Staying Grounded in Faith Through Business Success and Failure

The intersection of faith and business creates a powerful opportunity for meaningful impact in today’s world. As Christian business owners and leaders, we carry a unique responsibility to minister to employees, customers, vendors, and communities that might otherwise remain untouched by God’s message. This responsibility represents both a challenge and a blessing.

The recent Christian Business Concepts podcast explored how business leaders can stay grounded in their faith despite the challenges of success and failure. When we achieve success, it becomes dangerously easy to claim all the credit without acknowledging God’s guidance. Conversely, when we face failure, we might question God’s plan or lose faith entirely. Finding balance requires intentional spiritual practices that keep us connected to our faith foundation.

Truett Cathy, the visionary founder of Chick-fil-A, wisely observed that “my business grows as my faith grows.” This profound statement reveals the symbiotic relationship between spiritual health and business success. When we prioritize our relationship with God, that solid foundation permeates every aspect of our professional life, informing our decisions, relationships, and overall leadership approach.

Daily prayer stands as the first critical practice for faith-grounded business leadership. Prayer isn’t merely a religious ritual but a powerful connection point that reminds us who truly controls outcomes. As noted in James 5:16, “The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much when put into action and made effective by God.” Setting specific times for prayer—whether morning reflection before work, midday pause during breaks, or evening contemplation—establishes a rhythm of spiritual connection throughout your business day. Many successful executives begin each morning seeking divine guidance, finding that this practice centers them spiritually while providing clarity for the day’s challenges.

Regular Bible study provides another crucial element for maintaining spiritual grounding. Scripture offers timeless wisdom applicable to modern business challenges. Even Charles Dickens recognized this when he wrote to his child that the Bible “teaches you the best lessons by which any human creature who tries to be truthful and faithful to duty can possibly be guided.” Business leaders might draw leadership insights from Proverbs, find renewed confidence through Philippians 4:13, or discover ethical frameworks throughout various biblical passages. A practical approach involves reading just one chapter daily, perhaps joining a Bible study group with other business professionals, or systematically working through Proverbs (with its 31 chapters aligning perfectly with monthly reading).

Seeking godly counsel represents a third essential practice. Surrounding yourself with wise, faith-filled advisors helps navigate difficult decisions and avoid potential pitfalls. Proverbs 11:14 reminds us that “in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” This might involve finding a spiritual mentor, joining Christian business networks, or consulting with pastoral leadership on major decisions. Even Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks, acknowledged that his faith community provided “strength and clarity” and taught him principles of servant leadership that guided his business approach.

The podcast also highlighted Trijicon, an American optics manufacturer founded by Glenn Benden, a devout Christian. This company gained attention not only for its innovative military-grade products but also for inscribing biblical references on their optics. Benden saw his work as an extension of his faith, believing that his tritium-illuminated products (providing light in darkness) resonated with biblical themes. This integration of faith and business operations demonstrates how spiritual foundations can become part of a company’s identity and legacy.

When facing the particular challenges of success and failure, maintaining ethical standards becomes paramount. This means establishing clear ethical guidelines rooted in biblical values like honesty and fairness, then faithfully applying these standards even when they seem costly in the short term. As Proverbs 16:8 cautions, “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.” Similarly, setting boundaries to protect family time and spiritual growth prevents work from consuming all aspects of life, honoring Matthew 6:33’s instruction to “seek first the kingdom of God.”

The journey of faith-based business leadership isn’t about perfection but consistent practice. By implementing daily prayer, regular Bible study, seeking godly counsel, engaging with faith communities, and maintaining ethical standards, Christian business leaders can stay rooted and grounded regardless of circumstances. Your ultimate success isn’t measured by profits or titles but by faithfulness to God’s calling on your life and business.

