The Spiritual Art of Business: Connecting the Daily with the Divine

In this cogent debut, Rowan, CFO of the in-flight internet provider Gogo, proposes a Christian approach to business that prizes faith and humility. Arguing that professionals should “engage in the world for God rather than for our selfish gratification,” Rowan outlines how readers might “more fully connect the daily with the divine,” first by surrendering to Jesus, then by learning to think and live in more Christly ways (for example, attending to “God’s priorities in the present” rather than overplanning), followed by bringing faith priorities into the workplace, and finally by using business to shape a better society (fostering inclusive work environments or supporting worthy charities, for instance). Rowan weaves in anecdotes from his own corporate experience, recalling how his faith helped him keep his cool during high-stakes board meetings, as he strove to do “what I believe is right in the sight of God and leave the judgment to him.” While he sometimes fails to translate his solid insights into concrete action items (he asks readers to consider a personal challenge and then “give it to God”), his message of working in service of a higher purpose is well argued and grounded in a wealth of valuable, real-world experience. Christian professionals will be inspired. (Sept.)