Course Overview

Biblical Standards for Business (3 Cr)

Professor: Darren Shearer, M.A.

Darren is the founder and CEO of High Bridge Media, a marketing agency specializing in publishing and promoting the world-changing ideas of inspiring thought leaders. Its imprint, High Bridge Books, has published more than 60 books since 2013.

Darren is also the director of the Theology of Business Institute, a global think tank with the mission of helping marketplace Christians to disciple their co-workers, companies, industries, and communities. He has authored three books, including Marketing Like Jesus: 25 Strategies to Change the World and The Marketplace Christian: A Practical Guide to Using Your Spiritual Gifts in Business.

A former Captain in the United States Air Force, Darren earned the United States Air Force Commendation Medal for his meritorious service in Kuwait during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He holds a M.A. in Practical Theology from Regent University (Virginia Beach, VA), an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Management from Pace University (New York, NY), and a B.A. in English from Charleston Southern University (Charleston, SC).

Darren and his wife, Marie, reside in Houston, Texas and have two young boys, Solomon and Armand.

Overview

Marketplace Christians are called to "set the standard" in the business world, and our ultimate standard is Jesus Christ. By setting Christ-centered standards in every aspect of business, Christian business professionals can fulfill the Great Commission---that is, to "make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:16-20)---by making disciples of their companies, industries, and communities. 

In this course, you will learn the biblical foundations and standards for each of the major disciplines of business in order to help you and your company spread the awareness of God's glory, Jesus Christ, in the marketplace. 

Outcomes

As a result of successfully completing this course, students should be able to...

1. Understand the primary purpose of business from a biblical perspective.

2. Articulate the biblical foundations for each of the following disciplines of business: profitability and profit management, innovation, marketing, customer care, management, human resources management, accounting and accountability, business law, and risk management.

3. Understand the role of business in fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20).

4. Understand the current state of the "Marketplace Christianity Movement" and how to engage his/her local church in this movement. 

Required reading

Burkett, Larry. Business by the Book: The Complete Guide of Biblical Principles for the Workplace (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998). 

Miller, David W. God at Work: The History and Promise of the Faith at Work Movement (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007). 

Shearer, Darren. Marketing Like Jesus: 25 Strategies to Change the World (Houston: High Bridge Books, 2014). 

Shearer, Darren. The Marketplace Christian: A Practical Guide to Using Your Spiritual Gifts in Business (Houston: High Bridge Books, 2015). 

Required Assignments

1. View all online lectures and read all articles on each topic. Active engagement with course materials prior to attempting the quiz is required for each unit. If a resource is provided in multiple formats, simply choose whichever format best supports your learning. CLI’s system tracks your viewing history to determine meaningful engagement. Make sure you are logged into your student account when viewing or downloading the materials.

2. Take the online quiz for each unit. You will have 75 minutes to answer 20 multiple-choice questions for each quiz. Each quiz covers the readings and video lectures for that unit. Once a quiz has started, you must finish it, and you cannot retake it. 

3. At the end of the course, you will be invited to complete a brief Course Feedback Survey. Your feedback helps CLI evaluate the course and identify opportunities for improvement.

Course Forum

Each course forum is located near the beginning of the course, immediately before the first course-content section. The forum allows students to post course-related questions and comments for other currently enrolled students to view and discuss. You can also search previous posts to see whether your question or topic has already been addressed. 

The forum is intended primarily for peer discussion and may not receive an immediate response. Questions or concerns requiring timely assistance should be directed to the Help Desk at helpdesk@christianleaders.net.

Grading Scale

A  93-100%   A- 90-92%   B+ 87-89%   B  83-86%   B- 80-82%   C+ 77-79%   C  73-76%   C- 70-72%   D+ 67-69%   D  63-66%   D- 60-62%   F  0-59%

Students' final grade is based on the average of all required quizzes and assignments. Each graded activity is weighted equally unless otherwise stated. The single lowest quiz score will be excluded from the overall grade.

Your average for the course must be at least 60%. Otherwise, you will fail the class and will receive no credit.

Deadline

You have 180 days to finish the course. If you have not received a final grade for the course before your enrollment ends, you will be automatically unenrolled, you will receive an “Administrative Withdrawal” for the course on your transcript, and all coursework will be removed. You will have to start over and take the class again to receive credit.

To avoid potential administrative delays or additional fees, please complete all assignments at least three weeks before your enrollment end date.

If you believe you qualify for a two-week extension, as outlined in our Catalog policies, please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@christianleaders.net as soon as possible, ideally at least three weeks before your enrollment end date.