God’s Bottom Line: The Ministry Making Millions by Teaching CEOs to Tithe
In an era where corporate social responsibility often feels like a marketing buzzword, Carl Tompkins has a radically different vision for American business. After 45 years in the glass industry working with Fortune 500 companies, Tompkins now leads The Way of Business, a ministry that teaches companies how to integrate biblical principles into their operations – with surprising results.
“Corporate America reports enough net earnings that if we just completed the biblical tithe of our first fruits, there would be no world hunger, no famine, no dirty water issues, and no homelessness,” Tompkins revealed in a recent interview with Rabbi Rami Goldberg on Biblical Money. “That’s how much money the Lord has blessed America with.”
The interview, conducted between Spokane, Washington and Israel, highlighted a fascinating intersection of faith, business, and social impact. Tompkins’ ministry, now in its 15th year, was inspired by a conversation with Richard Stearns, former president of World Vision, about what he calls “the hole in the hole” – the missing contribution of Corporate America to solving global challenges.
One of the ministry’s most striking success stories involves a major U.S. corporation with 4,500 employees. The company pays each employee for one day per month to serve in their community. When other businesses questioned the cost, Tompkins’ response was telling: “You cannot afford to not do this.” The results? Decreased absenteeism, increased pride in workmanship, and a transformed corporate culture.
The Way of Business teaches what Tompkins calls the “three forms of capital”: financial, social, and spiritual. While financial capital is well understood, he emphasizes that social capital – investing time and talent in community service – and spiritual capital – creating an environment where faith can be expressed – are equally crucial for business success.
Rabbi Goldberg noted during the interview that this approach addresses a modern challenge in faith communities. “We used to learn business principles by working alongside our parents,” he explained. “But now that people aren’t typically in their parents’ business anymore, we need formal ways to teach these principles of honesty, workmanship, and conscientiousness.”
The ministry’s impact extends beyond traditional business metrics. Tompkins shared a powerful story about a 16-year-old girl who traveled 100 miles to attend their training, saying she wanted to “start right” in her business career. The program has also transformed family relationships, with one construction company owner tearfully reporting how the training had turned his previously rebellious son into a committed, caring leader who now runs the entire company.
A key principle Tompkins teaches is the concept of divine ownership. Participants in his seminars begin by signing symbolic deeds of transfer, returning ownership of their possessions to God. “He owns it all,” Tompkins emphasizes. “We’re here to be good stewards.”
This principle resonated particularly with Rabbi Goldberg, who connected it to the Jewish understanding of charitable giving. He shared a rabbinic teaching that when a poor person comes to collect charity, they have a right to it because “their money is with you” – the wealthy are merely custodians of God’s resources.
For entrepreneurs and business leaders wondering how to make difficult decisions, Tompkins offered a final piece of wisdom: “Let peace be your guiding light of right and wrong. If you’re in a situation and you’re not at peace, that’s the Lord’s answer that you’re not on the right track.”
The interview concluded with a mutual acknowledgment of the power of bringing spiritual principles into the business world, with Tompkins offering a blessing for Israel’s safety and security.
The Way of Business represents a growing movement to integrate faith and commerce in a way that benefits both the bottom line and society at large. In a world where businesses are increasingly expected to contribute to social good, Tompkins’ approach offers a framework that goes beyond conventional corporate social responsibility to touch on deeper questions of purpose, stewardship, and community impact.
Through its training programs, consulting services, and educational resources, the ministry is helping to reshape how American businesses think about their role in society – suggesting that perhaps the most successful companies are those that see themselves as stewards rather than owners, and view profit as a means to serve rather than an end in itself.
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