Episode 10 - Examples of Integrating Faith in Work with EIL’s Joe Petersen

About the Guest

Joe Petersen is an entrepreneur, mentor, and great friend on the podcast today. Outside of his ideas about accounting, and his experience in real estate development and construction, Joe leads a group called C12 Business Forums in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. 

“C12 offers a framework that gathers, compels, and equips Christian business leaders to achieve excellence. Together, C12 members dig into challenges, seize opportunities, and develop strategic plans  – for both prosperous and adverse seasons. “ 

Joe shares how the group has changed and shaped him to transition and focus on relationships with others. This serves to provide greater business for greater purposes. 

Integrating Faith into the Workplace 

Joe and Jackie agree that integrating faith into the workplace is something that has been necessary for a long time, and Jackie says it best when she compliments Joe by saying, ‘you’re doing something that I’ve always felt needed to be done, but never knew how to do it.’  

A core principle found in the C12 form that Joe discusses is the shared thought that each business owner is a steward of their business under God. Businesses are designed by God in order to be used for his glory. 

Joe gives us a few ways to bring faith into the workplace: 

• Strategic Planning  
• Joe gives us a great analogy and thought behind a busy and hurried life. He says, ‘Busy is okay, hurried means I’m going at a pace where I seldom see what I’m running past.’ 

The same process business owners take with meeting monthly, quarterly, annually, etc., C12 takes as well. They meet once a month as a board to shut off distractions and focus on the areas of life (and business) that may need improvement. 

• Operations
• Joe gives another great perspective on the operations and management side of business under God’s stewardship design. If as business owners, we can manage and operate businesses in ways that express His design for them and help people draw closer to Him, then maybe the exponential opportunity for growth is available. 

This principle may come from Luke 16:10 and expresses the idea well: 

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” 

Prayer in the Workplace 

In 2022, this could be a hot topic. The word prayer can often be replaced with the phrase ‘silent reflection’ to remain unbiased to the Christian faith, but Joe gives us an amazing leadership perspective on this topic. 

Many employees may be uncomfortable with prayer in the workplace or are impartial to the idea, and that is completely okay. Joe suggests that maybe prior to praying IN the workplace, God may be calling the business leader to pray FOR the workplace. 

It resembles the phrase, ‘before you ask your friends about God, ask God about your friends.’ 

Jackie also implements this into her business. Although it may seem like a daunting task or may make everyone feel uneasy, Jackie praises the action because she has seen its fruits within her company as well. 

The final thought on prayer is this: 

• It is not for show or intended for attention or political/social gain. 
• It is intended to be a genuine expression of faith to Him by having intimate conversations with the creator of the universe.  

Does Including God in Our Daily Habits Help with Our Daily Challenges? 

The short answer is yes. Jackie asks Joe about some practices he uses to help him through difficult seasons. 

Joe recalls a story from 2009 where a group member from C12 gives him a ‘one year bible’. Because of this accountability within the group and beyond, Joe was able to implement the daily habit of spending mornings alone in devotion with God. 

Joe focused on waking up and not only spending moments of dedicated time with God but his first moments with Him. 

If you enjoyed this overview, be sure to listen to the full podcast above!