The recently concluded Global Proclamation Congress for Pastoral Trainers (GPro Congress) held on June 15 to 22 in Bangkok focused on how training must be done for employees working in the business and the job market sector. The workshops held throughout the Congress discussed special sessions regarding “culture combination of ‘herder’ leaders” and talked about “shopping malls, businesses and the professional workplace.”
Six Christian CEOs were invited to speak in the conference and spoke to the attendees their experiences and opinions on how they managed to become successful in the industry.
Here are some of the experiences shared in the Congress by these CEOs:
One CEO spoke about creating products and how to sell the products to consumer. He said: “I hope the relationship made between us and clients is not just a buyer and customer relationship.”
Regarding faith and work, the CEO said that it is important that one puts their faith and develop their values and principles with these factors and apply it on how they apply it to their job. This is not only meant for CEOs, but it is also related to every person’s work. These people should learn how to look at work and work with a positive attitude. This is the meaning of “faith in/at work” that they must learn as it would assist them on how they do their job. In the church, one has their own spiritual life, fellowship, worship and others; but faith is needed in life to live.
Many people may seem spiritual while in the church; however, they have another look when they return back to business circle that is not separate. There is no distinction of high-level and low-level calls, which needs to change.
Another CEO stated: “When someone congratulated me from graduating from theology and asked me if I found a church to serve, I responded that I will go back to my business. The person was regretful with my response. For me, this attitude should be changed no matter what position a person may have in a ministry. We work and serve with our dedication and heart in the workplace as well.”
He also added that “The church should not regard business and professionals as dedicated channels, but they should think of ways to train these groups to become powerful helpers and develop these people to become shepherds of faith. Furthermore, shepherd leaders from these industries need to be raised accordingly to handle the characteristics of their workplaces and the people they work with.
The church should pay attention to the training of business people because if their church makes them feel that they have no other worth besides their dedication, then he will leave for another church.
The church must also consider thinking about how one can add Christian values when we make business, such as valuing people, sharing and so on.
People and the church must also regard their relationship with colleagues. In the case of the CEO who shared his experience, he treats them as his sheep, but he does not act as their minister and allow them to grow on their own, assisting them when it is necessary.
The CEO also said that in his training, they were taught that they can improve their workplace by sharing the Gospel with others and share them the love of Jesus.
Another CEO recalled: “I know a pastor who just graduated from seminary. I worked with him. He was a good man, but he just served in the church after graduation. He didn't work, he doesn't know how we work, so we gave him training. Our training also teaches people who never have an experience in working in the workplace.”
“In fact, pastors are often tired and they have a lot of work to do, such as the Sunday school, family fellowship and so on. Do you let us feed businesses and professionals? Where there is energy? Answer: people need to cultivate professionals in the workplace?”
“Shepherd training in business and in the workplace is to help people on how they can use their gifts and talents, and doing things with joy.”
“We need to do things together - shepherd and business people, professionals included. All kinds of people need to do work for the church together. Everyone is not same, each of us has our own gift. If we associated with others will allow us to be in one body. We are all members of the larger body and it is not the priest alone that lets the body growth, all the members help the group grow.”
