{"id":303127,"date":"2014-07-17T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-07-17T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/business-as-ministry\/"},"modified":"2014-07-17T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T15:00:00","slug":"business-as-ministry","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/business-as-ministry\/","title":{"rendered":"Business as Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can a Christian be a great business leader? Bobby Mitchell and Terence Chatmon tell how they are taking a stand for Christ in the marketplace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2014-07-17.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"25.59M","filesize_raw":"26833383","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2821],"tags":[5381,5379,5378,5380,2639],"podcast_series":[8024],"cwp_profile":[9346,8868],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-303127","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reaching-out","tag-business-for-christ","tag-businessmen","tag-community-connection","tag-running-your-own-business","tag-sharing-your-faith","podcast_series-a-walk-in-the-market","cwp_profile-bobby-mitchell","cwp_profile-terence-chatmon","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/303127\/business-as-ministry","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/303127\/business-as-ministry","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Md9fLFIB4J\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/business-as-ministry\/\">Business as Ministry<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/business-as-ministry\/embed\/#?secret=Md9fLFIB4J\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Business as Ministry&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"Md9fLFIB4J\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Can a Christian be a great business leader? Bobby Mitchell and Terence Chatmon tell how they are taking a stand for Christ in the marketplace.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2014-07-17.pdf","transcript_content":"<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Let\u2019s say there are two dry cleaning companies in your community. One of them is run by a guy who goes to church\u2014he\u2019s a Christian. The other\u2019s run by somebody who has no religious background. Should there be a difference between those two companies?\u00a0 Bobby Mitchell thinks so. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bobby: <\/strong>A company that\u2019s being run for Christ is not necessarily better than a non-Christian company, but it is different than a non-Christian company. The bottom line for us\u2014we\u2019ve got to have profits and shareholder value; but in addition, we\u2019ve got to be fruitful\u2014walking with the Lord, modeling for the Lord, pointing to the Lord, training up in the ways of the Lord, et cetera. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Thursday, July 17<sup>th<\/sup>. Our host is the President of FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, Dennis Rainey, and I\u2019m Bob Lepine. Of course, there is a difference between a company that\u2019s owned by a Christian and a company that is being run for Christ. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>1:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe\u2019ll talk about that difference today. Stay tuned. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. Thanks for joining us. We\u2019ve not talked about this often, but I think you know\u2014and many of our listeners know\u2014that I have a strong allegiance to the World Champion San Antonio Spurs. It goes back many years from my time in San Antonio. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Some have called it a sickness, but it\u2014allegiance is\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Allegiance is a preferred term. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>\u2014a dignified term. That\u2019s correct. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bob: <\/strong>I remember when David Robinson joined the team in San Antonio. There was always kind of a knock against him, as a player, because he was an outspoken Christian. People would often say: \u201cYou know, if you are a Christian and a pro-athlete, you don\u2019t have the killer instinct. You\u2019ve got some kind of a higher priority; and so, winning isn\u2019t everything to you like it would be to somebody else. So, a committed Christian just can\u2019t win in the pro-ranks.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>2:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think the question I\u2019ve got for you is: \u201cDo you think a committed Christian can be a great business leader, given the climate that we\u2019re trying to operate businesses in today?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>I think we\u2019ve got a couple of them with us right now who have done that. Bobby Mitchell and Terence Chatmon join us on <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. Terence, Bobby, welcome to the broadcast. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Thanks very much. Glad to be here. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Terence: <\/strong>Honored to be here. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Yes, these guys, Bob\u2014back to what you\u2019re talking about there\u2014both of these gentlemen have really carved a niche by using the marketplace as, really, a great opportunity of ministry. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tTerence is married to his wife Wanda since 1982. They have three children and live in Georgia. He is the current President and CEO of the Fellowship of Companies for Christ International, which now has spread\u201483 countries?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Terence: <\/strong>Eighty-three countries. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Is that right?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Terence: <\/strong>Yes, sir. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>That\u2019s great. He served in a senior executive role before joining the Fellowship of Companies for Christ at: \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>3:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014Coca-Cola<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, Johnson &amp; Johnson<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, and also Citibank<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>. Is that right?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Terence: <\/strong>That\u2019s correct. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>And so, he\u2019s done what you\u2019ve talked about, Bob. He\u2019s been in the marketplace and taken a stand for Christ. