Christians in Business: How Faith Shapes Leadership

It is easy to talk about our values when nothing is testing them. The harder work comes when a deadline is approaching, a budget is tight, or someone challenges a decision we have already made.

Those moments ask something of us. How will we respond? Who will we listen to? What will our decisions mean for the people who have to live with them?

As a Christian and a leader, I believe our faith should shape how we answer those questions. The people we work with experience our leadership through everyday interactions: whether we keep our word, how we handle disagreement, whose contributions we recognize, and what happens when someone makes a mistake.

That is where a conversation about Christians in business becomes practical.

How Christian Faith Shapes Everyday Leadership

At Concordia University Texas, our Christian identity shapes how we think about education, work, and responsibility to others. Our Lutheran tradition emphasizes vocation: the understanding that our work and the roles we hold offer opportunities to serve our neighbors. Business is one of those places of service. The way we manage a team, build a company, serve a customer, or use resources has consequences for other people.

For me, that means asking whether our leadership reflects the dignity we believe every person possesses. It means being honest when the truth is uncomfortable, taking responsibility when we get something wrong, and considering who may be affected by a decision but absent from the conversation.

It also requires humility. Christian leaders need feedback, accountability, and the willingness to change. We need to recognize when our intentions and our impact are different, then do the work to address that difference.

These are the kinds of conversations we want to make room for at Concordia Texas.

Why Concordia Texas Is Partnering with NBMBAA Austin

On October 22, we are partnering with the National Black MBA Association Austin Chapter to host “Restoring Character in Business: Where Faith Meets Leadership” at our Center for Belonging & Faith. The event will bring business professionals, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders together to consider the relationship between faith, character, and leadership.

This partnership brings together commitments that matter to us. The NBMBAA Austin Chapter supports professional development, mentorship, education, and access to economic opportunity. Its work connects people with relationships and resources that can help them grow as leaders. At Concordia Texas, we see a meaningful connection between that work and our mission of preparing students of all backgrounds for lives of leadership and service.

When we bring our communities together, students can learn from professionals who have navigated difficult decisions. Experienced leaders can hear perspectives that challenge their assumptions. People considering their next step can build relationships and ask questions in a setting where learning is shared.

Meet the Panelists and Moderator

Our panel will include Azaniah Israel, President and CEO of the National Black MBA Association Austin Chapter; Pete Inman of Christ Together Greater Austin; LaDonna Slade, leadership strategist and founder of Rule the Tool™; and Dr. Chris Putnam, Concordia Texas’s MBA Program Coordinator. Ge’Nell Gary, the chapter’s Vice President of Administration, will moderate the conversation. Together, they bring perspectives from business, ministry, technology, higher education, and community leadership to questions about how we lead and whom our work serves.

That includes questions about artificial intelligence and human responsibility. As technology changes what businesses can do, leaders must consider what they should do, how decisions affect people, and where human judgment remains essential. Faith gives us a foundation for examining those choices with care.

Concordia Texas is a place where Christ is honored and all are welcome. We bring our Christian convictions to this conversation with a willingness to listen and learn alongside people whose experiences and perspectives may differ from our own.

Considering an MBA? Join the Conversation

If you are considering an MBA, I especially encourage you to join us.

Choosing a graduate program means thinking about the skills you need and the kind of leader you want to become. Concordia Texas’s MBA combines practical business learning with leadership development, with fully online and hybrid options for working professionals. This event offers an opportunity to hear from our MBA Program Coordinator, connect with other professionals, and experience a conversation that reflects what matters to us as a university.

Our Graduate Admissions team will also be available to talk about the program and help you understand your next steps. Whether you are ready to apply or just beginning to consider an MBA, bring your questions.

I hope you will join us on October 22. Come ready to reflect on your own leadership, contribute your perspective, and consider how your beliefs can shape the work you do every day.