Building a Legacy: Faith-Based Leadership in the Workplace

Sarabeth Stone
Jan 6
4 min read

Updated: Mar 6

By Sarabeth Stone

For decades, business leaders have faced mounting pressure to separate their faith from their profession. Many executives have acquiesced, striving to keep up with shifting social and political trends. However, this approach not only contradicts the free-market principles that historically drove American prosperity—it ignores compelling evidence that moral principles enhance business performance. Companies guided by clear values consistently demonstrate stronger employee morale, more ethical decision-making, and better long-term financial outcomes.

In his December presentation to the South Carolina Christian Consortium, Rep. Mike Burns affirmed that integrating Biblical values into the workplace is more crucial than ever. Drawing from decades of entrepreneurial experience and ten years in the state legislature, Burns offered a compelling perspective on how principled leadership can thrive in both the private and public sectors.

A Call to Action: Chart a New Course Forward

While the West has progressively tried to remove God from nearly every sphere of public life, it wasn’t always that way. Rep. Burns shared his own memories of an America that looked very different from the nation of today. He remembers the 1950s and early 1960s as a time when every manufacturing industry was firmly rooted in America, not outsourced to China. It was a time when the nation approached war with the intent to fight, win, and bring it to a decisive end, rather than using it as a means for federal profit. During this period, the United States also integrated religious values into public life, rather than confining them to the four walls of the church.

"When Madeline O’Hare went to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1963 and succeeded in getting the Bible kicked out of public schools, the church effectively stood down," shared Burns.

Although it took several years for the results of that Supreme Court decision to filter through the system and take its full effect, it was comprehensive and cataclysmic. “When I was a freshman at the University of South Carolina in 1970, a college professor told me the Bible was not considered a credible source for an English composition paper on the topic of euthanasia. That was a shock to me,” said Burns “and my first real taste of how quickly pushing God out of the public square changes things.”

“Looking back at our mistakes can help us chart a different course forward,” continued Rep. Burns. “We now know that Christians must take decisive action against policies that conflict with our values. Whether its ESG scores influencing state regulations, or a push to legalize medical marijuana under the guise of “compassionate care,” we must stand up and say “No. We aren’t going down this road.” If we don’t push back today, it will turn into a much bigger fight tomorrow.”

An Example of Faith-Based Leadership

First elected in 2013, Burns is now serving his seventh term in the South Carolina House of Representatives. Before entering politics, he founded six successful businesses, including manufacturing plants in Pickens and Union Counties. This business experience helped shape his legislative priorities.

"I ran for office to help improve the regulatory process in South Carolina," Burns explained, as he shared one of the biggest challenges he faced as a business owner: $1.5 million in fines related to environmental compliance. After discovering that the publicly owned treatment facility his plant was using was at fault, he took the case to court and won. Reshaping the regulatory environment to better protect public safety without unnecessarily burdening businesses became a top priority for Burns. That goal has remained his focus as he serves on the House Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs Committee.

As one of the founders of the South Carolina Family Caucus, Burns has also worked tirelessly to integrate faith and family values into legislation. What began with just three House members has grown to over 50 legislators. The caucus boasts several legislative wins, including a law that reinstituted the installation of “in God we trust” placards in public schools, and another that exempted churches from forced closure due to state emergency declarations.

Practical Steps for Business Leaders

For business leaders seeking to make a difference, Burns emphasized the importance of being bold to share Biblical beliefs in the workplace. “You must know what you believe and why so you can explain it to others," Burns added. “If we are ashamed to share about Jesus, He’ll be ashamed of us at the judgement (Mark 8).”

Second, Burns encouraged South Carolina’s business community to take an active role in local politics. “Despite that Republicans hold a supermajority in South Carolina’s legislature, members still don’t truly mirror the bold red of South Carolina voters,” Burns continued. “We need more biblically minded conservatives to run for office, to make calls holding elected officials accountable, and to simply exercise God’s standards in how they conduct their own businesses.”

Finally, Rep. Burns stressed that everyday people still have more influence than most realize. He highlighted that bills have been pulled from consideration simply because citizens flooded the phones with concerns. “People still have the power, but they don't seem to know it,” he explained. “When you call your state legislator, let me assure you that it matters! Your calls help ensure a bill becomes law—or not.”

Building a Legacy of Leadership

For South Carolina’s business community, the path forward requires courage, clarity, and commitment. The key lies not in choosing between business success and principled leadership, but in recognizing how they reinforce each other. As business leaders embrace this integrated approach, they enable others to follow suit, building a legacy that promotes American prosperity and a longevity that extends far beyond their own individual organizations.

Sarabeth Stone is a wife, mother, and freelance writer residing in the Upstate. Her background centers around public affairs and communications work with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit entities, and organizations from a variety of industries.

Located in the Upstate, The South Carolina Christian Consortium connects South Carolina’s small business community with likeminded leaders. We host monthly luncheons where experts from a variety of industries come to encourage, equip, and educate you as a business leader. Come rub elbows with state and local elected officials, business owners, University leaders, and more at our events.