What does it look like to be a Christian businessperson?
It is not always clear how to live out our faith. As Christians, we are called to put God first and live out His purpose for life by being disciples, but it is sometimes hard to ascertain what that purpose is and what being a disciple looks like when it comes to our daily lives, families and friends, and careers, especially in business. Some aspects of business seem lacking in character and integrity; we often associate business with underhanded competition, being greedy and profit-driven, and doing whatever it takes to climb the corporate ladder. It can seem like a dark and unnavigable place to live as a disciple on mission for Christ. However, it is possible to work in business while being on mission for God.
The discord happens when we are not living our faith intentionally across our lives. When it comes to our profession, we often first consider our path from a career perspective and then try to fit that career with how we are called to live by Christ. This can result in us compartmentalizing these aspects of our life because the fit is unclear, we fear causing discomfort among our colleagues, and, simply put, it is hard. It is much easier to go to church on Sunday and then be an accountant on Monday. It is far more difficult to be a disciple who is also an accountant and to live out your faith through your attitude, practices, and conversations at work. But we must take time to consider what it looks like for us to be a Christian businessperson.
Even before entering the professional environment, we struggle with what it looks like to be a Christian professional. Students spend four years studying, training, and preparing to enter their chosen field, yet many students struggle to see how they can take what they have learned academically and merge that with what they have learned spiritually during their time in college. Balancing our calling as a discipleship with a professional career is difficult, especially as students begin to enter life after graduation and must discern what job is right for them, organizing their priorities, and focusing on hearing God’s voice.
This year at Summit, the Business Wholeness Pathway will be examining what it looks like to merge these callings of discipleship and profession. We will hear from several speakers about how they used their training and careers in business to work fully committed to Christ. We invite you to attend the sessions on Tuesday, September 18th in Hart Auditorium. You can read more about the Pathway and each of the speakers here: http://blogs.acu.edu/summit/business-wholeness/