The FSG Institution and The Christmas Message for 2022
2022 has been a good year for FSG. As we end the first official full year as an institution, we felt it would be good to reflect a bit on what it means to be an institution and then listen as Bill goes a bit deeper into one particular tenant of the institution.
What Does it Mean to Be An Institution?
So what does it mean to be an institution you ask? Well, simply put, an institution is an organization devoted to a greater cause. An institution uses its resources to fund its pursuit of that greater cause.
For FSG, the greater cause being pursued is that of contributing to the lives of others through timeless contributions and service that help empower people to reach their full potential. The resources we use to pursue this greater cause are the profits of the business. To make profits, FSG sells products and services that support the construction and operation of commercial facilities. FSG breaks its business into two key areas; the construction of new buildings and the upgrade and maintenance of existing buildings.
What Are the Tenants of The FSG Institution?
So how does FSG operate as an institution? Well, in order to be a good, sustainable institution, FSG believes there are six key tenants we must always remember and reflect upon. Those six tenants are Life, Family, Community, Faith, Entrepreneurship, and Investment.
Perhaps you have heard these tenants recited before, perhaps you haven’t. Regardless, as we reflect on this Christmas season, let us consider these six tenants for a brief moment.
Life is the thing most precious. We must protect and encourage life. It is our well-being, our physical health, our emotional health, our hobbies, and so much more!
Family means something different to each of us. Family can be the people we are related to by blood, or by heart. Family can be a joy and family can be messy. However, we must acknowledge that we all have family, and we must be an institution prepared to protect and encourage families, regardless of what your definition of family is.
Community is that thing that combines our life and family but also brings in our friends and acquaintances around us. As a for-profit institution, we serve our communities with the products and services we sell. As individuals, we serve our communities with our unselfish giving of our time and talent to those in need. We must be an institution that values community and does the things necessary to be a good member of the community.
Faith is the thing most important. It is critical to our existence. Like family, faith can look different to different people and as an institution, we think that’s ok. As an institution that embraces a Christian legacy, we embrace a Christ-centric faith. However, we also honor the faith that others have. Faith, at its most basic, is the belief in something bigger- a greater purpose- a hope that pushes us on to be better and do better. We must always have faith that we can be better for without belief in something, without a guide, we worship the unknown and know nothing.
Entrepreneurship is at the heart of the business of the FSG Institution. entrepreneurship demands that you have good a life, a strong family and community, and faith to do bigger things. entrepreneurship is, in a very practical sense, the creative risks and challenges we take to build market share and protect and grow FSG as a for-profit institution. We expect entrepreneurship to always be a part of the institution.
Investment is the final component required for a truly healthy institution. Jesus tells the parable of the good and wicked servants who were entrusted with the master’s money. The good servants invested the money, the wicked servants simply hid the money out of fear. The point of the parable is that when we are entrusted with something valuable, it is not good for us to simply sit on it and hide it away. We must be prepared to invest it. The FSG Institution has been entrusted with much including the people that work for this Institution. We, as an institution, must be prepared to invest wisely with what and in what we have been entrusted with.
It is these six tenants, closely tied to our vision and mission, that we carry with us as FSG enters its 41st year. We celebrate the meaning, the diversity, and the hope that these tenants challenge us to embrace. We look forward to great things and we move forward, full steam ahead.
What Does it Have To Do With Christmas?
Everything. The very institution of Christmas is one that is rooted in life, family, community, faith– and yes– even entrepreneurship and investment!
Life: Christ was God in the flesh. He lived a real-life feeling the joys and the pains that come with that.
Family: Christ held family in close regard. His family was one of blood and heart. It was one of non-traditional shape and form.
Community: When it comes to community, every bit of Christ’s walk on this earth revolved around community and He served that community.
Faith: The entire Christmas season is one centered around Faith. Faith in something bigger, something more meaningful, something brighter. Faith that overcomes the darkness, Faith that carries us through adversity.
Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship is all over the Christmas story, people pushing the norms and challenging themselves and others to disrupt the status quo in pursuit of real profit.
Investment: Finally, when it comes to investment, the Christmas story demands that we invest. We invest in ourselves, each other, and the world around us so that we may enjoy the real fruit of life.
The Mission Critical Tenant: Faith
In this year’s Christmas message, Bill Graham calls us to consider the tenant of faith more deeply. What it means and what it is grounded in.
Join us now, with these tenants in mind, as we listen to Bill Graham’s call in this Christmas season to keep our faith “mission critical”.
Christmas Message 2022
A Gift For You
In his message, Bill offers the gift of a Holy Bible to any FSGian that would like one. If you’d like to receive a copy of the Holy Bible, simply fill out the form below and we will make sure you get a copy of the most important tool you can have in understanding the Christian faith.