Bruised Camels - Following Jesus Thru the Eye of the Needle

In 1983 a handful of well off Christians in suburban Chicago got together to help each other figure out how to follow Jesus more faithfully. This is their story...the good, the bad, and the occasionally hilarious. Host Mark W King interviews Em Griffin, Gordon Murphy, and Bob Goldsborough about the early days of the group that inspired this podcast. With refreshing candor they recount the issues they struggled with then and still struggle with today. You'll learn the secret of their success that's almost 40 years in the making.

Jesus said it's easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of heaven if that verse freaks you out, even a little bit. Then you're in the right place and among friends

I'm Mark King, your host. and I am a Bruised Camel.

So right off the bat, we need to answer the question: what exactly is a Bruised Camel? The short answer is a Bruised Camel is a wealthy person trying to enter the Kingdom of God without God's help. Because Jesus was pretty clear when he explained the whole camel and the eye of the needle thing to the disciples: what's impossible for man is only possible with God.

The longer answer to “what's a Bruised Camel?” comes out two of my own struggles and bruises.

My first struggle is that while sometimes I'm pretty good at setting aside everything and following Jesus, most of the time I flip flop. The rich young ruler at least had the integrity to just go home. You have to respect the self-awareness and decisiveness. If it’d been me that day, I’d have started following Jesus and then turned around and headed home...then turned around and chased after Jesus...then bailed out for home, only to do another 1-80 and chase after Jesus. I’m bruised by my repeated attempts to get through the eye of the needle on my own.

My second set of bruises comes from being a Jesus follower working in the business world and the investment industry specifically. It’s a place where people (some people at least) secretly, and sometimes not so secretly, believe the Michael Douglas’ character in the movie Wall Street, Gordon Gekko, was right “Greed IS good.”

Now let me be crystal clear about two things: First, I don’t think other professions and industries are any better or worse than the business world. Every profession has a dark and a light side. But I only know about and feel called to the business world. So that will be the focus of the podcast and newsletter.

Second, it drives me crazy that the businesspeople are so often vilified in popular culture or reduced by Christians to being a cash spewing ATM machine who’s only role is funding other spiritual superior activities. I am an unapologetic evangelist for the protestant work ethic. If you’re a businessperson, I will fight to make sure people understand that you’re doing God’s work.

We are called to be small business owners. We are called to be free lancers and corporate employees. And yes, we are called to be Wall St. financiers and Silicon Valley VCs. But...ask any Old Testament prophet...being called doesn’t make it easy. It can be a bruising experience to say the very least.

Fortunately, over the course of my career, I’ve encountered other Jesus followers in the business world that were bruised by these same two problems. They helped heal my bruises, taught me how to avoid the mistakes they’d made, and encouraged me to keep going and be the best businessperson I could be.

And that...is the purpose of the Bruised Camels newsletter and podcast. First and foremost, to point you towards Jesus and encourage you to connect with other Bruised Camels. And secondly, to help you be the amazing businessperson that God has called you to be.

I would love to hear your story and learn how the newsletter and podcast can serve you. Please...please shoot me an email at [email protected] Hearing from you would make my day.

Above all don’t forget what Jesus said about getting that Camel through the eye of the needle: with God...all things are possible.

Can you launch a charitable foundation with the best of intentions and end up scandalizing the foundation, embarrassing the charities you support, and having your faith questioned in the glare of the national media spotlight?

Of course you can! On this episode, we look at what we can learn from the dramatic collapse of Archegos Capital, its founder Bill Hwang and his charitable work through Grace and Mercy Foundation.

More background reading:

CNBC story on Grace and Mercy Foundation's role in the scandal.

The Collapse of Archegos Explained - Market Feed

Host Mark W King kicks off the Bruised Camels podcast with an explanation of who Bruised Camels are and how a podcast will help them enter God's kingdom. Notes and resources for you at BruisedCamels.com