Disruption is a hot topic because change is a constant. 

Does Nokia ring a bell? Nokia phones, once ubiquitous, are now sentimental reminders of the “good old days”. The disruptor then was the first generation of iPhones. 

Closer to home, Singapore Press Holdings retrenched staff because of competition from technological disruptors.

Ride-hailing apps, Grab and Uber, are disrupting the oligopolistic transport market. Fintech looms over the horizon, and the oil industry watches the development of shale oil closely.

Adept responses are necessary for survival; those who do not retain their relevance are unceremoniously cast aside. But we must be able to see and seize the opportunities that arise as well. Because for the few who do, they will not only survive but thrive

The stakes are high – not just in terms of profits and growth, but also the socio-economic impact of jobs and livelihoods.

The truth of our faith

In this world that we live in, it rains on both the righteous and unrighteous. Christians are not immune to the effects of economic change.

Hunkering down like ostriches with our heads buried in sand is not an option. But neither should we sit around and be slovenly in our hope for deliverance. When Jesus prayed for His disciples, He clarified that He was not asking God to take them out of the world. John 17:15

Instead, be good at what you do. Daniel 6:3

Having a spirit of excellence matters practically and spiritually. Competency gives credibility – it is what will help us survive the industry disruptions. No one puts aside a good worker, nor do people pass over businesses of true value.

But the fruit of our work must also reflect the truth of our faith. If Creation was declared “good”, then the work of our hands must abide by those same standards because we bear the mark of our Maker. Writer Dorothy Sayers expressed this with typical British dryness:

“…what use is (religion) if in the very center of (man’s) life and occupation he is insulting God with bad carpentry? No crooked table legs or ill-fitting drawers ever, I dare swear, came out of the carpenter’s shop at Nazareth. Nor, if they did, could anyone believe that they were made by the same hand that made Heaven and earth.”

Thriving in ways that matter

So doing good work saves our jobs? Well, probably. But that cannot be all there is.

In the course of staying relevant, it is not a matter of the survival of the fittest – it cannot be, because we have been given the added responsibility of people who have been sent into the world to speak truth. John 17:17 The command for us to go into the world is given by Christ Himself. Mark 16:15

When Jesus died on that Cross, He was the Disruptor of the ages – with His death, Salvation for all was made possible. And having been commissioned and empowered by the Holy Spirit, His disciples established the Church.

They thrived in ways that mattered.

Change is an opportunity to impact the world. Disrupted industries eventually settle into a new “normal” after a while. But it is the instability during and after the change that brings about huge opportunity for change. For Christians, that change could be to impact the world for good.

Think about it – is it easier to push a stationary object or to change the direction of a moving one?

Disruptors might just be the tool that sets things in motion. The existential crises they cause on a personal or industrial level have the potential to be used for positive impact.

Individuals who see opportunities in the midst of crises become changemakers.

Within companies, it might be to persuade the sales team to abide by compliance rules, or to be an influential voice in resetting the company culture.

In businesses, new ventures or initiatives might suddenly become viable.

Our responses to change and disruption will vary, but it is up to Christians to step up and redeem the opportunities put before us.

We must know that there is a purpose to our very existence on this earth; our survival in the industry is not just for our sakes alone. Rather, we are where we are “for such a time as this”. Esther 4:14

In 1859, Charles Dickens opened A Tale of Two Cities with this stanza:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,
it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness,
it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

In 2018, this contrariness is still true – especially for Christians. We are called to be in the world but not of the world. Romans 12:2 We are in a world, subject to the whims of technological, organisational and even political change. But we must also keep our eyes fixed on the purposes of God and His plan for the salvation and redemption of mankind, because that is what we were sent into the world for.

LuminoCity 2017 was a three-day forum where marketplace disciples gathered for keynote presentations, panel discussions and networking. This article arose from a panel discussion on Profits and Impact.