place real and imagined restrictions on sharing faith at work, but the opportunity to reach people is substantial.

After 15 incredible years of growing our company, we announced a sale of the company for over $23 billion in May 2007. The highly publicized transaction closed in October 2007, to buyers who wanted to double the size of the company again, while retaining the existing management team to do so. Their dreams of stratospheric growth didn't become a reality as the primary owner/buyer was Lehman Brothers and their bankruptcy filing in September 2008 (11 months after our closing) threw everything into disarray.

Many of us deal with the challenges of a demanding and busy schedule. We are tasked with making tough decisions for the good of our company. We go from the demands of a busy work day, to busy family, church and community activities. As leaders, many of us are naturally wired to be in charge and when circumstances cause our world to spin out of control, our natural reaction is to do everything humanly possible to bring it back under control.

Hear Hugh share how to find satisfaction and joy in your work. Ever heard of the "quarter-life crisis"? Sadly, it’s a growing trend due to two lies the culture tells us about work. The first is, "If you work hard enough, you can be anything you want to be." The second is like the first, yet possibly even more damaging: "You can be the best in the world." These ideas have damaged our view of work and vocation because they have distorted our biblical view of success. In this presentation, Hugh Whelchel will discuss the Biblical meaning of success as taught in Jesus’ Parable of the Talents.

Many of us deal with the challenges of a demanding and busy schedule. We are tasked with making tough decisions for the good of our company. We go from the demands of a busy work day, to busy family, church and community activities. As leaders, many of us are naturally wired to be in charge and when circumstances cause our world to spin out of control, our natural reaction is to do everything humanly possible to bring it back under control.

The business world creates many demands and stresses on our everyday life. Even our best planning efforts don’t always bring about the results that we had intended. Circumstances beyond our control bring new challenges. Not only are we trying to manage this chaos at work but it easily spills over into our family life. Is this the lifestyle that God intended?

God could not be clearer in this account of Caleb and the Promised Land. How do we become more like Caleb and Joshua and not like the others?

In the midst of this reality, God calls us to be leaders who are everything but ordinary. In business, family, and church we must turn to God, abandon the ordinary, and revive His brand! Greatness and distinction in life never has been, and never will be, marked by that which is ordinary. It was true of Jesus’ life. It is true of yours. Indeed, it is a sin to be ordinary!

Hear how as a Congressman, Tony as chair of the Congressional Hunger Committee, moved an entire Congress to restore its commitment to famine relief after that committee had been suspended through his own profound 22 day fast that led to the restoration of Congressional Famine relief efforts; and as Ambassador to the UN for Hunger Relief, how Tony helped move worldwide attention toward some of the great famine relief efforts of the last 20 years.

Hear Brandon share how he felt a "calling" to his position as the CEO of one of the largest food distributors in America. KeHE Distributors wanted a CEO who would lead a faith friendly company and take the initiatives to a new level - but no one could imagine what would happen when you are obedient to God's call and you invite Him in completely!

Hear Phil McKinney, recently retired CTO at HP, and now CEO of Cablelabs, discuss the path that he took to discover God's gift of creativity, and how he applied it as the CTO at HP. In organizations tasked with using ingenuity to create the next great thing, God is rarely given the credit. Where does the inspiration that sparks human ingenuity come from?

Is work a four-letter word or a calling?  Is it possible for the  workplace and your beliefs co-exist Monday through Friday?  Rob Gould examines how God uses our work, even the ordinary and routine, and provides practical steps to creating a marketplace ministry right where you are!

hear Clyde Lear, of Learfield Communications, share how his associates have brought forth the best talents from their company by creating a faith-friendly environment for all.

How to create a faith-friendly workplace and understand the difference between what it means for a company to be faith-friendly vs. faith-based.

Hear Os share on “24x7 living," "business at the speed of light," "war at warp speed," hurry sickness, and road rage -- we all know the symptoms of what is called "fast-life”. How do we handle it, and what does our Christian faith have to say about it? 

Hear the author of Loving Monday: Succeeding in Business without Selling Your Soul, and a successful Ohio manufacturing executive, share “how his work can be filled with meaning and purpose. The key is integrating his work and beliefs. As a result, both grow — along with his love for Monday.”

Hear Richard share what it is like to fully enjoy God's presence even in the most stressful of times; whether at work, home, or with your own personal contentment.

Listen to Mac share the significant differences he has seen in the lives of senior business leaders.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers with at least 15 employees, as well as employment agencies and unions, from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. It also prohibits retaliation against persons who complain of discrimination or participate in an EEO investigation. With respect to religion, Title VII prohibits: treating applicants or employees differently based on their religious beliefs or practices – or lack thereof – in any aspect of employment, including recruitment, hiring, assignments, discipline, promotion, and benefits (disparate treatment); ...

Hear Glenn share the importance of his faith in his life, and his efforts to be guided by God.

Many employers are weaving religion and spirituality into company cultures. The push may come from bosses or the rank and file – and their motivations vary. Either way, when religion and spirituality cross the threshold, they result in daunting legal and managerial challenges along with perceived benefits.

How could you go about approaching your management about establishing a faith-based group in your workplace?