Due to a disagreement, my friend, Rex, was struggling with collecting monies owed him by a significant customer. At Rex’s monthly UBN CEO Roundtable meeting, he brought this issue to his group for discussion. Rex, assuming he was right, was looking for affirmation. Instead, the group told Rex he had handled the situation improperly and ... The post…

Justin left teaching to pursue a career in financial services but soon discovered that financial services was not a good fit. Despite Justin’s brief time in financial services, God found ways to use Justin’s abilities. One day, Justin met a widow who had been praying for help with her finances. The account was too small ... The post God Never Waste…

According to an Anxiety Disorders Association of America survey, while only 9% of individuals are living with a diagnosed anxiety disorder, 40% experience ongoing stress or anxiety in their daily lives. The workplace is overflowing with people stressed and anxious. Anxiety takes a toll on productivity, the level of healthy team interactions, and th…

The creation of Mother’s Day was Ann Jarvis’ idea. According to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Ann Jarvis was a pastor’s wife who put her faith into action by organizing Mother’s Day Work Clubs. These clubs inspired women to care for wounded soldiers during the Civil War, regardless of which side ... The post Mother’s Day Work C…

Unfortunately, Grifters love to use the church as their playground. If you’re not familiar with the word, Grifters are con men or women who are adept at reading people and exploiting their weaknesses. Since there are a growing number of scandals of megachurch pastors who have been arrested or thrown out of their church for ... The post Guarding Aga…

For years, I’ve contended that the best mission field is the workplace. From an evangelistic viewpoint, the importance of the workplace is rising dramatically. According to the Christian Post, from 1937 until the 1980s, about 70% of Americans said they were members of a church. However, a recent Gallup poll reveals that church participation has ...…

An economic indicator I find valuable is the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index. This index checks the pulse of small business owners. The 50-year average score for this optimism index has been 98. Last month, the index fell to 88.5, the lowest level since 2012. The primary concern listed in the ... The post N…

Cabrini is a true movie of an Italian nun who came to America to help orphans and the sick. It’s an inspiring story of what Mother Cabrini accomplished, including establishing 67 institutions globally. My concern with the movie, however, is what was missing. There was no clear answer as to why Mother Cabrini did what ... The post Cabrinis Motivatio…

My friend, Jim, in his previous CEO role, was meeting with a newly promoted store manager. Jim knew this person could have some valuable insight from his frontline experience. But, when Jim asked this new manager for ideas to improve the stores, he didn’t receive any feedback. Jim tried a different approach. Jim informed this ... The post Digging f…

The Kansas City Business Journal highlighted that one way to help enhance our workforce is by upskilling existing workers. The Business Journal also discussed a study that discovered that 64% of respondents said they work with at least one under-skilled colleague. Training should always be a priority, but our failed education system is revealing an…

“It’s never been done” is a phrase that may deter some, but for many entrepreneurs, it’s a challenge to be considered. Selling books over the internet seemed foolish to many, but not Jeff Bezos. Building electric vehicles when the world was using gas didn’t deter Elon Musk. Even in Biblical times, no one had ever ... The post It’s Never Been Done a…

At a conference I attended, Ken Reeves, a human resource expert, shared lessons he’s learned in life. One profound insight he shared made my time there worthwhile. You’ve probably heard the adage, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” Ken expanded that phrase to, “It’s not only who you know, but also ... The post Who Knows You? appeared first…

At 7:30 am there was a loud knock on our front door. We had scheduled an 8:00 start to have our carpet replaced, but when I opened the door, three men charged in ready to work. The man in charge began directing his guys with an urgency I hadn’t seen in some time. Twenty minutes ... The post The Benefit of Diligence appeared first on Unconventional …

In a Wall Street Journal editorial, Andy Kessler complains that our younger generations are looking so hard for purpose in their work, that they sometimes overlook the actual work that needs done. His article reminded me of an old adage, “You are so heavenly minded, that you are no earthly good.” Personally, I believe that ... The post Purpose and …

The Church of England’s Synod recently declared that they “affirm the dignity and value of purposeful work, whether paid or unpaid, as a significant component of human flourishing.” In addition, the Synod recognized the value of the Bible by affirming, “to look at Biblical wisdom on work, employment and economy in its widest sense; and ... The post…

Many people believe it’s fine to lie to the Internal Revenue Service about their taxes and still maintain integrity. When I was a commercial lender, I was meeting with a small business owner who, while handing over his tax returns as part of his loan application, said, “I sure hope you aren’t making your loan ... The post Tax Cheat appeared first o…

