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.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to the Christian Business Leader Podcast, where Christ following business leaders explore God's will and ways for business. This show is the ministry of the Center for Christianity and Business at Houston Christian University and features conversations with today's Christ-centered business leaders who are representing Christ faithfully in the business world. I'm your host, Darren Scheer, and if you want to make your work, leadership, and company's culture more Christ-centered, you've come to the right place. On this episode, we're joined by Candace Brands. Candace serves as instructor of business at Dort University, which is in Sioux Center, Iowa, teaching courses such as personal financial management and stewardship, office management, and courses in healthcare business administration. Prior to Dort, she served at Avara McKinnon Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for 13 years. In addition to teaching, she serves as the faculty advisor for Dort's Flame Club, collaborating with other faculty members and organizing trips for the students to engage in area businesses while building their network with business leaders. And Candace is actually responsible for adopting my book, The Christ Centered Company, there at Dort University and using it there as a textbook. And as part of the course, the students are required to take another Christian business leader through the Christ-centered company assessment, which, if you're listening to this podcast, you're familiar with that. And then to generate a report and a reflection of their findings and recommendations for that business owner based on what they've learned through the course and the book. So excited to hear her share the great work that's happening there at Dort. Candace, welcome to the Christian Business Leader Podcast.

SPEAKER_02 1:55

Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

Candace, when did you first realize God wants to be involved in your work in business and teaching business students from a Christian perspective?

SPEAKER_02 2:07

Yeah. Well, I have to say that I think it probably was when I started at Dort University. I guess I maybe didn't really think about it a whole lot in my career prior to starting at Dort. I've always, you know, I've been a Christian for a number of years, and I did my work because I loved people and I wanted to help them. But I didn't really think about it from that biblical perspective until I got to Dort and was really educated on how Dort University wants to educate their students and how valuable and important it is for students to understand that we're sending them out into the world, not just to go and do mission work, but that they're actually doing mission work while they're doing business and while they're doing their work. One of our key phrases here at Dort University is every square inch. And we really do believe that we're sending students out to all parts of the world, to all areas of work to go and be Christ's hands and feet to whoever students come into contact with.

SPEAKER_00 3:18

Yeah. And a lot of our listeners will recognize that every square inch uh refers to the famous quote by Abraham Kuyper that there is not one square inch in all of creation that the Lord does not declare mine. And I'm I may be paraphrasing that a little bit, but that is the that is at least the the gist of it. And uh and that really comes through and what you're gonna hear about Dort, what Dort is is up to, and they are discipling business students to go into becoming the next generation of Christian business leaders in the marketplace and not just business but other other fields as well. But we're gonna focus on business today. Uh so like what what was it about uh Dort? Like, was there a certain professor or a certain um kind of faculty training program that you went through? Like when did it really start to click for you?

SPEAKER_02 4:20

Yeah, I would say two things. Um, exactly what you said faculty training. Uh Dort does a really great job of onboarding their faculty. And uh one of the books we read is is Kuiper. Um so we get we get uh that information right off uh right off the bat. Uh we start off in the summertime prior to the fall, uh classes getting started, and then we meet together throughout the whole year. So we have a whole year of onboarding with all the new faculty of helping us understand uh Dort's perspective of work. Um and then I would say kind of the second thing, uh even prior to when I started at uh as a faculty member, I um went on a campus visit with my daughter to to Dort. And we had first gone to a public university campus visit, and it went it went okay, it was good. Um, but then we went to a campus visit at Dort University, and I I was just blown away um with um with the perspective of how uh how they are helping us understand what kind of um students we're producing from our university. Um so I I was hooked at that campus visit and really excited to be able to uh teach as a faculty member as well.

SPEAKER_00 5:40

Yeah, and and this is a a rare approach, even among Christian universities, to really bring biblical principles, biblical values into business. You know, Thomas Aquinas said that theology is the queen of the sciences, so you really don't understand your discipline apart from your understanding of God. And and Dort is one of those universities that's really leading the way and making sure that the professors that they bring on are more than just gonna be able to sign a statement of faith, but that they really, that they really get it. They really understand that we're here uh because because theology matters, because God matters in business and God matters in healthcare, and God matters in and politics and all the other uh different aspects of of culture and academics. Um Candace, how are you using the Christ-centered company book and the assessment in your course?

