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October 8, 2020 By LMW

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Christ’s Sustaining Love

September 6, 2018 By LMW

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble, or hardship, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us  from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-38)

When you are facing an overwhelming problem or devastating crisis in your personal life or business, you might be tempted to think God does not love you. You might feel He has turned His back on your or has forsaken you. But during such times, you need to remember this wonderful truth: there is nothing – no circumstances, no crisis, no crushing situation – that can cause Christ to turn away from you. No matter how terrible or severe the situation, it cannot separate you from the love of Christ. Even if you were to go bankrupt and lose everything, or be terminated from your job, or suffer a great personal loss, the unfailing love of the Lord will carry you through. Christ’s love will sustain you through it all.

Always remember this critically important fact: difficult circumstances are not evidence that God does not love you. God did not put you in those circumstances. But God loves you no matter what circumstances you are in or how you arrived there. In fact, you are more than a conqueror through Christ who loves you.

One crisis after another can strike you in rapid succession (remember Job), but the Lord will never forsake you. He will strengthen and encourage you all along the way. No matter the severity of the situation, Christ loves you and is going to take care of you; therefore, you cannot lose. Christ will deliver you from the most extreme problems and the fiercest trials. Nothing in the universe can separate you from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. You can be fully persuaded of this encouraging fact.

If or when severe trouble strikes your business or employment, you need to trust the love of Christ. Just draw close to Him, seeking His presence, strength, and guidance. His love will assure and empower you to rise above whatever trial you are facing.

 

Excerpt from “What the Bible Says to the Business Leader.” To purchase What the Bible Says to the Business Leader, please visit lmw.org or call 800-987-8790. The book can also be found at amazon.com

 

How Faith Influences the President of Southern Champion Tray

August 21, 2018 By LMW

John Zeiser has served as President of Southern Champion Tray since 1993. One of the leading manufacturers of paperboard packaging, the company serves customers throughout the USA, Canada, Mexico, Central America and Europe. They employ over 650 people with the aim to be “easy to love and hard to leave.” 

LMW had the opportunity to sit down with John to learn more about his history with Southern Champion Tray and how his faith impacts his leadership.

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 1) Walk us through your vocational journey.

I graduated from Virginia Tech in 1982 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I had no desire to go to work for the family business, having worked there summers and Christmas breaks since I was 15.  I interviewed around the southeast, but I didn’t like the locations where jobs were offered.  As a result, and without a clear sense of what I wanted to do, I accepted the “consolation prize” offer of returning to Chattanooga to work for Southern Champion Tray.  In my mind, it felt like returning to a summer job.

Then, unexpectedly, several months before graduation, my dad called and asked, “how would you feel about moving to Ft. Worth, Texas?” I think I said yes before I heard the rest of the story.  I moved to Ft. Worth following graduation and joined the 7 person operation as Plant Manager.  I was fortunate to learn the business in the setting of a small plant where I had to do a little of everything.  I was mentored by a longtime executive from our Chattanooga office.  We grew slowly but steadily and two years later, we purchased a building in nearby Mansfield, TX and moved the operation there.

In 1989, I began grad school at SMU in the Executive MBA program. I graduated in 1991 a month after the first of our four children was born.  At that time I was given my next assignment as VP of Operations working at the corporate office in Chattanooga.  I’m not sure if the MBA was the real reason for the promotion or if my parents wanted their first grandchild close-by, but it was a good time for a change of role.  By the time we left Mansfield, I had seen the TX plant grow from an unprofitable 7 person operation to a profitable 75 person operation.  It was a wild ride at times, but I loved it.

In 1993, my dad made the decision to move me into the President role and my brother, Bruce, became VP shortly thereafter. I was 33 at the time.  Dad was 57 and in the prime of his career, so it was an unselfish decision on his part.  Bruce and I both benefitted from the opportunity to take on more responsibility while Dad was still available to answer our questions.  He did a great job of letting us lead, never once grabbing the reins, and he was a great encourager and advisor.  Now that I am the age my dad was then, I marvel at his willingness to trust us and to play more of a support role for our benefit.  He felt it was for our good, and the company continued to grow and prosper, probably to the surprise of Bruce and me and many of our associates.  All I can say is, God is good.  Dad was modeling unselfish leadership and a reliance on God to provide.

 

2) What was it like stepping into your role at Southern Champion Tray with the history of your family’s involvement?

Any time you go to work in a multi-generation family business, there’s an awareness that you are carrying the baton for a lap in a longer race and you don’t want to be the guy that drops it. There’s also a natural sense of family pride and desire to maintain the good name that my grandfather and father had built in the marketplace and in the local community.

I’m grateful that I was able to work at a distance from the headquarters and report to a non-family manager. That provided a great education and allowed me to experience some independence while still developing a love for the business.  Most family business experts suggest that children be required to first work outside the family business for a period of time, and I think there is wisdom in that, but for me, spending my first 9½  years with SCT in Texas provided a sense of independence and was a wonderful blessing.  It’s also where I met my wife, so I’m extra thankful for the time in Texas.