Creating Lift For You Business Or Organization

In today’s ever-changing business landscape, leaders face constant challenges that can stifle their growth and innovation. At the core of success lies a powerful concept: creating lift in an organization, akin to what aerodynamics does for airplanes. This episode of Christian Business Concepts elaborates on how business leaders can harness biblical concepts to foster environments that inspire and motivate their teams, much like an aircraft soars effortlessly into the sky. Understanding lift and implementing these principles can lead to exceptional fulfillment and success rooted in God’s Word.

To begin, let’s delve into the essence of lift and its connection to effective leadership. Lift is that scientific force essential for an airplane’s flight, generated by the aircraft’s wings. In businesses, creating lift means nurturing a workplace where employees feel valued, engaged, and motivated. Leaders should aim to uplift, inspire, and provide a sense of direction within their teams. The implementation of strategies that help create lift can significantly enhance performance and promote growth on personal, organizational, and spiritual levels.

One of the central biblical snippets shared in this episode was Isaiah 40:31, which beautifully illustrates that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, allowing them to soar as eagles. This passage highlights that, like the principles outlined in Scripture, businesses can achieve heights of success that resonate with purpose. In Philippians 3:12-14, we are encouraged to forge ahead towards the goal God has set for us, continually pressing forward. This ethos is vital for business leaders; they must lead with a vision that aligns with divine principles while ensuring their teams are also moving towards shared goals.

We also explored how the shape and design of a wing affects its ability to produce lift. In a similar vein, business leaders must consider the organizational structure and strategies they put in place. A well-thought-out plan that accommodates the dynamics of the business environment makes a considerable difference. Just as wings need balance and stability in flight, leaders must maintain equilibrium between tradition and innovation, risk and caution. This careful crafting of organizational structures will ensure resilience even in turbulent times.

Adaptability was another core theme discussed. An aircraft adjusts its wings to respond to varying air conditions, demonstrating the importance of flexibility in leadership. Likewise, the most effective business leaders recognize the necessity to pivot and adjust strategies amid changes in market conditions, employee feedback, or technological advancements. As it’s noted in Philippians 4:11, being adaptable is a hallmark of successful leadership and essential for sustained growth.

Collaboration stood out as a vital element for creating lift in a business environment. Just as both wings and a plane’s tail work in coordination to allow for flight, so too must employees work together. Leaders should cultivate a cooperative atmosphere that thrives on diverse talents and perspectives; this diversity nurtures innovation. By establishing strong teamwork, collaborating will lead to a shared sense of ownership and accomplishment among team members.

In the latter portion of the episode, the significance of leadership’s airspeed was explored, revealing that momentum is key for driving initiatives forward. Leaders must maintain steady progress and foster a culture of action to propel their vision. In business, just like aviation, moving too slowly can lead to stagnation, and remaining agile in change is essential. Continuously seeking feedback from the market, employees, and stakeholders therefore becomes imperative to ensure the organization remains on the cutting edge of its initiatives.

Risk management versus risk assessment highlighted another critical area. Leaders must identify and assess the various risks associated with their strategies, ensuring that calculated risks do not lead to disastrous stalls. Proverbs 22:3 underscores the importance of foresight in navigating risks—a lesson directly pulled from aviation practices that keep aircraft soaring high.

A compelling angle introduced in this podcast is the angle of attack—how steeper inclines increase lift up to a point. Business leaders also need to strategically position their initiatives to maximize opportunities while being aware of the risks posed by overextension. Risk management comes into play once again here, encouraging leaders to find the right equilibrium that fosters growth and avoids setbacks.

Understanding the business environment is crucial, akin to air density affecting lift. Higher air density allows an aircraft to rise, just as leaders must ensure their organization has a conducive environment to thrive amidst economic trends, competition, and customer behavior. Investing in personnel, technology, and capital serves as vital resources needed for maximizing performance.

Ultimately, cultivating a supportive organizational culture will enhance a business’s ability to create lift. Leaders should encourage an inclusive environment where team members feel valued and empowered to collaborate actively. By focusing on sustainable growth, ensuring that strategies balance long-term viability with immediate gains is necessary for any organization aiming for impactful success.

