Book #5: The Search for God and Guinness

My purpose in reading and posting about this book is not to promote a stout beer but a stout faith!

The story of Arthur Guinness and his faith is one that could inspire anyone to search for the secret of integrating vocation, calling, and work. As I disciple college students, one of the values I hope to instill in them is a grand vision for integrating faith with their academic and vocational pursuits.

For the past 250 years, members of the Guinness family have pursued various careers in brewing, banking, ministry/missions, etc. What most encourages me from their story is the redemptive use of wealth and commitment to leverage their passion and their lives for the benefit of others.

I began reading this book while flying to Atlanta for a marathon last month and nearly finished it on the plane. Even as I often see something as so-called  “secular” as running to be a spiritual endeavor, I was certainly challenged to think about brewing beer as a calling and a craft. This is probably not hard to believe given my own view of coffee, espresso, and hospitality.  Here are a few lines from the book which especially caught my attention:

“They did not see themselves as secular, but rather as called.”

“It seems that Patrick [Saint] understood godly hospitality and captured many an Irish tribal chieftain with his tasty beer before he won the man for God.”

“…the firm promised to hold the job of any man who enlisted in the armed forces and to pay him half his salary while he served.”

This last statement is one of hundreds of examples of corporate responsibility which Guinness pioneered from the early days. From providing health care, housing, financial assistance, and many other services during the most devastating times in Dublin, the brewery set amazingly high standards for the treatment of employees and their families.

Mansfield’s book tells a great story of faith and craft while inspiring one to search more carefully for God in his/her vocation as well.