#247 – Integrity Idea 065: Strengthen Your Cord

Integrity Ideas are practical actions toward implementing a bigger WHY for the organization.  We believe some are critical (and necessary) steps in the RENEW/RE-ALIGN/RE-IMAGINE/RESTORE process.  Others are just ideas to be considered if they feel like a good fit based on what leaders prayerfully discern is best for stewarding the organization toward its WHY.

Like our last two Integrity Ideas, “Seek Vertical Counsel” and “Seek Horizontal Counsel”, “Strengthen Your Cord” is about recognizing the value of seeking wisdom from others.  But unlike those last two ideas, we think it is an “if it fits” idea.

Integrity Ideas are specific actions a leader can consider during the Re-Align step of Integriosity®–actions that will begin to Re-Align the organization with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities.  You can find more Integrity Ideas at Integrous | Integrity Ideas (integriosity.com)

INTEGRITY IDEA: Strengthen Your Cord

“Strengthen Your Cord” is about joining groups or organizations that gather faithful leaders to support each other in pursuit of faith/work integration, in navigating faith/work integration in an increasingly secular culture or in protecting the religious freedom to pursue faithful integrity through business a better way through Biblical flourishing.

It provides a source of counsel from other faithful leaders and unleashes the power of leaders with a Biblical faith-identity gathering, supporting each other, praying together, learning together and from each other, and helping each other shift the cultures of the organizations they lead and even the industries in which they operate while navigating wisely in a society that is increasingly secular and even hostile to Biblical faith.

“Strengthen Your Cord” builds on several Biblical principles:

And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. (Leviticus 26:8)

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

We have talked in past posts about the world’s view of faith/work integration.  The secular “world” view of faith and work is that they have absolutely nothing to do with each other.  Faith is personal and does not belong at the office/factory/store (sometimes because the proponents of this view are hostile to faith).  The “world” is effectively stuck behind the Sunday/Monday Gap.

“Strengthen Your Cord” can help a faithful leader stand courageously against criticism and even resistance.  Joining a like-minded group of faithful leaders can bring not only encouragement but also wisdom and the power of pooled resources to protect religious freedoms necessary for pursuing faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing.  The following quote is often attributed to Henry Ford:

Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.

“Strengthen Your Cord” can also help faithful leaders get across the gaps.  As we have also pointed out in the past, sadly many people who profess faith in God do not get much further than the worldly view.  Many regular church-goers are also stuck behind the Sunday/Monday Gap.  What they do Monday-Friday is disconnected from the faith they practice on Sunday (or Saturday)–not because they are hostile to faith, but because they have never been taught otherwise.

Still other good-intentioned faithful leaders have crossed the Sunday/Monday Gap but remain stuck behind the Sacred/Secular Gap. This gap is crossed when you understand that your work or business itself has intrinsic value in God’s Kingdom–your work and the way you manage your business is a sacred vocational calling and a form of worship.  Based on informal surveys by a few faith and work organizations, it would seem less than 10% of Christian workers have crossed this gap.

Still other faithful leaders have crossed the Sacred/Secular Gap but struggle to cross the Knowing/Doing Gap, understanding practically how to implement change in their organization.

Being part of an organized group of faithful leaders can help leaders cross all three gaps through learning together as well as learning from each other’s experiences.  In the words of Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”

CONTINUUM: Practices

The Integriosity model organizes “heart change” along six Covert-Overt Continuums.  There is nothing magic about these categories, but we believe they are helpful in thinking about practical execution of a Re-Imagined Purpose, Re-Imagined Values and a Re-Imagined Culture.  The Continuums are Prayer, Proclamation, Policies, Practices, Products, People.

Each Continuum represents an area in which leaders can begin to think about, plan and institute Re-Alignment changes to the heart of the organization.

“Strengthen Your Cord” is on the Practices Continuum. It is a practice a faithful leader pursuing faithful integrity can take to strengthen their commitment, share their experiences, gain the support and wisdom of others, and increase their chances of succeeding in the pursuit of business a better way through Biblical flourishing.

COVERT-OVERT RATING: Covert

The Integriosity model breaks the Covert-Overt Continuums into six gradations–from Highly Covert to Highly Overt–that we believe are helpful in beginning to pray and think about what is most appropriate for an organization at a particular moment in time.

Most Integrity Ideas will have one place on the scale.  Some can vary depending on how they are implemented.   “Strengthen Your Cord” is Covert (an overtly faith-based action known only to a select group).

Like many Integrity Ideas that are Covert, “Strengthen Your Cord” can be moved toward the Overt end of the Continuum.  A faithful leader could decide to share their or the organization’s membership in a group with others in the organization or even publicly, such as on the organization’s website.

STAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Kingdom

When we categorize faith-based actions, we also consider the stakeholders principally impacted by the action: Employees, Customers/Clients, Owners, Suppliers/Vendors, Community and Kingdom.

“Strengthen Your Cord” principally serves the Kingdom by uniting, encouraging, and supporting faithful leaders in their efforts to pursue faithful integrity by aligning the purpose, values and culture of the organizations they lead with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities.

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much. (Helen Keller)

IMPLEMENTATION

Implementation of “Strengthen Your Cord” is about as easy as it gets–identify a group or organization that gathers faithful leaders to support each other in pursuit of faith/work integration, in navigating faith/work integration in an increasingly secular culture or in protecting the religious freedom to pursue faithful integrity through business a better way through Biblical flourishing, and then join it.