After Bud Light’s misstep of spotlighting a transgender spokesperson, you’d think that most corporations would avoid making the same mistake. But recently, Doritos headed down the same path. Doritos Spain featured a transgender singer who supposedly had made past inflammatory and sexualized comments that were offensive to many Doritos customers. Th…

According to a recent Christian Post article, one of Chick-fil-a’s independent franchise owners was arrested for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old girl. Chick-fil-a has assured the public that this franchise owner will no longer be present in the restaurant. Chick-fil-a has one of the most rigorous hiring processes and diligence in selecting …

Just when inflation was subsiding, California announced their plan to increase the minimum wage from $16 per hour to $20 for most fast-food restaurant employees. When payroll taxes are added, this will increase restaurant labor costs over 27%. Because businesses exist by making a profit, employees will be laid-off and menu prices will increase. The…

Green Dirt Farm spent three years dreaming, building, and investing in a new farm-to-market restaurant in downtown Kansas City. Then they were blindsided. As Green Dirt Farm’s grand opening drew near, the owners learned from news reports that the Kansas City Royals intended to build a new stadium directly upon Green Dirt Farm’s new location. ... Th…

In this series, we’re talking about guarding ourselves from Grifters. Years ago, some colleagues invited me to a conference of a controversial ministry. I prayed fervently that the Holy Spirit would reveal to me what was pleasing to God and what wasn’t. That night, the keynote speaker prophesied some disturbing proclamations. I felt a grieving ... …

Senator Bernie Sanders recently proposed to change the workweek from 40 hours a week to 32 hours. In this series we’re exploring biblical considerations pertinent to this issue. Previously we looked at God’s command to work six days a week. I believe our work includes maintaining our home and outside responsibilities. That leads to asking, ... The …

The Senate has periodically discussed changing the workweek from 40 hours a week to 32 hours. In this series, we’re exploring biblical considerations on this issue. For me, the biggest challenge is reconciling God’s commands about work with our modern-day culture. After Israel had been oppressed as slaves by Egypt, after their deliverance, God comm…

Senator Bernie Sanders recently proposed to change the workweek from 40 hours a week to 32 hours. In this series, we’re exploring biblical considerations pertinent to this issue. Our first consideration is defining work. The Oxford Dictionary defines work as “activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.…

The Senate has periodically discussed changing the workweek from 40 hours a week to 32 hours. In this series, we’re exploring biblical considerations on this issue. Many of the attempts to shrink our work week seem to send the message that work is bad and should be limited when possible. God designed work to accomplish ... The post Shrinking the Wo…

Senator Bernie Sanders recently proposed to change the workweek from 40 hours a week to 32 hours for the same pay. Any hours worked after that would require employers to pay overtime. Although some data looks favorable for those companies who have shifted to a 4-day workweek, there are other factors that need to be ... The post Shrinking the Work W…

In the past, the business community has grown accustomed to a certain level of educational training provided to high school and college graduates. In my opinion, the future is soon to change dramatically. During the pandemic, remote learning too often became no learning at all. In many schools, standards were lowered, graduating many students witho…

Hindsight can be a humbling critic. At year end there are typically some economists and political futurists who reflect on how well their predictions for the year faired. I admire those who are willing to admit when their predictions fall short. Many business leaders also speak publicly about their beliefs on the future of their ... The post The Re…

If I’m honest, there are times when other followers of Jesus frustrate me. It’s in those moments when I can be tempted to gossip or speak poorly of another brother or sister in Christ. If I remember they are a follower of Jesus it helps me to muzzle my words. But there are times when ... The post Guarding Our Tongue appeared first on Unconventional…

Discovering your spiritual calling is extremely valuable, but there can be some downsides as well. For example, someone dedicated to their calling may overlook abuse. In an article on theconversation.com the authors claim, “People who feel that God intended them to be in their current workplace or industry might be more disposed to stay in ... The …

In the movie, The Hill, Rickey Hill tries to convince his father that he can glorify God by playing baseball. Rickey’s father, as a pastor, seemed to believe that the only real calling was being a pastor. Rickey Hill overcame significant bone and spinal cord problems to become a professional baseball player with the Montreal ... The post Rickey Hil…

Many people limit a spiritual calling to only pastors and missionaries. Over the years, however, I’ve seen this flawed understanding of calling dramatically broaden to include those in the workplace. An article on theconversation.com website stated that business scholars Mitchell Neubert and Katie Halbesleben define spiritual calling as “a summons …

When I examine my career path, on the surface it seems to be wīndy and disconnected. But in the tapestry of life and with hindsight, I see God’s divine direction. Moving from CPA to car rental entrepreneur to banking, then consulting, and finally ministry may seem strange, but God had a plan. Today, I ... The post A Windy Vocational Path appeared f…

