The Redemptive Business: Managing Human Resources

Redemptive business is not a business that merely tolerates faith. It is a business shaped by the conviction that people are worth the investment--the work of developing a human being is not a distraction from the mission but an expression of it;

Joseph J. Bucci , Bio and Archives--June 22, 2026

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We have already written in this space about different aspects of business and leadership as inspired by a faith perspective. We have written about the divine origins of human leadership--and how leadership treated as merely a set of skills to be acquired will always disappoint because leadership, rightly understood, is not primarily a skill. It is a calling, and a calling requires a caller. The Divine Origins of Human Leadership.

We have written about a kingdom-influenced business model, where business is understood as stewardship and faithfulness expressed through the flourishing of others. A Kingdom-Influenced Business Model.

We have written about the entrepreneur as a reflection of divine creativity--and how society and the church alike flourish when the entrepreneur is supported rather than vilified. Cherish the Golden Goose.

And we have written about the conviction that any business--and particularly a faith-oriented one--is already in the redemption business because the work of a leader is not only to make the numbers but also to coach, equip, and serve employees, helping them to achieve a greatness that on their own they might never reach. We Are in the Redemption Business.

Now we will begin to connect these threads to the specific functions of business. We start where every organization starts--with people.

People Are Worth Our Investment

We do not call them “human resources” as a mere catch phrase. It is the highest honor and a sacred responsibility to invest in and develop the talents and potential of a human being--and to help that person add genuine value to the world (Banks and Stevens, 1997). Consider the purely economic case: it costs at least one and one-half times an employee’s annual salary to recruit, train, and fully bring a replacement up to speed (Noe, 2007). A veteran employee carries with them something no job posting can recover—a thorough knowledge of the company’s processes, its culture, and its unwritten rules. It literally takes years for employees to learn to navigate an organization most effectively (Noe, 2007). To treat such a person as disposable is not only theologically wrong; it is economically foolish.

The Christian faith goes deeper than a cost-benefit analysis. It sees people as created in the image of God and thus possessing an inherent worth that organizations have both the opportunity and the obligation to develop and honor. God Himself is in the people-developing business (Van Duzer, et al., 2004). This is not a peripheral concern—it is central to our faith. Jesus, as teacher and example, declared His vision for people, and He sacrificed completely for those He led: “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). That is the model every faith-informed manager inherits.

There is a significant disconnect in thinking that hiring........

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