The most difficult part is the identification.  Many faithful leaders we encounter are not even aware of the various groups and organizations that can help them.  Groups differ in the industries they serve, the format of their meetings, the focus of their efforts, and the cost of participation.  A faithful leader committed to implementing “Strengthen Your Cord” needs to explore and ask questions.

In any community or group, a faithful leader needs to be on their guard for faith as usual–particularly Placebo stumbling blocks that can lead them down faith as usual Side Roads.

A number of these groups and organizations are highlighted on the Network page of the Integrous website.  The best we can do is list a few to consider.  These are by no means all the options.  For any of these, we would be pleased to make an introduction:

New Canaan Society.  A network of men who gather together to encourage each other in friendship and faith and to support each other to be better husbands, fathers — and better men — in the marketplace and in their communities.  Community exists through local chapters and national and regional retreats.

Christian Legal Society.  Christian Legal Society is dedicated to serving Jesus Christ through the practice and study of law, the defense of religious freedom and life, and the provision of legal aid to the needy.  Community exists through local chapters and national and regional retreats.

Christian Employers Alliance. The mission of CEA is to unite, equip, and represent Christian-owned businesses to protect religious freedom and provide opportunities for employees, businesses, and communities to flourish.  Community exists through a national retreat.

Kingdom Advisors. Kingdom Advisors equips and empowers advisors to carry biblical financial wisdom to their clients, peers, and community. Community exists through study groups and an annual conference.

Faith in Financial Services.  FiFS gathers professionals to facilitating Biblical learning that encourages marketplace transformation.  Community exists through weekly gatherings powered by PRS.work videos that connect Scripture to work.

Cities Project Global. Cities Project Global’s vision is to mobilize all Christians by awakening leaders to live out their God-given design and purpose, utilizing all of who they are to renew their city to flourish as God intended. Being part of their growing community starts with a nine-topic experience in a cohort with other leaders working together in the Flourishing Cities curriculum.

4word. 4word exists to support and connect women in the workplace so that they can reach their God-given potential with confidence.  Community exists through local community groups, mentorship and a national gala.

Polished. The mission of Polished is to give women the connection they crave, the professional development they deserve, and the gospel they need.  Community exists through local chapters and collaboratories.

Christian Business Men’s Connection. CBMC exists to point marketplace men to Christ allowing the Gospel to transform them into marketplace ambassadors. Community exists through local chapters and national and regional retreats.

Legatus. Legatus is an international organization of Catholic laymen and laywomen, comprising CEOs, presidents, managing partners and business owners (with their spouses), from business and professional enterprises.  Community exists through local chapters and international and regional events.

Faith Driven Entrepreneur Foundation GroupsFaith Driven Entrepreneur Foundation Groups are groups of 10-15 like-minded entrepreneurs who meet for one hour a week for 8 weeks to walk through the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Foundation Study and discuss what it means to embrace your call to create and fulfill God’s purpose for your life and work.

C12 Group. C12 Group’s mission is to equip Christian CEOs and owners to build great businesses for a greater purpose.  C12 gathers together thousands of Christian CEOs and business owners in Peer Advisory Groups across the globe on a monthly basis.

Faith and Work Movement.  (F&WM) exists to positively impact companies that impact the world. They create community in the workplace. They help individuals to bring their full selves to work  – including their faith – and to cultivate good in and through their work.  Community exists through workplace fellowships and Employee Resource Groups.

Convene.  Convene’s mission is to connect, equip and inspire Christian CEOs and business owners to grow exceptional businesses and become higher-impact leaders to honor God. Community exists through peer-to-peer advisory teams.

Scripture is very clear–we are stronger together.  Whatever you do in the pursuit of faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing, don’t do it alone.

Whatever Hell sends through those gates, we have a better chance of survival if we work together. (Lance Wallnau)

PERSONAL NOTE (from PM):  Integrous has been a member of the Christian Employers Alliance, and I just returned from their annual conference.  I am a member of the Christian Legal Society.  I think every lawyer who professes a Biblical faith should join CLS.  I think every business owner who takes Scripture seriously should join CEA.  God used the New Canaan Society to change my life, and I hope every man with reach of a chapter “shows up”.

ESSENCE:  Integrity Ideas are specific practical actions a faithful leader can consider in leading faithfully through business a better way.

INTEGRITY IDEA: Strengthen Your Cord

“Strengthen Your Cord” is about joining groups or organizations that gather faithful leaders to support each other in pursuit of faith/work integration, in navigating faith/work integration in an increasingly secular culture or in protecting the religious freedom to pursue faithful integrity through business a better way through Biblical flourishing. It provides a source of counsel from other faithful leaders and unleashes the power of leaders with a Biblical faith-identity gathering, supporting each other, praying together, learning together and from each other, and helping each other shift the cultures of the organizations they lead and even the industries in which they operate while navigating wisely in a society that is increasingly secular and even hostile to Biblical faith.  “Strengthen Your Cord” builds on the Biblical principle that “a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.”

COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action):  Practices

COVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Covert

STAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Kingdom

Copyright © 2024 Integrous LLC.  Integriosity is a registered Service Mark of Integrous LLC.

Photo credit: Original image by krakenimages on Unsplash
(photo cropped)

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