Integrity Moments

The vision of Unconventional Business Network is that every business leader would become a Christ-centered catalyst for workplace transformation. The foundation of our vision is being Christ-centered. As we reflect on the birth of Christ, I'm reminded of the shepherds who were in their workplace tending sheep. When the angels proclaimed that the Messiah had ... The post Christ-Centered Catalysts appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As we celebrate Christmas Eve, imagine the day before Jesus' birth. Joseph had been leading a donkey for likely five days as he and Mary made the 90-mile trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem. All so that Rome could tax him more money. The final insult to this long trip had to be when these ... The post A Hard Day appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

One of the most dangerous aspects of AI will likely become our dependence upon AI rather than on God. Google gave us the search engine, but AI takes the search engine far deeper by providing prescriptive directives and knowledge based on research. Each day it becomes easier for me to type in any issue ... The post AI Dependent? appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A recent Wall Street Journal article chronicled business leaders' complaints that too many employees are focusing on their phones or their laptops during business meetings. Some leaders acknowledged that they were guilty of the same behavior. In today's frenetic business world, being connected is considered a prerequisite to effective leadership. But when we are more ... The post Pay Attention appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Walking into the conference room, I could tell my colleague was troubled. I couldn't see her tear-filled eyes because her chin was almost on her chest. But I could tell something was wrong. Following my usual response to heavy situations, I made a joke. When she looked up – expressionless – I knew I had ... The post No Singing appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A study of the Gospel of Matthew by the Theology of Work Project notes that Matthew 6:21 is worded somewhat counter-intuitively. Jesus instructed his listeners to store up treasures in heaven instead of on earth, where those treasures are subject to loss. He then said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be ... The post Treasure Principle appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

My great grandfather lived into his mid-90s. Wade was primarily a roofer and a part time farmer. He loved to work hard and enjoy life. When Great Grandpa Boxx was 89 years old he leaned over, and with a twinkle in his eye, whispered, “Don't tell your parents, but I just finished roofing the church ... The post Joy Filled Work appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Personally, I tend to be an information junkie. If I'm in my car, I typically listen to some form of talk radio. The downside of this approach, however, is the lack of enough quiet time for reflection. Although I have a lot of morning prayer and Bible study, it doesn't always feel like enough. Recently, ... The post Be Still appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A low point in my career came when I worked at a small communications agency. After losing a large client, everyone had to work harder and find new revenue. The clients that I did have were enmeshed in stressful public controversies (which was why they needed communications help). On top of that, I was working ... The post Hope for the Future appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The Big Beautiful Bill may have a big but not so beautiful impact on corporate giving next year. In 2026, corporations will have new limits on their charitable giving. Currently, they can deduct 10% of their taxable income, but next year the first 1% will be excluded. Subchapter S corporations have long been allowed more ... The post Corporate Giving 2026 appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In his book, “Why Your Work Matters,” Tom Nelson recounts the Exodus story of God's anointing on two men – Bezalel and Oholiab – for special service. “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have chosen Bezalel… and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and ... The post Giftedness appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

According to Dr. Ben Talei, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, face lifts for technology guys have increased fivefold over the past five years. A related Wall Street Journal article emphasized that since technology is considered a young person's profession, many men in their 30s and 40s are now getting face lifts to beat the signs ... The post Tech Bro Face Lifts appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The CEO knew that his company was too small to survive in its industry, so he needed to find a merger partner or acquiring company to help the company reach the needed scale in the marketplace. He worked with bankers and consultants to pursue opportunities, but one criterion was his foremost concern: that the employment, ... The post Flock Care appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Michael desired to cash in on some of his gains in his stock portfolio. But if he did, he knew selling stock would trigger significant tax consequences. Michael usually makes a significant cash contribution to UBN at year end, so he decided shrewdly to combine the two transactions by gifting stock instead. The result was ... The post Shrewd Generosity appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Peter Mallouk, founder of Creative Planning, shared, at an event I recently attended, a lesson he learned about maintaining a strong corporate culture. Peter used to exhaust every option for keeping a troublesome employee. That is until a team of employees approached Peter about a problem employee. Peter had refused to fire this troubling employee, ... The post Weeds in the Garden appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that states could install legal online gambling. Since that time, legal sports gambling has grown from one state to 38 states, and from $440 million to over $13 billion in revenue. With that much money involved, and the unsavory characters gambling attracts, the recent NBA gambling scandal shouldn't be ... The post The Driver Behind Sports Gambling appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The Giving Tuesday concept was launched in 2012 by Henry Timms of the 92nd Street Y in New York City and the United Nations Foundation. Timms desired to change the narrative from the consumerism that came with Black Friday and Cyber Monday to generosity. The result is an international movement of organizations leveraging Giving Tuesday ... The post Rethinking Giving Tuesday appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Every year Gallop conducts a poll asking people how much they trust a variety of institutions. Many of our institutions like Congress, the press, and even the church, rank very low in how much the American public trusts them. A bright spot, however, relates to Small Business. For 2025, Gallop found that a record ... The post A Small Business Trust appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Business leaders prefer stability rather than uncertainty and chaos. It's hard to make good decisions when the marketplace is changing rapidly. We started this year with prices in turmoil due to tariff increases; then the tariff rules constantly changed. Further, many employees have been impacted by new immigration policies. These changes can shake-up businesses significantly. ... The post A Shaken World appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

