Opinion: Perspectives from readers

There seems to be something going on in the Mennonite church—and I like it. Last October, I attended the Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series at Hesston (Kan.) College.

The topic was “Top-Down Servant Leadership,” led by John Stahl-Wert, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation and Serving Leaders.

He spoke about the need for leaders to reconnect their work to purpose by focusing more on serving others than just making a profit.

Participants were encouraged to see leadership and authority the way Jesus modeled it—by leading others to grow in relationship with Christ and leading them in such a way that they flourish and become all God wants them to be.

From a biblical viewpoint, Stahl-Wert shared five powerful actions intended to transform any team, church or community from his book The Serving Leader for the People of God.

Later in the fall, I also attended the Mennonite Economic Development Associates convention in Niagara Falls, Ont., where the topic was “Business as a Calling.”
One particular workshop, just for pastors and businesspeople, focused on learning how to partner in leadership and ministry. Business leaders and pastors both provide leadership in their communities and congregations.

As followers of Christ, both wish to discern God’s call on their lives, work for God’s purposes in the world and extend God’s reign of justice and peace in their communities.

Yet despite these common goals, business leaders and pastors sometimes encounter barriers to pursuing a shared vision. This workshop was led by David B. Miller, associate professor of missional leadership development at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind.

We explored how business leaders and pastors can connect in a meaningful way with each other and jointly contribute to “God-activity” both inside and outside the congregation. During the session, the participants broke out into two caucus groups—for pastors and for businesspeople.

Pastors were asked to share how they experience businesspeople in the congregation. Do pastors really understand the needs of businesspeople? Can they relate? Are pastors intimidated by their wealth, power and/or prestige?

Business leaders were asked how they experience the church. Do they feel as though they are only needed for their money? How can the church see them as having other gifts to share? Do they feel supported by their pastor for also doing kingdom work or is it only reserved for Sunday mornings?

The results were compiled from both caucus groups and shared collectively. It was a great start to a long-overdue conversation.

As first a businessperson for 21 years and now a pastor for five years, I have a great passion for these two groups to connect. The real work of ministry doesn’t just happen on Sunday.

It takes place Monday through Friday, when Christian businesspeople have opportunity to interact with their co-workers, customers and community. It’s been said that “church begins on Monday,” so how can the church empower and better equip those to do the work of ministry? (See Ephesians 4:12).

Both pastors and business leaders need to recognize that we are in the same business—the “people business.” Jesus had to remind his own parents that he was to “be about my Father’s business,” which was to love and serve people. Isn’t that the reason Jesus came—to serve and not be served?

If it were not for businesspeople we may not have had the gospel. Think about the people Jesus chose to walk alongside him. Of the 12, at least four were fishermen, one was a tax collector and one was an accountant. Jesus bridged the gap and partnered with businesspeople to preach the gospel and advance the kingdom.

I am excited to see this chasm between these two groups start to close because both are vital to kingdom work here on earth. Can we keep this conversation going and reach across the pew?

I’m toying with the idea of starting a Christian Business Leaders Association in my community. What might you or your congregation be willing to do to advance God’s kingdom together?

David M. Miller is pastor at Bellwood Mennonite Church in Milford, Neb.