The Christian Right Brain

Running an advertising firm comes with making decisions that go beyond the bidding process, spec work, and motivating a sales team. For a Christian in media the decisions are even more difficult. Not only do you have to worry about getting business, you also have to turn down work from those prospective clients that don't match. This is the dilemma and discernment that face other professions from accounting to legal, to even janitorial services. If the founders of organizations are promoting a blatantly unbiblical message for the profits it may bring in. In Colorado many of our competitors and colleagues will compromise values by working with a ministerial minded client and on the other end contradict those values. Money and security can be the great compromiser!

This summer I was honored by being elected to the Pikes Peak Advertising Federation Board. I was excited that I could bring a Christian Worldview perspective to the boardroom and the committee that I would be heading which is Education. I attended a few events and meetings and realized quite quickly that the board position is not the best place to make a difference in the industry. I was faced with an ethical dilemma based on the monthly luncheon that the ad fed organizes for members. A guest who is in the business from a major firm or is a leader in the industry is booked to speak on their philosophy be it creative, business, or career. The first luncheon of the year featured the creative mind behind a famous advertising campaign: "What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas." Of course the adage and message was broken since he is booked in Colorado! I didn't have to refer my decision to the NIV, KJV, or NLT, I knew to support or to support the message and or the product was wrong and if I did I would be compromising my values and the shared values of my clients, church, and family. So I resigned from the board.