On paper, the company's decision to separate related functions into two separate divisions seemed like a good way to encourage healthy competition and accountability. In reality, the leaders of both divisions quickly lost focus on customers and instead fixated on how to outshine each other. Proverbs 4:25-27 reminds us to stay focused: “Let your eyes ... The post Singular Focus appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A Washington Times article by wealth manager, David Bahnsen, contends that much of the faith at work movement has focused on encouraging Christians to simply “get promoted and avoid sinful behavior on the job.” Mr. Bahnsen believes the next phase of this movement needs to focus on transforming industries by thoughtfully applying a deeper Christian ... The post Kingdom Com appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

If you visit the full-size replica of Noah's Ark at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, and go inside the Ark, the story becomes more real. This Ark is massive on the outside, but what impressed me was the engineering skills God blessed Noah with to organize the inside for all those animals. God gave Noah ... The post Noah the Engineer appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Barna Group recently highlighted three research studies showing signs of growing faith among the young, and young men in particular. The communications asked, “Are We Seeing Signs of Renewal?” It can be tempting to see favorable trends and declare victory. But we need to be careful not to define our optimism by the fickle hearts ... The post Big Picture appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In a business that desires to please and glorify God, sin in the camp can be disastrous. Addressing sin in your workplace after the fact can be very painful. A more proactive approach is to hire only those who seem to be in a right relationship with God at the time. Movie producer and actor, ... The post Sin in the Camp: Part IV appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Years ago, I served on an advisory board of a national ministry. We were meeting and praying with the executive director to better understand why his ministry seemed to be void of fruit. The deeper we dug, the more puzzled we became. Then the Holy Spirit began working. Days later, the executive director of this ... The post Sin in the Camp: Part III appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In Joshua 7, the Israelites have been warned not to keep any plunder from their battles. However, after the battle of Jericho, Achan coveted and hid some plunder. Achan's individual sin resulted in Israel being defeated in their next battle, costing dozens of lives. God blamed, and allowed, the entire nation of Israel to suffer ... The post Sin in the Camp: Part II appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar asked Daniel to interpret his dream. Daniel begrudgingly warned the king that if he didn't renounce his sins that God would cause him to lose his kingdom and wander the forest for seven years. Though the king was warned, one year later, the king pridefully declared how great he and ... The post Sin in the Camp: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Given the stress, uncertainty, and discomfort of modern business travel, it's important to recognize how the travel experience can test our faith. A friend recently left a job that had required weekly travel. He loved the airline and hotel loyalty points he accumulated. But once he was no longer on the road every week, ... The post Challenges of Travel: Part II appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Wise business leaders recognize that there is much that is beyond our control at work and in the world. Business travel is a clear example of that. Changes in airline flight schedules, weather delays, staffing shortages, and even road construction mean we often don't arrive where we want when we want. Add in fellow travelers ... The post Challenges of Travel: Part III appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Business travel can hamper our efforts to practice our faith at work. The stress, discomfort, and disruption of routines can focus us exclusively on our immediate situation and away from our faith. I was reminded of that on a recent trip when I saw a man say a particularly ungracious thing to an older ... The post Challenges of Travel: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As we celebrate Veterans Day, one value that many Veterans bring to the marketplace, that sometimes is overlooked, is their discipline. The rigorous training many military leaders have received becomes a great asset for the marketplace after they leave the military. Military training leads many to be disciplined and to exhibit self-control. After being in ... The post Veterans For Hire appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Kathy and I were recently blessed to hear Tommy Emmanuel play guitar, with no vocals, at the 100th year celebration of the Grand Ole Opry. An Australian, Tommy was seven years old when he listened to a Grand Ole Opry radio program. That night he heard the renowned Chet Atkins play the guitar. Tommy told ... The post A Blessed Guitarist appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Working for an operating subsidiary of a larger company located in another state, Anne relished the relative autonomy of her role. Whenever she spent time at corporate headquarters, however, she came away discouraged with the politics and petty fights in the larger work group. It always took her a few days to cast off that ... The post Attitude of Encouragement appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

It started innocently enough. Steven emailed me saying that he had been following our ministry and was considering a significant contribution to our work. Since I didn't know him, nor could I find anything online about him beyond his own website, I was skeptical, but hopeful for a good result. I began asking our team ... The post A Carefully Crafted Hoax appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

