Beyond the Secular-Spiritual Divide: Integrating Faith in Business Leadership

In a world often quick to compartmentalize faith and work, Matt Goebel, owner of Veritas Professional Development, offers a compelling counter-narrative. A "recovering pastor" turned executive coach, Matt's journey reveals a profound integration of his Christian faith into every facet of his business, challenging the conventional secular-spiritual dichotomy.

Matt's entrepreneurial path began seven years ago under the YMCA's umbrella, where he honed his natural coaching abilities. The unexpected turn came with COVID-19, leading to a buyout and a pivotal moment of discernment. While the Lord didn't explicitly command him to start a business, a deep spiritual encounter affirmed, "I've always been with you, what's the big deal?" This divine assurance, coupled with his wife's encouragement, birthed Veritas Professional Development.

Veritas, Latin for truth, operates with three divisions: executive coaching, on-site manager and director training, and peer-to-peer business groups, primarily for Christian business owners and high-level executives. Matt emphasizes that while Veritas is owned by Christians, it is not overtly branded as a "Christian company." This intentional approach allows him to engage with a diverse clientele, from churches to "Gentiles and Pagans and Jews and whoever else," without pretense.

Living Out Faith in Daily Operations

For Matt, daily leadership is a deeply spiritual endeavor. He sees his primary role as helping individuals "hear the voice of the Lord in their life" and guiding them into "the groove that the Lord wants them in." This involves a daily practice of prayer, presenting all appointments and interactions before God, and being mindful of divine guidance. He asserts that leading meetings well and treating employees with respect are "just as spiritual as when your pastor's baptizing somebody." This perspective dismantles the artificial wall between sacred and secular activities, viewing all work as an opportunity for spiritual expression and impact.

Faith-Guided Business Decisions

Matt shares a powerful example of his faith directly influencing a business decision. After a meeting with a new client who was haphazardly making money, Matt felt a clear prompting from the Lord to connect this client with one of his 1099 contractors. Despite the contractor not sharing an "evangelical mindset," Matt facilitated a three-year contract, trusting in divine orchestration. This demonstrates a willingness to prioritize spiritual guidance over immediate personal gain, believing in a higher purpose for his business interactions.

He also likens his role to biblical figures like Nathan advising King David or Daniel serving kings, emphasizing the importance of discerning his role and avoiding over-importance of self. He advises owners, not companies, and approaches these interactions with careful prayer and preparation.

Investing Time, Talent, and Resources

Matt's faith shapes his investment of time, talent, and resources through a "biblical perspective of time and talent." He rejects the notion of sacred and secular time, viewing his primary roles as a human being, a father, husband, and brother, followed by his role as a community member and business owner. He believes in leveraging his God-given talents – a love for people and getting things done – rather than relying on perceived weaknesses. He challenges the common interpretation of "God makes perfect in all my weakness," arguing that individuals have a responsibility to hone their talents and put themselves in the right positions. He actively hires out tasks that don't align with his strengths, recognizing the value of focusing on what he does best.

Encouragement and Advice for Christian Business Leaders

Matt offers candid advice, echoing Elon Musk's sentiment that if one needs encouragement to be an entrepreneur, they might be in the wrong field. However, he provides two key pieces of advice for Christian business leaders:

• Get into a peer-to-peer advisory group: He champions these groups as "super cheap" with "tremendous ROI," providing invaluable support and accountability.
• Give yourself grace to evolve and mature in your faith: He encourages leaders to be open to questioning their understanding of Christianity and to allow their faith to develop without rigid adherence to past interpretations. He cautions against over-spiritualizing every business decision, suggesting that sometimes the most spiritual act is simply writing a good job description.

Matt Goebel's approach to business leadership is a testament to the transformative power of integrating faith into every aspect of life. By challenging conventional divides and embracing a holistic, prayer-driven approach, he demonstrates how business can be a powerful vehicle for spiritual impact and personal growth.