Westmont Magazine A Question of Calling

Lindsay Case ’86 thinks he may be one of the freest men alive. Single, financially secure and a partner in a successful family business, he can spend a weekend in Paris or hit the beach in Maui whenever he wants. His extensive travels include trips to more than 50 countries and every continent except Antarctica.

Although he appreciates the flexibility and opportunities his life affords, Lindsay realizes that true freedom comes through faith in Christ. He sometimes wonders if God is calling him to a different life and a deeper freedom.

A native of Colorado Springs, Colo., Lindsay and his brother, Randy, are partners in a business they learned from their father: real estate investment and development. The Case Company specializes in buying and selling land and working with government officials and the public process to obtain the necessary zoning, utilities and land-use approvals. An expert on property rights and the Western debate over land use and water rights, Lindsay spends his working life in a continuous series of transactions.

His success depends on the relationships he develops in the Colorado Springs community. He prefers to work out deals face-to-face with the principals rather than trading legal documents with lawyers or brokers. “Meeting in the same room, talking and eating together, is important,” he says. “There is tremendous power in presence. It is part of God’s divine intent for humanity.

“One of the most profound truths in business is that what goes around comes around,” he adds. “If you have sown bitter wheat, you will reap it. If you have sown grace, compassion, and fruits of the spirit, you will reap them.”

While he thinks about doing something different, he finds himself getting caught up in yet another deal. “It would be hard to leave the business — I’ve developed a high degree of trust with members of my family and my community,” he says. “In one sense I feel married to my brother. You can part ways with a business partner, but not with your brother. We are deeply bound in a long-term vision.”

But the question of calling continues to nag him. He is taking a course sponsored by the U.S. Center for World Missions, “Perspectives on the World Christian Movement,” which he describes as thought-provoking. Should he work for a Christian organization like Focus on the Family? Should he serve as a foreign missionary? Should he go into political service?

A history major at Westmont, Lindsay spent a year at the American Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem, following a summer on a short-term mission in Kenya through Westmont. Living overseas for an entire year increased his self-confidence, as did learning Hebrew.

“I have never forgotten that Westmont produces people who become exemplary leaders in a variety of places,” Lindsay says. “I want to live up to that tradition.”

While he is uncertain about his future and what career he will pursue, Lindsay has one definite plan: he is engaged to be married. His fiancee already works in the family business; Case family connections go deep and hold strong.