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Blackaby book carries God to the market place
Book helps Christians live faith on the job
There’s the couple having an affair down the hall, a foul-mouthed supervisor in the corner office who is always saying something inappropriate, and your supervisor is pressuring you to write something inaccurate in the financial records. Any one of these things can distract us from influencing others and living a Christlike life.
“The nature of the marketplace barrages the carnal senses: success can foster pride and greed; competition can test your ethics and breed jealousy; gossip can spread like gangrene throughout the office; sexual enticement is always close at hand,” Henry and Richard Blackaby write in their latest book.
In the B&H Publishing Group release God in the Market Place: Experiencing His Will in Your Work , the father-son authors tackle these and other issues that Christian professionals confront daily. Specifically, the authors answer 45 questions Fortune 500 executives ask regarding faith, life and business.
“Christian men and women who hold influential positions in the marketplace want to know how their relationship with God practically affects their careers and their personal lives,” the authors write.
“This book is our response to questions we have frequently been asked over the years by sincere Christians seeking to live their lives in a God-honoring manner.”
The Blackabys are no strangers to providing sound advice to those in the business world. Both work with Christian CEOs, and Henry Blackaby leads a monthly Bible study, “God in the Workplace.” His son, Richard, writes a monthly electronic devotional for business people.
The elder Blackaby also is founder and president emeritus of Blackaby Ministries International and author of Experiencing God , which has sold 4 million copies and been translated into more then 45 languages. Richard Blackaby is president of the family ministry.
Through the years, the Blackabys have witnessed how the workplace can take its toll on relationships, family and a person’s faith. It’s a place where people can be at their best, and too often, at their worst.
A common issue that believers deal with in the workplace involves their families and balancing work with responsibilities at home. Many professionals think they can put their family life on the backburner until their career gets to where it needs to be. But too often marriages and families end up suffering as a result.
“Some of the most famous business magnates in history were not even on speaking terms with their children,” they write.
“Tragically, many executives forfeit the most precious relationships they have in order to get ahead. John D. Rockefeller became the wealthiest man of his day, yet all his influence, money, and persuasive skills could not convince his daughter Edith to visit him during his final decades.”
Most importantly, though, the workplace is where believers have an opportunity to influence others with their Christian faith no matter who their employer may be.
“Those who do business with you, either as a supervisor, a subordinate, or a client may not always agree with your policies or business strategies, but they should be intrigued by your God,” they write.
“They may clamor for greater profit margins and higher sales performance, but they ought to be satisfied with your integrity.”
In the end, handling all of these issues and making the right decisions comes down to our spiritual growth, the Blackabys contend. Are we spending time with God daily? Are we in fellowship with other believers? What kind of influence are we on others?
“Realize that your value and self-worth do not come from a career or position but from your relationship with God,” they write. “The Lord is entering corporate offices and inviting business people to join Him.”
“Jesus is calling professionals from every field and mobilizing them for His Kingdom agenda … Now is the time to join God in His exciting work.”
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