The Corporate Christian: Christian Beliefs vs. Corporate Behaviors

By Pastor Owen E. Williams

This book helps Christians in managing their faith while earning a living in the hostile corporate environment. It captures the intangible struggles of the emotions, hearts, and minds of this audience who daily must fight to reconcile their beliefs with their behavior to find balance and peace. Who is a corp

• Language: English
• Publisher: OE Williams Ministries Inc
• Release date: Sep 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9798987475850

Pastor Owen E. Williams

Pastor Owen E. Williams is the Pastor of the St. Mark Missionary Baptist church. Where he has served as senior pastor for the last Seventeen years, he is also the retired Director of Pastoral Care Services at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation Kings County Hospital. There he oversaw the spiritual care for the seven-hundred-bed public hospital. Pastor Williams has a master's degree in Pastoral Counseling, an Honorary Doctorate in Divinity, and a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. He is the author of three published books (The Corporate Christian: Christian Beliefs Vs. Corporate Behaviors, The Corporate Christian 2: The Battle for your Beliefs, and The Corporate Christian 3: The Hidden War), the President of the Queens Federation of Churches Board of Directors, former NYPD clergy liaison for the 103rd Precinct, a former member of the Board of Directors for Live on NY the second largest OPO (Organ Procurement Organization) in North America and the founder and President of OE Williams Ministries. Pastor Williams frequently travels to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he conducts training seminars on Solution Focus Pastoral Counseling for social workers, schoolteachers, police officers, and clergy.

Book preview

Preface

This book was birthed out of a strong desire to encourage the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have the unique, rewarding, and even heartbreaking assignments serving our Lord and Savior as corporate Christians.

Its aim is to capture the intangible struggles of the emotions, hearts, and minds of this audience who on a daily basis must fight to reconcile their beliefs with their behavior so they agree with each other.

The corporate Christian is that man or woman who has, by God’s grace and favor, advanced to positions of influence in the corporate environment while desperately trying not to compromise the fundamental principles of the faith.

In the upcoming chapters, we will attempt to identify a few of the struggles, trials, pitfalls, and hard daily decisions these individuals must make as they serve two masters.

Acknowledgments

I like to take this opportunity to thank the following people, for without their contributions, this book would not be possible.

To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who looks past my sins and faults and continues to bestow His everlasting power, grace, and mercy upon me.

To my beloved wife and partner for life, Elder Debora Williams, for her continued love, support, and encouragement toward me, even when it’s not deserved. To my beautiful daughter, Desiree Williams, for the glorious privilege of watching her grow up into the exceptional young woman she is today.

To my mother, Beverly Williams, who taught me to give until it hurts.

To my father, O. E. Williams, who taught me discipline and structure.

To my spiritual father in the gospel, Bishop Charles E. Betts Sr., who prays for me and patiently helped me develop in the pastoral ministry.

To my spiritual stepfather, Pastor Crawford Hinson, and the Friendship Baptist Church congregation for their endless love, prayers, and support.

To Pastors John and Fanny Walker, who demonstrated their trust and faith in me by turning over their life’s work into my hands.

To my St. Mark family for the care, concern, love, prayers, and support they have always shown to me, my wife, and my entire family.

To my beloved aunt Myrtle English, who has always shown love and compassion and has given of her time and talent to assist me in every way possible; thank you.

To Pastor Helen Pittman White, who spoke the Word of God over me and my family’s life over twenty years ago, telling us what God would do.

To Lin Lombardi, PhD, who, in my opinion, is the consummate teacher and who has spent a lifetime shaping health-care policy while molding young minds. Dr. Lombardi serves as a mentor and friend who daily demonstrates the grace and wisdom under pressure in corporate America.

Introduction

A Standard of Confusion

Most corporations in America today profess and promote the corporate culture of human development in which all employees have a say in the operation and administration of the corporation. The disciplinary process is limited or replaced with training seminars, talent tree initiatives, coaching, and mentoring programs. The double standard of this culture is the very present subculture of all corporations that allows employees wide boundaries for politics, which lead to favoritism, cronyism, corruption, and the destruction of innocence and ethics.

The challenge for the Christian is in finding out how to navigate oneself through this corporate dynamic.

The corporate culture is a very noble one. What born- again saint would not want to be part of a system that helps develop the whole person, treats him or her with respect and dignity, and gives him or her a platform to express his or her creative side? The conflict arises when the same Christians who plan for righteousness find themselves surrounded by unrighteousness because biblical teachings instruct the believer not to have any fellowship with unbelievers.

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness. (2 Corinthians 6:14)

So you see, being involved in coaching and mentoring as well as favoritism and cronyism, human development, and corruptive destruction is where corporate Christians must navigate their daily walk with Christ, trusting and believing that their daily walk is by faith and not by sight.

The doctrine of coaching is to instruct, train, teach, and tutor