Henk-Jan van der Klis

Stephen Mansfield, known for his faith / public life mingled biographies on e.g. Winston Churchill, Pope Benedictus XVI, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, got tired of politics and jumped into Guiness’ world of beer brewers, bankers and preachers. As Guiness celebrates its 250 years in 2009, tracing back the originator’s roots and tell the corporate story shares remarkables insights in this power brand. Arthur Guiness not only sought a way have his own brewery, made firm business decisions which brought the company so far, but also knew his God given life calling, fulfilling God’s 2 great commandments. In an engaging way Mansfield follows the descendants, the expansian of the brewery, but also the traces of christian virtues in the life of the Guiness family. How interesting are the prophetic gifts (foreseeing the conquest of Jerusalem and Israel’s birth as a nation in 1948), the relations with both Wesley, Plymouth Brethern, Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, Pentecostal movement founders. How graceful the people that served Guiness, and the way Guiness served local people, administrations, army and country. Mansfield ends up with four lessons he has learned from the Guiness family: 1. discern the ways of God for life and business; 2. think in terms of generations yet to come; 3. whatever else you do, do at least one thing very well; 4. master the facts before you act and 5. invest in those you would have invest in you. Faith has to play an essential role in our daily lives and work.

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