Episode 1 - Leading a Company for Christ, Part 1 w/ Bruce Wilkinson

Find out more about FCCI at https://fcci.org

In this episode of FCCI's foundational teaching "Leading a Company for Christ", Dr. Bruce Wilkinson begins by discussing the lack of communication between Christians who lead companies and the church. He highlights that the majority of our lives, which take place from Monday to Friday, are not addressed or preached about in church sermons. Dr. Wilkinson uses an analogy of battling kudzu vines on a farm to illustrate how the devices of Satan can subtly take over without us even realizing it.

The main idea conveyed is that Christians in the marketplace have lost a battle they didn't know they were fighting. The separation between church and business has caused Christianity to be confined within church walls, neglecting its presence in the marketplace. Dr. Wilkinson emphasizes that Jesus was frequently found in the marketplace, living out his faith outside the church.

The episode highlights the need to think about what it means to be a Christian leading a company and how biblical principles can be applied in that context. It acknowledges that there are more questions than answers in this area, but the process of wrestling through these questions is valuable and important.

Dr. Wilkinson also discusses the challenges of integrating faith into business and emphasizes that the deeper our commitment to Christ becomes, the harder it becomes. He shares personal examples and insights, mentioning the importance of recognizing that God's ways are different from man's ways. The podcast episode encourages listeners to understand that their expectations for a neat package of answers may not be met, but the process of exploring these topics together is valuable.

The episode introduces four main areas of discussion: the problem, the philosophy, the priorities, and the plan. It emphasizes the need to start with understanding the why, the beliefs behind our actions, before focusing on the how and what. Dr. Wilkinson mentions biblical examples of leaders like Moses and David, whose lives became increasingly stressful as they grew older, and highlights that convictions are developed through testing.

The podcast episode acknowledges that individuals are at different places spiritually, and the goal is to move toward Christlikeness, regardless of one's current position on the spiritual journey. It emphasizes the importance of aligning beliefs and behavior, as changing beliefs leads to lasting behavioral change.

Overall, this podcast episode aims to provoke thought and discussion about the intersection of faith and business, encouraging Christians to consider how they can apply biblical principles in their roles as leaders in the marketplace.