Solving the World's Greatest Problems connects entrepreneurs to the issues God is stirring them to address — and shows where your calling meets the world's deepest needs.
Would you benefit from a full-time, paid group leader and coach from a CEO Network? Maybe a Peer Advisory Group, like C12, Convene, Truth at Work, FCCI, and others, is the next step to help you improve the bottom line and scale your impact.
There is something very powerful about getting together in community and encouraging each other in the pursuit of faith, family and vocation. There is also something remarkably special about being able to share your entrepreneurial journey and all that it entails (How do I hire? Where should I get funding? How do I balance this crazy season I’m in with family responsibilities, etc.) with others that are, or have gone through similar things.
Founded in 1992 by Buck Jacobs in Tampa, Florida, C12 has grown from three local Peer Advisory Groups to the nation’s largest network of Christian CEOs, business owners, and executives.
C12 is a leader in the movement of God in and through the marketplace. Located in major metro area across the Americas and Asia, the C12 Group serves businesses with 5 to 5,000+ employees and annual revenues ranging from $1 million to $1 billion+.
Founded in 1996 by Brian Thatcher and a group of five CEOs and business owners, Convene was created to meet a vital need. God gave Brian and his partners a passion for successful business leaders that were isolated and lacked the tools, support and relationships they needed to build profitable businesses.
Truth at Work is one of America’s leading and fastest growing ministries to business leaders. Since 1998, they have developed products, programs, and services to serve thousands of Christian business and marketplace leaders.
If you’ve been blessed with a business stewardship, then your business should be about more than just the bottom line. FCCI gives you the tools, training, and life-on-life experience you need to integrate your faith through your business.
Pinnacle Forum was inspired by Dr. Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International, who challenged a handful of leaders in Phoenix, Arizona saying, “I believe the only way we can change our culture is to find a way to network our high influence leaders and inspire them to use their influence for God.”
Their mission is to encourage and equip influential leaders through confidential Forums, supported by a national network, to engage in personal and cultural transformation that honors Jesus Christ.
FaithTech is a growing movement of Christians interested in all things faith and technology. Their vision is to become a global hub for FaithTech conversations, integrations, and innovations. They now have communities in 3 cities in Canada and two in the States (Chicago and the Bay Area).
4word is the only global organization for Christian women in the workplace led by women. 4word leads, connects and supports women in the workplace to help them achieve their God-given potential with confidence. 4word achieves this mission through 4word’s Digital Community, 4word Local Groups and the 4word Mentor Program.
We are a group of men who gather together in more than 50 cities to encourage each other in friendship and faith and to support each other to be better husbands, fathers — and better men — in the marketplace and in our communities. Friendship at NCS happens through our regular meetings in local Chapters across the country.
A few times a month, we gather in restaurants or other common ground to be together with other guys and hear a speaker — one of our own or a guest — share a personal story that enlightens, encourages or challenges us.
CBMC’s mission is to present Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord to business and professional men and to develop Christian business and professional men to carry out the Great Commission.
LeaderImpact is a volunteer-led movement of leaders dedicated to having a lasting impact. Together they challenge all leaders to accomplish more through developing their personal, professional, and spiritual lives. Through groups, events, excursions, and communication our worldwide network is growing and making an impact in cities, nations, and the world. This free group is great for all type of leaders—whether in business, sports, politics, or anywhere else.
Ziwani is a platform for business leaders to share inspiring stories and innovative local resources while equipping one another for Kingdom impact.
As business leaders on the African continent, we can fundamentally shape our marketplace and transform society through business practices that are biblically aligned.
The Nashville Institute for Faith and Work is dedicated to helping individuals and groups integrate their Christian faith into their day-to-day work in a way that brings about human and organizational flourishing in Nashville and beyond.
We love seeing the Entrepreneur Support Group that they started, which is a confidential time with other CEOs and Pastorally trained executive coach and curriculum focused on Christianity and Entrepreneurism.
The Christian CEO Institute is a Christian Business Association comprised of Christian Business Leaders in the Dallas, Texas area. Join us for help in solving your most critical business challenges by providing coaching and accessing critical resources to grow your company and integrating your Christian faith in the workplace.
We love the work that Michael and the team at CBN do. They are “ A network of Christ-followers seeking to prosper in professions, make trustworthy connections, serve people with excellence, and maximize God-given potential.” While not specific to just CEO’s this is a great group for people to connect with depending on their vocation.
Built for CEOs and owners of strong and growing companies, Acumen is a mastermind community designed for passionate people who work with vision and strive for impact.
Acumen is designed for CEOs and Owners who want to sharpen their edge, growing their companies with strategy and a foundation of integrity using an affinity-centered model.
At Acumen, our CEOs and Owners gather bold insights, experience big and brave results, and make lasting impact. The partners of Acumen are driven just as much by our values as we are by our vision.
Owners of organizations that are all about getting the best out of human talent know that they need to provide for career advancement, financial needs, healthcare AND spiritual well-being. So should you. So, where do you go to find out how to get a chaplain involved with your business? Below are some of the most popular articles, podcasts, videos for Faith Driven Entrepreneurs.
Most popular
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Related Podcasts
Podcast Archives
Episode 86 – What Shapes Your Desires? with Toby Kurth
Episode 72 – Has the Center of the Faith and Work Movement moved to Silicon Valley? with Christeen Rico
Episode 68 – How ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ Turned from a Command to a Business with Pete Kelly of Apartment Life
An embassy can only exist in a foreign territory if they are welcomed there. In the same way a Christian ERG needs to be cognizant of and respect the conditions under which they are welcomed into the organization.
We’re living in a time of extremes that are testing our faith and testing our businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced changes in how we operate on a daily basis.
Chaplains in the workplace “lead to lower employee turnover, higher reported job satisfaction, greater employee productivity and lower absenteeism rates,” according to Corporate Chaplains of America. The impact of the chaplain, at its best, can reverberate through the entire organization.
A modern day Christian Renaissance Man, Matt McPherson is the founder and CEO of both Mathews Inc., the largest bow manufacturer in the world, and McPherson Guitars, a leading name in the music industry for hand-crafted acoustic guitars
“As a mentee, my mentorship added a lot of energy to my career trajectory. I had bloomed quickly and then lost momentum, unsure of where I was going and quite frankly, where I wanted to go. I had switched industries but my core competencies had been the same.
