Aligned interests

When I worked in the financial services industry, I quickly saw how important it was for interests to be properly aligned. For example, if a broker gets paid on commission, every time he buys or sells equity shares for one of his clients, then he is quite naturally going to need to move their money around in order to make any money. This does not tend to make for good long term investment strategies for the investors, since the only way the broker makes money is by buying and selling.

Consequently there was a strong push in the financial services industry to align the interests of the broker and investors. The solution was a fee-based system where the broker is paid a set percentage of the client's assets every year. The bigger the total assets, the more the broker gets paid. Suddenly long-term growth strategy is in the interest of both the broker and the investor.

I have observed at least three major interests that exist for Christians in the working world. First, there is the interest of the Gospel, to see it announced, believed and transforming individuals, families and society. Second, each individual has a legitimate interest to provide for the needs of his or her family by working. Third, employers, whether individuals or organizations, have an interest in securing competent employees to fulfill the mission of their business, even if that business is 'non-profit.'

For the most part, I observe Christians aligning the second two interests, and seeing the first as disconnected from the other two. We are told that religion belongs to the 'private' sphere, and not the workplace. Religion in the workplace creates a conflict of interest, we are told. As a result, for a great many Christians, the latter two interests are aligned and to some degree satisfied, while the interest of the Gospel is unaligned with their work life.

I can provide a couple of concrete examples. In the financial services industry, I was on a number of occasions reprimanded for sharing the good news with co-workers. When I taught in the public schools, I was required to sign a non-proselytizing statement as a condition of employment. In no uncertain terms, I was being told that my first, and according to the Gospel itself greatest, interest could not be satisfied in the work place. Functionally, they were telling me that I could only work as a mercenary. I could work for my salary in order to take it home and do with it there what I wished - but not in the workplace.

Increasingly, I believe that a paradigm shift needs to occur among Christians in the workplace like the change that happened in the financial services industry in order to align interests. Christians (myself included!) need to retain the integrity of all three interests. In some cases, I believe that will mean stepping out, or being forced out, of current employment. It will mean stepping into organizations that are either truly tolerant, or are Christian. Or it will mean creating organizations that are deeply Christian and therefore align the three interests and foster a truly tolerant work environment. Since I have encountered a frighteningly small number of existing organizations that are either truly tolerant (and allow for appropriate, non-coercive proselytism) or deeply Christian, I can only conclude that the call to align these three interests is going to necessitate gospel entrepreneurship.