Most Christian business people are woefully ignorant of the impact their businesses can have on the Kingdom. God designed business to be a powerful force in the Kingdom. A Christian business is a powerful ministry.
“What’s next?”
That’s a question every Christian business person asks pretty regularly over the life of the business. Your organization has just completed some major effort, and you’ve taken a deep breath, relaxed a bit, and started to ruminate about the next challenge. Maybe your business in now consistently profitable. Maybe you’ve just completed the onboarding of a key employee. Maybe you’ve put the latest product/service/or system into operation. You know what I’m talking about. The latest challenge has been met, the plateau attained, and now you’re sticking your head out of the trees, looking at the forest, and attempting to see the direction in which to travel.
Let me suggest that you add an item to the menu of possible new challenges: Create a greater impact for the Kingdom. So, on your list of possibilities, as you contemplate what will be the next investment of your time, money and expertise, you may consider a new branch, a new product, a big investment in IT, a larger facility, etc. Add to that list this one, “Create a greater impact for the Kingdom.”
Let’s unpack that idea. First, can a business have an impact for the Kingdom?
It may surprise you that a business can and should have an impact for the Kingdom, and that impact is one of its fundamental purposes. When I did the research for The Good Book on Business, I discovered that Biblical businesses were created by God in his first words to Adam, and that they formed the primary social and economic units for the entire Biblical narrative, from creation through the end of the New Testament.
Our modern Christian religious culture has never recognized that, and instead has relegated Biblical businesses to a second-class status, holding that business can make money and give it to the religious establishment, and may act as covering for a stealth missionary effort.
That idea has no traction in the Bible. Work, and by extension, business, was created by God in the first moments of creation. Before Eve, before family, before prophets, before scripture and before churches, God created business and established it as His primary venue to accomplish many of His purposes. These include:
* A business is God’s first choice as a venue to interact with mankind and create a relationship with him.
You will recall that God gave Adam his first job – to name the animals in the Garden – and then worked with him to accomplish that. That simple act set the precedent for how God works with mankind throughout the Biblical times and into our times. Your business can join Him in that process.
* A business provides economic security for its owners and employees.
This is one with which we are all familiar. But, what would happen if you changed your mindset and saw that economic gain as a God-given mission for your business? Equipped with that perspective could you give renewed thought, time and money to the task of multiplying the economic impact of your business? What creative ideas could you come up with?
* A business builds the faith of the owners and its key people.
It is no coincidence that Abraham, the legendary example of faith, was also one of, if not the, largest business owner in the Bible. The ups and downs and constant challenges and decisions that come with growing a business forced Abraham to rely on God. He grew his faith in sync with his business.
* A business is God’s first choice as a venue for the manifestation of spiritual gifts.
The first two examples of the appearance of spiritual gifts in the Bible occurred in business environments. When Joseph was given the spiritual gift to interpret dreams, it initiated a sequence of events which led to him being the CEO of Pharaoh’s vast business. Bezalel, who was given the gift to work with “all kinds of crafts” was a craftsman, who likely honed his gift in a sole proprietorship.
* A business can be a conduit for God’s blessings of salvation.
You’ll recall that Lydia, a business woman, was converted to Christianity, and brought her whole business with her. The same phenomena – the head of a business converting to Christ, and the entire household (all the family, slaves, servants and employees) following him –– occurs multiple times in the book of Acts.
This is just a short list of the ways in which a Christian business is designed to have an impact for the Kingdom. Read The Good Book on Business for a longer list. The point is this: Your business is meant for far more than just money. It was conceived at the moment of creation to be a powerful mechanism to share God’s blessing and develop His purposes. The question should not be “Can a business have a Kingdom impact?” Rather, the question should be, “What can I do to unleash the Kingdom impact my business is designed to have?”
Back to unpacking the initiative, “Create a greater impact for the Kingdom.” If you were to list that as the next big initiative, what would happen? What would be your next steps?
Here’s some suggestions.
- Begin with more intense prayer and work at communicating with the Holy Spirit. You’re going to need all the help you can get, as this is unchartered waters for many. Start by seeking a closer walk with Him.
- Find out what it means for a business to have a Kingdom impact. You are probably not going to get this in a sermon, or any teaching of the institutional church, so you’ll need an outside source of information. There have been a number of books written on the subject. A good starting point is The Good Book on Business.
- Gather a support system. Find some like-minded Christian business people to support you in this effort. You may already have some executives with whom you can share your vision. If not, seek out a group of Christian business people who understand your problems and challenges. There are several organizations who provide this kind of experience. Christian Business Impact Groups is one option.
- Dig in and get started. You’ll probably make hundreds of changes in the policies, procedures, relationships and culture of your business. Understand that it is not an event, but a life long process. You may never have a better opportunity to start than now.
This is the destiny for which your business was given to you. Don’t let the opportunity to fulfil your business purposes pass you by.
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The Good Book on Business goes where no other book has gone. Your views on business will never be the same.
The Biblical Business Course is a step-by-step course that guides you through the process of transforming your business into a powerful Kingdom entity.
Christian Business Impact Groups are small groups which meet monthly, via video, to help each other grow their businesses and multiply their kingdom impact.
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