The pandemic has thrown into sharp relief a shift in American religious life. Growing numbers of Americans, especially under the age of 30, are not religiously affiliated or involved with spiritual or religious organizations.
The Strength of a Biblical Culture in Crisis
In moments of crises, the core of who you are is fully exposed and the deeply embedded values of your culture take over. For Vermeer, 70 years of a biblically-based culture turned into action immediately after a tornado struck in 2018. Since then, they’ve celebrated a year of record sales and growth across their business. This article was one of CEF’s 2019 White Papers.
Podcast Episode 86 – What Shapes Your Desires? with Toby Kurth
Today we are talking to Toby Kurth, the lead pastor at Christ Church San Francisco. Toby has been a faith voice inside the Faith Driven Movement, a friend, pastor, and even Chaplain to our team. We’re excited that we finally got to have him on the show today—it feels like this episode is long overdue. Toby talked to us about the things that shape our desires, how leaders should use their power and privilege, and the marks that define Faith Driven Entrepreneurs. It was a phenomenal conversation and one we can’t wait to share with you. Listen in now…
Podcast Episode 72 – Has the Center of the Faith and Work Movement moved to Silicon Valley? with Christeen Rico
Today we’re in Cupertino, California connecting with Christeen Rico. She’s on the International Expansion team at Apple. She spends much of her time focused on bringing Apple’s largest product—their retail stores—to life in new countries around the world. In addition to that, she is responsible for co-leading a volunteer team to define and execute programs that strengthen community and growth opportunities for the Apple Christian Fellowship, one of Apple’sDiversity Network Association. It’s a part of a growing trend that’s emerging in places like Facebook, SalesForce, Google, and many other companies. These are great movements for people looking to connect their faith to their work, and we’re excited to bring you all that Christeen had to share…
Podcast Episode 68 – How ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ Turned from a Command to a Business with Pete Kelly of Apartment Life
We’re in Dallas, Texas today talking with Pete Kelly, CEO of Apartment Life—a growing nationwide ministry helping people see their neighbors as their greatest amenity. They help apartment owners care for residents by connecting them in relationships, which pays incredible dividends for everyone. Pete provided some insight into the value of community and how connecting people with one another improves everyone’s quality of life. We think what Apartment Life is doing has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses interact with real estate across the world, and we think you’ll be glad you heard about it now!
Podcast Episode 40 – Mission Ready: Part Two with David Morken, CEO of Bandwidth
In Part Two with David Morken, the team discusses more thoroughly about what it means to be mission ready both individually and corporately. David talks about the importance of obedience to God and avoiding the pitfalls of both willfulness and passivity and Henry leads the discussion into practical applications of how their company’s HR policies intentionally reflected kingdom values as they target the whole person for impact.
A Chaplain Going Way Above the Usual Call of Duty
At Faith Driven Entrepreneur, we encourage businesses to consider having a chaplain on staff. This video about a chaplain’s love for people is overwhelming! He goes above and beyond the call of Chaplaincy to save a life! Take a look!
Chaplains – The ROI of Good Business-Ministry
I have an allergic reaction to the common dilemma of the “success to significance” paradigm, as if a follower of Jesus could be “successful” for 20 years and then “make up lost time” being “significant” for a latter period. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Jesus in Mark 8:37 says “What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?”
Beyond our careers, in the businesses we lead, the same tension must be worked out as well. Is it a business that funds ministry? Is it a ministry that does some business to pay the bills? Is that perhaps a false dichotomy? Is there a “tertium quid” resolution of tension in doing business AS ministry for the entrepreneur who is primarily a citizen of the Kingdom of God? I’m pretty sure Jesus didn’t call any part-time disciples and the Great Commission seemed to have an “all y’all, right now” implication for every one of us.
“One of the best investments”
Undoubtedly, you’ve come to understand that we are big fans of chaplaincy here at FDE. Here’s a video from one of entrepreneurs that Corporate Chaplains of America works with. At Bandwidth, our first interaction with Corporate Chaplains of America was 10 years ago when Jeff Brown started visiting us every other Friday morning. His impact on our staff was HUGE. We’ll tell that story on an upcoming blog. In the meantime, please enjoy this video about Janet Ward Black’s experience.
Coke Bottling and Chaplaincy
If you’ve been following this blog over the past few months, you’ll know that we are HUGE fans of chaplaincy. You also know that we like to feature good, short videos with stories on our Monday blogs. Here’s a good one, with some of our favorite quotes below:
Honoring what is Eternal in our Team
Casey Crawford, the CEO of Movement Mortgage with more than 4,000 employees across 47 states, has done business with God at the core, and at scale. He can’t recommend chaplaincy more.
Chaplains….A Good Resource for our People
Monday video…..This is a quick one. If you don’t yet know that we’re a huge fan of chaplaincy here at FDE, well, you likely know now 🙂
A Startup Chaplain?
Great accelerators and venture funds like YCombinator and Andreessen Horowitz are designed to solve the common problems of starting a company so the founders can focus on the core new innovation. At the earliest stage, this includes things like forming a corporation, choosing a lawyer, and getting free cloud hosting. In the first few months, founders need help prioritizing what is important, focusing on the right metrics, and preparing how to pitch to investors. Later, founders need help with recruiting, building a sales organization, introductions to large companies, etc. These are challenges that nearly every founder needs help with, and investors are uniquely positioned to provide. Organizations like YC and A16Z can build these support services and share them with hundreds of portfolio companies, giving those companies a huge advantage and higher likelihood to succeed.
However, there is another challenge that many founders face that is largely unserved by anyone: how to deal with the stress, pressure, and damage to relationships that are common for founders.
Refugees finding work in Colorado
Millenials flock to Denver faster than almost every other city in the country. Colorado’s recreational culture, active lifestyle and surging downtown create a magnetic atmosphere for young people. But our new neighbors include more than hipsters in search of tech startups and fresh powder.
“Colorado is better than other places,” said Ah Hki, who moved to Colorado two years ago from a refugee camp in Thailand. “I found a great job and have a lot of work. Housing is expensive here, but the wages are higher here, too. And the weather is better.”
