Extrapolation of Two Guiding Elements Several years ago, “the more serious I became as a Christian and as a student of economics, however, the more I came to believe that capitalism was practically if not morally superior. But after several years of graduate school and still more struggle, I eventually discovered that capitalism could be soundly defended on both practical and moral grounds.”7 I personally believe God created us to be His co-creators. Still, every Christian worker should use God’s Word as a guiding light with those two guiding elements. “The challenge is deciding which right thing to do.”1 While a Christian worker or a leader is making the decision to build life on the Word of God and viewing the Word of God as the foundation
A successful Christian business man may sound like an oxymoron, but that was R.G LeTourneau. He built big, powerful machinery that could do things that no other machine could do before, but he also believes that a Christian business man owes as much to God as a preacher does (LeTourneau, 1967). Mr. LeTourneau states, “God needs businessmen as partners as well as preachers” (1967). Imagine a man becoming a very successful Christian business man, the founder of LeTourneau University, and a leader of many missionary works. The proceeding essay will discuss the man, his faith, and my personal reflection of R.G. LeTourneau.
The purpose of this paper is to summarize Module 5 of the AOL program, specifically group 226, through the evaluation of a contemporary Christian leader. In this paper I will discuss the contemporary Christian leader I have selected, analyze their effectiveness in business performance, and discuss how they have inspired me. I will also talk about what I have learned from this module that most benefited me. My hope is that through this paper, my readers will have a broadened scope of Christianity in our contemporary world.
In an era consisting of big industrialist, such as Andrew Carnegie, there were many differences of opinions on the execution of capitalism between these industrialists and their workers. Andrew Carnegie expressed his ideas and views in article, “The Gospel of Wealth,” in which he outlines the duties of industrialist to better the life of their workers and community. On the other hand, a working man wrote “A Work Mans Prayer,” a sarcastic response to Andrew Carnegies “The Gospel of Wealth,” clearly against what Andrew Carnegie believes and claims. These differences can be
David pulled the bedclothes up to his chin. The eerie moaning continued, unperturbed by this small defiance. It’s just the wind in the chimney, he told himself, over and over. It’s nothing to worry about.
Weber argues that religious beliefs contributed to major social change- specifically the emergence of modern capitalism in Northern Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. Modern capitalism differs from capitalism as it is based on systematic, efficient and a rational pursuit of profit and profit for its own sake rather than consumption. Weber calls this the spirit of capitalism.
Laws were established, and plans were occurred in order to eliminate American citizens from obtaining and using drugs, additionally to stop other countries from manufacturing, transporting these drugs across borders into the United States and selling/distributing them. After countless failed attempts, it was determined by Nixon that the supply for drugs existed due to the large demand and the suppliers would find anyway to succeed. Unfortunately Nixon did not act according to this understanding. Following this, Nixon launched numerous attempts to go into Mexico and eliminate the supply side of the drug war. He quickly learned that eliminating one route used by drug traffickers only resulted in them opening another route to continue their
Stapleford presents a strong analysis of economic issues with a Christian perception that aligns with Biblical truths. He urges his audience to avoid the temptation of idolatry and materialism but to live a selfless life of sacrifice. Stapleford claims that “there is sanctity in all of labor, and without God’s involvement human labor is futile. In whatever we do, Christians are to do it heartily as unto the Lord, for we do not labor for the food that perishes but for the food that endures to everlasting life” (Stapleford, 2009).
