CFO Larry Absheer: his profession & workplace as an opportunity for ministry. Is yours?

Interview Synopsis:

Larry Absheer is the Chief Financial Officer of the very established, very nice 100-year-old Missouri Athletic Club (www.mac-stl.org). “MAC” (as it is known) has its primary facilities in downtown St. Louis across the street from Americas Convention Center and the Edward Jones Dome where the St. Louis Rams play football.

As a follower of Jesus. Larry looked for … and found … ways in which he could utilize his profession and his workplace to serve the Lord.  A primary means is to host and provide hospitality for ministries when they need to gather for advancing their work.      

For instance, when he learned of the unfolding plans for the 1999 “Greater St. Louis Crusade with Billy Graham,” he let it be known that he wished to be involved.

Since then … and even before … Larry Absheer has been very helpful serving through his career and workplace.  When a ministry group needs a nice, neutral, and centrally located site to conduct it short-term work, the Missouri Athletic Club is very high on the list of options. 

Here is a partial list of the St. Louis connected ministries benefiting in recent years from “MAC’s” hospitality for gathering, planning, and development;  

·         The Billy Graham Crusade in 1999 that met across the street from MAC in the Edwards Jones Dome;

·         Franklin Graham’s one-day Rock the River event under the St. Louis Arch in August 2, 2009, (but which required a year of staff preparation) wherein 65,000+ mostly young people came together to hear Christian Rock bands and Franklin preach the Good News of Jesus … three different times during the one day event;

·         Bill Bright and Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as “Cru”);

·         Gathering of the Mission America Coalition’s (www.missionamerica.org) CityReachers.

·         Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California;

·         Events pertaining to the annual CBMC (www.cbmcstl.com – Connecting Businessmen to Christ) Prayer Breakfast of Greater St. Louis, wherein he served as chairman of the steering committee;

·          Mission Metro St. Louis;

·         Wheaton College, the school of Billy Graham and Larry Absheer — their local sports teams and alumni gatherings;

·         Experiencing God events led by Henry Blackaby, his family and staff;

·         Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (Urbana ’06, ’09, ’12 and anticipated Urbana 12);

·         Cru’s Athletes in Action

·         The Lutheran Church Extension Fund

·         The Christian Broadcasting Network’s coordination and partnership with local churches in distribution of hundreds of thousands of Bible portions

·         First Evangelical Free Church; and

·         New Song Fellowship

While this focus heavily spotlights the role of one layman serving through his career and workplace, it is hoped that such an example will “cast a vision” as to how each of us might use our own situations and circumstances – career, employment, relationships, retirement – to creatively serve our Lord…in the limited time we each have remaining.

Your conditions will be different, but God can provide you wisdom in how to apply the principle where you are. .    

Illustration: This whole focus of ministering through our career and employment calls to mind radio I hosted several years ago.  It was with an Oklahoma City dedicated Christian businessman, a brother to the then mayor of the City.  He owned and operated a successful company with scores of employees that produced hair products for African-Americans.  He worked 50-60 hours each week, but acknowledged feelings of guilt for not being able to do more evangelistic visitation through his church. 

Amid it all, God revealed to him that his workplace was to be his primary place of ministry.  With this new mindset, he focused on honoring Jesus by treating his employees with dignity and fairness, paying them above what was expected, befriending and being kindly available to them, especially in times of crisis.  Joy and satisfaction came to fill his life as he focused on his workplace … and the relationships in his workplace … as being his primary place of ministry outside his home and family.