According to ACLJ, the American Center for Law and Justice, an HR manager with Timken's Missouri manufacturing plant was told to no longer wear a cross necklace or have a Bible on his desk. Because this violates this employee's religious rights, ACLJ sent a demand notice to the company on behalf of this manager. Timken ... The post Faithful Repentance appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Used car dealer, Tricolor, cost multiple large banks hundreds of millions in charged off loans recently, reportedly due to fraud. In theory, banks are required to hold the title of every car they finance. In practice, holding titles becomes inconvenient when the dealership has significant volume. It's not uncommon to see banks choose to trust ... The post Trust But Verify appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Kirk Perry was only 70 days into becoming the interim CEO of Kenvue when he was blindsided by our current administration. According to the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Perry met with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about some studies that linked Kenvue's Tylenol to autism. Perry felt the meetings were moving in the right direction. Then, ... The post Another Tylenol Scare appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

According to The History Channel, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints Day. This was a time to honor the saints and martyrs of the Church. However, Celtic traditions believed that on October 31st the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. As Rome took over the Celts, ... The post Spiritual Forces appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Professors Denise Daniels and Elaine Ecklund developed a Faith at Work Matrix for the different ways we can live out our vocational calling. The final way, that Denise Daniels believes is sometimes overlooked by the faith at work movement, is serving others beyond work. Our work has an additional benefit from the intrinsic value of ... The post Faith at Work Matrix: Part IV appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Professors Denise Daniels and Elaine Ecklund developed a Faith at Work Matrix for the different ways we can live out our vocational calling. The third way we leverage our work is to realize that work serves the common good. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy visited NASA. When he asked a janitor who was sweeping ... The post Faith at Work Matrix: Part III appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Professors Denise Daniels and Elaine Ecklund developed a Faith at Work Matrix on the different ways we can live out our vocational calling. The second approach is by serving others at work. These researchers discovered that one common way that we can use our work for God's glory is by leveraging our workplace as an ... The post Faith at Work Matrix: Part II appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A significant research project on faith at work was conducted by Professors Denise Daniels from Wheaton College and Elaine Ecklund from Rice University. From the surveys and interviews conducted, Denise Daniels created a Faith at Work Matrix. In this series, I'll address four methods of work Professor Daniels believes can benefit the Kingdom of God. ... The post Faith at Work Matrix: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In business, one tough decision I've struggled with is whether to quit doing business with an existing supplier due to price. Sometimes, I've received quality service, but over time, vendors increase prices until they're no longer competitive with other similar vendors. This leaves me with a dilemma. Do I stay with the vendor due to ... The post Relationships vs Stewardship appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The advent of cryptocurrency billionaires and successful tech investors can make us feel like everyone else is obtaining untold riches in weeks, if not days. A sense of “FOMO,” or Fear of Missing Out, can make us feel like maybe we're not working hard enough or not taking the right risks to get ahead. But ... The post Slow Growth appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As a manager, Angela advocated that “it's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.” Her team loved the mindset of acting first instead of working through a bureaucracy to get approval to move. Effective business leaders find ways to move through or around risks that might stop others. But that penchant to act shouldn't ... The post Seeking Permission appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In the competitive work world, maybe it's inevitable that workers are always monitoring colleagues to see who is moving up the ladder faster than they are. I can recall many times when I was disappointed to see a colleague advance when I felt my career was stalled. Yet, with hindsight, I saw how I was ... The post Promotion Delay appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

John Wanamaker built a famous department store in the 1870s designed to embrace his Christian values. Although Wanamaker was very focused on his customers, he did not overlook his employees. John Wanamaker & Company offered its employees free medical care, recreational facilities, profit sharing plans, and pensions—long before these types of benefits were considered common. ... The post John Wanamaker's Innovations: Part IV appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

I was struggling with a decision about taking on a new work assignment. The project seemed interesting, but the team seemed to be in disarray, there was no clear executive sponsor, and it was unclear if the company was committed to the project's success. I explained my struggle to a Christian friend, and he said ... The post No Confusion appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In the 1870s, John Wanamaker built a famous department store designed to embrace his Christian values. Wanamaker constantly innovated new marketing ideas, but one expensive idea was the Wanamaker Organ. Designed for the St Louis World's Fair, Wanamaker installed an organ into his department store. This organ had over 10,000 pipes and cost $105,000, which ... The post John Wanamaker's Innovation: Part III appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Prior to 1871, America's retail stores relied on individual price negotiations with each customer. In October of 1871, Philadelphian merchant and Quaker, John Wanamaker, instituted the one price system. Wanamaker started his department store with a desire to build his store on Christian principles. He created many innovative ideas in alignment with his faith that ... The post John Wanamaker's Innovations: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Jason tells of a period early in his work life, when he worked in food service. One feature of that experience was that he frequently came home smelling like the food from the restaurant. Later in his career, he committed that when he went to work, his colleagues would “smell Jesus” on him. Acts 4:13 ... The post Smelling of Jesus appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.