This dramatic increase resulted in great periods of growth and invention (Hatzifotis, 2017). Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism looked at the relationship between Protestantism and the emergence of modern capitalism. He discussed how Protestant’s involvement in business and profiting was
The Christian worldview of leadership is distinctly different from most secular views on the subject. In the secular, leadership tends to be viewed primarily in terms of a company’s bottom line and how well the leader can urge employees to produce more and better work. That view is profit-centered rather than person-centered, and it does not give much attention to employees’ human needs and qualities nor on how developing excellent work relationships can promote productivity. In the Christian worldview, however, people are key, and their human needs are important. The leader in the Christian worldview understands how meeting employees’ needs promotes the kind of productivity desired and
The world around us is constantly progressing; meaning ethics and social responsibility will become increasingly fundamental towards long term business success. There are many different principles on which to reflect when it comes to moral reasoning from a Christian worldview as it relates to business. The three basic pairs of principles are integrity and sustainability, competence and compassion, along with unity and participation. Christians are should exhibit personal ethics that represent the image of Jesus. Personal ethics is defined as moral principles that govern a person's behavior. Living and maintaining a Christian identity in the workplace can be very challenging in today's society. Far too many Christians leave their faith and religious beliefs behind as they handle business matters. However, this is unacceptable in the eyes of God. Christianity is a lifestyle; not a piece of clothing that can be put on and taken off at any given time. Matthew 10:32 clearly states that, "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven”. Morally Christians are held
Everyone has an idea or vision. So why are so many people--particularly Christian visionaries, unable to fund their visions? From the examination of traditional Christian constraints and shocking explanations of the colossal failures in the marketplace, this publication will unveil the "unseen" competitors assigned to abort your
Capital punishment raises the very difficult question whether or not it is ethical to kill a convicted criminal. People who oppose the death penalty often argue mistaken identity and wrongful conviction. They argue that long-term imprisonment is the better course of action, because it allows for the possibility that if a mistake was made in the conviction of a suspect, they would be able to correct it without ending the life of an innocent person. They also state that the threat of the death penalty is not a deterrent and people will commit crimes regardless, as often, criminal behavior is committed with the sense that they will not get caught. People who support the death penalty often state that the death penalty is a deterrent, far more than just prison time. They also argue that the death penalty could actually save lives because when a death penalty is carried out, there could be fewer crimes committed in the future.
Capitalism started up as a system of investing and sharing money in order to increase the value of resources in the future. Capitalism was just an economic system, but then soon turned into a complex system of ethical practices. Harari defines capitalism as, “a set of teachings about how people should behave, educate their children and even think” (Harari 314). This economic system evolved along with the people that were endorsing it. Capitalism enables the rich to get richer, while the poor continue to get poorer. There are many benefits to capitalism, but there are downfalls as well, and these downfalls tend to be masked because of the rapid speed capitalists grow at. Harari first presents a definition for capitalism, and soon goes into great detail on why capitalism, while fast paced and unforgiving, is able to stand unwavered while other productions fail.
Countries disintegrate, place of worship and corporation fail, people become dysfunctional, descendants lose their direction, and mankind drift from God on behalf of one distracting reason; insufficiency of leadership. These disappointments are often for the reason that of the deficiency of instruction, appropriate leadership, and misperception on what Christian leadership subsists and exactly how that leadership is pertinent to every component of professional and personal life. From a Christian worldview perspective, Psalm 112:5 explains, “A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion” (NKJ). A Christian manager should always keep in mind that bounteousness and admiration for God, demonstrates that one has placed trust in Him, and not our material possessions.
Main analyses involved running each of three models through AMOS SEM software separately, using path analysis techniques to assess direct and indirect effects, among the present observed variables (Arbuckle, 2013). Path analysis, which is based on multiple regressions, examines the relationship between exogenous (i.e., variable not causes by another variable, but effects one or more variables in model) and endogenous variables (i.e., a variable that is caused or effected by one or more variables in a model; Iacobucci, 2010). Path models examine the total effects, as well as the direct and indirect of effects of variables in a single model, simultaneously (Peterson et al., 2014). Structural equation modeling path analysis techniques are superior to standard regression analyses in that they: 1) provide more accurate estimates of the effects of hypothesized variables; 2) estimate all effects simultaneously; 3) allow for greater accuracy of parameter estimates when examining competing models; and 4) allow the researcher to compare effects of multiple mediators (Zhao, Lynch, & Chen, 2010).