Steve recalled that in 1999, when Gemini were involved in a take-over bid, he'd been working up to 70 hours a week. This meant economising in other areas of his life and a consequent lost intimacy with God, his wife, family and friends - no time for people. The culture of the proposed new organisation was not something he wished to be involved with and he left. One benefit after leaving was that he could take his daughters to the park, where remarks from assembled mothers were - "Who is this man?" "Should he be with these children?" and he had to reassure them that he was, in fact, their father. Although he was interested in his job, it had subtly taken him over and in the words of the Paul Simon song he'd been "Slip-Sliding Away". He mentioned that in this world of rapidly changing work patterns, Top Managers were now only employed on 3-year contracts and in San Francisco, soup kitchens had been set up for paper millionaires of once profitable dot.com companies. (Steve now has a portfolio of jobs and is Chairman of the Board of Governors of The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity LICC)

Even if employers did not employ their staff to proselytise on behalf of Christ, it was still possible, especially at "bad" times in the business cycle to show integrity and set a "good" personal example and he regularly invited to his home fellow Christians, work colleagues and secular friends to meet together.

The talk took the form of a Powerpoint presentation and Steve's message was that God is the Boss and ultimate Shareholder and that work is an intrinsic part of why we were created, its purpose being stewardship, service and mission. There should be a rhythm of work and rest, neither being dominant, and our ambition should be to become Christlike. We should pray for courage. He stated that he would have loved to have an hour a day, alone, to devote to prayer and contemplation - something from which everyone would benefit hugely."

Source: The Spire Magazine - 2002 January