What are Parallel PrioritiesTM?

Parallel Priorities are the vital commitments in our life that share a healthy tension of having HIGH importance. They’re the core areas of our daily calling in which mediocrity and failure have huge negative implications. They’re interdependent strands where failure in one impacts the others, and success in one can benefit the others. In Christ, success in all these priorities is possible at the same time, and results in a life well-lived.

For the Christian CEO/Business Owner, these parallel priorities include: running a successful business; leading a healthy family; and having a significant Kingdom impact.

Running a Successful Business

You’ve been gifted as a leader and steward of a company. God expects you to get a good return on the assets He’s entrusted to you. That includes profits to keep the company healthy, providing opportunity for people and resulting in a fair return to you and any other shareholders. And while profitability is vital and good, “success” requires a more comprehensive definition; one that includes honoring God, delighting customers, serving people, excellence, innovation, dependability, integrity, trust and winning with the people in your care.

Leading a Healthy Family

As a spouse, parent, son or daughter, brother or sister, your presence and leadership could have no greater impact than with the ones you care most about. Contributing to the health of your immediate and extended family and preserving your leadership integrity with them is probably the greatest measure of your leadership. You’ll impact generations of your family based on the values they see you live out and your love and time invested in them. Our family is our primary ministry.

Having a Significant Kingdom Impact

God has a unique plan and great adventure for your life and business. It takes into account your strengths, passions, personality and experiences – as well as the type of business, the people you interact with, your products and services, and the assets at your disposal. He calls us to be conformed to His image and love and serve people in His name, personally and through our businesses, so that we bear “much fruit.” What a privilege that our amazing God uses people like us to accomplish His eternal purposes and rewards us for our faithfulness!

Questions to Consider

  • Which of these three vital priorities is easiest for you to pursue? Why?
  • Which is most difficult for you to pursue? Why?
  • What’s happened in these parallel priorities in the last five years?
  • What if the next five years continues the trajectory of the past five years?
Chairs