During those early years, my long-distance relationship with my Dad was great. He was my #1 encourager/advisor/sounding board, and I learned a lot from him.  Had I been reporting directly to him, I suspect my own pride would have prevented much of the transfer of wisdom that he was seeking.

 

3) How are ways you have seen the Lord work in your vocational journey?

Too many to count. I can summarize it in two words – God Provides.  Not always on my schedule, not always the way I expect or want, but always on time and better than I could have planned.  He has blessed my imperfect attempts to honor him in the business.  I’ve especially seen it in his provision of people to help with the business, whether as employees, managers, advisors, or counselors.  There have been lots of great “God-stories,”  I’ve seen God’s protection of the business through near circumstances that you really can’t explain except that it was God’s provision. As I look back over my 36 years with SCT, most of the growth in the business and the success we’ve had is hard for me to explain apart from God.

The great thing about a family business is the opportunity you have to impact people’s lives. On occasion that may be through a direct relationship, but primarily, I’ve seen it in giving gifted people the opportunity to serve our customers and each other by living out the values we have built the business around.  We have a high trust environment where people who have demonstrated an understanding of the desired culture are pretty free to act for the benefit of our customers and employees.  We’ve also been able to use the profits to support organizations whose work is in keeping with the mission and ministry of Jesus.

 

4) SCT seems to truly care about stewarding God’s creation with the innovative work you all do. Can you speak into why that is so important?

Stewardship is at the core of our approach to business. It’s more than stewarding creation, although I enjoy being part of a business that uses a sustainable, renewable raw material to make products that are recyclable, biodegradable, and provide a necessary function in the supply chain of our customers.  But the real sense of stewardship for me is in the understanding of ownership.  My brother (who serves as our Executive VP) and I were raised from early on to understand that God owns it all.  You can look at a business as an investment that you own, or as an asset that God owns and is allowing you to care for.  We have always understood our role as that of a steward of God’s assets.  We work hard, of course, but it’s comforting to understand that our job is to be faithful and do our best and trust Him for the results.  God is good whether the business prospers or not, but having that perspective has been helpful.  And SCT has prospered, growing from about 100 employees when I joined, to just shy of 700 today.

 

5) SCT’s values are biblically based, how has that been as a leader to faithfully follow and lead a company with Christian morals? Have difficulties ever come because of the values SCT strives to follow?

Our intent is to operate SCT following biblical principles of how to treat people. That applies to customers and employees, but also to suppliers and competitors.   We’ve been fortunate to have a team that embraces the values.

Chuck Zeiser (my father) made the decision in the late 1960’s that he wanted his faith to matter 7 days a week, including through the business. Many of the practices that he started have remained, including a weekly prayer gathering, the presence of a Christian Counselor on staff, and the practice of tithing the profits of the company.  We bring in outside speakers occasionally to address a topic of interest from a Christian perspective.  There has been very little pushback and most people have embraced the culture of SCT, regardless of their personal beliefs.

Every leader has values and every business reflects the values of the leadership. I think most people would rather work in a place where the values that Jesus taught form the basis of how you treat each other.  I guarantee you our suppliers appreciate the way we pay our bills.  The golden rule works in all relationships.  Biblical financial principles work.  Telling the truth is never a bad business decision.

I’m not suggesting that we get it right every time, but we are surrounded by an amazing group of people who have done their best to live out our values. You don’t have to be a believer to find value in doing things God’s way.  It works and it makes for a much healthier company culture. I’d even say that it creates a competitive advantage.  You wouldn’t believe how often customers and visitors comment on the difference in dealing with the people at SCT.  Bruce and I are very fortunate to get to work with the people who make up SCT.  It’s a remarkable team.

I’m thankful we have been spared from too many difficulties related to our values. On the contrary, after decades of simply trying to live them out, we put them in writing about 3 years ago and it was gratifying to see how people not only accepted them, but truly embraced them.  (You can see them on our website at https://www.sctray.com/about).

 

6) What does being a “Christian business leader” mean to you?

I think the question is really, “What does being a Christian mean?”. I don’t think it matters whether you are a CEO or a customer service rep or a nurse or a homemaker or a student or anything else.  If you’re a Christian, you have a relationship with your creator; there is purpose and meaning in everything you do that is done in a way that glorifies God.

 

7) Do we need to cultivate more Christian business leaders, and if so, how do we do that?

C.S. Lewis wrote on the subject of Christian books, “What we want is not more little books about Christianity, but more little books by Christians on other subjects – with their Christianity latent.” I think the same thing applies to Christians in business.  We don’t need more “Christian businesses” (I would argue there is no such thing as a Christian business anyway), but we need more Christians that are serious about representing Jesus and living out Biblical truths wherever they are. The business world is a particularly wonderful place to apply biblical principles.  They work!

How do we cultivate more? Through sharing the gospel, through discipleship, and through churches that teach the word of God from a perspective that God’s word applies in all cultures and all situations at all times.

 

8) If you could say one thing to other Christian business leaders, or the business community as a whole, what would it be?

Can I have two?

