Good News - July 2021

COVER STORY 29 JULY 2021 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition been examples or leadership or support to one another. Having a strong community of Christian leaders is so important, and I think Lifework Leadership has fostered that here in South Florida.” Now working as lead business designer for Zone in the UK, Forman gave this example: “I was talking to a friend from Lifework the other day about managing teams - she said that every time she walks into her place of work she views it as walking in to God’s temple and prays that God would give her an open mind. What an encouraging reminder!” Good News Publisher Leslie Feldman, who is also a LifeworkAlum, said, “To me, Lifework Leadership has been the breeding ground of spirituality, like a tree that has been producing the fruit that is now nourishing our community.” “I feel like I’m in the spiritual formation business,” said Brad Schmidt, lead pastor at City- Church Fort Lauderdale and the current director of Equip, which includes Lifework Leadership. Having been involved in several related initiatives, Schmidt is passionate about the integration of faith and work. He explains why: “Barna research says 78 percent of American Christians com- partmentalize their faith from their work…Saint Paul said, ‘Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for the glory of the Lord.’ If people aren’t able to worship God Monday through Friday in their work, that’s a big problem. I think the worship of God is at stake. I think the rele- vance of the church is at stake… so to be a part of a movement that is connecting Sunday to Mon- day to me is the most important task I can possibly do.” Introducing new models This year, the National Christian Foundation South Florida has begun two new Lifework Lead- ership experiences: AnewThursday night program, entitled Lifework Journey, adapts the original Lifework Leadership curriculum to a condensed night class format to accommodate middle and upper-level managers and upwardly mobile professionals who often can’t break away from work during the day. “Lifework Journey will reach new people, be more accessible and also create a community for the Lifework Alumni to come to as well. So if you’ve already been through Lifework, this is going to be new content. It’s going to be an annual renewable subscription. It’s going to be like a faith and work club.” In addition, the National Christian Foundation South Florida has formed a partnership with Palm Beach Atlantic University, providing the traditional Lifework Leadership program through PBA’s Center for Biblical Leadership in Palm Beach County. Laura Bishop, executive vice president of advancement at PBA and a Lifework Leadership Alum, explained, “At Palm Beach Atlantic University, we want to be positively impacting the community not just by producing great leaders that build companies, corporations, organizations but also directly impacting leaders. We saw Lifework Leadership as a really powerful way to be able to host that on campus, bring leaders here, be able to use our resource in our facilities and also invite the Lifework Leadership teams to mentor students and to be involved in helping shape The Center for Biblical Leadership, speaking into it and also just having them be part of our com- Lifework Leadership Program Directors Over the Years Steven French Bill Mitchell Craig Huston Laura Bishop Amanda Forman ChristineAuker Brad Schmidt Shannon Cooney Barnes and Angel Denker Don Campion , President, BanyanAir Service, Inc.