Risk is something Dr. Filby understands well. He has been involved with underground churches in China and the Soviet Union. He sold everything and loved his family to the United States to take a teaching position in a place he had never heard of, in a town he could not even find on the map.

Now he encourages students in their own risky venture, being professional Christians in the business world. “Often Christian business people can be seen as the ones who can’t make the tough decisions, who sometimes compromise just as much as anyone else. I would like to see people who believe their expression of worship is through business.”

Through his Professional Business Leaders class, Filby provides students with the opportunity to see what Christian business professionals look like. “He’s taught us that it’s not contradicting to be a successful business person and a striving Christian,” said Ben Snider, a senior Communication major with a minor in Business. “You have to have a prayer life to keep a sane approach to business,” added Tony Glosser, a junior Sports Management major.

Filby has a global vision and seeks to strengthen what he sees as four key areas, coinciding with the body, soul, mind and spirit of the management department. “For the body, I would like to see us develop a Sports Management minor. The soul would be the Music Business side,” said Filby about the major recently developed in coalition with the Music Department. “The mind would be the Accounting, Marketing, Management and Management Information Systems. The spirit would be the whole area of missions.”

With advanced degrees in missions and business, Dr. Filby’s passion is to integrate the two areas, enhancing a missionary’s ability in the field. “If mission is going to be ongoing it has to be self-sustaining and that is where entrepreneurship and business models become important,” said Dr. Filby. “If you are going to feed the poor, it takes resources. If you can generate those resources in a way that brings people dignity and hope and life and a livelihood, then more people can be positively touched by Christ’s love.”

His innovative approach to missions and his devotion to students have made his move to Greenville a risk worth taking.“What I see God has called me to do is to help bring the greatness out of people,” said Filby. “My mission is beyond education. My mission is to see people impassioned by Christ.”