SPEAKER_02 6:45

Yeah, yeah. So we were excited to find a current um a current book that would help students understand what we were hoping to teach them. So um the class that I'm teaching is Introduction to Business. So I have mostly freshmen, um sometimes sophomores or juniors if they're transferring into our into our program. Um but the idea of our class is to prepare them for how we want to teach business to our students. Um, so yes, I give them information about each area of business, like human resources or marketing or accounting or finance. Um, but really the backbone of this class is to help them understand that we're preparing them to enter our program uh to learn about how to do business well uh from a from a biblical and a godly perspective, um, how they can have excellence in their work. Um so we're gonna challenge them in to be excellent in in all the areas of business, um, and doing that because uh we can we can uh bring Christ into our work. Um so that really is kind of the backbone. And so because of that, we've been searching to utilize a book uh that can help students understand this. And we found this book and decided to give it a try this past semester, fall, fall semester of 2025 is the first time that we used it. And um so we decided to have students read through it slowly throughout the semester, using our class times for discussion, uh, taking a few habits at a time uh to help students uh discuss how could they see this play out in the in the real business world. Um, I've had a few different activities to kind of apply it in real world experiences. Um, but really uh the best that I feel that uh has helped the students understand these concepts is by interviewing uh a business leader and then having them take the assessment, having the business leader take the assessment and having the student then write a reflection paper based on their interview that they have with this business leader. So I have the students do two of these interviews. Um, like I said, we're reading slowly through the book throughout the semester. So the first interview is due about mid-semester, and it's covering half of the book. Um the conversation with the interview tends to go sort of through all the the entire book, but I'm asking the students to focus primarily with their questions on the first half of the book. And then the second interview would be due towards the end of the semester, uh, focusing on the second half of the book. Um so they're they're interviewing two business leaders, they're having to either find one themselves or ask me for some help and uh take that time to have a great conversation after the business leader has taken the assessment.

SPEAKER_00 9:56

Well, uh Candace, as an author, it doesn't get any more fulfilling for me than what is what is happening where the the these college students, freshmen, yeah, are now going and introducing seasoned Christian business owners and executives to the the idea that God cares about their business and God has guidance for their business. And and and it's it's college freshmen that are that are introducing them. And and I'm sure some of them they've been walking this out, you know, on some level, maybe haven't had quite a comprehensive framework to think about what they do uh and and how their their work and business relates to the work of God and the and the mission of God. Um but they are um and and like how many how many students are so last semester and now this semester?

SPEAKER_02 10:58

Yeah, somewhere between 100 to 120 students a year we have take the course. So I teach three sections of it, they're a little bit bigger sections. Um, so somewhere around 100 to 120 students is what we're seeing go through.

SPEAKER_00 11:12

Yeah, and now they're and it has this um this multiplication multiplier effect where they're now going and introducing these other business owners to that who then will take that seriously and go and make some changes and start to reevaluate their their business practices through the lens of scripture. In fact, I just talked to one of those today who has an insulation company up in Minnesota, and he is fired up about tweaking up their their purpose statement to come into more alignment with with what God has called him to do with this company and how he's called him to steward it. Like what are what are they saying in these reflection papers?

SPEAKER_02 12:06

Yeah, um, as far as the business leaders go, um some of them are saying, I am so thankful that I'm I'm sort of following these habits and I didn't even realize it. Um some are very intentional about uh, you know, maybe not that they're a Christ-centered company, but they're very intentional in their business. And so it gives them affirmation of what they're doing uh is on on track. Um some have said, yep, I scored lower in in this area and I'd really like to make some improvements. Um so it it's been it's been so good. And and I was uh I I've been wanting to connect uh a little bit for I guess that would maybe be one way that I'd like to take it a bit further, is connect with these business leaders in some way um to encourage them, to challenge them, um, to give them um some feedback from what the students are saying as well.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

So you haven't actually heard from any of the other business owners yet at this point.

SPEAKER_02 13:05

I have not yet, but I it is something on my agenda to to connect with them real soon here. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

Yeah. Well, I've I've heard from a couple of them, and and one of them, like I said, that I just met with this morning. And so uh changes are afoot and and and there's action that is being taken uh as a result of that's really that's so great to hear.

SPEAKER_02 13:31

That's so encouraging.

SPEAKER_00 13:32

Yeah. Are are there any specific examples that you can think of of any of the aha moments that the students have had or expressed?

SPEAKER_02 13:42

There's a lot. There's a lot. Um, I was as I was uh grading this last section of papers, I put a number of comments uh to talk about with you because there were so many, almost all of them, I would say, have um uh shared just how important this was and kind of changed their vision of what how God can use them in business. You know, some of them even said, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go into business. I I I wanted to maybe use my talents for um maybe more ministry or just something that felt a little more uh like God is using me and through this seeing that this is exactly where God is calling them to. So that that's been exciting. Um I also, so for this first paper, most of the students, I would say maybe 90% of the students uh interviewed a parent or some sort of relative. And for the second paper, I'm gonna encourage them to find someone other than a relative, but I still feel like it was such a great opportunity for students to connect with someone who's close to them, um, who will be close to them later on in life when they are in their career. And so they've opened up conversations uh with a parent or um, I I think you were talking with an with an uncle of a student. And just the fact that they've opened up this avenue of conversation in in this area. Um, I think I'm hoping that maybe this may lead to some mentorship in business because of it. Um, but many of the students have parents who are entrepreneurs who started their own business or are in some sort of leadership capacity. And so that's that was really interesting to me to see that. Um but I do want to encourage them to also find somebody else outside of a relative to again, maybe open up a relationship with someone else that can continue to pour into these students. Um, so it might be a little bit harder for students to find that leader. Um, I'm hoping to have maybe some in my back pocket that they that they might be able to connect with me and ask if if they're if they are struggling finding a leader.