Each year, several thousand refugees make Colorado their home. When they do, a make-or-break factor in their acclimation is whether or not they can find good work.
You knew we weren’t going to be able to stop at 50, right?
Jeff Van Duzer grew up thinking business was the source of much damage and evil in the world, the work of greedy capitalists polluting the environment. Thirty years later he was dean of a business school.
In the course of that remarkable transformation, Van Duzer found cause for both hope and concern. He discovered many business people achieving a great deal of good for society as well as a lot of illegal and unethical behavior.
This book explores the nature and meaning of doing business and finds it calls for much more than most think. Van Duzer presents a profoundly Christian approach that integrates biblical studies with the disciplines of business and economics. Looking beyond the place of ethical principles and the character of the individual, Van Duzer displays a vision of business that contributes to the very purposes of God.
Do you feel as though you have to choose between growing spiritually and growing professionally? Does it seem like the pursuit of profit conflicts with honoring God’s principles? Does your work environment undermine your faith and core values? Join successful entrepreneur Chris Evans as he explores how to develop the fruit described in the Bible and uncovers a natural and sustainable way to grow and demonstrate your faith at work.
Written in a clear, easy-to-read style, Fruit at Work gives the specific meaning of each word, provides biblical examples, and shares workplace stories where the fruit of the Spirit is having a dynamic impact. Fruit at Work is for people at any level of employment who seek a spiritual life that resonates not only in their personal lives, but also in their work. Evans provides guidance for tough situations such as managerial decisions, the need for approval, patience with coworkers, job loss, distraction, team dynamics, and job satisfaction.
Here is a new vision for work relationships―one based in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Business owners and organizational leaders use instinct, crowdsourcing, market factors, compromise, and experience to make decisions. All of these are valid, but can still yield a limited perspective and dull overconfidence. This can result in poor decisions, expensive losses, and deep wounds.
Through their own entrepreneurial ventures, and in their work helping thousands of business leaders grow—personally and professionally, Dan and Drew help you:
Understand timeless leadership principles of Proverbs with application for today
Gain clarity on how to make wise decisions
Accelerate business growth and remove needless limitations
Become a better leader of yourself, your business, your employees, and your community
The call to make the world a better place is inherent in the Christian belief and practice. But why have efforts to change the world by Christians so often failed or gone tragically awry? And how might Christians in the 21st century live in ways that have integrity with their traditions and are more truly transformative? In To Change the World, James Davison Hunter offers persuasive–and provocative–answers to these questions. Hunter begins with a penetrating appraisal of the most popular models of world-changing among Christians today, highlighting the ways they are inherently flawed and therefore incapable of generating the change to which they aspire. Because change implies power, all Christian eventually embrace strategies of political engagement.
In what may be his edgiest page-turner to date, Lencioni thrusts his readers into a day-long conversation between rival CEOs. Shay Davis is the CEO of Golden Gate Alarm, who, after just a year in his role, is beginning to worry about his job and is desperate to figure out how to turn things around. With nowhere else to turn, Shay receives some hard-to-swallow advice from the most unlikely and unwanted source―Liam Alcott, CEO of a more successful security company and his most hated opponent.
There’s no lack of people out there telling you to find your passion and dream big. But why does it seem like when we try, we so often end up more lost and overwhelmed than when we started?
Liz Forkin Bohannon wants you to rethink everything you’ve been told about finding your passion and following your dreams. Why? Hate to break it to you, but you’re likely never going to “find your passion.” Because your passion and purpose are something you build–actively–day by day. In her signature tell-it-like-it-is fashion, Liz shares 14 actionable principles that will teach you how to do just that.
With total transparency, Liz shares hilarious and heartbreaking stories of her journey of screwups and successes that illustrate the mindsets and principles that will give you a jolt of energy, inspiration, and direction toward your True North. By embracing your Inner Beginner, dreaming small, choosing curiosity over criticism, and so much more, Liz’s story and the principles of Beginner’s Pluck will have you on your way to building a life of purpose, passion, and lasting impact. Ready to rise to the occasion? It’s time to make this life everything you want it to be.
While many people talk about how great it is to start a business, very few are honest about how difficult it is to run one. Ben Horowitz analyzes the problems that confront leaders every day, sharing the insights he’s gained developing, managing, selling, buying, investing in, and supervising technology companies. A lifelong rap fanatic, he amplifies business lessons with lyrics from his favorite songs, telling it straight about everything from firing friends to poaching competitors, cultivating and sustaining a CEO mentality to knowing the right time to cash in.
Filled with his trademark humor and straight talk, The Hard Thing About Hard Things is invaluable for veteran entrepreneurs as well as those aspiring to their own new ventures, drawing from Horowitz’s personal and often humbling experiences.
What does the good news of Jesus mean for economics? Too often, Christian teaching and ministry have focused only on the gospel’s spiritual significance and ignored its physical, real-world ramifications. But loving our neighbor well has direct economic implications, and in our diverse and stratified society we need to grapple with them now more than ever. In The Economics of Neighborly Love pastor Tom Nelson sets out to address this problem. Marrying biblical study, economic theory, and practical advice, he presents a vision for church ministry that works toward the flourishing of the local community, beginning with its poorest and most marginalized members. Nelson resists oversimplification and pushes us toward more complex and nuanced understandings of wealth and poverty. If we confess the gospel of Jesus, he insists, we must contend anew with its implications for the well-being of our local communities. Together we can grow in both compassion and capacity.
Horst Schulze knows how to win. As the co-founder and former president of Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., Schulze fearlessly led the company to unprecedented multi-billion dollar growth, setting the business vision and people-focused standards that made the Ritz-Carlton brand globally elite.
Schulze’s principles are both versatile and utterly practical to leaders of every age, career stage, and industry. You don’t need a powerful title or a line of direct reports – you have everything you need to use them right now.
If you’re searching for the blueprint to beating the competition and out-performing everyone around you, look no further than Excellence Wins. Schulze pulls no punches as a masterful guide to becoming the very best in a world of routine compromise.
