1. Eric D. Bostwick, University of West Florida Greg L. Lowhorn, Pensacola Christian College Christian Business Faculty Association Annual Conference, June 27-July 1, 2011 Mount Vernon Nazarene University: Mount Vernon, Ohio

2. 2  Purpose and mission of the CBFA  Secular work as sacred service  Recommendations

3. 3  What is the purpose of the CBFA? (Lemler, 2004 CBFA Conference Proceedings)  Intentionally and distinctly Christian in perspective and operation  Not merely religious or moral  Christian, as opposed to Humanist, Muslim, Hindu, etc.  Christian Business Faculty Association

4. 4  What is the purpose of the CBFA? (Lemler, 2004 CBFA Conference Proceedings)  Attentive to those activities within the various fields of business

5. 5  Christian Business Faculty Association  What is the purpose of the CBFA? (Lemler, 2004 CBFA Conference Proceedings)  Comprised of those who teach business, as opposed to business students or corporate leaders  Christian Business Faculty Association

6. 6  What is the purpose of the CBFA? (Lemler, 2004 CBFA Conference Proceedings)  Intended to support, encourage, and allow for the mutual fellowship of its members  Christian Business Faculty Association

7. 7 “The mission of the CBFA is to assist and encourage Christian business faculty in the study, integration, teaching, and application of Biblical truths in service to the academy, students, and the business community.” (CBFA website)

8. 8  What:To assist and encourage  Who:Christian business faculty  How:Study, integration, teaching, and application of Biblical truths  Why:Service to the academy, students, and the business community

9. 9  Service to God through non- ecclesiastical pursuits is assumed in the CBFA mission  Therefore, we promote:  Faith-integration scholarship and application for business  Training students to enter and be successful in the field of business

10. 10  Vocation (Latin): vocare, vocatio  Economic choice of life work  Faith-informed choice of life pursuit  Augustine: vocation limited to ecclesiastical offices  Luther: direct communication between God and man allows man to know and do God’s will in any area, including vocation

11. 11  Colleges and universities founded for religious purposes have “left their first love” (Rev. 2:4)  An educational divide between sacred and secular has emerged  Public institutions: where one does not expect to meet God  Christian institutions: where God is expected to be met

12. 12  Christian professors at public institutions often must confront:  Challenges to their biblical world- view (some potentially legal)  The relationship between their world- view and their academic discipline  The application of their world-view to teaching and relationships

13. 13  CBFA publications resound with assertions that a secular business vocation can be service to God  We should extend this assertion to the public university classroom

14. 14  Yet Martinez (2006) notes that the Christian business academy is doing less to help practitioners than practitioners are doing to help themselves  This is equally true, if not more so, for Christian business faculty teaching at public institutions

15. 15  Can faith-integration occur on public university campuses?  Not state-sponsored religion  One’s world-view, regardless of what it may be, will affect one’s actions  Christians should recognize and accept their instrumentality where they have been placed by God within His economy for His purposes and for His ultimate glory

16. 16  Hindrances to the expression of faith in business do not nullify our beliefs or efforts in that arena  Mature faith-integration:  Cannot be limited to the Christian university educator, the Christian employee or Christian entrepreneur  May be best lived out when it contrasts most sharply from its surroundings

17. 17  Challenge for the CBFA  Question the desire for secular recognition for the work we do here (Martinez 2006)  Why do we seek this recognition?  The unbelieving world hates Christ’s words (John 15:18-25)  The words of Christ are foolishness to those who lack the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 2)  Does not reduce expectation of rigor and excellence (Eccl. 9:10, I Cor. 10:31)

18. 18  Challenge for the CBFA (cont.)  Encourage, support, and foster work that is important to the CBFA  Coordinate meetings and resources with other organization, especially Christian organizations  Website resources for faith-integration  Doctoral candidate stipends

19. 19  Challenge for CBFA contributors  Build upon, apply, support, and defend vocation as service to God  Expand collaboration between Christian and public university faculty (Dyck 1999)  Consider applications within the public university classroom  Legal contributors’ instruction on public university “do’s” and “don’t’s”

20. 20  Challenge to Christian Faculty at Christian Universities  If you can be intentionally and explicitly Christian, DO SO !  Consider how what you say and do could help or affect your fellow Christians teaching at a public universities

21. 21  Challenge to Christian Faculty at Public Universities  Direct some research toward Christian topics and publication outlets  Use Christian scholarship as a catalyst for spiritual outreach  Support, join, and/or start Christian campus ministries  Consider your testimony before others

22. Eric D. Bostwick, University of West Florida Greg L. Lowhorn, Pensacola Christian College Christian Business Faculty Association Annual Conference, June 27-July 1, 2011 Mount Vernon Nazarene University: Mount Vernon, Ohio