SPEAKER_00 16:04

Yeah. Well, these students are in such a ideal position, just when you think about like the biblical model for discipling young people, is one of the the regrets that I have is that my not that there was much that I could have done about it or even thought to have done about it, but my first job was working with a bunch of people that didn't know God. And and their lifestyle was very evident of that. And my lifestyle had kind of conformed to that culture that I was that I was around. And yet the Hebrew model is that you go to work in your your parents' company, uh, your father's company, in most cases, culturally speaking. So, you know, where is Jesus discipled? Uh well in Joseph's carpentry shop is where he spent you know most of his most of his years learning. And and so that that these parents are able to to have the language that maybe they haven't had before.

SPEAKER_01 17:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:11

Um, you know, they that they they would always do things with integrity and you know participate in their church and serve as elders and deacons and and donate to the to the ministries and things. Uh, but to to have the biblical language to talk about how they how they do their work, how they run the like this is this is this is why we are honest, even when it's painful in business. Yeah and this is why we instill these these values uh in our company, and that their children are able to as as you know 18, 19 years old, to to be able to get steeped in that that kingdom culture and and God's ways of of doing things uh is is incredibly exciting.

SPEAKER_02 18:07

Yeah, yeah. I'm just looking at a quote right now from one of the students, and uh they wrote, watching my mom choose integrity over easy profit showed me what real leadership looks like. Um so I I exactly that they're seeing directly, and then like you said, giving language to that for the students, for the parents to share with their student, their their child, um, why why they're doing what they're doing. Uh because we love the Lord and we want to honor Him in our work.

SPEAKER_00 18:38

Um Yeah, that's and this kind of mentorship is what led you to start the or led Dort, somebody is somewhere along the line, started this flame club, right? Where uh faculty members uh will organize trips for the students, and you'll have like a like a coffee shop and a pastry shop that the students run, and then you take the proceeds of that to take the students on a trip to go and learn about uh other other companies and see other companies and how they are doing things uh from a Christian perspective. Tell us about that.

SPEAKER_02 19:16

Yeah, you bet. Yeah. So our business club has been around for a number of years. I I honestly don't know how long. It's been a while. Um, I'm the faculty advisor for what we call the Flame Club right now, and it stands for Future Leaders and Missional Entrepreneurs. Um so that that's the acronym there. Um we run two different shops on campus, one that's sort of a morning, morning shop, coffee, um uh quick bites kind of kind of shop, and then an evening shop uh for smoothies and cookies and and things like that. Uh the stud it's it's student-run club, so I just advise. And um the profits that we receive off of uh our our shops, then we utilize to to bring students to different businesses throughout the year. So we go on one trip in the fall, one in the spring. We're headed to Denver uh next week. Uh we're visiting, I think it's five different businesses, a variety of businesses. Um I think they're gonna be really interested. We're going to the Rockies Stadium, we're gonna uh see uh a data center, we're gonna see a coffee roaster, um, just a variety of businesses. And that happens on every trip so that students have the opportunity to get their feet into at least 10 to 12 different businesses throughout the year uh to learn a little bit more about how leaders are uh running their business and why they're running it the way they are. And it's just been an amazing learning experience for students, not just to run a business, uh, but to also see other business leaders in action.

SPEAKER_00 20:56

Yeah. I love that. Yeah. One of the things that's so powerful about it and the way that the parents are are able to be involved in this and going through the assessment and having the reflection written on on their businesses and their business practices is that the that they are they they are heroes for these students in providing that example, because I I think for most of us, we become or strive to become like our heroes. And most business people have never had a a Christian, a hero of the Christian faith who works in business. Yeah, you know, because if you ask, and as I as I do, I ask people all the time, you know, who are who are your heroes? And who are the heroes of the Christian faith over the last you know 100 years? And virtually every response that I've gotten has been some uh has been a preacher. has been a pulpit minister, okay uh not somebody who works in business you know nobody nobody says my CEO right at my company nobody says you know my my mid-level manager at my at my company generally speaking uh um but but I think that's gonna I think that's gonna change I do I love that yep I agree because that's that's where and and that's why so many students that are serious and passionate about the gospel and and Christian mission will will never go into business uh unless it's just you know out of a financial necessity uh they will assume that the only way I can really do something of consequence for the kingdom is to go to Bible school to go to seminary yeah uh so that I can go and become a pulpit minister.