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHis cohort here\u2014actually, his boss\u2014because he is Chairman of the Board of the Fellowship of Companies for Christ\u2014Bobby Mitchell is married to his wife Sue since <em>1968<\/em>. Congratulations!\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Thanks. It\u2019s been great. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>You\u2019re going for the gold. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Amen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>You\u2019ve got three sons. And he has served as CEO for Applied Ceramics, Incorporated, for now more than four decades. So, you\u2019ve been in business doing this. And in my little interaction with you, I would describe you\u20142 Corinthians 5:20. You\u2019re an ambassador for Christ. You\u2019re using the language of business to reach out to companies and countries all over the world. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Amen. That\u2019s right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Where did you get your passion for seeing Christ honored in businesses?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>4:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Dennis, I grew up in a godly family. We went to church every Sunday. I watched my dad take abuse for being an outspoken Christian\u2014sort of decided I didn\u2019t want to do that. But early in my 20\u2019s, after I\u2019d gotten out of school, I went to a meeting with a group of businessmen. They shared the gospel. Now, I had heard the gospel before that; but that night, I knew I was more serious than I\u2019d been before. I prayed to receive Christ with my wife, and we started down a journey. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat I realized was that I was something of a fraud\u2014that my life did not match what I said I believed. I wanted to be a man of integrity, and I realized that if I wanted to be that, I\u2019d have to change the way I was living my life. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>5:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Well, and that goes to the question that I was asking. I mean, I\u2019m imagining, Bobby, that I\u2019m on the board of directors for a big corporation. We\u2019re looking for the next president of the corporation. We\u2019re interviewing two guys, and one guy comes in. He says: \u201cYou know what?\u00a0 This company is going to be number one with me. I mean, you call me in the middle of the night. I\u2019ll be here. If there is an issue, I will drop everything\u2014doesn\u2019t matter what. This company gets my supreme allegiance.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNext guy comes in; and he says, \u201cI want you to know I will care for this company, but my relationship with God and my relationship with my family is a higher priority to me than this company.\u201d\u00a0 If I\u2019m on the board of directors, I\u2019m scratching my head about which guy is the right guy to hire to lead our company and get the best return on investment for our shareholders. Doesn\u2019t it sound like the first guy is going to be the guy to hire?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Maybe, I\u2019m not sure what sounds the best; but I <em>knew<\/em> in my heart that I had to seek to walk a walk that was in step with the Lord\u2014regardless of the consequences. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>6:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut I wanted a company\u2014my wife and I prayed for a company that we could try to operate on biblical principles. God brought four opportunities across my path. Three of them were very glamorous. I\u2019d had a good career in business, and I was offered some real good jobs. I took the one that was just lousy.\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Why?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Because God confirmed, Dennis, that that was the company. He confirmed it to me, separately, and confirmed it to my wife. We knew that we would have an opportunity to have a laboratory, if you would, and play around with how to run a company to honor God. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, I took that job. I went in. I was interviewed by a guy who was later my partner and one of the founders of FCCI. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>7:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI had two conditions. I said: \u201cYou\u2019re going to have to give me a line of credit. I\u2019ve got to have some money to operate this company. Two, you\u2019ve got to let me operate it as a Christian business.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHe said\u2014he looked at me; and he said, \u201cWhat is that?\u201d [Laughter]\u00a0 I said: \u201cI don\u2019t <em>know<\/em>, but I\u2019m going to find out. It involves things like tithing the profits of the company, honoring my employees, sending them to FamilyLife conferences, and doing lots of things\u2014trying to get\u2014make the money go as far as it could.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Terence, let me ask you\u2014because you give leadership to the Fellowship of Companies for Christ International today\u2014and you work with a lot of business owners. I can hear somebody thinking, \u201cYou know, that works fine\u2014what Bobby\u2019s describing would work fine for a privately-held company, where two guys say, \u2018These are our values, and this is how we\u2019re going to function.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>8:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut if you were trying to give away more than 10 percent of the profits of the company, as a shareholder-owned business, the Board of Directors would say, \u201cThat\u2014what are you\u2026\u201d\u2014that\u2019s just so foreign to the corporate world\u2014that\u2014\u201cIf your private company wants to do that\u2014but that\u2019s not going to work in the real world.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Terence: <\/strong>Well, you know, the other way to think about that\u2014at Coca-Cola, we just called that community development. At Coca-Cola, I ran two-thirds of the Coca-Cola business. We were very involved in the community. We may not have positioned that as Bobby is describing today, but we certainly understood the value of going into a community and being very generous. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat we found is that generosity brings loyalty. It brings a commitment to an organization. We called it \u201cbranding.\u201d\u00a0 We call it \u201cloyalty.