Kevin W. McCarthy

Is It Right To Pray For Your Business?

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Many of us grew up with a compartmentalized view of life.  The wisdom of the day went along these lines: "Your personal life is your personal life.   Your business life is your business life.  Don't co-mingle the two." 

There is a measure of merit in this.  As we advance from the industrial age to the knowledge age and head into the age of purpose and meaning, integration, not separation, is becoming more the norm. Central to each person's personal life is their faith.  If you are inclined to pray in your personal life, perhaps the role of prayer in your business life is a concept you've never considered. 

This On-Purpose® Business Minute explores the power of being "on the job" and praying for owners and employees alike. 

What do you think?  Is it right to pray for business?  Please post your answer in the comment section below.

Click here to subscribe to The On-Purpose Business Minute.  One is published every Thursday morning.

And the Winner of the Contest Is... Me!

Jeevan Sivasubramaniam of Berrett-Koehler Publishers produces the weekly BK Communique.  An occasional feature is a puzzler.  His final contest of 2009 caught my eye.  Here it is:

Drum roll please, I won the contest.  Here is Jeevan's most recent posting:

"I issued this challenge. Some people came close, but no one answered correctly.  The answer? You should definitely not take my bet -- here's why.

"Kevin McCarthy submitted a response that was just so, um, creative that I had to give him a free book. (And he kindly sent me a copy of his book.) You can read Kevin's response to the challenge here.

Dear Jeevan,

No, I will not accept your bet in A Game of Cards.   Here's why:

After reading the challenge, I easily recognized it as a probability and statistics question.   Upon the thought of engaging in the calculation of the odds of winning versus the payoff, I felt this knot in my stomach – the same one I used to feel in undergraduate and graduate school when I had to take probability and statistics classes.   My mind swirled with permutations, methods, and calculations as to how to attack and solve your challenge.  My competitive juices began to kick in because I had to be the first to solve it in order to win a book and have a shrine in the lobby.  Fortunately, I'm on the East Coast so I have an advantage over those later risers in the Central and Western time zones. 

Recognizing this strange mix of competitiveness and cards, I immediately converted from worshiping in an Episcopal church to an ultra conservative Baptist church with Pentecostal and Charismatic leanings.   This means I can neither play card games nor gamble.  Because I don't smoke, drink, or dance (lack of any sense of rhythm per my wife) anyway, my transition ten minutes ago to my new Thursday morning church is going along fundamentally well.   Never doubt the power and practicality of my conversion and the values of my new denomination.  The knot in my stomach is gone - healed in an instant!  Here is proof of the peace that passes all understanding as it washed through me.  PTL! 

Sure, you were likely expecting some brainiac to give an answer to the challenge using math.  I, however, have claimed the high moral ground in a triumph of faith over math to come to the answer.  Finally, should this be the winning and timely response, then I will accept a book but must decline the shrine in the lobby.  I can have no part in false idols.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

Kevin W. McCarthy
CEO, On-Purpose Partners, LLC

Here was Jeevan's notice to me of being the book winner:

"Never has an answer been so blatantly wrong and yet seemed so right.  So, what the hell, for sheer audacity and creativity, you win a book."

Cover via Amazon

Jeevan was true to his word and sent me The New Organizational Wealth, the book of my choice.  He was a good sport so I sent him The On-Purpose Person.

How Would You React?

My daughter, Anne, is a 16-year-old competitive soccer player.  She serves as a junior captain of her Trinity Prep high school soccer team as well as a player on the Football Club of America (Kumba Soccer) located here in Orlando.  Her Kumba team was having a car wash fund raiser in late September.  An accident occurred where one teammate's foot slipped off the brakes and the car pinned another teammate against a wall.  Bree McMahon's legs were crushed.  Anne was one of many who sprang into action.  She called 911 and provided a towel for Bree's head as she lay on the ground awaiting the arrival of paramedics. 

Initially, we anticipated broken legs and damage to Bree's knees.  The severity of the accident came to light a few hours later when Anne's text from the hospital said, "Bree's legs might have to be amputated because the blood vessels were crushed."  Judith and I immediately headed to the hospital to be and pray with the girls. 

Jenna Bush Hager (George and Laura Bush's daughter) of The Today Show did a feature on Bree.  The clip below tells the story.  You'll also get to see and hear a brief comment from Anne from behind Bree's hospital bed. 

Bree and Chelsea (the driver involved in the freak accident) are young Christian girls whose faith is serving them both well in terms of forgiveness given and received.  The character of both young ladies is remarkable.

If it were your legs crushed that day, how would you respond?  My hope would be that I would have grace and understanding like Bree.

Casting Crowns Music

Casting Crowns is a contemporary Christian band that just had an article written about them entitled Casting Crowns On Purpose.  In the article, the front man, Mark Hall, shares what it means to have a "life on purpose."  He is really close to understanding the power and potential of being on-purpose. 

Back in the late 1980s when I was teaching about on-purpose in the positive, it was very novel.  Until that time, most people would use on purpose to negate a negative, such as, "I didn't mean to spill my milk on purpose."  I knew then, as I still do today that I am pioneering a positive concept whose time has yet to come.  Even today, most people are seeking their purpose, rather than the follow through of living or being on-purpose.

