How They Were Chosen

The process began by soliciting self-nominations from interested organizations that had more than 15 employees and a Christian mission. A high percentage of employees in these organizations were asked to fill out an online survey composed of 66 questions that covered their company's people practices; organizational leaders separately provided detailed profiles of their human resource practices.

An independent panel of judges weighed together the averages from the employee scores, the participation rates of every organization's employees in the survey, and information from the management profiles in order to select this year's list of The Best Christian Places to Work. The judges were not told the organizations' identities in order to ensure an unbiased result.

This Year's Panel of Judges:

Olan Hendrix
CEO of the Leadership Resource Group

John Pearson
President and CEO of the Christian Management Association

Kent Humphreys
President of Christ@Work

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Related Elsewhere:

Also posted today is the main article on building a culture of trust and sidebar articles on the finalists and giving employees the right amount of information.

Last year's Best Workplaces survey included:

Inside CT: Great Places to Work | There is indeed much to praise and imitate in the Christian companies. (Feb. 28, 2003)

The 40 Best Christian Places to Work | What makes them so good? (Hint: Not money) (Feb. 28, 2003)

The Complete List & A Closer Look at the Top Finalists | Christianity Today salutes four finalists in ten categories. (Feb. 28, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: Co-CEO Synergy | Sharing leadership works at Christian Medical and Dental Associations. (March 03, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: Rigorous Hiring | Group Publishing places importance on the quality of the product and its staff. (March 04, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: People of the Hugs | Howard Publishing's pajama day, adoption support, and National Hugging Day celebrations create a family-like ambiance. (March 05, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: Freedom and Grace | Covenant Christian High School teachers and staff are encouraged to be creative, lead classes in innovative ways, and take initiative. (March 06, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: Lives in Balance | At Evangelical Christian Credit Union, professional development is not just a nice bonus but also a spiritual responsibility. (March 07, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: What Burnout? | The Coalition for Christian Outreach takes seriously its responsibility to care for employees. (March 10, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: No Prayer, No Results | Medical Ambassadors International's emphasis on praying creates a strong sense of commitment. (March 11, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: President in Sweats | Leadership's informal style reflects an atmosphere of openness on the Whitworth College campus. (March 12, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: Practicing What They Teach | Dallas Theological Seminary and Multnomah Bible College and Seminary share a philosophy on managing employees. (March 13, 2003)

Best Christian Places to Work: Shepherding Hearts | Phoenix Seminary focuses on mentoring the balance of head knowledge with character development. (March 14, 2003)

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