This is leading 10. I'm Chris Moore. Let me ask you a question. Is it okay to hire someone who clearly isn't a Christian or worse, who's openly against the gospel, and what if you're already managing someone who makes it clear that they don't share, or maybe they even actively reject your faith? Can you still lead? Well, protect your business culture and stay true to Christ. That's what we're going to tackle today. And let's start with scripture. Romans chapter 12, verse 18 says this, if it be possible, as much as life in you. Live peaceably with all men. And in Matthew chapter five, verse 16, Jesus tells us, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in heaven. Notice something here. The Bible does not command us to avoid unbelievers. In fact, Jesus himself prayed in John chapter 17, verse 15. I pray not that thou should us take them out of the world, but that thou should us keep them from evil. He knew that we would live, work and lead in a world full of people who don't believe. The core principle about it is this, we cannot and should not isolate ourselves from non-believers, but we must guard the culture that God has entrusted us to build. So how do we do this? Let's walk through four steps. Number one, separate competency from faith when hiring. The first question is, can they do the job with excellence if their skills, character, and worth ethic. If their skills, character and work ethic meet the requirements, they can be a good hire, even if they don't share your faith. Unless you're hiring for a ministry role, you are not requiring someone to be a believer to contribute effectively. Think about Joseph in Egypt. He served under Pharaoh, a man who did not worship the Lord, and yet Joseph brought wisdom and blessing to the entire nation. No doubt there were people that reported to Joseph during this time. That did not believe in his God. Sometimes God places us in positions where we work alongside unbelievers so that his light can shine even brighter. Number two, we do need to protect our culture. We need to set expectations early. As a Christian business owner, you are not just hiring talent. You are shaping a culture, and every employee will represent you and your values to customers, vendors, and the community. That's why expectations must be crystal clear. You cannot demand someone adopt your faith, but you can require respect for the culture that you're building. For example, respect during prayer, honesty in dealings, excellence in work, and professionalism with customers. If you fail to guard your culture, you risk allowing someone to undermine what makes your business distinct. Protecting culture is not unloving, it's stewardship. Number three, we need to lead with consistency and with Christ-like integrity. Here's where many leaders slip. They treat believers better than unbelievers, or they turn every interaction into some attempt at conversion. Paul reminds us in Colossians chapter four, verses five and six, to walk in wisdom towards them that are without redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt. That means your job is to lead with fairness, consistency. And grace, whether someone is a believer or even an atheist, they should see integrity in you. That's how your leadership becomes a testimony. A steady, consistent example is often more powerful than any sermon that we've ever heard preached. Number four, need to guard your influence and draw some boundaries. There is a balance here. You cannot and should not, and do not need to isolate yourselves from unbelievers that would make you ineffective as a witness to them. But you also can't let someone openly mock your faith or stir division. You cannot let that remain unchecked in your company. Proverbs 13 verse 20 warns he that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. If someone's behavior threatens your business culture, that's not just a faith issue, it's a leadership issue. In those moments, you must act. Now, as a Christian, we need to start with coaching them to set clear boundaries, but if necessary, we have to transition them out. Protecting the health of your team honors both God and the mission He's entrusted to you and protects your business, so it's there to serve your team and your community. But there are some pitfalls, so I wanna give you two quick warnings. Don't confuse evangelism with employment. Hiring someone does not obligate you to convert them. Your role is to run your business. Well lead with excellence and trust God to use your witness. Don't compromise your convictions just to keep peace. It's tempting to soften your values so that no one feels offended, but Jesus never compromised truth to gain acceptance stand firm, but do it with grace. So here's, here's the encouragement. You don't have to fear leading. Or hiring unbelievers. In fact, you can't reach them if you separate yourself from them. But you do need to guard your culture, set expectations, and lead in a way that reflects the heart of Christ. So here's a question for you. Does the way you set expectations and protect your culture, make people more curious about your faith? Or does it make them more resistant to it? Does how you lead, how you interact, saying that you are a Christian, leading as a Christian, does it draw people to Christ or does it push them the way? So here's a simple action step this week. Revisit the expectations you set for your team. Make sure they're clear, they're fair, and they align with your values. And two, make sure that you are the leader that's leading them in that direction. Then choose one interaction. With a non-believing coworker or employee where you'll show extra grace and integrity. That's all for this episode of Leading 10. I'm Chris Moore. Let's keep leading with love and truth and I'll see you in the next episode. Oh, by the way, if you haven't gotten your copy yet of lead, like the Line served like the lamb, I encourage you to do that. You can find it at Amazon. Multiple different retailers can order it. I believe this will really help you in your walk. I know it's helped me. I'll see you next time.