Faith at work: Even in the midst of increased religious diversity in American
life, more and more Christians are looking at the workplace as a logical place
to impact the lives of others through the ministry and witness of the gospel
During a recent lunch hour, eight men and women sit around a conference table,
reading the Gospel of John together.
Faith at work: Even in the midst of increased religious diversity in American
life, more and more Christians are looking at the workplace as a logical place
to impact the lives of others through the ministry and witness of the gospel
During a recent lunch hour, eight men and women sit around a conference table,
reading the Gospel of John together.
In between bites of sandwiches and sips of soda, they discuss the tale of the
blind man to whom Jesus restored sight. From the many bookmarks and highlighted
passages in their Bibles, it is clear the people in this group take faith seriously.
But this is not a Sunday School class. The participants in this Bible study
are co-workers at a sheet-metal fabrication plant. The leader is company vice
president.
Accu-Fab Inc. of Raleigh, N.C., is among a growing number of businesses that
are incorporating religion in the workplace. Accu-Fab President Gregory Page
and his business partner Dennis Zullig are evangelical Christians who have placed
faith at the heart of their business.
The companys mission statement calls for sharing Gods message of
salvation through Jesus Christ and for ministering to employees spiritual
needs. A likeness of Jesus talking to an executive hangs in the lobby. Books
by leading evangelical authors are arranged on a coffee table.
It is all part of a controversial new movement popping up across the country
that aims to bridge the divide between worship and work. Executives such as
Page and Zullig reject the notion that faith is a private matter and insist
their work is every bit as important as that of a church pastor.
Although integrating spirituality into the workplace may appeal to many, some
question if it is appropriate to advocate for a particular faith in an era of
increasing religious diversity. They wonder if Christian executives are stepping
over the line and leaving themselves open to discrimination charges.
“If youre a CEO and somebody knows youre an evangelical, youre
as vulnerable of being duped (by subordinates professing to be more religious
than they are) as you are of abusing your power,” says Laura Nash, a research
fellow at Harvard Business School who studies business ethics.
She says employees have very little power to disagree with bosses who push
a particular faith. Without realizing it, bosses may create an environment in
which those who do not attend Bible study or pray about an impending deal feel
left out – if not discriminated against.
To be sure, not all workplace spirituality is explicitly stated or Christian-based.
Nationwide, more companies are encouraging spiritual and stress-reducing practices
such as meditation or yoga than Bible studies. Some businesses let employees
take time off to volunteer at soup kitchens or homeless shelters. And many let
employees display
religious materials.
But in the Bible Belt, conservative Christianity predominates, and expressions
of religion in the workplace tend to take on an evangelical flavor. Critics
say those workplaces ought to show more sensitivity to those who do not share
those beliefs.
“Every time someone has the bright idea to bring religion into the workplace,
they hardly ever specify a critical question – Whose religion?” emphasizes
Wayne Aiken, the North Carolina director of American Atheists.
Members of minority faiths such as Judaism, Islam and Buddhism say office Bible
studies are okay when they are organized by like-minded employees gathering
on their own time. But when company executives appear to elevate one faith to
a place of prominence, that can create problems.
“This attitude comes from an unquestioning acceptance that a particular
belief is shared by everyone,” says Rabbi Susan Friedman of Temple Beth
Shalom in Cary, N.C. “Theyre entitled to wish it were so, but …
its not, and other people are entitled to their breathing space.”
Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers are required reasonably to accommodate
workers religious beliefs unless it creates an undue hardship for the
business. For instance, an employer must try to accommodate an employee who
wants to observe the Sabbath on Saturdays.
Increasingly, workers are testing their bosses resolve. Religious bias
complaints have increased more than 40 percent since 1992, reports indicate.
But as Americans argue about the appropriate role of religion in the workplace,
conservative Christians are increasingly staking out their turf.
Earlier this spring, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association hosted a conference
in Asheville, N.C., to help pastors learn how they can encourage people to see
work as a ministry. (See accompanying articles)
“God is rapidly moving in the arena of the marketplace,” one speaker
noted during the recent Graham conference.
“I believe in the next six months to a year, there will be a major explosion
in the area of marketplace ministries,” he said. “That is why we have
to focus on training our Christian workers to view their workplace as a way
to minister to those who dont know Christ as their personal savior.”
Other groups are promoting workplace ministry as well. As a result, Christian
Bible studies have emerged in corporate environments and in government offices.
Others believe in a more subdued approach in which Christians model an exemplary
lifestyle but never brag about it. They say Christians should never lose sight
of their primary objective, which is work.
“The sharing of the Good News is what we do on our time, not on the firms
time,” says Edmund Gibbs, a professor of church growth at Fuller Theological
Seminary in Pasadena, Calif.., who has studied workplace ministry. “If
you misuse the workplace, you put your colleagues in a difficult position. Weve
got to be respectful of each other in that context.”
However, business people who seek to incorporate their Christian values into
the workplace say the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. “Ive
always felt that having a Bible study sends a message to our people – were
going to make honest decisions,” says Larry Kelly, chair of Piedmont Air
Conditioning in Raleigh. “If you live by the Bible and do what the Lord
wants, youll run an honest ship.”
Many business owners say incorporating Christian principles ensures that they
will be not only honest but generous. Nationwide, companies give between 1 percent
and 3 percent of their profits to charity, reports indicate.
In 2001, Accu-Fab gave $53,000 to Christian charities, about 18 percent of
its pre-tax income. The company also gave $38,000 to an employee gain-sharing
program that year, about 13.2 percent of its pre-tax income.
Every Monday morning, the management team gathers for 30 to 45 minutes of prayer.
They pray for their customers who may be sick, for co-workers who are experiencing
personal difficulties and for anyone else who asks for it.
Of the companys 120 employees, about 25 are Vietnamese immigrants, most
of whom are Buddhists. However, officials say they never have received a complaint
from them.
As for the Christians, they love it.
“This is the first company Ive ever cared about working for,”
says Candy Love, production planner and quality administrator. “The support
and effort our company goes to make sure (employees) are taken care of is tremendous.
“It makes you want to do so much more.” (RNS)