On national television during a Fox News panel discussion Brit Hume admonishes Tiger Woods to convert from Buddhism to Christianity. His comment is that Buddhism doesn’t offer “the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith.” Anyone knowledgeable about religion can’t argue that.

Hume’s remarks remind me of the story about the conference with representatives from all the world’s major religions. Things started off very tame as they agreed on multiple similarities shared among their different belief systems. C.S. Lewis was invited to the conference but arrived late. When he entered the room he was immediately asked if he felt that there was any difference between Christianity and the other major religions of the world. Without hesitation he said, of course there is, forgiveness of sin. At that point the room exploded into pandemonium.

Leadership Take-away: During an Advanced Fire Administration Institute class I had an instructor in a leadership class who was not a Christian. However every leadership author and expert, both alive and dead, that he cited was a believer — some were pastors. Toward the end of the class he spontaneously stopped his lecture, thought to himself for a moment, then said, “What is it with these leadership gurus, they all seem to be pastors and Christians.” I had to smile because if you define leadership as influence, as many do, it follows that the most influential person who ever lived would produce the best leaders. And of course that person is Jesus Christ.

Consider the following excerpt from Traveler and the Chaplain:

During Jesus’ time on earth his influence on his immediate followers is obvious.  Just look at how they died.  Matthew was run through with the sword.  Mark was killed when he was drug behind horses.  Luke was hanged.  Peter was crucified upside down.  Bartholomew was beaten to death.  Andrew was crucified on an X shaped cross.  Thomas was stabbed to death.  All of these men were influenced to the point of giving their lives for Jesus’ sake.”

The Chaplain was becoming more and more animated as he continued, “And thousands of years later Jesus is still by far the most influential person who ever lived.  The Bible is by far the best selling book in the history of the world.  Every college established in colonial America except for one was created by a denomination of Christianity.  Many of our hospitals are named after Christian Saints: Saint John’s, Saint Jude’s, Saint Peter’s, etc.  The Red Cross and the YMCA are just a few of our institutions that were established by Christians.  During the time of the Roman Empire it was common for people to kill their female babies.  It was Christ’s influence through his followers that changed the Roman culture to eliminate infanticide.  It was Christian abolitionists that influenced the United States to eliminate slavery.   The door of time itself is hinged on the life of Jesus Christ.  Our dating system is divided by B.C. Before Christ, and Anno Domini after Christ’s birth.”

Traveler sat listening, wide eyed.

The Chaplain said, “The great historian Will Durant wrote that, ‘Caesar hoped to reform men by changing institutions and laws; Christ wished to remake institutions, and lessen laws by changing men.’3  Some leaders, managers, teachers, coaches, or parents focus their efforts on changing organizational structure, or developing rules and regulations.  Jesus’ leadership style was to influence people.  And no one in history has influenced the world more.”

Go Brit Hume!