7th Made is a lifestyle; it’s how you carry yourself in all aspects of life. This includes the workplace; however we sometimes lead different lives altogether in the workplace. Lataya Simpson, founder of Christian Networking group, shared with us her mission to bridge the gap between faith and business. CNG promotes the highest standards of ethics in business using Bible-based concepts to encourage the practice of Christianity not only in their personal lives but in business as well for the Christian professional.

There are several different faith-based organizations throughout the city of Houston, however, there is only one that I know of that focuses solely on bringing together Christians for the purpose of networking. That organization is Christian Networking Group, or CNG. But what prompted such an idea? In order to get a full understanding, I spoke with the founder, Lataya Simpson.

7th Made Online: How did Christian Networking Group come about? 

Lataya Simpson: Christian Networking Group started in January of 2006. Before that I was working in sales and I knew there were things God wanted me to do, but I didn't know what it was. And during the summer of 2005 He told me Christians network. It wasn't so much a name but an action. I didn't think Christians networked. I thought networking was a horrible thing where people tried to take advantage of you so I was surprised when the Lord said Christians network. I did some research and found that networking groups exist and many of them are very good, so I started CNG.

7MO: 7th Made promotes continuous spiritual growth and focuses on the fact that it is a lifestyle. However, often times spiritual lifestyle does not carry itself into the business world.

LS: I think 7th Made and CNG have a lot in common. The purpose of Christian Networking Group is to help people understand that yes you can connect your whole life; it's not two separate lives. The reason I feel the Lord told me to do it is because people separate their personal lives from their business lives. They have a lifestyle on Sunday where they wear the church mask, say "Hallelujah", know all the right times to say "amen," lay hands on the sick, speak in tongues, and use all the spiritual gifts found in 1-Corinthians chapter 12. However, they take their church hat off on Sunday and put on a work hat on Monday. They don't always take that spiritual walk into the marketplace. The marketplace is any place outside of the traditional church setting. The Lord wants people to bridge the gap between their faith and business life. He doesn't want people to have one being that would go to heaven for being so Holy and the other being go straight to hell because they are so unethical in their business practices, not witnessing to anyone or simply not living as a Christian should. You don't do what is politically correct, but what is spiritually correct.

7MO: While CNG does target Christian business owners, it is also for Christian professionals in general.  Most non-business owners do not have input or control in company operations. In that, what do you say to the Christian professional that works in an environment that is unethical?

LS: If you are put in a position that compromises your ethics and your job is on the line, you do what the Lord would do. Then the problem a lot of the times is, we don't know what the Lord would do because we don't know His word. The first thing we need to do is get a clear understanding of what thus said the Lord, and not just what thus said pastor. Sometimes things we feel are not right aren't necessarily wrong. The word says follow the laws of the land. It may be legal and it doesn't feel right, but feelings are not facts. Sometimes our instincts and morals aren't actually the truth. However, if you know it's wrong, you should never do anything for the sake of the company. You should find alternatives to [the company's] method. You don't undermine your boss by telling him he is wrong. Neither should you thump Him over the head with a Bible. However, you can communicate there is a better way. But communicate that it is wrong and they insist that you do whatever it is, that is a personal decision that you have to make.

7MO: CNG wants to help bridge the gap between faith and business. How should a business owner make sure their company plans are aligned with God's plans? Where does that discernment come from?

LS:: A lot of time we throw around the term "hearing from God" without thinking about what it actually is. Hearing requires communication and prayer. It requires listening.  When we communicate with God, pray and read His word, our discernment will increase. I believe everyone has discernment. We don't all exercise it, but God has given us a measure of discernment. It is up to us to release total control to the Holy Spirit so the discernment can be released. If you're starting a business - or any endeavor - we should pray and seek God's face. That means hearing from God and not just talking to God. If you are not hearing from Him enough, maybe you need to talk to Him more. If you're not hearing from Him enough and you're talking a lot, maybe you need to shut up sometimes. Turn off all the excess distractions: Facebook, iPods, and stop DVR'ing every episode of Grey's Anatomy. [laughs] I speak to myself when I say that. Fasting on a regular basis can also take away a lot of the distractions that keep you from reaching a certain level of discernment. We spend so much time multi-tasking that we can't pay attention to one thing at a time. However, when God is speaking to us He is the one thing we need to be paying attention to. We multi-task all the time - including in our prayer life - and we miss the mark.

7MO: CNG promotes bible-based concepts. What is your favorite Bible-based concept to relay to your member and attendees?

LS: First of all [Matt 22:39] "love your neighbor as yourself." It's easy to not love your competition and your competition is still your neighbor.  Next, "and I will make you fishers of men" (Matt 4:19). To me, that was when the Lord began to network. He gathered his network of disciples, who went out and got referrals. He did not go into the synagogue and gather his disciple. He went into the marketplace. From there he began to network and sell His product. He did not degrade the gospel and He sold it successfully. The product was the word of God. The message got to the masses by Jesus saying "I will make you fishers of men."

-J. McNair

*For more information on Christian Networking Group visit: www.Christiannetworkinggroup.com

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