Mastering Monday: A Guide to Integrating Faith and Work

John Beckett has a great deal of unique experience! His insight on the Christian mission in business is important for any worker to hear, not just aspiring or currently-serving business professionals.

My husband and I have read this book, and have heard Mr. Beckett speak. This copy of the book we purchased for a friend. It is a great book and brings up many points to ponder and discuss. It is refreshing to know people in business CAN have spirituality and religion. I would recommend this book to anyone who might be losing faith in mankind and in the "American way". Laurel Ryan

Loved this. Used it for a college course in business.

Took my Bible study group thru this book. So impactful!

How refreshing to find someone who has a positive, creative angle on business! Whether you are a CEO or simply in the work force "Mastering Monday" is essential study to help pave the way to a fruitful and fulfilling experience for those looking for a balanced family, community and business life. From the outset "Mastering Monday" steps right into the nitty gritty work situations that regularly grab newspaper headlines tackling issues like .... personal conflict....union confrontation....attempted takeovers....global fall-out of bad business, etc. this leads into John Beckett focusing the reader on essential management policies and practices, the need to rethink relationships, as well as the balance between work and family, employee health, safety issues, and the bottom line in the balance sheet. This book sets out a corporate roadmap that spells out vision, mission, core values and principles essential to forge a balanced corporate character of your business. "Mastering Monday" is designed to help businesses in the work place to bridge the gap between faith in God and everyday work bringing these two worlds together. John boldly relates some well known Biblical examples of godly personalities who set the highest standards of outstanding leadership from Noah to Jesus. There is a compelling chapter spelling out the end of business where God's principles of integrity and equity are ignored. John illustrates his point with some well known examples of corporate collapse due to business excess, pride, abusing influence in the workplace and devaluing people, with the subsequent impact on the business community and society in general. In the final chapters John lays out five rock solid structural building blocks for a business based on sound Biblical principles that transcended time and circumstances. These principles cover areas such as....a sense of purpose....core values....the importance of people....stewardship in business and what it means to serve. Again John uses practical examples of these principles which have dynamically effected many spheres of today's business world and the benefits they have brought, not only to individuals but to the community by and large. Momentum for change is touching hundreds of corporations and organisations as they rethink how they can live out sound Biblical principles in business in seeking to integrate faith and work. This is a genuine move of God potentially changing the whole landscape of work as an integrated part of living out a Christ-centered life naturally in the business world. I would highly reccommend "Mastering Monday" to every one involved in business and management. Noel Bell. Retired partner of Noel Bell Ridley Smith, Architects and Planners.

The slowest most boring book I've ever been forced to write a paper on.

John Beckett has accurately captured many of the struggles and tensions Christians experience daily in the marketplace. Aspects of the author's journey are common to many Christians. His chapter "Integrating two Worlds" will be a help to any Christian in the marketplace -it is an issue that continually manifests itself. The phrase "I found that my growing faith was often relevant to work issues - but the reverse was also true. Workplace issues challenged and strengthened my faith, occasionally more than I anticipated." provides an encouraging perspective. The author shares his own experiences in this realm - in a transparent way that should be encouraging to all who read. The section "Companions on the Journey" provides a number of biblical stories and characters from which much is to be learned and applied to our work world today. These are not one size fits all stories, but the characters and illustrations the author selects will provide much to think about. This is mixed in with some stories of contemporary business leaders and recent situations they have faced and their responses. Finally, a discussion of God's workplace agenda and what theme's the author believes are critical in this discussion. In light of some recent business failures (more specifically failures of leadership) - this section does a good job of connecting the themes to "good business". It is a reminder of what really matters - and some encouragement to have the courage to do the right things. This is a pretty quick reading book, but I don't think it is a read once and put it on the shelf. I'm sure I'll be referring back to it every year or so to remind myself of proper perspectives and to be encouraged in my work.

As a sequel to John Beckett's interntionally acclaimed LOVING MONDAYS, we're now empowered with a practical handbook to help us engage the marketplace for Jesus Christ with enthusiasm and hope, doing so effectively and with significant impact for Him -- thanks to Beckett's tried-and-proved insights. Playing on words ('mastering" = serving the Master), the author speaks to practical issues related to various facets of daily Christian discipleship. But he does so from the unque perspective of his years of leadership as one of America's most successful Christian CEOs. Yet, he writes in such a gentle and winsome manner, that anyone seeking to live faithfully for God's Son in the weekly challenges of the business world will find great encouragement, while at the same time gaining key principles on how to integrate faith and work so as to doing nothing less than bring glory to God. As far as I know (and I've spent 30 years traveling the Church worldwide) there is not another book out there today that speaks so directly and forcefully to any follower of Jesus in the markeplace the way MASTERING MONDAYS does. I highly recommend it. And while you're at it, if you haven't done so already be sure to follow it up by reading LOVING MONDAYS. To be joyful citizens of God's Kingdom in today's world, you need to experience both: the "loving" and the "mastering". The Lord Jesus deserves both. Thankfully, Beckett shows us how.