Multiplying Christ-Centered Business Leaders (w/ Kandace Brands)
On this episode, Darren sits down with Kandace Brands (business instructor at Dordt University) to discuss how she is leveraging The Christ-Centered Company book and assessment to teach biblical business to hundreds of business students who are, in turn, responsible for sharing the framework with hundreds of business owners and executives.
Kandace Brands serves as instructor of business at Dordt University (Sioux Center, Iowa), teaching courses such as Personal Financial Management and Stewardship, Office Management, and courses in healthcare business administration. Prior to Dordt, Brands served at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for 13 years, bringing experience that offers students a unique insight into balancing business in a healthcare setting. In addition to teaching, Brands serves as the faculty advisor for Dordt’s FLAME club, collaborating with other faculty members and organizing trips for students to engage in area businesses while building their network with business leaders.
She adopted Darren’s book, The Christ-Centered Company, as a textbook for her course. As part of the course, the students are required to take two other Christian business leaders through the Christ-Centered Company Assessment and then generate a report of their findings and recommendations based on what they learn through the course.
https://www.dordt.edu/academics/programs/business-administration-ba
Key Takeaways 💡
- Faith integration in business begins with the belief that every area of work belongs to God. Kandace Brands teaches that business itself can be a form of mission, encouraging students to see their careers as opportunities to represent Christ in the marketplace. Influenced by the “every square inch” theology associated with Abraham Kuyper, her approach emphasizes that students are sent into all professions to serve as Christ’s hands and feet through their work.
- Experiential learning helps students connect biblical principles with real business practice. In Brands’ Introduction to Business course, students read The Christ-Centered Company and interview business leaders who complete a Christ-centered company assessment. Students then reflect on how values such as integrity, stewardship, and service appear in real companies, helping them see how faith can shape everyday business decisions.
- Mentorship and real-world engagement develop the next generation of Christian business leaders. Through the FLAME Club (Future Leaders and Mission Entrepreneurs), students run campus shops and use the profits to visit businesses and learn from leaders in the field. These experiences expose students to Christian professionals in the marketplace and reinforce that business can be a meaningful avenue for serving God’s mission.
Christian Business Leader is the podcast for marketplace Christians seeking to explore and apply God’s will for business for the purpose of cultivating Christ-Centered Companies.
BIG THANKS to this episode’s sponsor: High Bridge Books
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