\u201d\u00a0 So, I think what Bobby is describing, from a biblical standpoint\u2014we often approach it in business\u2014in traditional business\u2014as marketing or development. And so, I think it works well. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>9:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn fact, at Coca-Cola, we gave more than 10 percent in this way that Bobby is describing. I think that most organizations\u2014that are growing and successful\u2014they practice this, although they may not describe it as Bobby has described it. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>So, if you are working with a business owner today\u2014whether it\u2019s a privately-held company or a shareholder-owned company\u2014and they are saying, \u201cOkay, like Bobby, I\u2019d like my business to reflect my Christian values; but I\u2019m not sure what that\u2019s supposed to look like.\u201d\u00a0 Do you have some foundational principles?\u00a0 Is generosity or giving one of those foundational principles?\u00a0 And what would others be?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Terence: <\/strong>Yes, I believe so. I think generosity is one of those principles. I think that the way we look at it\u2014when we look at generosity from a corporate standpoint\u2014you know, I was birthed in the corporate world. I was coming through with Johnson &amp; Johnson, and Citibank, and Coca-Cola. We just positioned it as community development. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe would go into communities\u2014in fact, today, if you go into communities around America, you\u2019ll probably find a Coca-Cola bottle in the scoreboards of America. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>10:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, that\u2019s called community generosity. In fact, we had an entire department that was dedicated to community development. We just position it that way. What we found is\u2014it brought brand loyalty. It brought customer loyalty in a strong way. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Let\u2019s talk about a gentleman or a woman, who is listening today, who is heading up their own small business. They are listening to us talk about a business leader taking a stand for Christ and wants to operate their enterprise in a way that honors God. How would FCCI come alongside her or him to help them do that?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Let me go back, Dennis, if I could, and just give you a little bit of the history on how it evolved. When I made the decision that was the decision on integrity, that was one thing; but I also desired to honor God and do it His way. I realized that I didn\u2019t know what that was.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>11:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLarry Burkett and I were close friends, at that point in time. We invited 70 business owners to come and see if they wanted to learn how to operate a company on biblical principles. Twelve people came. Nine agreed to meet every other week for two years, and we studied the Bible. We studied: \u201cWhat did God\u2019s Word have to say about operating a business?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThese would be knock-down, drag-out discussions. I mean, we\u2019d be arguing about \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s that, or this, or whatever\u201d; but at the end of the day, we always had a commitment that we were going to end in unity and that we might have to struggle through exactly what that meant\u2014but that we were going to seek it, and we were going to do it God\u2019s way. So, that was the foundation. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf you really go back and look at FCCI, it was founded on the principle that God owns it all.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>12:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are stewards of what He\u2019s entrusted us with and that we need to use what He\u2019s entrusted us with for His glory\u2014not our glory. That\u2019s what we built the ministry on. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd so, we\u2014after we had met for a couple of years, we decided we\u2019d have a conference. We\u2019ve been known for our conferences for the last 40 years. We have great conferences. We\u2019ll have five or six hundred people this September in Amelia Island. That would be typical of the way we\u2019ve done it. We\u2019d have maybe eight or ten different speakers come through. We\u2019d have plenary sessions. We\u2019d have breakout sessions. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd one of the great things we did\u2014and I\u2019d have to say it was God. I don\u2019t remember exactly how the decision got made, but we recorded every session we ever had. And that became a treasure chest of 40 years of material\u2014that we could break that down into teaching modules.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>13:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, we could set up people in small groups and give them a guide on how to do that\u2014that we could repeat. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bob: <\/strong>Let me just mention that we have a link on our website at FamilyLifeToday.com. If folks are interested in finding out about your upcoming conference at Amelia Island in September, they can go to FamilyLifeToday.com. We\u2019ve got the information available there. They might want to check it out and see if they\u2019d like to attend. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>And what I hear you saying, in terms of coaching that businesswoman or businessman\u2014who is leading a company and wants to honor God\u2014first of all, you need to start with a teachable spirit. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Amen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Then, get into the Book\u2014the Bible\u2014and begin to study. And what better way to do that than with a ministry that has purposed to help business leaders find out what God wants them to do in leading a company?\u00a0 It\u2019s talking about how to do it God\u2019s way; right?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Amen. Amen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bob: <\/strong>Yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>14:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>And you\u2019ve written a book called <em>A Walk in the Market<\/em>, which is your story of how you helped start Fellowship of Companies for Christ; but it\u2019s also how you really learned to do it yourself, as a businessman; right?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>It is. It\u2019s the story of ups and downs. It\u2019s testimonies to help illustrate the principles that we\u2019re trying to teach. So, it\u2019s a sharing of a life, really. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Terence, when you sit down with the typical Christian businessperson today\u2014somebody who says: \u201cI\u2019m good at business. I love Jesus. I\u2019ve never really understood how those two ought to fit together.\u201d\u00a0 What are the issues that you start to work with them on?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Terence: <\/strong>The number one issue\u2014and Bobby kind of began to talk about these principles\u2014our first principle is that God is the owner, and we\u2019re the steward of that business. The first approach\u2014and probably the most challenging for business leaders, whether Christian or non-Christian\u2014is that: \u201cWhy did you start the business in the first place?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>15:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd typically, what we teach in MBA school and higher education is\u2014all about shareholder value. It\u2019s about bottom line. It\u2019s about making money. It\u2019s about making money to buy more stuff or to build a bigger house. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, that\u2019s the first challenge\u2014is that\u2014the purpose of the business. You\u2019ve been called to do business. There is a greater purpose than just making money. Of course, shareholder value is important. It\u2019s critical if you are going to remain in business. But what is most important is that there is a greater purpose for your business. In this case, we\u2019re teaching the difference between temporal value and eternal value. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd here\u2014what Bobby\u2019s talking about\u2014when you\u2019re talking about using a business as a platform for ministry\u2014it\u2019s where the gospel is being shared\u2014not necessarily what you\u2019re saying\u2014but in how you demonstrate Christian behavior, how you are sharing the gospel and the love of Christ in the way you do business and the way you think about business. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, the first challenge is a mindset change\u2014that you\u2019re not the owner of the business. You are a steward of the business.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>16:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHe\u2019s giving you resources\u2014both human, and financial, and economic\u2014that you\u2019re to use it for His glory\u2014not necessarily for your satisfaction and happiness, pleasure, et cetera. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>And the idea that there may be some significance for your business beyond shareholder equity\u2014that\u2019s an inspiring idea for a lot of people; isn\u2019t it?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Terence: <\/strong>It really is. Think about when you shift that from shareholder value to salvation\u2014okay\u2014to living a life that is generous, to living a life with high character, integrity, and living a life that you are the same person where you live, work, play, and worship. Sunday morning spills into Monday through Friday. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Terence: <\/strong>It\u2019s a whole lifetime and life-way change in how you live and how you approach life. To be quite honest with you\u2014how you treat, not only your customers, but your vendors, your staff, and everyone that\u2019s involved in the business. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>17:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>I had a friend whose name was Jim Corman. For a number of years, he ran a telecom business. I believe it was in South Alabama. He really viewed his role as a CEO as almost like a priest. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Amen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>He saw that he had an opportunity to minister to his employees. One of the things that both Jim and his wife did is\u2014they scholarshipped their employees\u2014both the registration and the hotel expense\u2014to go to the <em>Weekend to Remember<\/em><sup>\u00ae<\/sup> marriage getaway. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHe said, one weekend, he sent a number of couples to one of those events. On Monday morning, as he pulled into his parking spot at his office, there was a couple standing in his parking spot, waiting for him. They had tears in their eyes. They said it was the greatest weekend of their lives. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>18:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThey had both met Christ at the event\u2014had found salvation, had heard the message, and had left with a transcendent purpose to glorify God in their own lives. They walked with him from the parking spot to his office\u2014okay\u2014just a few yards\u2014but he said, \u201cI started that day off with a bit of a high energy in my step\u201d\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Amen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>\u2014\u201cto know God used me in the lives of someone who I was, now, going to spend eternity with.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Amen. Dennis, interestingly, I\u2019ve sent a number of employees to FamilyLife conferences. We\u2019ve always paid for everything. Three of them happen to be my sons, who all work in the business and are mature godly young men\u2014maybe not quite so young\u201443, 40, and 33\u2014they\u2019re a little older now. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe\u2019ve seen <em>great<\/em> value in appreciating our employees and for them knowing that you appreciated them enough to reach out to them to minister to them.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>19:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, it started off on the right foot\u2014but they went, and they got godly material. They were alone, and they were away from the hustle and bustle. It was just a great way to minister to our employees. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>I had a businessman tell me\u2014from Grand Rapids\u2014he said, \u201cWe\u2019ve given a lot of benefits over the years at Christmastime\u201d\u2014kind of year bonus and benefit. He said, \u201cI have never given a gift where I\u2019ve had this many letters\u201d\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bobby: <\/strong>Amen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>\u2014\u201ccome back to me.