Before Joel Manby won the respect of America with his appearance on the CBS reality TV series Undercover Boss, he was a highly successful corporate executive. After the show aired, many of the 18 million viewers wrote to him about the profound impact of his servant leadership. In Love Works, Joel Manby introduces us to the power of agape love in the workplace.
After years of leading thousands of men and women, Manby has proven that leading with love is effective, even in a business environment. Manby challenges leaders to allow integrity and faith to guide leadership decisions, outlining seven time-proven principles that break down the natural walls within corporate cultures, empowering managers and employees, disarming difficulties, and cultivating an atmosphere that builds long-term success. Manby also leverages the undeniable truth that love builds healthy relationships at home—why not use the same behavior to build healthy relationships at work?
Can business activity in itself be morally good and pleasing to God? Sometimes business can seem so shady-manipulating the “bottom line,” deceiving the consumer, or gaining promotions because of whom you know.
But Wayne Grudem introduces a novel concept: business itself glorifies God when it is conducted in a way that imitates God’s character and creation. He shows that all aspects of business, including ownership, profit, money, competition, and borrowing and lending, glorify God because they are reflective of God’s nature. Though Grudem isn’t naïve about the easy ways these activities can be perverted and used as a means to sin, he knows that Christians can be about the business of business.
This biblically based book is a thoughtful guide to imitating God during interactions with customers, coworkers, employees, and other businesses. See how your business, and your life in business, can be dedicated to God’s glory.
Radical generosity is the against-the-grain secret weapon of real influencers, and it will allow you to boost referrals, retention rates, and ROI like few other strategies.
But be warned, gifts with strings attached backfire. There is a right, and wrong, way to give. Through poignant personal stories and data-backed evidence, Ruhlin breaks down how anyone from mail clerk to managing director can master the magic of Giftology; with these and more:
Mastering reciprocity, the hidden bottom line booster Laser-targeting whom to give a gift and when to use thrift Uncovering your client s inner circle and becoming part of it
Give wholeheartedly to Giftology and reap the rewards of an expanding business and fruitful relationships, professional and personal alike.
Refugee Workforce weaves dynamic stories of refugees and the companies who have engaged them with hard facts to provide readers with a compelling case for hiring refugees in the American workplace.
Refugee Workforce was born out of the experience of launching a staffing company serving resettled refugees in Clarkston, GA. Author, Chris Chancey and his family moved to the fringe of Clarkston, known as the most diverse city in America, in 2013 and started a business, Amplio Recruiting, to connect refugees with open positions in the Atlanta job market a year later. For the past 5 years, Amplio has grown steadily now operating in Houston, Dallas, and Raleigh in addition to Atlanta while helping over 4000 refugees gain access to full time employment. Observing the interaction between the companies Amplio serves and the dependable refugee community, helped Chris begin to recognize the tremendous economic value generated from resettled refugees. They were not a charity case as often portrayed in the media and they were not terrorists with ill intentions as some may wish to believe. They represent a workforce of people with a strong motivation to work, add value to a local company, pay taxes and provide for their families. The most underrated workforce, if we choose to recognize it, is the one best positioned to stimulate America’s future economic growth.
Faith. Prayer. Generosity. Servant leadership . . . While such words rarely make the cut in today’s business acumen, CARDONE Industries has put them into action for nearly four decades to build one of the nation’s most successful manufacturing firms.
With more than 5,000 employees worldwide, Michael Cardone Jr., president of CARDONE Industries, argues that no matter the economic climate, leaders can establish sound principles that will strengthen any company’s bottom line.
Cardone writes, “Deep within, I know I am a ‘businessman with a soul,’ and as a natural extension of myself, I want to create a ‘business with soul.’” And what he started with his father 40 years ago is more profitable, better focused, and stronger than ever.
Dramatically improve workplace relationships simply by learning your coworkers’ language of appreciation.
This book will give you the tools to improve staff morale, create a more positive workplace, and increase employee engagement. How? By teaching you to effectively communicate authentic appreciation and encouragement to employees, co-workers, and leaders. Most relational problems in organizations flow from this question: do people feel appreciated? This book will help you answer “Yes!”
Take your team to the next level by applying The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace.
The Soul of a Firm is about people and values. It demonstrates the difference they can make in the ultimate success of any organization, not simply because of their work ethic and commitment to success, but because of the impact that all of us can make in the lives of those we have the opportunity to associate with and serve. Leadership in the firm has a responsibility to the ethical, professional and personal development of every individual in the organization. This can be accomplished only through the belief that all of us are created in the image and likeness of God, and a philosophy of understanding based on respect for the dignity and worth of every individual.
What does preeminence really mean in the business world? How is it sustained and how do you know when it has been reached? What are the tangible benefits to your business when preeminence is a reality? To achieve preeminence, one must first understand why it is a timeless and often misunderstood term.
Glen Jackson, co-founder of marketing agency Jackson Spalding, has taken a first look at these timely questions, including why preeminence matters, and more. In Preeminence: What It Means and How to Sustain It, Jackson taps more than 30 years of marketing experience from his work alongside a variety of exceptional brands to share seven distinct pillars all preeminent companies have in common.
Whether you’re teaching children in a preschool, operating a cash register at a fast-food restaurant, or performing complex surgeries in emergency situations you have the power to change the world. God knows the good you do when you serve him faithfully at work, even if you don’t see it yourself.
The product of twenty years of thought, Work: Its Purpose, Dignity, and Transformation ennobles and motivates men and women in their labors. Providing historical background and inspiring stories of God-honoring workers, Daniel Doriani explains the Bible’s teaching on the nature, glory, misery, and eventual restoration of work. You will learn what it means to be faithful at work, even in risky places, and what steps you can take to transform your workplace and the world through the reformation of work.
Jay Stringer’s (M.Div, MA, LMHC) original research found that unwanted sexual behavior can be both shaped by and predicted based on the parts of our story―past and present―that remain unaddressed. When we pay attention to our unwanted sexual desires and identify the unique reasons that trigger them, the path of healing is revealed.
Although many of us feel ashamed and unwanted after years of sexual brokenness, the book invites the reader to see that behavior as the very location God can most powerfully work in their lives. Counselors, pastors, and accountability partners of those who experience sexual shame will also find in this book the deep spiritual and psychological guidance they need to effectively minister to the sexually broken around them.
