Some time ago, an acquaintance of mine resigned his job go into ‘full time ministry.” He had been a very good salesperson who was respected by his customers and valued by his employer.
“What a shame,” I thought
Here was a person who was equipped to perform a very special ministry in the Kingdom, and he was giving it up because of some misguided idea of ‘full time ministry.” He never recognized that he already was in ‘full time ministry’ and that the role of businessperson as minister is a special calling that God has valued throughout the Bible.
God created man to work. And business is the primary venue in which work happens. God uses work as the venue in which to interact with mankind. In the early days of creation, after God had given Adam the charge to work the Garden of Eden and keep it, He gave him his first job – to name the animals. God worked with him and brought him the animals for Adam to name. It was teamwork from the beginning. God showed up in mankind’s work.
That set the precedent for how God works with people from that point on. He gives us a task and works with us to complete that task. Teamwork from the beginning.
Long before there were prophets or priests, before there were churches and pastors, there were businesspeople who were empowered in a special way to do God’s will.
Almost every major work in the Biblical narrative was entrusted to a person who had been trained and developed in the caldron of business. Here are a few:
Abraham, who was probably the richest businessperson of his time.
Joseph, who ran what was probably the largest enterprise in the world – Pharoh’s grain purchasing and distribution business.
Moses, who spent 40 years in the business of raising sheep before he was called to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt.
Saul, the first king of the Hebrews, who was working in his father’s business when he was called to be king.
David, who was also working in his father’s business when he was recognized as the next king of the Jews.
Jesus, who spent the first 30 years of his life working as a carpenter.
Paul, who was a tentmaker and spread the good news to much of the known world.
But it is not just developing leaders in which we see the central part that business and businesspeople played in the Biblica narrative. Businesses had a key part in the spread of Christianity.
Following Pentecost, as the early church spread, whole businesses were converted to Christ at one time. The very first conversion of a gentile was the household (business) of a Roman Centurian.
“He (Peter) will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.”
So, this major shift in the development of Christianity was accomplished in the household of a Roman Centurion! And, in a pattern that is later to be repeated over and over again, we witness a phenomenon; The CEO of the business converting to Christ, and the entire organization then following his lead.
Here’s another instance. The apostle Paul and his companion, Silus, were traveling to Philippi, the leading city in the district of Macedonia. There they met Lydia, a businesswoman whose business was dealing in purple cloth. At the time, that was a very expensive product, purchased by the rich and the royal. Lydia was probably an upper-class businessperson. Paul taught her about Jesus, and she and her whole business became Christians.
Acts 16:15
When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
Here’s another instance of that same pattern. Paul and Silus are arrested, beaten and thrown into prison. About midnight, there is a miraculous earthquake, and all the prison doors fly open, and everyone’s chains are unlocked. The jailer wakes up, sees the state of things, and prepared to kill himself because he knows he will be held accountable for the prisoners. Paul stops him and tells him about Jesus.
Acts 16:33
At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.
And there it is again. The pattern repeats itself. The CEO converts to Christianity, and the entire organization follows. Here’s yet another example. When it came time to penetrate the city of Corinth with the gospel, again the target was a business. But, not just any business, but that of Crispus, the synagogue leader. I can’t imagine a more significant household leading the way.
Acts 18:8
Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
But that‘s not all. As Christianity moved throughout the known world, small communities of new Christians popped up all over. Following the act of conversion, they began to meet together to learn from and assist one another. Frequently, the family business provided the venue, the infrastructure and the relationships that made these communities effective.
In other words, as the household worked together to expand its own prosperity, it offered an environment where people worked together, got to know each other, and created relationships with one another. No need to find a place to meet, they were already meeting in the business location. No need to create leaders, they were already there. No need to create new relationships, they were already in place. As an organization of people, the Biblical business was already in place and functioning. Now, the business began to function as a church as well as a business. Here’s an example:
Romans 16:3 -6
“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. Greet also the church that meets at their house.”
This church met in the house of Priscilla and Aquila. The house was where most, if not all, of the household lived. Was this church made up of members of their business? It most likely was.
There can be no doubt that God values business and as a key component in the unfolding of his plan. Businesspeople are special ministers in the Kingdom.
If that is you, then you are a special minister of business and have a very powerful role to play in the Kingdom.
(If you’d like to dig deeper into these issues, see The Good Book on Business.)
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