I envisioned the day when the words and concept of being on-purpose would be in the popular culture.  Well, it continues to creep into everyday use more and more as the Casting Crowns article indicates.  I must admit a certain measure of joy mixed with disappointment because the general use of purpose is misunderstood and the concept / lifestyle of being on-purpose is used far too cavalierly. 

Pastor Rick Warren's work, The Purpose Driven Life popularized the use of purpose; unfortunately, it was a watered down version of the concept.  Oh well, I persevere in this calling trusting the results to God.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

Crown Ministries Founder Howard Dayton

Howard Dayton is one of the creators of Crown Financial Ministries.  I've been blessed to participate in several Crown Ministries programs over the years.  In fact, my Crown Group still meets regularly to study, learn, grow, and support each other in life and work.  

Howard and I first connected back in 1993 when The On-Purpose Person was first released.  I remember having lunch with him and being impressed with his gracious manner, genuine faith, and sense of call upon his life.  Here was an on-purpose person par excellence.  At the time, I remember Howard's excitement that over 27,000 people that year had participated in the Crown Financial Ministries flagship program:  Biblical Financial Study.  Today, there are probably 27,000 per week doing this program.   It is life transforming.  Do this program! 

Over the years, Howard and my paths would cross from time to time with chance meetings in airports and such.   Wednesday, Howard was the keynote speaker at the stewardship dinner for my church – All Saints Episcopal- Winter Park. We shared a brief reunion. I was delighted to have this photo snapped so I could share it with you.  I treasure his leadership and example.

Few of us will ever have the opportunity to transform so many lives.  So meet my friend Howard Dayton and give thanks for his life and ministry.  By the way, October 7 was his 66th birthday.  Happy birthday Howard! 

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

 

Tithes Versus Taxes: The True Reformation of Healthcare

This early morning I was greeted by an e-briefing from US Senator Nelson of Florida.  I've watched this whole health care debate with a measure of sadness over a divided country that is bickering and back biting over issues when fundamental societal shifts are being missed.  All are well intended, but all are missing the mark.

If you want to cut to the chase on my take on the current reality, skip down to the last paragraph after my response to Senator Nelson.

Here is a link to the Senator's full letter.  Here is the Senator's opening line for brevity:

Dear Kevin,

Most of the calls and mail coming into my office these days are from constituents worried about health care. Regardless of where anyone stands on the specifics of this issue, I think we all can agree the current system is unfair, too costly, and needs to be fixed.  [bold is my emphasis.]

I wrote back to my Senator:

Dear Senator Nelson,

Thank you for serving our country to the best of your ability.

The opening premise of your e-brief, "I think we all can agree the current system is unfair, too costly, and needs to be fixed." is not correct.  Please do not presume to tell me what I believe.

"Fairness" is not a constitutional right.  Even little kids understand that uniqueness presents certain advantages and disadvantages.  In short, unfairness is inherent in life.   The rights we have are to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," not fairness.

Regarding healthcare, "fair" is that anyone can walk into a community hospital in this country and be given extraordinary care.  That is the goodness of the community put in place decades ago, not to be legislated by the federal government.  People taking care of people provides genuine care.  Let the private and religious sectors continue their long history of caring for the sick, needy, and homeless.

"Too costly" relative to what and who decides?  What costs are being considered in the calculation?  Our country offers everything from free clinics to premium health care.   People decide where and what sacrifices or expenses are necessary, not government.  Insurance is not a right, but a benefit offered by many companies.  Let's give people incentives to get good jobs or start businesses that use health care to attract and retain good people.  Let's reward right behavior.

Finally, "fixing".  The government's top down approach on social matters is never a fix.  The founders framed the country so government moves slowly. Jamming through this health care reform legislation is irresponsibility.  The Great Society didn't work.  The "Great Healthcare System" won't either. 

Please get back to the people's business of governing, defense, and upholding the Constitution you swore to protect.  Today we have remarkable enemies who would do us harm.  Please protect our borders, reduce our government spending on unconstitutional programs, and learn to be content governing less rather than more.

The marketplace with government officiating works wonders.  When the government both officiates play and participates in the market, then the game ends.  We all lose.  KISS: Keep It Simple Senator!  Please govern by legislating the boundaries of society and stop interfering within them.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin W. McCarthy
CEO

On-Purpose Partners, LLC

There, I've gone on record with Senator Nelson and here in my blog.  

One of the key long term observations underlying my response is the fact that government over the last 50 to 60 years is stepping into the "brother's keeper" business.  By stepping into the theology of society government is creating a non-denominational, secularized, unsanctioned, state religion.

The church has been marginalized in the process.  Yes, a new religion has been birthed.  People turn to the government for help instead of God and God's people.  But government is flawed; God is not.  Expedience invites us turn to the flawed instead of the flawless.  In the long run, the true cost is loss of ourselves, our hope, and our potential.  Government should not be in God's people's business, but God's people do belong in government if for no other reason than to keep the lines of government and church distinctively sharp and clean cut.

In the debate happening in Washington, DC, this alarming trend to a "new state religion" is being lost in the day to day incremental movement and weakening of all our religious institutions.  Admittedly, the church is inept to fight tithes against taxes.  Ironically, God requests only 10% for his church, while the Government seeks to tax up to 50%! (Does that say that God is five time more effective and efficient than government?)

I would love to hear your comments.  This whole debate here in the US has startling implication around the world.  Is government moving into the God business too much?  Tell me your thoughts.