Faith integration at work - examines a variety of developmental models.

1. FAITH INTEGRATION
IN BUSINESS
A Review of Development
Models

2. FAITH INTEGRATION IN BUSINESS
• What draws most people in the FAW (Faith at Work)
movement is the desire to lead an integrated life,
where faith principles and workplace perspectives and
practices are aligned. They do not want to leave their
souls in the parking lot.
• They desire to find noble meaning in their temporal
work, and ways of transforming their workplaces into
environments where ethics and fairness prevail.

3. FAITH INTEGRATION IN BUSINESS
• Authentic faith integration at work is a complex
process of discovery and development. We discover a
deeper understanding of our faith, and develop a
greater appreciation for the application of that
understanding to the challenges of the workplace.
• This process results, over time, in wisdom – a
combination of insight and intervention, knowing and
doing, appreciation and action.

4. FAITH INTEGRATION IN BUSINESS
• This slide set essay explores a variety of different faith
development and growth models and applies them the
arena of faith integration in business.
• These models will help us envision various ways faith is
understood and expressed at work.

5. Slide Set Outline
• The Faith Integration Cycle. This discussion traces faith
integration from the earliest emergent stage to the most
developed embodiment stage.
• Faith Integration Growth Quadrants. This discussion traces faith
integration from a faith-isolated stage (where faith and work are
seen as different worlds of concern) to faith-integrated.
• Faith Integration Building Levels. This discussion traces faith
integration from its concrete expression in action (practice) to its
underlying beliefs (presuppositions).
• Faith Integration Work Quadrants. This discussion traces faith
integration attitudes about work from secular to sacred
expressions.
• Four Stages of Christian Growth. This discussion traces faith
integration development from simplicity to humility.

6. The FI Cycle
Emerging
Embodying Examining
Expanding Embracing
Engaging

7. The FI Cycle
• In the Emerging Stage business people begin to
be aware that there could be connections
between their faith and their business lives. This
awareness may come from observing others at
work, or from an inner longing or conviction.
There is an openness to the possibility of FI.

8. The FI Cycle
• In the Examining Stage business people begin
to consider concrete situations where their
faith beliefs might apply to particular business
situations. There is an openness to the ways
that faith convictions and business choices
could interact.

9. The FI Cycle
• In the Embracing Stage business people have
made a commitment to consciously consider a
variety of business decisions from a faith-
informed perspective. This stage may occur in
degrees and may be focused on more “black
and white” issues than on those that present
themselves in shades of grey.

10. The FI Cycle
• In the Engaging Stage business people have
fully embraced FI in many business decisions
and seek to fully integrate their personal faith
convictions and their business choices. In this
stage believers may also seek to engage others
in conversations about faith and business
connections.

11. The FI Cycle
• In the Expanding Stage business people are
seeking to both deepen the understanding of
their own faith to widen the scope of their
application of that faith to business. This may
involve increased interest in the
community/ecological impacts of their business.

12. The FI Cycle
• In the Embodying Stage FI has become such a
fundamental, natural part of part of a business
person’s way of life that it infuses their
character and relationships seamlessly. ALL of
life becomes an expression of their faith.

13. The FI Cycle
• Some questions:
• Is one stage “better” than another, or simply
different?
• Do some workplaces lend themselves to
“more complete” movement through the FI
Cycle than others?
• What help or support can people find to
help their progression through the FI cycle?

14. The FI Growth Quadrants
FAITH FAITH
UNDERSTANDING
DEEP
INFORMED INTEGRATED
SHALLOW
FAITH FAITH
ISOLATED INTERESTED
NARROW WIDE
APPLICATION

15. The FI Growth Quadrants
• The FAITH ISOLATED quadrant is a dualist position.
The business person views their world as a scared-
secular split.
• Faith is essentially private and personal and has little
to do with workplace practices other than perhaps
influencing one’s personal ethics to a limited degree -
business is “played” by a different set of rules (like
poker).
• Often this person’s “faith” is experiential (feeling-
based) and eclectic (a composite of various beliefs).

16. The FI Growth Quadrants
• The FAITH INFORMED quadrant is characterized by a
more deeply developed faith – often by virtue of a
particular faith tradition’s texts and teachings.
• The application of faith beliefs to business is limited,
but the beliefs that are considered relevant are based
on a clear understanding of those beliefs and a deep
conviction about how they provide clear boundaries
for right and wrong.

17. The FI Growth Quadrants
• The FAITH INTERESTED quadrant is characterized by a
desire to more fully apply one’s faith understandings
to a greater variety of business issues – for example,
concerns about the environment, or social activism.
• This business person’s “faith” is more practical
(practice the Golden Rule) than philosophical, and is
often attached to causes (feed the hungry) or crises
(help rebuild Haiti).

