The days get faster and faster sometimes. Deadlines and headaches rush at us at a high rate of speed. We do well just to survive to fight another day, right? It is in this kind of environment that Christian business owners or leaders can get so busy and we forget some key truths about our ministry. Hopefully, this post will remind you of some ideas you need to revisit.
Christian Business Leader Truths
1. You must live by example, to a higher standard.
- As the owner or leader of a Christian business, you are the example to follow, whether you like it or not. You are the head of the business and your employees are going to look to you for the example. What do they see?
You can talk all you want about your “Christian business” and how you want everyone to live it out, but if YOU are not living the witness that matches your talk, then you are wasting your breath. And just in case you want to take Charles Barkley’s approach (watch this video), forget it. You cannot vacate this position just because you say so!
2. Others need to know you care before they will listen to you.
- You can have a full alphabet of letters after your name to represent your education. You can have decades of experience in your field and have the scars to show for it. You can even have a book you wrote on every desk in your business to prove your expertise.
All that is fine, but if you truly want your employees or team members to listen to you, you had better show them how much you truly care about them. This cannot be faked or imitated. You must sincerely care about those around you AND they must know it before you can expect them to hear what you have to say and act on it.
Sure, you can demand obedience, but you will never get their heart. Without their heart, you have no engagement. Without engagement, your struggle will be long and difficult!
3. Dollars given are nice, hands-on ministry is better.
- It is so easy for successful Christian business leaders and owners to see a cause that touches their heart and give money to it. There is nothing wrong with this at all! In fact, I encourage it!
The problem is that this act requires very little investment or sacrifice in many cases. If you really want to change lives, you need to get your hands dirty! In addition to giving money, you need to step out and give of yourself.
This can mean different things to different people, so I encourage you to simply pray God will reveal His will in this for you. Ask Him to send you out and teach you through hands-on experience in giving!
4. This life is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Too often, it is easy to get caught up in the fact that we have not seen any immediate results from our efforts lately. We bust our tails for a period and then look around for the payoff. When none is found, we get discouraged.
We cannot forget that the race we have been called to run is not a short one. We will eventually finish it and get the rest we deserve, but until then we are to run. This is not to say we do not take our sabbath rests and breaks to sharpen the axe. We must. However, we simply cannot afford to depend on the run-reward-run-reward pattern that often exists in world around us. God’s pattern is different…BETTER, but different!
5. You are not alone.
- This is the Achilles heel of so many Christian business leaders today. We think that God has called us, equipped us, and then sent us out alone into the world to impact it for Him. In fact, if you did not read that last sentence carefully, you may be thinking it was a true statement!
The problem with this statement is the one word, “alone.” Look at Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples. He also tells us He will be with us, to the very end of the age! Also look at God’s words to Joshua (Joshua 1:2-9). Twice, He told Moses He would not leave him or forsake him.
Just like the disciples and Joshua, we are sent out to do ministry in a tough world. Please, do not get caught in the trap that allows you to think you are alone. With the presence of the Holy Spirit in you and Jesus at the Father’s side interceding for you, you are anything but alone. Draw strength from Him and press into Him for the endurance you need. It is there for the asking!
Which of these truths are you most guilty of forgetting?
What truth would you add to this list? Why?
What are you going to do to remember these truths?
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