For people in the workplace, there is a great deal to learn from Joseph in the book of Genesis. He spent time both at the top and at the bottom–as a leader and as a slave in Egypt. In this new book about faith and work, author Albert M. Erisman shares lessons learned from the frontlines of business, government, and education, and how they connect to Joseph’s life. Through the author’s own work experiences and interviews with business leaders across the world, you’ll learn that Joseph dealt with issues that are still common in the business world today. Studying his life can offer guidance and encouragement in any workplace.
After more than three decades of examining the realities of what real senior leaders do when they are most effective, here is where I have landed; there are five key tasks for every senior leader. Just five. Every senior leader must set direction, set speed, set risk, set resources, and set culture. Those five universal tasks represent where every senior leader should invest at least 80 percent of their time internal to the company if they want to succeed. Neglect any of those five and you and the company will suffer. Nail those tasks and your leadership and organization will thrive.
Pete Ochs defines what it means to live a high impact life and provides the reader with the vision, hope, and courage they need to define their purpose, embrace their passion and maximize their platform (vocational calling). If you want to live for something greater than yourself, to really make a difference in this life, this book is a must read.
Pete reached worldly success early in his career, but the pursuit of pride, pleasure, and possessions soon became a never-ending spiral of dissatisfaction. In this challenging and aspirational new book, join Pete on his journey of personal transformation and discover how you too can implement strategies in your own life to help you flourish.
With anecdotes from other transformed leaders, Pete will provide the tools to transform your life and have a great impact as you create economic, social, and spiritual capital for the common good.
#73 Win at Home First: An Inspirational Guide to Work-Life Balance
by Cory Carlson
Many of us focus on winning at work. Whether it is from our own fear or the expectations of others, we put pressure on ourselves to succeed. Then, with whatever time and energy is left, we give to our family and to ourselves. In the end, no one wins. Marriages suffer, kids are neglected, teams are not developed, and you are not fulfilled. There is a better way. You, your home, and your work can thrive. This book will help you discover how to:
Craft a personal and family vision
Achieve work/rest balance
Have a close marriage of fun and intimacy
Build into your kids to set them up for success in life
Prioritize for even greater impact at work
Equip and empower your employees
Succeeding at work doesn’t mean you have to fail at home. You can do both. Here’s how.
Is business just a way to make money? Or can the marketplace a venue for service to others? Scott B. Rae and Kenman L. Wong seek to explore this and other critical business issues from a uniquely Christian perspective, offering up a vision for work and service that is theologically grounded and practically oriented. Among the specific questions they address along the way are these:
What implications does the Christian story have for the vision, mission or sense of purpose that shapes business engagement?
What parts of business can be affirmed and practiced “as is” and what parts need to be rejected or transformed?
What challenges exist as attempts are made to live out Christian ideals in a broken world characterized by tight margins, fierce competition and short-term investor pressures?
How do Christian values inform specific functional areas of business such as the management of people, marketing and environmental sustainability?
Business can be even more than an environment through which individual Christians grow in Christlikeness. In this book you’ll discover how it can also be a means toward serving the common good.
Os Guinness has penned a classic reflective work on life’s purpose. Far bigger than our jobs and accomplishments and higher than our wildest ideas of self-fulfillment, our calling does more than give purpose and meaning to our lives-it completes God’s plan for us.
Business As Mission—or BAM—is a movement designed to help business men and women understand God’s redemptive work through business in the world. And we have some top resources to share with you, the Faith Driven Entrepreneur.
The Business as Mission website is designed to be a ‘one stop shop’ for BAM resources. Birthed out of a collaboration between BAM Global and the Business as Mission Resource Team, the website aims to both curate existing resources, and create new ones.
The BAM Resource Library is an online list of business as mission related books, videos, links, articles, courses, events and stories. The BAM Review Blog posts new material weekly online and sends out an email twice a month with resource recommendations and a digest of blog articles.
The mission of BAM Global is to enrich and invigorate the business as mission movement, resulting in a significant increase in the quantity and quality of businesses and business people involved in God’s mission to the world — the whole church, taking the whole gospel, to the whole world. BAM Global is connecting a global network of BAM-related companies, agencies, institutions, incubators, investors, and churches. It convenes Consultations and publishes Reports on business as mission topics and will host the BAM Global Congress, 29 April to 3 May 2020.
Mats Tunehag is a speaker, writer and consultant from Sweden and has worked in about half the countries of the world. For the last 20 years he has had a special focus on developing the Business as Mission concept as well as national, regional and global strategic alliances of people and BAM initiatives. Mats regularly blogs on business as mission and has BAM materials translated into 16 languages on his website.
BAM Training helps people take the next step on their BAM journey by offering Conferences and Courses on business as mission. BAM Training hosts a three day BAM Conference in the USA each Fall and in Europe in Spring. They also offer a one or two week modular BAM Course that lays strong foundations for future business as mission involvement; plus a five month Business Discipleship Training School focused on spiritual formation and the call to business.
IBEC Ventures offers Business as Mission Consulting, Coaching and Training. IBEC helps build sustainable businesses through consultative expertise that changes lives and transforms communities. They envision an increasing number of small-medium sustainable Kingdom businesses with a special emphasis on areas that are both economically impoverished and spiritually unreached.
IBEC is a team of seasoned Christ-following business pros from a variety of industries and functional backgrounds, passionate about using their gifts and experience to serve His kingdom.
Transformational SME is a global community which assists Christian-led small-to-medium size enterprises (SMEs) to grow in size, profitability and wholistic impact in the Arab world and Asia. Their wholistic impact touches the whole person, including financial, spiritual and emotional wellbeing, while at the same time making a positive impact on society.
TSME primarily offers mentoring, training and investment, partnering with a private Christian investment fund which supports the growth of Christian owned and managed SMEs across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Partners Worldwide encourages, equips and connects business and professional people in global partnerships that grow enterprises and create sustainable jobs. They facilitate long term business to business partnerships, mentoring opportunities, overseas trips and internships. They provide online training materials and run regular events.
The God who took a young boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish to feed 5,000 doesn’t need our money. Yet, when we give him our life’s lunch – that is, everything we have – God invites us into the life-giving work He is doing in the world. And being in step with God is a greater joy than money could ever buy.