Former Lt. Colonel Steve Russell’s book, We Got Him, shares about his troop’s relentless pursuit of former Iraqi leader Sadam Hussein. Over time, they became more mystified as to where Hussein was hiding. Then a prayer warrior from Texas called Steve Russell’s wife. He had a simple directive. “Tell your husband that God knows where ... The post The…

When a Kansas City jury delivered a $1.8 billion verdict against the National Association of Realtors’ longstanding commission practices it started a chain reaction. Lawsuits against real estate brokerage firms are surfacing nationally, requiring the real estate industry to take a fresh look at its business model of how buyers and seller’s agents a…

Surprisingly, there’s one thing Republicans and Democrats agreed on recently; the impact small businesses have on America. When research firm, Gallup, asked about which institutions have the greatest positive impact on American society, small businesses won hands down. 85% of survey respondents named small business as having the most positive impac…

When I started my career in public accounting there were only four levels to reach the top. Staff accountant, Senior, Manager, then finally Partner. My managing partner was less than twenty years older than me. With only twenty years difference it wasn’t too difficult to understand his values and his expectations. Today’s workplace, however, often …

Our small group at church was discussing a bible study developed by our senior pastor. In this study, the pastor shared openly of some of his personal struggles. Several in my small group expressed their appreciation for our pastor’s transparency. His vulnerability led to our group members sharing more openly about their own struggles. Transparency…

Leadership expert, Holly Moore, shared with me that one of the ways to improve team communication is for us individually to become more self-aware. When we speak, for us it naturally feels like we communicated clearly and properly. But that is not always the case for those on the receiving end. Holly recommends that it ... The post The Need for Sel…

There was a time in my banking days when I struggled with workaholism. I was putting in long hours and constantly on my computer at home, rather than enjoying time with my family. Looking back, I was trying to control my own destiny. I thought I had to push through my anxiety about the potential ... The post Overcoming Workaholism appeared first on…

Recently, I’ve been following a messy situation locally that involves an international ministry leader. If the allegations prove true, this leader has been involved sexually with underage young ladies on and off for over forty years. The fact that these multiple offenses are just now surfacing begs the question, “How long can sin hide?” Falling ...…

When I played baseball as a kid there were players who had a knack for excelling when we were behind. We called them “clutch” players. While receiving the Vince Lombardi trophy recently, KC Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, said, “The Chiefs are never underdogs!” Mahomes is known for his ability to rally in the clutch and ... The post Clutch Pla…

The Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade was wrapping-up when evil surfaced. Gunfire rang out and people began to scatter, while some lay wounded or dying. This day of celebration turned to mourning as our city learned of one death and twenty-two injuries, including many children. Fortunately, the community of Kansas City immediately rallie…

According to a Rice University study, working women do not feel supported by their clergy and churches. Many women felt that their work was not valued by the church and that clergy rarely had workplace experience to be able to relate to working women. In addition, the study discovered that women’s church activities are often ... The post Supporting…

Years ago, a salesperson knew there was one important feature that I needed in his company’s software before I was willing to commit to buy. So, he convinced me that his company had just added this important feature that very month. After signing the agreement, I discovered that he lied. There was no plan to ... The post A Deceiver’s Damage appeare…

According to Decision magazine, Valerie Kloosterman’s employer, University of Michigan Health, required her to take a diversity survey. Due to her faith, Valerie said, “No,” when asked if she’d be willing to refer patients for gender surgery. This led to several heated meetings, ultimately resulting in Valerie being fired. She is now being represen…

George Washington left his American legacy with a great reputation. Even though the famous story of George Washington chopping down a cherry tree and not lying about it, may not be true, this story speaks to people’s belief about his character. George Washington once said, “Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your ... The post George W…

My friend, Toby, who has experienced significant business success, was interviewed in the Kansas City Business Journal about his most recent business that didn’t fare too well. The refreshing part of the interview was Toby’s transparency and candor. He shared about the pain and embarrassment that comes with a business closing, and the reminder that…

Emails may be causing much of your workplace misunderstandings. According to a study by Preply, a foreign language platform, 87% of people believe that email causes much of the fractured communication and anxiety happening in today’s workplace. Most of us have received an email from a colleague that has perplexed us. Without hearing their voice ...…

A friend in the advertising industry used to hear her colleagues say, “If you aren’t getting sued, you aren’t making enough noise.” President Trump is a good example of someone who seems to flourish in the polls, especially when he is being sued and receiving bad press. As followers of Jesus, we may at times ... The post Bad Press appeared first on…