18. The FI Growth Quadrants
• The FAITH INTEGRATED quadrant involves a more
thoughtful understanding of one’s faith and its
wide implications for the practice of business.
• Such a business person has spent some time in
growing in their knowledge about their faith. And
have become convinced that there should be an
end to the “Sunday-Monday” division.
• Faith is seen a both a valid and needed compliment
to business decisions at the individual AND
institutional levels.

19. The FI BUILDING LEVELS
Practices (doing)
Perceptions (seeing)
Perspectives (understanding)
Principles (valuing)
Presuppositions (believing)

20. The FI BUILDING LEVELS
• PRACTICE – faith influences what
I do and how I treat others
• PERCEPTIONS – faith influences what I observe and
how I see others
• PERSPECTIVES – faith informs what I understand
and how I think about others
• PRINCIPLES – faith informs what I value and how I
serve others
• PRESUPPOSITIONS – faith informs what I believe
and what I assume about others

21. The FI WORK QUADRANT
BURDEN BLESSING WORK AS WORK AS
IMPACT
WORTH WORSHIP
WORK AS WORK AS
WRESTLING WALK
SECULAR SACRED
SOURCE

22. The FI WORK QUADRANT
• The WORK AS WRESTLING perspective sees
work as a necessary, economic burden –
something we must do in order to provide for
our needs. Work is seen as merely
instrumental – a means to an end. We expect
to endure work rather than embrace it.

23. The FI WORK QUADRANT
• The WORK AS WORTH perspective sees work as
a way to discover and reveal our abilities. It
provides opportunities for personal growth as
well as economic advancement. Work has
instrumental meaning, but can be embraced for
both its ability to provide identity and income.

24. The FI WORK QUADRANT
• The WORK AS WALK perspective sees work as a
crucible used by God to grow our faith and
develop our character. Workplace burdens are
seen as necessary means to both economic and
eternal ends. Workplace performance becomes
a journey to personal and spiritual
development.

25. The FI WORK QUADRANT
• The WORK AS WORSHIP perspective sees work
as a way to honor God and to share His
blessings with others. We see our work
performance is a form of prayer, and our
workplace service is a form of stewardship as
we “tithe” our time, talents and treasure.

26. Four Stages of Christian Growth
• Drawn from
http://www.nathanco
lquhoun.com/blog1/b HUMILITY
log/index.php/2006/0
3/13/stages_of_faith[
m/24/2009 2:50:50
PM]
PERPLEXITY
• This [blog] is the
creative outlet of
Nathan Colquhoun, a
church planter and COMPLEXITY
media publisher in
Sarnia, Ontario.
Mostly you'll be
reading the struggles
he has with culture, SIMPLICITY
church, God and life
and occasionally get
updates on his
creative endeavors.

27. Stage 1: Simplicity
• Focus: Right or wrong? Being right, belonging to the right group.
• Motive: Pleasing authority figures, being an "insider."
• Beliefs: All truth is known or knowable. There are clear answers
to every question. The right authority figures know the right
answers.
• Perception: Dualistic, in terms of right versus wrong, good
versus bad.

28. Stage 1: Simplicity
• Mottoes: You're either for us or against us; its all or nothing.
• Authorities: Godlike. Gods representatives, with divine right,
they help you know.
• Likes/Dislike: We like bold, clear, assertive, confident people
who know the answers.
• We dislike tentative, qualifying, timid, or unsure people who say
"I don't know."

29. Stage 1: Simplicity
• Life is: A war.
• Strategy: Learn the answers, learn what to think. Learn to
identify and avoid the enemy.
• Strengths: Highly committed, willing to sacrifice and suffer for
the cause.
• Weakness: Also willing to kill or inflict suffering for the cause.
Arrogant, simplistic, combative Judgmental, intolerant,
Incapable or distinguishing major from minor issues, since every
issue is part of the system that has embraced all (as universal,
absolute, and inerrant) or nothing (as false, wrong, discredited.)

30. Stage 1: Simplicity
• Identity: I find my identity in my leader or group.
• Relationships: Dependent or codependent.
• God is: The Ultimate Authority Figure and/or Ultimate
friend.
• Transition: As stage 1 people encounter diversity in their
ranks, or are disillusioned because of fallen leaders or
internal squabbles in the group from which they derive
their identity, or are unsettles for by the multiplicity of
viewpoints, they tend to swing from a desire for internal
knowledge and certainty to a desire for external
accomplishment and success, thus moving on to Stage 2.
The world isn't simple anymore, so the task changes – to
make life work in this complex environment.

31. Stage 2 – Complexity
• Focus: Effective or ineffective? Accomplishing; learning
technique, winning.
• Motive: Reach goals, be effective.
• Beliefs: Almost anything is doable. Different people
have different methods, beliefs, approaches – the key
is finding the best ones.

