John Beckett discusses how Christian values play an important role in the workplace.

“There really is a relationship between sowing and reaping,” said John Beckett, author and chairman of the R.W. Beckett Corporation, to students at The King’s College in New York on Oct. 14, 2009.  His visit was a part of the college’s Distinguished Visitors Series.  Beckett told students how his Christian faith was an essential ingredient in building and maintaining his business.

Beckett said providential “turning points” led him to become the president of the R.W. Beckett Corporation at age 26 while he “was still an unproven leader.”  Beckett explained that these life-altering experiences “forced me to think more seriously about who I was and what I believed.” 

In leading the company, he realized that “as [companies] grow, you have to be more intentional” about effectively incorporating company values. He said the best way to do this is to “get the people involved in the question of how to implement [values] and make them live.”

Incorporating values such as “integrity, excellence, [and] profound respect for the individual” is essential according to Beckett, because “we want to honor God in all we do.”  Instead of separating faith from work, Beckett told students that “walking with the Lord is an important concept” in every aspect of life. He discussed how Christians do not always incorporate their faith in daily life because “this idea of dualism is totally pervasive through Western culture.” Living out your faith is the best way to make sure you are “really doing with excellence what you do,” said Beckett.

He encouraged students to “put character at the top of the list” of important attributes for success.

In order to find God’s will in finding a career, he told students to “look at how you’re wired” – look at what your talents are – and do everything with character.
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