For every follower of Jesus, this journey must begin with surrender to the Lord and a heart transformed by Him. Part of that heart transformation includes the way we view and relate to generosity.
If the prospect of generosity scares you more than excites you, you’re not alone. But there is immense freedom and opportunity when we enter into true generosity as modeled by Jesus. A great first step is walking with one of the following generosity peer communities.
Generous Giving’s mission is to spread the message of biblical generosity in order to grow generous givers, especially among those entrusted with much. Generous Giving hosts free online and in-person small group conversations, known as a Journey of Generosity (JOG), about God and money in an environment that never asks participants for donations or anything in return.
Best Suited for: Any US individual or family open to exploring their relationship with money and generosity in a safe, small group environment. Going through a JOG is FDI’s recommended first step for any believer beginning their stewardship journey.
Generosity Path is a network from around the world who have created experiences to help people discover the great joy of giving. As a close partner of Generous Giving, Generosity Path hosts free Journey of Generosity seminars for the global (non-US) community of believers. Generosity Path hosts retreats and conferences in more than 70 countries and 30 languages.
Best Suited for: Any non-US individual or family open to exploring their relationship with money and generosity in a safe, small group environment. Going through a JOG is Faith Driven’s recommended first step for any believer beginning their stewardship journey.
National Christian Foundation is a US non-profit organization that helps donors give more wisely and tax-efficiently to support their favorite charitable causes. In addition to being a donor-advised fund sponsor, NCF helps donors craft a well-planned, intentional Giving Strategy based on biblical principles in order to help donors be more faithful, generous, and fully alive.
Best Suited for: A US-based giver 1) focused on giving to faith-based organizations and 2) who wants personal help and advice from regional offices equipped to intimately serve givers.
In addition to being a donor-advised fund sponsor, The Signatry offers family legacy workshops, donor-advised fund management, and succession planning.
Best Suited for: A US-based giver looking for help with family legacy, succession planning, and donor-advised funds.
Founded by some executives out of the National Christian Foundation, this organization allows faith driven investors to invest in social impact funds with philanthropic focuses (from foundations, donor advised funds, etc.).
Called to give to a great ministry overseas that doesn’t have a US based 501c3? This team is your best choice. They are much more efficient and cost effective (1% or so) than the traditional services that charge 5% or more.
WaterStone believes that generosity is the greatest act of worship—that through generosity, we give back to God what He has given to us, and show love to our brothers and sisters in the process.
If you’re looking for someone to guide you through innovative giving solutions that will help you minimize taxes and multiply the impact of giving, WaterStone is here to help. Their hope is that you would be their partner in the many life-changing stories that they have been blessed to be a part of since their founding.
Wish there was a way to pay less in taxes and give more? Great news – there is and it’s called a Donor-Advised Fund. Check out our page on how to create a Donor-Advised Fund and use it to invest in faith driven companies.
Harry Truman said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” We think the same is true of entrepreneurs. If you want to be good at what you do, it helps to take a cue from the best. Here, we’ve collected a short list of books written for entrepreneurs, business leaders, creatives, innovators, and employees in every sector.
On this list you’ll find books written by leaders for leaders. You’ll learn why what you do at work matters. And you’ll hear story after story of success, failure, and everything in between. We hope this list enlightens you, challenges you, and helps you along your entrepreneurial journey.
Know of any we missed? Let us know what books deserve a spot on this list.
We believe that God speaks to us through His word and that all of Scripture is useful for instruction on how to live, work, and serve in any capacity. Scripture, when taken in aggregate, provides us with a great handbook on every question of life and entrepreneurship.
If you need a book to start with, this is the one. It’s easy to overlook, but it’s vital if we want to steward our life and our business for God’s glory.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out our resources to help you stay connected to God’s Word.
Before beginning any venture, leaders must ask certain questions: What are my motives for leadership and entrepreneurship? How do I understand my identity, vision, and mission? What is the source of my creativity and what shapes my imagination? How do I internalize the pursuit of power, prestige, and wealth?
To this end, our good friends at Praxis Labs offers A Rule of Life for Redemptive Entrepreneurs as a set of shared practices for the Praxis community, and for anyone interested in faithfully pursuing a vocation as an entrepreneur, innovator, or creator.
We thought so highly of this content that we invited Andy Crouch to talk about this book and why it matters on his podcast with FDE.
With deep conviction and often surprising advice, Keller shows readers that biblical wisdom is immensely relevant to our questions about work today. In fact, the Christian view of work—that we work to serve others, not ourselves—can provide the foundation of a thriving professional and balanced personal life. Keller shows how excellence, integrity, discipline, creativity, and passion in the workplace can help others and even be considered acts of worship—not just of self-interest.
If you’ve been around our podcast, you know that we have the utmost respect for Tim and his wisdom in this conversation. You can hear Tim Keller talk about faith, work, and identity in his podcast with FDE.
This is a story of dreaming big and working hard, of spectacular success and breathtaking failure, of shouted questions, and, at long last, whispered answers. With trademark wit and heart, Phil Vischer shares how God can use the death of a dream to point us toward true success.
Phil has delivered what has come to be known as one of our most popular podcasts. Hear Phil Vischer share the emotional side of his entrepreneurial journey on his podcast with FDE.
Work. For some this word represents drudgery and the mundane. For others work is an idol to be served. In either case, a biblical understanding of work as godly activity and a means of spiritual formation is lost.
Striking a balance between theological depth and practical counsel, Work Matters engages the theological basis of God’s plan for everyday work. Tom Nelson explains how the fall has impacted vocation, how God’s redemption touches every sphere of our lives including our work, and how what we do now is connected to what we will do forever. As Nelson connects Sunday worship to Monday morning, he gives readers practical tools for understanding their own gifts, so that they may better live in accord with God’s design for work.
You can hear more about this book and these ideas our good friend Tom Nelson on his podcast episode with us. Listen to The Scoreboard of the Monday Church here or a different episode about Media, Culture and Opportunities here.
In this energizing book, serial entrepreneur and bestselling author Jordan Raynor helps artists, entrepreneurs, writers, and other creatives reimagine our work as service to God and others.
