by Min-Dong Paul Lee, Hannah J. Stolze and Denise Daniels

 

Can a for-profit business demonstrate faith? For years, the answer seemed obvious: companies exist to make money, not to practice religion. However, with the rise of business as mission as well as the faith and work movement, more and more Christian entrepreneurs today believe they can integrate faith with their business and work. Then, how does faith manifest in businesses?

At Wheaton College’s Center for Faith and Innovation, we engaged in a multi-year research project to explore this question. With remarkable openness, five Christian entrepreneurs invited us to scrutinize their companies, asking for thorough, unbiased feedback. Our research, encompassing interviews, focus groups, surveys, and site visits, focused on identifying the presence and impact of faith within their organizations. Workplace leaders and employees were asked to describe the ways that they observed or experienced faith expressions in the workplace.

We were initially surprised that workers saw expressions of faith in many different forms. We identified three ways faith comes to life in these workplaces through a systematic qualitative and quantitative analysis. The three dimensions of faith expressions are distinct in terms of how readily observable they are as well as how explicitly they are connected with faith.

 

 

1. Embodied Faith

The first dimension required little to no thought for most respondents to identify—this category included such things as the presence of a cross or the practice of corporate prayers. These symbols and practices are easily observable, and their meaning is explicit in that most people would interpret them as faith-based. We call this kind of expression “embodied faith” because it gives tangible and visible form to faith.

For example, one firm displayed a mission statement that included “glorify God” on the wall. Another had a prayer chapel and crosses at headquarters. Embodied faith is also expressed through practice. Prayers, especially, stood out. A sales team member shared, “Whenever we have meetings, sales team or any of the meetings, we start with a prayer.” At another company, spontaneous prayers were routine: “We stop every now and then, get on the floor, and pray with each other. We know each of us has problems at home… We talk about it and pray with one another.”

These symbols and rituals aren’t subtle. They’re what anthropologist Clifford Geertz called concrete embodiments of belief—easily spotted and clearly tied to faith. But employees warned that crosses and prayers alone don’t cut it. As one put it, faith “can’t be hypocritical!” Embodied faith is just the surface; it needs deeper roots.

2. Operationalized Faith

The second dimension is less visible, and the meaning is not as explicitly communicated or understood as embodied faith. This facet, which we term “operationalized faith,” manifests through formalized company policies and programs grounded in faith-based principles.

For example, all five companies dedicate a significant portion, often 10% or more, of their profits to charitable causes and employee care. Two of the companies created a “caring team” with a budget to help employees in crisis, offering grants for home repairs or no-interest loans for bigger emergencies. The caring team supports employee well-being beyond crisis intervention, covering personal and professional growth. This includes financial management, marriage counseling, and tuition reimbursement. Employees also volunteer for local and international charities, with paid time off for service.

Although employee care programs might seem like typical strategic HR, leaders in these organizations clearly articulated that their faith commitments drove these initiatives. A CEO, for example, explained it as a way of obeying the biblical command of loving neighbors. Employees also saw them as stemming from faith, “I think his [the CEO’s] faith lays the foundation for an incredibly generous company that takes care of employees very well, especially if they need it or they’re in hard times.”

3. Internalized Faith

The third dimension of faith expression is even more challenging to detect and articulate, and it was often the last one that our study participants identified. This dimension of faith points to faith-derived values internalized by organizational members, becoming the norm in the organizations. We call this aspect of faith “internalized” faith. This internalized aspect is so subtle it’s hard to pin down, yet unmistakable to those inside. One employee put it poetically: “It lives in the organization at large… [faith] informs and drives attitudes and approaches to problems.”

One of the recurring themes was respect or being valued as a person. “I feel like I’m more valued here,” one worker said. Another added, “I’m valued for what I bring to the table and I’m not judged because I need some time off because I do have a life outside of work and that’s encouraged.” This wasn’t tied to performance—one explained, “A lot of places… only are concerned with what you’re getting out of it for themselves…. But they really work with you here.” Another noted respect in how leaders treated customers fairly and equally, regardless of their contract size.

The internalized faith is also expressed as “mercy”—a willingness to look beyond mistakes. A manager shared how they’d first dig into the why instead of just firing someone for multiple tardiness: “Are they walking to work? Do they need a ride?” While not a documented company policy, mercy operates through a collective adherence to organizational values. Employees demonstrate this principle by consistently applying these internalized values in their decision-making processes. Over time, these values become second nature, shaping how employees interact without anyone spelling it out.

Mutually Reinforcing Dimensions of Faith Expression

These three dimensions of faith—embodied, operationalized, and internalized—are not independent. They go together. Embodied faith without operationalized and internalized faith will be perceived as hypocritical. The meaning of embodied symbols becomes validated by the deeper integration of faith into the organization’s policy, formalized programs, and culture. As such, the core of faith integration in business is internalized faith, institutionally practiced through operationalized faith, and visibly expressed through embodied faith.

In Jer 31:33, Bible teaches about the “New Covenant” where God’s law would be written on our hearts. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 3:3, the apostle Paul emphasizes the internalization of God’s law, made possible through the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. Our research reveals that faith-driven entrepreneurs deliberately seek to embody the essence of this New Covenant within their businesses. These companies don’t flaunt a “Christian” label; they see faith as a foundational belief driving their actions, not a badge to wear. As one executive said, it’s “what we strive to live out and what we’re called to do by our Lord.”

 

Min-Dong Paul Lee will present an overview of this research as a Workshop at the BAM Global Summit on Thursday 8th May, you are invited to join—see event information below.

 

Together, Towards, Tomorrow
Building from Generation to Generation

That’s the theme of the BAM Global Summit this year. Join us and discover what God is doing through business as mission.

 

 

Photo by Redd Francisco on Unsplash