\u201d\u00a0 And he held his fingers up about two inches. That many letters had come back from the hundreds of employees\u2014it was a big business\u2014that he had scholarshipped to go to a <em>Weekend to Remember<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Well, and the point here is this is a businessman\u2014these are businessmen who are beginning to see their role not simply as a role of the bottom line for the business. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, my dad taught me years ago that you\u2019ve got to pay attention to the bottom line. He said: \u201cThat\u2019s a requirement. It\u2019s not the goal. It\u2019s a requirement.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>20:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHe said: \u201cThe opposite of making money is losing money. You\u2019ll never accomplish your goals if you are losing money.\u201d\u00a0 So, you\u2019ve got to make some money. But he said, \u201cWhen you start to see that as the goal\u201d\u2014he said\u2014\u201ceverything\u2019s going to go wrong.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThese are men, you\u2019re describing, who said, \u201cI\u2019ve got a goal to be a shepherd of my employees \/ to care for my vendors\u201d\u2014as you talked about\u2014\u201cto look at my customers and say, \u2018How can we do good in the lives of our customers?\u2019\u201d\u00a0 When you start to see your business that way, it changes things. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>First Peter, Chapter 4, really grabs what FCCI is all about. They\u2019re really challenging business leaders to use their own gifts \/ their own stewardship that they\u2019ve been given for the glory of God. And 1 Peter 4:10-11 says, \u201cAs each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God\u2019s varied grace.\u201d\u00a0 Then, it talks about \u201cWhoever speaks, whoever serves, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>21:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd I think if there are business leaders today\u2014whether it is a small business and you only have a couple employees\u2014I would really implore you to check out the Fellowship of Companies for Christ and find out how they might serve you and your business and what you\u2019re doing\u2014whether it\u2019s a startup or whether you\u2019ve been doing it for a number of years. I think they can bring purpose\u2014a whole lot of tools, and equipping, and really help you rub shoulders with some of the great business leaders who are following Christ today. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Well, and we\u2019ll make it easy. If folks go to FamilyLifeToday.com, they can click in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. There is a link there to the FCCI website. There is also information there on how you can get a copy of the book by Bobby Mitchell and Terence Chatmon called <em>A Walk in the Market<\/em>. You can order that from our <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> Resource Center. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>22:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAgain, go to FamilyLifeToday.com. Click the \u201cGO DEEPER\u201d button in the upper left-hand corner of the page. Find out more about FCCI and get a copy of Terence Chatmon and Bobby Mitchell\u2019s book, <em>A Walk in the Market<\/em>. If you have any questions or if you\u2019d prefer to order the book by phone, call 1-800-FL-TODAY, 1-800-358-6329. That\u2019s 1-800- \u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life, and then, the word, \u201cTODAY.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, we are grateful for those of you who tune in and listen to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> each week. We appreciate you being a part of this program. We\u2019re especially grateful for those of you who have listened long enough and heard enough of what\u2019s going on here to cause you to say: \u201cYou know what?\u00a0 I think this program is important for me, and for my family, and for our community. I think what you guys are doing\u2014not just with radio program but with the website, and the events, and the resources\u2014I think it\u2019s important enough that I want to help support it.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>23:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe\u2019re listener-supported. Without your support, we couldn\u2019t do what we do. So, we really do appreciate those of you who will occasionally make a contribution to support us or those of you who are Legacy Partners and give each month. We are very grateful for your generosity. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd if you are able to help with a donation today, we\u2019d like to say, \u201cThank you,\u201d by sending you a CD\u2014a message from Dennis Rainey about marriages that go the distance. This is a message from one of our <em>I Still Do<\/em><em><sup>\u2122<\/sup><\/em> marriage events held a number of years ago. And of course, we\u2019re getting ready to kick those off again in Chicago and Portland in August and in Washington, DC, in October. You can find out more about <em>I Still Do<\/em> when you go to FamilyLifeToday.com. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOr to make a donation to support the ministry, go to our website, FamilyLifeToday.com. Click the button that says, \u201cI CARE,\u201d in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Make your donation online, and we\u2019ll send you a copy of Dennis\u2019s message. Or call 1-800-FL-TODAY. You can make your donation over the phone. Ask for a copy of the CD when you do that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>24:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOr, if you\u2019d like to mail a donation to us, our mailing address is P O Box 7111, Little Rock, AR. And the zip code is 72223. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, tomorrow, we\u2019re going to continue our conversation with Terence Chatmon and with Bobby Mitchell about the Fellowship of Companies for Christ International. And we\u2019ll hear more of Terence\u2019s story. I hope you can join us for that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team. On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I\u2019m Bob Lepine. We will see you back next time for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelp for today. Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2014 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/303127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303127"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303127"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=303127"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=303127"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=303127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}