Raynor shares compelling stories from an eclectic group of 40+ Christian entrepreneurs, including the founders of TOMS Shoes, Charity: Water, Chick-fil-A, In-N-Out Burger, Guinness, HTC, and Sevenly, as well as nontraditional entrepreneurs such as C. S. Lewis, Johann Sebastian Bach, and J. R. R. Tolkien. Raynor’s “show” rather than “tell,” story-driven style makes you feel as if you are sitting at the feet of some of the godliest and most successful entrepreneurs of all time.
Perfectly poised to reach today’s growing creative class, this unique work restores God’s position as the first entrepreneur, helping readers see the eternal value in the work they do today.
Slowly, silently, and with little fanfare, organizations routinely drift from their purpose, and many never return to their original intent. Harvard and the YMCA are among those that no longer embrace the Christian principles on which they were founded. But they didn’t drift off course overnight. Drift often happens in small and subtle ways. Left unchecked, it eventually becomes significant.
Why do so many organizations–including churches–wander from their mission, while others remain Mission True? Can drift be prevented? In Mission Drift, HOPE International executives Peter Greer and Chris Horst tackle these questions. They show how to determine whether your organization is in danger of drift, and they share the results of their research into Mission True and Mission Untrue organizations. You’ll discover what you can do to prevent drift or get back on track and how to protect what matters most.
We invited our good friend Peter Greer on our podcast to share more about this topic. Listen to his podcast with FDE here.
Making conscientious choices about technology in our families is more than just using internet filters and determining screen time limits for our children. It’s about developing wisdom, character, and courage in the way we use digital media rather than accepting technology’s promises of ease, instant gratification, and the world’s knowledge at our fingertips. And it’s definitely not just about the kids.
Drawing on in-depth original research from the Barna Group, Andy Crouch shows readers that the choices we make about technology have consequences we may never have considered. He takes readers beyond the typical questions of what, where, and when and instead challenges them to answer provocative questions like, Who do we want to be as a family? and How does our use of a particular technology move us closer or farther away from that goal? Anyone who has felt their family relationships suffer or their time slip away amid technology’s distractions will find in this book a path forward to reclaiming their real life in a world of devices.
As entrepreneurs, we’re all somewhat terrified by what technology might be doing to us and our families. If you’re interested in this topic and how it relates to you, listen to Andy Crouch talk more about it on his podcast with FDE.
EntreLeadership is Dave Ramsey’s championship playbook with step-by-step guidance to take your business where you want it to go.
Dave has grown his company to a winning national brand with more than 800 team members who have impacted millions of lives. EntreLeadership is how he did it, mistakes and all. This is 20 years of real-world experience with all the sweat, tears and prayers. This is how his company has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Nashville seven times. It’s proven. It’s practical. And it’s how you can do it too.
Whether you lead a team of two or 200, you can grow your business to where you want it to be. Reaching your dream is no longer a question of “What if we could?” You can. EntreLeadership is how.
In the century since its invention, the nonprofit organization structure has powered immense social good, by enabling countless entrepreneurial leaders to address problems not adequately served by the market. But when it comes to delivering that social good today, many nonprofits fall short of the durable impact they hope to deliver. Our friends at Praxis proposes that there is a higher horizon of opportunity for the redemptive nonprofit—one that seeks the renewal of the larger society as well as all the stakeholders involved in the work.
They hope to inspire a new generation of leaders to go beyond the baseline of ethics and excellence that should characterize any organization (whether or not it receives a tax exemption)—to building nonprofits that embody the radical hope of the Christian gospel and its power to transform persons, communities, and the course of history.
In the coming weeks, we’ll have Jena Nardella on our podcast, so stay tune to hear more from her!
In The Ideal Team Player, Lencioni tells the story of Jeff Shanley, a leader desperate to save his uncle’s company by restoring its cultural commitment to teamwork. Jeff must crack the code on the virtues that real team players possess, and then build a culture of hiring and development around those virtues.
Beyond the fable, Lencioni presents a practical framework and actionable tools for identifying, hiring, and developing ideal team players. Whether you’re a leader trying to create a culture around teamwork, a staffing professional looking to hire real team players, or a team player wanting to improve yourself, this book will prove to be as useful as it is compelling.
In all our interviews with entrepreneurs this is the top book people point to when it comes to building a team and beginning to set culture. See why in this video series.
The church in the West is rediscovering the fact that God cares deeply for the poor. More and more, churches and individual Christians are looking for ways to practice economic discipleship, but it’s hard to make progress when we are blind to our own entanglement in our culture’s idolatrous economic beliefs and practices.
Practicing the King’s Economy cuts through much confusion and invites Christians to take their place within the biblical story of the “King Jesus Economy.” Through eye-opening true stories of economic discipleship in action, and with a solid exploration of six key biblical themes, the authors offer practical ways for God’s people to earn, invest, spend, compensate, save, share, and give in ways that embody God’s love and provision for the world.
Our partners at Made To Flourish have written about how the ideas presented in this book, specifically that of gleaning, are challenging and stretching concepts. Read more here.
Flourishing people are strong and weak. Two common temptations lure us away from abundant living—withdrawing into safety or grasping for power. True flourishing, says Andy Crouch, travels down an unexpected path—being both strong and weak.
We see this unlikely mixture in the best leaders—people who use their authority for the benefit of others, while also showing extraordinary willingness to face and embrace suffering. We see it in Jesus, who wielded tremendous power yet also exposed himself to hunger, ridicule, torture and death. Rather than being opposites, strength and weakness are actually meant to be combined in every human life and community. Only when they come together do we find the flourishing for which we were made.
With the characteristic insight, memorable stories and hopeful realism he is known for, Andy Crouch shows us how to walk this path so that the image of God can shine through us. Not just for our own good, but for the sake of others.
As entrepreneurs and business leaders, how do we avoid abusing our power? This is one of many topics Andy Crouch addressed on his podcast with FDE.
Jesus spent more time talking about money and possessions than about heaven and hell combined. But too often we’ve overlooked or misunderstood his most profound teaching on this topic, from his words in Matthew 6. Jesus offers us life-changing investment advice. He actually wants us to store up treasures for ourselves—just not here on earth. Instead, he urges us to store our treasure in heaven, where they will await us, and last forever. We can’t take it with us—but we can send it on ahead!
