So what’s your agenda?” asked this leader. We were engaged in a very focused conversation regarding our work with him and the other leaders in the company. His “spidey senses” were tingling as he felt the pressure to learn, grow and become a more competent leader. His suspicion of a “religious agenda” had become quite loud in his mind. He was compelled to ask “Why are you doing what you are doing?” “Are you trying to convert us to your religion?”

Over the past year and a half, the owner of the business…a devoted Christ follower…engaged our team to come alongside and help guide a significant business transformation. At the outset we knew that this process would require the very best of all involved. We knew that the pressure to change, learn and grow would precipitate much challenge and, at times, frustration for those involved.

Here was my response, knowing that he was quite aware of my deep faith and Christian worldview,

“I have absolutely no agenda to try to convert you, convince you or coerce you into my faith! That would be dishonest and in direct opposition to honoring the trust of our relationship. That would be a serious compromise of the work we are doing together. An agenda to convert you would infer that I had a mandate to do so. I don’t. That is not my job. Whether or not you choose to have faith as I do is totally up to you. I cannot control you or your response to the topic of faith.

At the same time I need to be honest. I do desire that you would fully enjoy the faith, hope and love that I enjoy. That is, however, a separate topic from the pressure you are feeling to learn, grow and become the leader your owner is asking of you.”

This is not the first time I have been confronted about my faith as I do the work to live authentically as a Christ follower. I am convinced that at some point, inevitably, how we live and do our work should evoke some sort of response from those around us. How we engage should raise questions as to what motivates Christ-following men and women like you and me to operate the way we do.

Here are 9 questions you can ask as you consider what it looks and sounds like to represent your faith well as a Christ-following leader.

Experiencing God: Are you learning and growing in your experience of God as you lead yourself and others? Psalm 34:8 NLT
Joy: Is God’s joy your strength as you go about your business….day in and day out? Nehemiah 8:10 NLT
Grace & Truth: Are you growing in your capacity to operate “full of grace and truth” as you keep healthy pressure on the team to learn, grow and become? John 1:14 NLT
Fake or Real: What is your team experiencing from you…a series of religious words and practices or a deep, authentic relationship with Christ? Matt 6:1-34 NLT
Owning It: When you make a mistake, does your team see you quickly own and make it right again? Prov 28:13 MSG
Genuine Care: Is your team experiencing your genuine care as you bring needed pressure for transformation? Micah 6:8 MSG
Vulnerability: Have you engaged your team to help you learn, grow and become the leader they need you to be? 2 Cor 12:9-10 NLT
Accountability: Does your team experience you holding them, their colleagues and yourself to the same level of accountability for relational and business results? Hebrews 3:13 NLT
Authentic: Has your team experienced the impact of your faith in Christ, and at the same time, know that you respect the fact that they may have a different worldview from yours? 1 Peter 1:7 NLT

Over the years, I have come to deeply appreciate the solid, thoughtful questions from those around me who may not share the same worldview about Christ. Individuals like my friend who, over dinner, cared enough to ask me the tough questions. It is questions like these that help keep us …