Chick-fil-A CEO: Jesus Teachings Helped Increase Sales
Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy wasn’t shy about his faith Friday when he attributed the huge increase in sales at the fast food chain to the wisdom found in the teachings of Jesus.
Pointing to Matthew 5, 6, and 7, Cathy half-jokingly told the crowd of over 600 people that the Sermon on the Mount is a sermon on how to operate a Chick-fil-A restaurant and how to deal with disgruntled customers.
“So when we probed into this one scripture verse it led us to a radical service makeover within our organization. It became high touch and high tech all at the same time, but particularly high touch,” said Cathy at Biola University’s second annual Imagination Summit....
jpw wrote: ho hum! I guess Jesus only inpsires post-industrial fast food restaurants.
You are begining to sond like one of those men hating, socialist feminists of the sixties. Either that or an effewminate Emergent. I heard smoking Pot lowers testosterone.
Strange you really don't notice what he says? What Christ says will make you a better Christian, not necessarily painter, airline pilot or an owner of a chain of restaurants. It may not hurt or help, many times it will actually hurt. I'm not saying Mr. Cathy is or is not a Christian, if he is, he is stating his position poorly. There are a few rich Christians, but---
1 Corinthians 1 26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, 29 that no man should boast before God.---NASB
Following the Nine Commandments should may gain you some respect in the world and then again not. His legalism about being closed on Sunday is a mixed blessing. Now that's not following Jesus. Legalism is Shadow, Christ is Substance.
It sounds very much like you are claiming to know his mind when you suggest that his practice of faith and commenting on his faith is done for financial gain. Isn't it just possible that his faith and the practice of it are sincere and heartfelt and that the lesson of "Do unto others..." has proved to be a blessing in his life and business and he is sharing that fact with others.
Are you so cynical as to think that Mr. Cathy's faith is just a means to prosperity? Don't confuse the appreciation of blessings of prosperity with the love of money. If his goal was just to amass wealth Chic-fil-A would not be closed on Sundays.
My experience has been that whether you are a preacher, a painter, a janitor or a CEO, that following biblical principals will make you a better preacher, painter, janitor and CEO.
Or, do you really think that Mr. Cathy would be better off, and his employees and customers would be better off in any way, spiritual or financial, if he sold Chic-fil-A, gave all to charity and lived in poverty?
The rich young man in the bible had riches as an obstacle to his salvation and thus Christ's response to him which points out that his god was money. As I see it, that does not appear to be the case with Mr. Cathy.
I don't have to read his mind, and for the purpose of the article, I really don't need to know where his heart is, but I can read what is attributed to him, from the article, "Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy wasn’t shy about his faith Friday when he attributed the huge increase in sales at the fast food chain to the wisdom found in the teachings of Jesus.'
The teaching of Jesus for commercial gain isn't in the Scriptures.
Did Mr Cathy mean these verses?
Matthew 19 18 He said^ to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; 19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 20 The young man said^ to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."---NASB
Hmmm, these will make you financially wealthier? They would make you wealthier where it does matter.
Jim Lincoln, Are you suggesting that Mr. Cathy's heeding of the principles of the Sermon on the Mount is a crass use of biblical principles for the purpose of making money? Are you a mind reader? Are you a judge? How do you know what is in the heart of Mr. Cathy? While he "half-jokingly told the crowd of over 600 people that the Sermon on the Mount is a sermon on how to operate a Chick-fil-A restaurant", it was only half joking. To treat people as you would like to be treated is not only biblical, it is good business. The issue is what is in Mr. Cathy's heart. History and the facts seem to show that his christian faith is more than ploy; it seems to be a way of life. To suggest without evidence that Mr. Cathy is "use(ing) Christianity for big bucks" is crass, cynical, judgmental and unfair. You owe Mr. Cathy an apology for publicly making such a defamatory suggestion about his motives. If I have mis-read your motive, I apologize.
When I went to University many decades ago, I had a class on contemporary American history. It pointed out a saleman made big bucks on pointing out how to use Christianity for big bucks in the 1920's I was trying to find his name by Googling, but didn't, but I see many still follow in his footsteps.
Using the book of Proverbs is one thing, but let's look at the New Testament,
Matthew 13 22 "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 1 Timothy 6 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. 6:11 But flee from these things, you man of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.---NASB
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Doug Greeley | 3/15/2009
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