202. The Sacredness of Business, with Barry Rowan, author of The Spiritual Art of Business

Spiritual Life and Leadership

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Barry Rowan has had a 40-year career in leading businesses after graduating from Harvard Business School. He and his wife are entering into a new encore calling, which includes his new book, The Spiritual Art of Business.
Barry Rowan, in this episode, challenges the dualism of the sacred and the secular, and shares his incredible journey of surrender, transformation, and integrating faith into his 40-year-business career.
THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Barry Rowan discusses the paradigm shift he experienced, realizing that life is lived from the inside out, with Jesus at the center of our lives, and everything being an expression of Christ in us.
• He challenges the dualism between the sacred and the secular, arguing that it causes problems and leads us to live outside of God's purposes.
• Barry Rowan points out that viewing work through the right lens can make every moment congruent with our purpose in life.
• Markus Watson reflects on the self-perception challenges people in the business world face, and Rowan emphasizes the need to bring meaning to work and view business roles as noble and sacred callings.
• Barry Rowan describes the purpose of business as responsible value creation, serving customers, creating an environment for employees to grow, and being a good corporate citizen, all contributing to a better society.
• Barry Rowan discusses how he approached his Christian beliefs in the workplace, explaining his focus on reflecting God's principles in business operations.
• The "spiritual art of business cycle," emphasizes surrender, transformation, becoming new creations, and going out into the world.
• Surrender is the gateway to freedom and leads to personal transformation and the expression of Christ in us.
• Markus Watson discusses the possibility of the cycle applying to organizations and churches, to which Rowan agrees and emphasizes the need for continuous reimagining and transformation, particularly in the current post-Christendom world.
• Developing a life-giving perspective of work is so important.
• Barry Rowan shares examples of individuals finding meaning and purpose in their work, such as a woman making baby monitors and a shuttle bus driver.
• They discuss how pastors can apply this perspective to their roles, emphasizing the need for personal internalization of their work's spiritual significance.
• Every moment can be charged with God's presence and we should incorporate that perspective into our daily activities.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

• Barry Rowan
  • Website – barrylrowan.com
  • Free The Spiritual Art of Business study guide
• Books mentioned:
  • The Spiritual Art of Business, by Barry Rowan
• Related Episodes:
  • Ep. 27: Developing a Framework for Intentional Spiritual Growth
  • Ep. 44: Spiritual Formation and Lectio Divina
  • Ep. 94: Centering Prayer
  • Ep. 126: A Crisis of Adult Discipleship
  • Ep. 179: The Neurosci

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