32. Stage 2 – Complexity
• Perception: Pragmatic – looking for useful, practical.
• Mottoes: There is more than one way to do things, -
find what ever works best for you.
• Authorities: Coaches, they help you grow.
• Likes/Dislike: We like people that give clear
instructions and let us know what they expect form us.
We like people who motivate us and make us feel like
doing things. We dislike people who are too dogmatic
(Stage 1) or mystical (Stage 3.)

33. Stage 2 – Complexity
• Life is: A complex game. You have to learn the rules.
• Strategy: Learn the technique. Play the game. Find
what people want and give it to them.
• Strengths: Enthusiasm, idealism, action.
• Weakness: Superficial, naïve.
• Identity: I find my identity in the cause or
achievement.
• God is: The ultimate guide or coach.

34. Stage 2 – Complexity
• Transition: Three problems push people out of Stage 2 (usually
against their will).
– First, the prevalence or Stage 1 people always claiming to have all the
answers prohibit Stage 2 people from escaping questions about truth.
– Second, the failure of "foolproof" techniques and projects leaves them
disillusioned and perplexed – prime characteristics of Stage 3.
– Third, Stage 2 people survive by fragmenting complex and apparently
contradictory truth into categories (scientific truth, religious truth, social
or relational truth, political truth).
– Eventually, a desire for unity and integration causes them to be
dissatisfied with their fragmented approach.

35. Stage 3 - Perplexity
• Focus: Honest or dishonest? Authentic or inauthentic?
Understanding, seeing through appearances and
illusions to reality.
• Motive: Being honest, authentic.
• Beliefs: All is questionable. Nothing is really certain,
except uncertainty. Everything is relative.

36. Stage 3 - Perplexity
• Perception: Realistic.
• Mottoes: Everyone's opinion is equally valid and
equally questionable. Who knows who really is right?
• Authorities: Demonic. They're dishonest controllers,
trying to impose easy answers on complex realities.
• Likes/Dislike: We like questioners, free spirits, and
nonconformists. We dislike people in Stages 1 and 2.

37. Stage 3 - Perplexity
• Life is: A joke or a mystery or a search.
• Strategy: Ask hard questions, be ruthlessly honest.
• Strengths: Depth, honesty, often humor or artistic
sensitivity.
• Weakness: Cynical, uncommitted, withdrawn,
depressed, or elitist.
• Identity: I find my identity in solitude or a small circle
of similarity alienated friends.
• God is: Either a mythic authority figure I've outgrown,
an opiate of the masses, or a mystery I am seeking.

38. Stage 3 - Perplexity
• Transition: One of the key struggles in Perplexity is that battle
between arrogance ("Those simpletons in Stages 1 and 2 don't
see how shallow and primitive they are! Ha! They've never even
asked the questions we ask, much less found answers for them!
Ha!") and humility.
• There is much in this stage to humble a person. Notably, one has
to get on with life, and life requires one to make commitments,
and commitments grow out of values and beliefs, so one is not
left with the option of staying in limbo. One has to make
choices. One cannot blindly accept a group’s or authority figure’s
agenda anymore, but one has to take responsibility for living life
and proceed – chastened and more realistic, often disillusioned
and less idealistic – in short, humbled.

39. Stage 4 - Humility
• Focus: Wise or unwise? Fulfilling potential; making the
most of life.
• Motive: Make the best of opportunities, Serve,
contribute, and make a difference.
• Beliefs: There are a few basic absolute or universal
truths, many relative matters, and much mystery.
Nonetheless, there are enough basics to live by.

40. Stage 4 - Humility
• Perception: Integrated, synthesizing and dualism,
pragmatism, and relativism of earlier stages.
• Mottoes: I will focus on a few ground essentials, in
essentials, unity, in nonessentials, diversity, in all
things, charity.
• Authorities: They are people like you and me –
imperfect, doing their best, sometimes admirable and
dependable, sometimes untrustworthy and despicable,
sometimes sincerely misguided.
• Likes/Dislike: We like people who combine
thoughtfulness with accomplishment.

41. Stage 4 - Humility
• Life is: A mixture; what you make it; what it is.
• Strategy: Learn all the answers you can (Stages 1 & 2),
ask all the questions you can (Stage 3), and try to fulfill
your potential, admitting how little you really know.
• Strengths: May exhibit strengths of earlier stages, plus
stability, endurance, wisdom and humility.
• Weakness: May display weakness of earlier strengths.
• Identity: I find my identity in my relationships to the
whole, or to God.

42. Stage 4 - Humility
• God is: Knowable in part, yet mysterious; present, yet
transcendent; just, yet merciful (able to hold dynamic tensions
about God).
• Transition: That this is the last stage in our schema doesn't
suggest that ones lives happily ever after! At this stage of
integration, one now faces all the weaknesses of the previous
stages. Whenever one enters a new context (a new career, a
new religion, a new social network), he or she may well
recapitulate the stages repeatedly. After all, humility, like
maturity, is obviously not a destination but a rather a journey in
itself.