New Blog Post Christianity Commercialized Posted by Mark Klages, 3 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all cite instances where Jesus cleansed the temple of money changers who were profiting off Jewish law. “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” (Matt 21:12-13) “He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves...

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all cite instances where Jesus cleansed the temple of money changers who were profiting off Jewish law. “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” (Matt 21:12-13) “He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves...” and declared, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all

Good Wednesday morning, Servant Leader. This week I saw a post by Paul Neuberger that challenged me. It was an AI-generated image with two sides. The left side held a street sign pointing “Believers” to the wide road, which many chose. But the right side held a similar street sign pointing “Followers” to the narrow road – and few chose that road. That’s what struck me. They are not the same. As Mr. Neuberger eloquently stated by quoting James… You believe that there is one Go

Servant Leader, we’ve all heard it for years now in board rooms, conference halls, and webinars, and it usually goes something like this. The company with the greatest AI adoption has already won. Or… If you haven’t already restructured for AI, you’re missing ROI. But those are the “Five-Talent” companies. The ones with the resources, budgets, and data sets that foster enterprise-wide AI dominance. But what if you’re the man with two talents? What does that even mean? For the

Good Sunday morning, Servant Leaders. As most of you already know, I took a week off to rest, relax, recharge, and enjoy some “life” with my better half. Halfway through that respite, I’m reminded that Matthew 11:28-30 was telling me all along how to handle the challenges of today’s business environment. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find re

This is America. We don’t mix business with religion. We are free to pursue life, liberty, and happiness without the burden of a state-sponsored (or worse, state-mandated) religion. These United States are a melting pot of various heritage, genders, colors, creeds…and religions. That’s what makes us great. About now, some of you are wondering if you’ve stumbled upon the wrong blog. No. You’re in the right place. I just chose to start my blog with statements I hear frequently

Servant Leaders, as many of you know, I've written a few books. Some are fiction and very enjoyable to write, and -- I hope -- very enjoyable to read. Others come from experience and the desire to relate Christian leadership principles that have proven beneficial -- or disastrous -- in GovCon. One such book is "Don't Glean the Margins", which I wrote based on the story of Ruth and Boaz. The idea came to me one morning and a few weeks later, the book was done. Similarly, I'm i

Servant Leader, this morning during my workout I was stopped by one of the songs on my playlist—Weary Traveler by Jordan St. Cyr. I’ve heard it dozens if not hundreds of times, but this morning it hit differently. Weary traveler Beat down from the storms that you have weathered Feels like this road just might go on forever Carry on You keep on giving But every day this world just keeps on taking Your tired heart is on the edge of breaking Carry on [Chorus] Weary traveler, res

It’s been a minute, Servant Leader, but I’m glad you’re still here. I was reading in the Book of Esther this morning and it dawned on me that the Old Testament is rife with stories of how generations of Israelites were taught lessons, and then forgot them. While we can point fingers and challenge each other to do better, I see a lesson about God that withstands the test of time – the test of generations. During the thousands of years of human existence, God’s grace has been e

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5) Servant Leader, let’s establish one tenet: Experience and Wisdom are not the same thing. Experience is valuable. It is hard fought and can be expensive to gain. Experience is the output of a finite set of variables. Different variables create different experiences. However, wisdom comes from a different place altogether—it comes from the heart. In b

(Grab a glass of water—this is a long one.) There is an uncomfortable story tucked into the early pages of Israel’s conquest narrative—one that leaders often quote selectively and interpret poorly. Not surprisingly, it’s as relevant in today’s interactions between VP Vance and the Iranian delegation as it was in Old Testament Jericho—and in our daily GovCon interactions with our clients, competitors, and coworkers. It is the story of Rahab and the spies . And depending on how

When I type those words, most readers will go straight to the Mercy Me song or maybe even the movie. But Brian, Jake’s dad, will think about the things he and Jake will never get to do. He’ll picture hunting trips and football games and Christmas mornings and birthday parties that will never happen. Servant Leader, my heart breaks this morning for someone that I’ve never even met. You see, I’ve been following Jake, a young boy with cancer, and his and his family’s fight again

On February 1, 2026, the Grammy stage became a mirror—a microcosm of the larger cultural conversation that has encased the American psyche. Bad Bunny opened an acceptance speech with “ICE out,” urging America to resist hate, honor the dignity of immigrants as “humans and Americans,” and fight “with love.” The arena rose to its feet. A few categories later, Jelly Roll clutched a pocket‑sized Bible and testified, “Jesus is for everybody,” only to be branded by many online as

In November 2024 I made a promise to work with my best friend and write his second book, a book he has been wanting written for 4 years. After an interesting 2025, I’ve managed to keep that promise. And on January 26 th , we’ll be releasing “Fine-Ferguson”, which is a continuation of creator Rick Yurisko’s Healing Waters universe, but in a different vein. (Watch LinkedIn and Amazon for release information.) The lesson of the last year, Servant Leader, isn’t that we can keep

Scenario: “The Long Line at Sinai” (1445 B.C.) Exodus 18:13-24 The desert sun was merciless, hammering down on a sea of tents that stretched beyond the horizon. Dust hung in the air like smoke after a firefight, coating every surface in a gritty film. At the center of the encampment, a single figure sat beneath a weathered canopy—a man whose name carried the weight of a nation: Moses. His eyes scanned the endless line of people snaking toward him, a human convoy of disputes,

"Post every day." "Activity = Relevance in the algorithm." "Your audience needs to hear from you." These are cautions I hear regularly when I post less frequently, as if good business practices are less important if their delivery is delayed. When I asked my AI why I should post more frequently, it said, "In a world obsessed with speed, waiting feels like weakness." Then I asked, "How do you reconcile weakness in business (apparently a bad thing) with weakness from a Biblical

The famine was real. The widow’s pantry was bare. Her plan? One last meal before death. Then Elijah shows up with an audacious request: “Feed me first.” It sounds unreasonable—until you see what happens next. Flour doesn’t run out. Oil doesn’t dry up. And when her son dies, God breathes life back into the boy. This isn’t just a miracle story. It’s a leadership manifesto. By studying the widow’s reaction, we learn that service carries a price, but that the price is always wort

Over the past few weeks, I’ve heard comments like: “AI is the antichrist.” “Using AI to create content is cheating.” These are some strong words. But here’s the truth: AI is not a soul. It’s a tool. A logic engine. And like any tool, its impact depends on the hands—and hearts—that wield it. For servant leaders in the GovCon industry, the question isn’t “Should we use AI?” It’s “How do we use it responsibly?” The Servant Leader’s Call: Stewardship Over Shortcut AI can do

In 1 Kings 9 , we encounter a remarkable moment: “The Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon.”— 1 Kings 9:2 (NIV) Think about that. Solomon spent twenty years building the temple and his palace after just one divine encounter —and a lifetime of hearing about God’s goodness to his father, David. One visit was enough to anchor decades of perseverance. That’s the kind of faith and focus we need in GovCon —especially in the uncertainty of a g

In 1 Kings 4 , Scripture paints a picture of unparalleled wisdom: “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of...