In conclusion, the principles discussed in this episode showcase that effective leadership is both a science and an art. By establishing a foundation rooted in biblical teachings, leaders can foster an atmosphere where their organizations can elevate to new heights, creating lift that leads to genuine godly success while enriching the lives of their employees and community. Soaring beyond average is not only achievable—it’s the divine calling for each leader striving to fulfill their purpose with integrity and excellence.

Optimism: The Fuel Your Vision Needs

Almost all leaders and all people of vision have things in common. One of those things is at the center of their core being…they are optimist. I’m not talking about a false sense or belief that everything is great or a “I,m okay, your okay” type attitude. Blind optimism is ridiculous. What I am speaking of goes much deeper than that. It is an informed optimism, which can become an indispensable foundation.

Columbia University psychiatrist, Susan Vaughn, has concluded, “optimism has little to do with the external reality, and everything to do with our ability to regulate our own inner world. It is the perception of being in control, not the reality that really matters.” If leaders were to give up at the first obstacle they faced most companies would fail. Not having balanced optimism in our lives causes us to see obstacles as insurmountable. Imagine if after John F. Kennedy’s speech about going to the moon within a decade, engineers and scientists said, “it can’t be done and here are the reason’s why.” I image there were some who did, but there were many more who had an optimism that they could figure out solutions to these problems. Without this optimism toward there abilities, talents and education, we would have never landed on the moon.


Optimism helps keep people motivated, focused, and innovative. When serious change is needed or when obstacles arise that can keep you from accomplishing your vision, it will be optimism that helps you see through the fog of uncertainty and optimism that will help you see the possible solutions. It’s the difference between giving up or looking for ways to deal with the issues hindering you path to your vision and goals.

Colin Powell as Secretary of State

Colin Powell, the once Joint Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense, had the following under the glass cover of his desk, hand written on a piece of paper.
It ain’t as bad as you think.

It will look better in the morning.
Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.

Pessimists always find reasons why they can’t accomplish their goals or why the vision will never work. Informed optimists will always overcome the pessimists reasons.  Each time you move closer to your vision it will take multiple steps or procedures.  Each one of these step may have differing degrees of difficulty.  It is during these difficult steps you will need to draw on your informed optimism in order to see it through.  A “yes you can” person will ALWAYS out do a “no you can’t” person.

Which one are you?

A Vision With No Passion Is A Dream With No Life

One of my all time favorite leaders is Walt Disney.  He was one of the best examples of a man with great passion.  Though vision is always a great topic in books and articles on leadership, passion is often not mentioned or associated with vision.  Many times vision is discussed as more of a vision or mission statement than in great detail.  While being able to articulate your vision is important, if there is no passion it is nothing more than a dream with no real life to it.

disney

Walt Disney took his passion to share art and fun with people around the world and developed a powerful vision.  Think about this fact, Walt Disney started with a single comic strip, then, took      great.  passion and fueled a vision.  Today, the Disney Corporation has over 35 billion dollars in annual revenue.  That’s right, 35 billion, with a “B.”

Some companies have lofty visions, but there is no real passion to fuel those visions.  A corporation can not create passion.  Passion comes from a person and every great company started with a person with a passion.  John Wesley, the great Methodist Revivalist said, “When you set yourself on fire people love to come and see you burn.”  It’s your passion that will inspire and energize people to help bring a vision into a reality.Passion brings true fulfillment.Passion takes you through failures with loosing enthusiasm.Passion gives you strength to get through the storms that will be between you and your vision.Passion bring ownership and deep emotional commitment.Passion brings a great love for your work.Passion brings courage.Passions creates the drive that will help you overcome every obstacle.

You can see the importance of passion as it relates to your vision.  You may say, “Harold, I really do not have a vision for my life.”  If you truly do not, then begin to find out what your passions in life are.  What moves you to emotion.  What causes you to feel angry, sad, joyful, excited?  With everything that is in you find passion…find your passion.  This passion will become the fire in your belly that will become the driving force to help you accomplish great things on your journey through this life.