SPEAKER_02 23:02

And yeah you know having been disseminator I can tell you that most of my classmates are now working in for-profit companies um and and uh hey if it was good enough for the apostle Paul I mean I think it can be good enough for that's true he he he was not bivocational I mean he had his tent making business that's how he made money he did not make money any other way yes um you know there were some offerings raised to you know for for um christians in need but in in terms of the way that he went about things that was his he had his business and yeah he preached and so um that's a template that is kind of re-emerging yeah that's exactly what our hope is for students to see yep and and and our hope even just for this class is they're getting started and we have sort of book in classes to to you know our middle are let's learn your craft and and be excellent in your craft but and and throughout we have some other different kinds of courses but specifically our book in courses our 101 and our senior sum course are about helping students remember to focus on this is the work that God's given you and now you can go out and and live the gospel in your in your work in in your excellence.

SPEAKER_00 24:26

Yeah yeah well candice we have some college professors listening to this right now what is your advice for a professor that is in the familiar environment of I I teach at a Christian school or at least it's on the you know it's on the the the marquee uh but but there doesn't really seem to be much that's happening aside from maybe a mandatory chapel attendance for the students or something like what can they do? Where should what what what kind of hope or direction can you give to them?

SPEAKER_02 25:09

It's a big question. I I would love to actually even just read a quote from a uh one of the students and and I I think that utilizing this book can be a really great resource for students. So yeah finding finding good content um but I was going to read this quote just to maybe help professors understand some of what what students would see if they if they interviewed so this interview moved the ideas from the book to real life experiences by someone close to me. I now understand that a Christ-centered company does not have to appear over religious it can be reflected through excellence integrity service and stewardship within an industry um uh this challenged me to consider the type of leader I want to become in business and through the conversation I had with my dad I saw Christ-centered leadership is a daily commitment to align business decisions and work ethic with faith it's not about perfection but about consistency leading a business with character and purpose found in Christ um so I guess I'd wondering about advice to professors um I I think having good textbooks, you know, having good content for your courses, challenging your students in this way of thinking about business, not just about I mean obviously we want students to to graduate with excellence. So we do push them in their craft um but we also want them to always see it from the perspective of how's God created you and what does he want you to go and do out in the world for his glory.

SPEAKER_00 26:48

Yeah I mean I'm just thinking about a parent who gets a call from their kid at school saying uh hey hey mom hey dad I need to I need to interview you for a school project about how you incorporate biblical principles in business and you know you're gonna be evaluated and I'm gonna write a reflection on that like how how much does that reinforce their yeah but how much how does how much does that reinforce their decision to send their kid to college university you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 27:30

I know I was thinking about that too if if if I had a student who had this same and they came to me and asked me these questions I would just be so excited that that's what they were learning. This this is the basis of their class here um that's really exciting.

SPEAKER_00 27:45

So yes that definitely affirms the decision um to to send their student to to the university that they're at yeah yeah I agree and I I did remember that question I was gonna ask you before we started the interview uh and that was have you been a part of the Christian business faculty association? No I'm not no okay well I really think you need to present a paper at that conference on what's happening there at at Dort because professors need to need to hear about this.

SPEAKER_02 28:19

Okay I will consider it for sure you've given me some good resources I I am relatively new at at Dort I'm one of the newest faculty there I am on my third year so I'm I'm getting further in but um yes I'm I'm constantly learning how to do this yep so you don't have to be tenured you know there for 20 30 years to have the kind of influence to make um take an initiative like this uh so exciting what's happening um dort dot edu uh which refers to the council of dort yes um during the reformation and uh dort dot edu is the website correct okay anything else you want to say about how people can learn more about what's going on there like I mentioned if you know if you are uh a student who's interested campus visits is a great is a great um thing to do I I think that's really helpful for students to just get their feet on campus.

SPEAKER_00 29:22

Um but yeah they can always reach out to me if they have any questions I'm I'm willing to direct in the right um place or answer if I can yeah well I hope we get at least one new student that's going to Dort because of this that'd be great that would be wonderful we are we're a campus that's really thriving.

SPEAKER_02 29:42

I know that there's several that are are struggling and we just have seen growth and growth and growth every year. It's actually one of our um biggest uh conversations with faculty because our our campus continues to grow so lots of construction always happening we're building a new dorm here in the next in the next uh year or so um so yes super thriving campus and we just we'd love to have more students here yeah awesome well candice thank you so much for spending uh time with us today and sharing what's going on incredibly exciting and uh look forward to hearing more in the days ahead sounds good thank you Darren thanks for listening to this episode of the Christian business leader podcast be sure to subscribe leave a review and tune in for the next episode as we continue exploring God's will and ways for business