The Integrated Life

by Eldred, Ken

• ISBN13: 9780984091119
• ISBN10: 0984091114
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-10-15
• Publisher: INGRAM
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

What if we could resolve the exhausting struggle between work, family, and spiritual life? What if we recognized a deep connection between faith and business? What if biblical values werenÂ’t roadblocks but actually the source of successful business? What if the real goal of business were more noble than maximizing profit? What if we could see our everyday work as having spiritual value? What if we could approach it as ministry? What if it were our calling, a calling as high as that of a pastor or missionary? What if God cared deeply about our work and wanted to be involved? And what if we could even partner with him in our business? Many of us believe the key to resolving the tension between work and faith lies in a more balanced life. Pursuing balance is important, Eldred explains, but that noble effort still leaves us with compartmentalized lives. We still sense that all those prime hours of our day have little or no spiritual significance. Integration is the key to changing that mindset and thus Âredeeming” the vast majority of our time, the hours devoted to work. When our work is a holy calling and a ministry, itÂ’s loaded with spiritual significance. All that time we spend at work has spiritual value. So while balance alone might redeem some hours, integration can redeem far more! Ken Eldred reveals how to find a deep integration between our work and faith such that all areas of our lives further GodÂ’s kingdom, glorify him, and fulfill our life mission. As we integrate our lives, he explains, we can experience the abundant life that Jesus offers us. Eldred takes on pervasive misconceptions stemming both from business and from church. He debunks these misguided beliefs and attitudes that hold us back and reveals a transformational new paradigm for purpose-driven work. Eldred explains that we have a threefold ministry in our work life: pointing those around us to God (a ministry at work), serving and creating via the work itself (a ministry of work), and redeeming the practices, policies, and structures of institutions (a ministry to work). ThatÂ’s a pretty lofty charge for those of us in the marketplace! This book offers a powerful picture of the integrated life in which our faith impacts every sphere, including our work in the marketplace. Drawing on his own experience and the example of others, Eldred lays out practical applications that lead to abundant living through a far deeper connection between work and faith.

Author Biography

For over 20 years, Ken Eldred served as CEO of Inmac, a public company he founded. In that capacity, he was named Silicon Valley's "Entrepreneur of the Year." He is currently CEO of Living Stones Foundation and is involved in ventures in the US, China, Europe, and India. Ken earned BA and MBA degrees from Stanford and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Belhaven College. His previous books, On Kingdom Business and God Is at Work, have received critical acclaim-including a Christianity Today Book Award. Ken and his wife Roberta have three sons and a growing number of grandchildren. They spend their time in Northern California and Colorado.

Table of Contents

Dedication	p. xi
Foreword	p. xiii
The Way Things Are	p. 1
Unanswered Questions	p. 3
Trying to Keep Up	p. 13
The Compartmentalized Life	p. 22
What I Didn't Learn in Business School	p. 37
The Real Goal of Business	p. 39
Where Do Business Principles Come From?	p. 52
Spiritual Capital: The Missing Leg of the Stool	p. 64
What I Didn't Learn in Church	p. 79
Profit & Wealth-The Great Bugaboos!	p. 81
The Spiritual Role of Work and Business	p. 92
Unmasking the Common Goal of Church and Business	p. 109
Increasing Your Spiritual Joy While Impacting Your Work	p. 125
Partnering with God to Leverage Your Results	p. 127
Living Your Faith at Work	p. 143
Serving Others to the Glory of God	p. 154
Living the Integrated Business Life	p. 169
The Shepherd of the Ritz	p. 171
Transforming the Marketplace	p. 186
Venturing into the Integrated Business Life	p. 194
Author's Note	p. 203
Acknowledgements	p. 205
Appendix	p. 208
That's What Christians Do Now	p. 208
Personal Biblical Values in Business	p. 211
Livery Companies of the City of London	p. 215
Resources for Further Exploration	p. 218
Endnotes	p. 219
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.