With this compact classic, you can read about and understand God’s view on stewardship during a short plan flight. In The Treasure Principle, you’ll unearth a radical teaching of Jesus—a secret wrapped up in giving. Once you discover this secret, life will never look the same. And you won’t want it to be.
Why does this matter? Because entrepreneurs need to recognize the value of surrendering it all to God. You can also check out this video series from RightNow Media to accompany the book.
The number of Christian women in today’s professional workforce is increasing, and they are hungry for practical mentoring. They yearn to learn from someone who has climbed the ladder of success without sacrificing family or faith—something author Diane Paddison has done with excellence and grace.
This is a working book for working women.
Full of practical, proven guidance that is both professionally viable and biblically sound, each chapter includes sidebars featuring pertinent facts from current research, resources relevant to the chapter’s topic, action-oriented ‘to do’ lists, and other interactive material.
Work, Love, Pray is a valuable resource for professional Christian women, but it’s also a must-read for the husbands, sisters, daughters, and friends who share their lives.
Christian organizations have come to be known mostly for what they’re against. And all too often, that includes being against each other. But amid growing distrust of religious institutions, Christ-centered nonprofits have a unique opportunity to link arms and collectively pursue a calling higher than any one organization’s agenda.
Rooting for Rivals reveals how your ministry can multiply its impact by cooperating rather than competing with others, modeling Christlike love and generosity in the process. Peter Greer and Chris Horst explore case studies illustrating the power of collaborative ministry. Writing with vulnerability, they also share their own failures and successes in moving toward a kingdom mindset.
In Rooting for Rivals you’ll discover the key to revitalizing your ministry and making an enduring difference in the world.
You can also hear Peter Greer talk about this book on his podcast with FDE.
Is it possible to know the world and still love the world?
Of all the questions we ask about our calling, this is the most difficult. From marriages to international relations, the more we know, the harder it is to love. We become cynics or stoics, protecting our hearts from the implications of what we know. But what if the vision of vocation can be recovered―allowing us to step into the wounds of the world and for loves sake take up our responsibility for the way the world turns out?
Garber offers a book for everyone everywhere―for students, for parents, for those in the arts, in the academy, in public service, in the trades and in commerce―for all who want to discover the virtue of vocation.
Designers create worlds and solve problems using design thinking. Look around your office or home–at the tablet or smartphone you may be holding or the chair you are sitting in. Everything in our lives was designed by someone. And every design starts with a problem that a designer or team of designers seeks to solve.
In this book, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans show us how design thinking can help us create a life that is both meaningful and fulfilling, regardless of who or where we are, what we do or have done for a living, or how young or old we are. The same design thinking responsible for amazing technology, products, and spaces can be used to design and build your career and your life, a life of fulfillment and joy, constantly creative and productive, one that always holds the possibility of surprise.
New York Times bestseller Love & Respect has sold over 1.6 million copies! Love & Respect reveals why spouses react negatively to each other, and how they can deal with such conflict quickly, easily and biblically.
Touted by leaders as a “classic” among marriage books, this book also reveals insightful wisdom about what it looks like to have respect in the workplace.
A Faith Driven Entrepreneur understands the importance of family and having a healthy balance between work and life. That’s why we think this book matters for you. Also, check out this accompanying video series by RightNow Media.
Cheryl Bachelder joined an ailing restaurant chain and turned it into the darling of the industry—by daring to serve the people in her organization well. In Dare to Serve, former Popeyes CEO Cheryl Bachelder shows that leading by serving is a rigorous and tough-minded approach that yields the best results.
When she was named CEO of Popeyes in 2007, the stock price had slipped from $34 in 2002 to $13. The brand was stagnant, the team was discouraged, and the franchisees were just plain angry. Nine years later, restaurant sales were up 45 percent, restaurant profits had doubled, and the stock price was over $61. Servant leadership is sometimes derided as soft or ineffective, but this book confirms that challenging people to reach a daring destination, while treating them with dignity, creates the conditions for superior performance.
Watch Cheryl Bachelder’s story in our Top 100 Videos for Faith Driven Entrepreneurs.
The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things.
Thiel begins with the contrarian premise that we live in an age of technological stagnation, even if we’re too distracted by shiny mobile devices to notice. Information technology has improved rapidly, but there is no reason why progress should be limited to computers or Silicon Valley. Progress can be achieved in any industry or area of business. It comes from the most important skill that every leader must master: learning to think for yourself.
Zero to One presents at once an optimistic view of the future of progress in America and a new way of thinking about innovation: it starts by learning to ask the questions that lead you to find value in unexpected places.
There are only two paths in life: average and awesome. The average path is easy because all you have to do is nothing. The awesome path is more challenging, because things like fear only bother you when you do work that matters. The good news is Start gives readers practical, honest, actionable insights to be more awesome, more often.
It’s time to punch fear in the face, escape average, and do work that matters.
Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech’s CEO, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni’s utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight.
Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.
Donald Miller’s StoryBrand process is a proven solution to the struggle business leaders face when talking about their businesses. This revolutionary method for connecting with customers provides listeners with the ultimate competitive advantage, revealing the secret for helping their customers understand the compelling benefits of using their products, ideas, or services. Building a StoryBrand does this by teaching listeners the seven universal story points all humans respond to, the real reason customers make purchases, how to simplify a brand message so people understand it, and how to create the most effective messaging for websites, brochures, and social media.
Whether you are the marketing director of a multibillion-dollar company, the owner of a small business, a politician running for office, or the lead singer of a rock band, Building a StoryBrand will forever transform the way you talk about who you are, what you do, and the unique value you bring to your customers.
One of the definining books that has impacted a lot of people involved in the faith and work conversation, Your Work Matters to God is one of the forefathers of the faith-driven entrepreneur movement.
Your Work Matters to God demonstrates just how important secular work is to God. Whether you are a man or woman, once you realize how many different ways there are to influence your coworkers for Christ without preaching a word, you’ll be challenged to develop a lifestyle so striking and true, the people you work with will be eager to let you talk about what makes you different.
