Last summer I promised my sixteen-year-old daughter, Sophie, that I would drive her to see a rock concert. It was taking place at one of those open-air venues, where you could buy lawn-tickets and sit on a blanket under the stars on a warm summer evening with a few friends and enjoy the music. This was planned weeks in advance, and I hadn’t really given it much thought when I had said yes. I figured I would drive her to... Read more
Warning: This post is rated PG-13. If you are offended by certain slang words that might be used in those movies, then please, do not read this post. Is it okay for Christians to Curse? I have a friend who works in the Christian publishing industry. He was recently telling me how conservative it is, and for emphasis, he added, “We can’t even print the b-word.” I scrolled through a catalogue of words in my head, trying to guess which... Read more
BJM: In the columns you write for InsideWork, I’ve noticed you use these cards which help people calibrate their spiritual state. That sounds kind of weird. And I mean that in the kindest possible sense of the word… Dr. Stephen Payne: Spirituality in the workplace can be a broad and daunting topic. In my coaching I discovered that business leaders understand the concept of tapping-in to the power of God, but they lack effectiveness in translating that into leading their... Read more
BJM: So this “God in the Workplace” concept is more than just proselytizing at work about my faith, right? I think that’s what a lot of people, especially Christians, think of when they talk about mixing their spirituality and work. They think it means I need to go out and convert my fellow employees over to Team Jesus. SP: Definitely, no proselytizing. Not that I don’t support Team Jesus, but nothing turns people off to the idea of tapping into... Read more
Bradley J. Moore recently conducted an interview with Leadership Coach Dr. Stephen Payne to discuss his upcoming workshop, “Leadership and Spirituality: Transforming the Workplace.” This workshop is designed specifically for business leaders and is taking place at Princeton Theological Seminary on May 31- June 1. Bradley J. Moore: OK, full disclosure Dr. Payne: I’ve been a client in your leadership coaching practice since December, 2007…so anything I say can and will be used against you… Stephen Payne: That seems inevitable, Brad. BJM:... Read more
I have spent the past few months reading through the gospels again, a little bit each morning. Despite of the rush of my daily schedule, those few minutes of quiet contemplation always help to keep my spiritual wits about me as the hectic day unfolds. I’ve finally just about completed the last one, the Gospel of John. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually read through these holy books in their entirety – probably not since college, over twenty-five years ago. But for some reason... Read more
Be honest. Are things really so bad in your little corner of the world? Granted, you may be a bit more cautious than you were a year or two ago, but are you doing as badly as the news media might want to portray? Here are some facts to reconsider: 92% of Americans are still working. Many industries such as packaged food, discount retailers, and health care are doing very well. 95% of Americans have not defaulted on their home mortgage.... Read more
The news has gotten so bad lately that I can barely stand to hear it any more. Yet I am strangely compelled to keep listening, sometimes even against my will, just to stay attuned to what is (supposedly) going on in the world. I must keep up with the things I am supposed to know. Here is a random sampling of some of the headlines from the past week or so that were on the CNN and Fox news internet... Read more
I recently came across this shocking headline: “Cutting Calories Leads to Weight Loss.” A publicity campaign launched in late February propelled this revolutionary news story to the forefront of the major newspapers, websites, and network news programs. Well, Duh! Do we really need a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine to tell us that we’ll lose weight if we eat less? Have we become that stupid? Apparently, yes. And fat, too. So, I was not at all surprised when last week, another sensationalistic headline... Read more
In spite of all the chaos associated with leading the middle school youth group, I have grown to love these kids. After feeling initially terrified about how to interact with them (am I cool enough? Will they think I’m a geek? Will I be too strict?), I soon loosened up and actually got to know them. Much to my surprise, I discovered that they each have distinct personalities and interesting ways of viewing the world. When you get past all... Read more
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