As business leaders, we need to think about our commitment level. What are we committed to and why? I remember in the '90s when stock options were the rage. Yes, they were a piece of the puzzle, but what initially drove WestJet to success ain't working now is it! Why would our employees, volunteers, and teammates be committed at all? What's the magic of drive and determination? I think the answer lies in the example and authenticity of what drives the leader. Let's talk about it for a minute.
As dads, husbands, lawyers, engineers, pastors, deacons, construction foremen, nurses, doctors, etc. we can and do get complacent. Jesus gives us the servant leadership model in the church because that is how He leads. It’s the way God provides for His people as He builds His Kingdom.
No matter our leadership roles and responsibilities, we need to be mindful of our level of commitment to God and how and if we are committed to serving His flock well. And we need to seriously assess if we are complacent.
Many of us have worked in organizations driven by a culture of fear where leaders lord their authority over others. Some of us have lived in countries like that where boss men demand respect and commitment as they enrich themselves and enslave others. Bad hombres demand that others serve them rather than serving others as Jesus commands. When the rot is deep organizations like that are tough to fix. But anything's possible. Corporate history is filled with amazing turnaround examples. It is essential to set the tone from the top and fix the board first. And yes, you have to have excellent executive leadership. Leadership is key and character makes the leadership. If you allow jerks and hypocrites to lead then the culture will never change and the fruit produced, if any, will quickly rot.
It’s easy to see fat Elvis. His waistline and neckline show his fitness. Similarly, it’s quite easy for counselors to see marriages where the couple has quit actively serving each other, destined for divorce. There's a plethora of once-great organizations like General Electric, that became fat, lazy, complex, and complacent. We see it in nations too that rise and fall and in leaders that rise and fall.
King David went through it - oh to the tremendous consequences with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12). Good times produce weak men they say but first, the good times make for easy times, and that produces complacency and in turn brazen, cowardly, and shameful leaders. God will never truly bless churches led by such men who will not serve Him faithfully and who do not take their roles as servant leaders seriously. Follow the money. Where you spend your treasure is where your heart is. What we see in our churches we see too in our corporations and in our government. After a disaster like Enron everyone always asks who's teaching ethics in business school. Newsflash, ethics are set by God. Culture is downstream from our families and our churches. Start there.
We must indeed get our finances in order. But it's not just finances. It is righteousness first and that includes good stewardship. The churchman can and should be fully supportive of balanced budgets. My native land, Canada, is now reaping the rewards of over 10 years of disastrously bad and corrupt leadership. I trust God will help her, but man what a fiscal and structural mess. I remember back in the early '90s when our law school was pushing woke agendas and assisted suicide and gay rights over religious liberties. I had a constitutional law professor give me a C on a paper because I was opposed to assisted suicide. A lot of the moral rot does come from our educational institutions.
It’s hard to think of a nation right now that doesn’t have similar problems to Canada. But as I sit here sipping coffee in rural Virginia my heart is for personal growth and commitment. It’s the log in my eye I’m mindful of. So yes, we must get our priorities straight. At every level. For you and I and all the way up to the President of the United States.
I know you have to prepare for Church, but bear with me. I want to encourage you to check your commitment level to God. Ask and answer good questions. And, not totally following the first thought I want to encourage you to stop trying to do it all. God has given us the freedom to focus as He guides us. We often feel unqualified. Yes, we need to know more about the Bible and various other areas. But it's okay to specialize. Pick an area and focus there. Yes, grow in Scripture knowledge. Always. But also learn a language, read a business book, study art, or learn a trade. Be encouraged to focus on a priority from God and stop stressing about areas you can and should drop.
Back to the point: commitment. Why are we committed to our country, our community, our church, our family, and our God? What is it that drives us? Does a paycheck alone drive deep commitment? Citizenship? Church membership? Military rank? Family ties?
Patrick Bet-David, in ‘Choose Your Enemies Wisely,’ says we need a burning desire to prove our enemies wrong and to succeed in overcoming them at all costs. I like that a lot from a business perspective. It's a combination of business planning regarding what we are for and what we are against. Both count. We have enemies for a reason, for Christ's followers are dangerous to the devil and his minions. God wants his men and women to be highly committed to great Kingdom production. The devil and his men are committed to our failure.
Programs alone don’t drive true commitment. Some churches ask for membership, but then ensure its meaninglessness by calling no meetings, no roles for anyone but the aristocracy, and no shared responsibility. Other churches have no membership at all as the elite are in charge and they make it clear that the sheep are to serve the shepherds. None of that is biblical.
In the biblical church you see a problem and a meeting of the church members is immediately called. You see transparency, giving good reports, and a high priority of honor before God, earned good reputations, accountability, and the importance of not only doing the right thing, but being seen to do the right thing (the Book of Acts).
I’m pleasantly shocked at the level of commitment many secular organizations have. I’ve seen small teams of oilmen build tremendous assets and operations with just a small committed team. You hear stories of the great companies in their heyday like Standard Oil and modern-day Netflix with extraordinary levels of commitment from lean teams. You see the same thing with great sports teams. The real church is like that. Committed to God beyond measure, red hot with a focus on Jesus and His priorities.
The church can and does suffer through the worst of times. Through communism. Through the Roman Empire. Through national socialism. Through the Dirty Thirties. Through watered-down liberal theology. Through the televangelist scandals of greed and hypocrisy. My belief is that God wants His church unified and operating in all spheres not just despite our bad and dysfunctional leaders and poorly run organizations, but encouraged by good leaders and great examples.
I’m reminded this morning how faithful God is to us. We are in a time of deep disunity in America and globally. Congress is divided. Our municipal governments are divided. Our levels of debt are dangerously high. The gulf between rich and poor is crazy wide. People are desperate for good governance and leaders committed to the common good rather than their own greed. The problem is widespread and the rot, like Fat Elvis, is easy to spot in the church. It is not just the Rich Men North of Richmond, it’s widespread.
When will God have enough of the portly legalists who won’t lift a finger for others? When will He say enough to the leaders who lord their authority over others and who pretend to honor Christ when it’s obvious they love the trappings of power and care nothing for anything but themselves?
I believe the answer is right now. God is bringing revival. I actually think faithful leaders will stop crafting nifty programs for all in commitment. Instead, they will show all in commitment by what they do. Good leadership and good governance are contagious.
God does have men and women serving not for personal gain, but for the good of mankind. There are good churches and there are faithful church leaders. And God is raising up many more of them. God always does things in unique ways. He uses the weak to shame the strong. And He can use billionaires willing to throw it all away for the betterment of their fellow man, committed to saving and growing Christian civilization. It’s God’s way. It’s the advance of His Kingdom.
We are committed to the cause of Christ because we know Jesus as our Lord and King. And we trust the Father for everything. No matter the odds or the circumstances. Bull market or bear, we rejoice in Jesus. Let us pray for our enemies this morning. For maybe God will draw them and turn them from wicked ways to Him and His way. In God’s anger, let’s pray like Habakkuk (3:2) that God remembers His mercy. For we need it today.
As we march toward Easter and start a new week remember that we have everything with Jesus. Trust His lead. If He says to focus on one thing and grow in understanding in one area, do that. One thing at a time, confident and committed because we know God’s grace and goodness.
Thank You Jesus for the promise of the sunrise. Thank You Father God for the Son. Amen.
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