I’d say first, spend regular time in the Bible. Read it through annually if you can.  Ultimately, the only things that last are people and the word of God.  There are lots of great business books (I particularly love Good to Great by Jim Collins, and Business by the Book by Larry Burkett), but there is only one book that will change you and guide you through all the situations you encounter in life.  The Bible is the source of true wisdom, for life and business.  Time invested in that book will return better dividends than any business venture can.

Second, remember that all of us in leadership roles are stewards, not owners. God owns your business and He owns you too.  Even the abilities we have that allow us to lead a business are gifts that were given to us.  The issue is whether we acknowledge that and submit to that reality.  We were created to glorify Him. Business is a great platform to carry that out.

Walk Humbly With Christ

August 16, 2018 By LMW

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Walking Humbly with God in Business 

Have you ever referred to someone as “having a ‘Big Head’”? A country fellow might say, “he’s just too big for his britches.” Those are literal examples of how pride “puffs up”. The prideful person brags about his wealth, his position, his family – in everything he says, he makes himself sound bigger – as though those are the things that make a man great.

 

But what does the Lord require? “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:5 ESV)

 

You are called to walk humbly with the Lord. What does this mean? How can you walk humbly with God? The Hebrew word for humbly suggests modesty. As one of God’s followers, you are to walk modestly or meekly with Him, not proudly or arrogantly; you are not to exalt yourself over others, treating them as though they are of less worth than you. Instead, you are. . . .

 

  • To have a humble estimate of your own abilities and importance
  • To be free from vanity, egotism, boastfulness, and pretension
  • To trust the Lord and acknowledge him as the source of your life as you walk through each day
  • To constantly seek His mercy and forgiveness

 

If you are walking humbly with God, you will not be proud or self-reliant, depending only on your own strength. Rather, you will continually seek strength from God, calling on Him to help you, guide you, and deliver you from temptation. Walking humbly with God means you will not seek honor for your own name but for God’s Name. All of this is because you know that it is God who has gifted and enabled you to achieve and succeed. Therefore, you want the honor and glory to be His. This is what it means to walk humbly with God.

 

Excerpt from “What the Bible Says to the Business Leader.” To purchase What the Bible Says to the Business Leader, please visit lmw.org or call 800-987-8790. The book can also be found at amazon.com


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The Golden Rule in Business

August 2, 2018 By LMW

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THE GOLDEN RULE IN BUSINESS

“Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Mt. 22:37 NKJV).

Imagine what a different world this would be if all the businesses of the world would embrace and practice this commandment: love your neighbor—employees, associates, customers, suppliers, vendors, competitors, every human being—as yourself. Idealistic? Yes! But just because it is idealistic behavior does not mean we should not try. On the contrary, we should. As seen recently from the release of the incredibly popular Mr. Rogers Documentary, Fred Rogers was a wonderful example of loving your neighbor and the power in doing so. Indeed, Christ’s point is clear: we demonstrate our love for God by loving our neighbor as ourselves just as Mr. Rogers did. This commandment, commonly called the Great Commandment, should be the foundation on which you build and operate your business. Paul referred to it as the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2), and James called it the royal law (Jas. 2:8).

How do we obey this commandment? How do we love our neighbors as we love ourselves? Jesus answered this question with what we refer to as the Golden Rule:

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Mt. 7:12, NLT).

Obeying Christ’s commandment should be the underlying principle upon which you operate or manage your business. It should permeate all your policies, practices, and interactions, and it should extend to everyone with whom you are involved.

When you build your business on Christ’s Great Commandment, He will bless you. He has said that the greatest among us are those who serve others, and that those who humble themselves and serve will be exalted (Mt. 23:11-12). When you serve others sincerely, Christ will exalt you, just as the Heavenly Father has exalted Him (Ph. 2:5-11).

When you conduct business according to God’s principles, you and your business will be a strong testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ. You will be demonstrating how we ought to live with one another in this life and how we can build far stronger communities and societies throughout the world.

 

Excerpt from “What the Bible Says to the Business Leader.” To purchase What the Bible Says to the Business Leader, please visit lmw.org or call 800-987-8790. The book can also be found at amazon.com


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Your Work Has Eternal Significance

July 26, 2018 By LMW

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23

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Today all over the country people are going to work. For some, the work they do is exactly what they want to do. They trained to be where they are today and they love the role they are in. For a lot of others, they are working to make ends meet pushing through each day. They find little pleasure or purpose in what they do.

No matter which one you may lean towards, our prayer today is that people all over the world would know that their work has dignity. God created for us to work, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it" Genesis 1:28. Whether you are a teacher educating the next generation, a mom caring for her kids, a doctor saving lives, or a janitor that cleans the classroom once the students are gone--your work has Kingdom significance. We are all equally working towards a restored Kingdom.

Work is worship when we allow ourselves to be conduits of God’s love and grace. So today we pray for a renewed steadfast spirit. We pray that no matter what you do or how you feel about what you do, you would know that it is of eternal significance. Everything we do has value because we are working for the Lord, and we are bringing foretastes of His Kingdom to earth. Be encouraged and press on all for the glory of God.

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