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Mission Field – Step 2 In A Strategic Ministry Plan

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This is number two in a series of posts on effective Strategic Ministry Planning for your business. In my last post, I described the value and characteristics of an effective mission statement for your company. Today, I will address the potential mission field for your company.  In business language, this is your target market or target audience.

mission field

Ministry Defined

In order to effectively determine where we are going to do ministry, I think it best we first define exactly what we mean by ministry. In this context, we are going to define ministry in three parts.

First is ministry in evangelism – leading those people without a saving faith in Jesus Christ to come to know Him. Not all people are wired for this type of ministry, but there are also people who are wired specifically for this type of ministry. These people cannot wait to share the love of Christ with someone else – friend or stranger.

Next is ministry in discipleship – helping those with faith in Jesus to grow in that faith. As Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 12, some are just gifted to teach. Some may enjoy doing so in a group while others may prefer a one-on-one discipling relationship. Either way, this is a critical part of ministry.

Finally is ministry in service – this consists of acts of love and kindness done in the name of Jesus. Just like some people are wired for evangelism and some are wired for teaching, this ministry requires those who embrace serving others.

Relational Ministry

When you think about it, the best ministry for Christ (regardless of which category) is done in relational contacts. God created us as relational beings. Look at Genesis 2:18 where He says it is not good for Adam to be alone. We need each other, therefore our ministry needs to be relational in the same way.

As a result of this line of thinking, we can see that every relational contact in the course of doing business is an opportunity to do ministry. Let’s take a look at a method of determining these mission field opportunities.

Mission Field

Courtesy of the C12 Group, we can use this Marketplace Mission Field worksheet (click to open in separate window and print out) to identify just how many opportunities your company has for ministry in a year.

Employees

    Employees– How many part-time and full-time employees do you have in your company? Do not count them in the same way you might for a financial report (0.5 for part-time or using Full Time Equivalents). If it is a person that gets compensated for their work, count them as one!
    Family Members– How many family members do your employees have in their households? Count them all! If you don’t know, just figure 1.5 family members per employee as an estimate.
    Applicants– How many applicants do you have in a given year? Consider all jobs and all applicants – whether online, by phone, or in person. If they inquire about a job with your company, count them.

Customers

    Current Customers– How many current customers does your company have? How many will you have this year?
    Past Customers– How many customers have you had in the past? In your database?
    Future Customers/Prospects– How many customers or prospects will look at your business this year? Even if you will not sell them, count them if they will have any contact with your company or any advertising from your company this year. Think about your website, trade shows, direct mail, flyers, etc. If they will get some impression of your business, they fall into this category.

Suppliers/Vendors

    Current– With how many suppliers and/or vendors are you currently doing business? Count the number of their individual employees that come into contact with your company, not the number of companies.
    Future (potential)– How many people come into your business in the period of a year to solicit your business (whether you do business with them or not)?

Others

    Competitors– How many individual contacts do you or your employees have with your competition? Some of these could actually fall under the vendor category as well. Don’t double count!
    Trade Associates– This category could include trainers, coaches, consultants, outside marketing reps, factory or franchise reps, etc. Count them all!
    Others– You may have thought of some not mentioned here. Add them in as well, but make sure to let me know what I missed. I want to add them to the template!

Total Opportunities

Now, all that is left is for you to total all of the above categories. Because of our website and the reach we have through nationwide vehicle searches, our number came to several million possible impressions! That is an unusually high number, but I bet your number is much higher than you were thinking before this exercise.

Folks, this is a real number representing the mission field opportunities you and your company will have in the next 12 months to impact people for eternity. Certainly, some of these will be greater opportunities than others. But regardless of the level of contact with your company, these are real people that could, in some way, see a different eternity simply because you decided to let God guide your business. How big is that?

Next time, we will begin to think about HOW we can impact this mission field.

What were you thinking before this exercise?

What was your company’s number?

Does that light a fire in your heart?

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Mission Statement – Step 1 In A Strategic Ministry Plan

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In the last post, I described how our company just began our Strategic Ministry Planning process. Using the C12 Group material from their Strategic Plan for Ministry seminar, I will take you through the 5 Step process to make this happen in your company. We will begin with the mission statement in this post and cover the next steps in future posts.

Mission Statement

Mission Statement

The first step in this process is crafting the mission statement. While the vast majority of large companies and corporations today have mission statements, the number of those statements that effectively achieve the true purpose of a mission statement is likely small.

Does This Describe Your Company?

Too many companies hire a consultant, take a couple of hours batting ideas around in a conference room, and come up with a nicely word-smithed sentence or two, using the latest industry buzz-words. Then they proudly print this statement on a poster or plaque and hang it in the lobby to impress customers.

If this describes your company, I apologize if it sounds harsh. I do not mean it that way. However, do you really think this type of mission statement is effective at guiding the company? How many employees use this type of statement on a daily basis to make decisions? How many even know what the mission statement is or why it is important? Right now is the time to change it!

If your company is different and is effectively using the mission statement, then congratulations! Consider your company among the best! If your company does not even have a mission statement, then now is the time to create one!

Various Methods

Some experts will tell you that your entire team has to come up with the mission statement. Others will say the number of participants is not important. You really have to figure this out on your own.

As for our company, I enlisted our leadership team made up of four key managers plus myself for the project. I brought my vision for the company in a couple of rough drafts and we went from there. Our final product effectively captured my vision, but was an improvement over my drafts.

The C12 material says this about mission statements:

They capture the organization’s purpose or fundamental reason for existing, stated in a way that resonates with both employees and customers.

5 Characteristics of an Effective Mission Statement:

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]Short and easy to memorize[/typography] – A mission statement needs to completely capture the essence of the company, but it cannot be so long that employees cannot remember it or explain it easily. This one is from POS Insurance Company…

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]Serving Him by serving you.[/typography]

If you expect it to be used as it should be, your company’s mission statement should be one carefully crafted sentence. The max should be two sentences. It should be easy to remember for every employee.

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]Decision-making tool[/typography]– It should be able to be used effectively as a plumb line for making decisions on a day to day basis. Consider the mission statement of the Newport News Shipyard…

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]We build good ships here, at a profit if we can, at a loss if we must,
but always good ships.[/typography]

Clearly, this one can be used by employees to make decisions in every area of the business.

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]Inspirational[/typography] – The mission statement should capture the heart and soul of your company. It should excite employees toward action in the direction it describes. Here is the C12 mission statement…

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]To change the world by bringing forth the Kingdom of God in the marketplace

through the companies and lives of those He calls to run businesses for Him.[/typography]

As this one does, it should reflect your company’s commitment and values. If it does not inspire you, who will it inspire?

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]Sense of ministry[/typography] – This is obviously a characteristic that will not be true for all companies – only those committed to business as ministry. For these types of companies, the mission statement should reflect the call of the leader to Christ-centered ministry and inspire others to join in. Look at this one from the Martin Newby Management Corp….

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]Sharing the love of Christ while providing unique management services for the manufactured housing industry.[/typography]

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]Timeless[/typography] – Rather than changing with technology and markets, an effective mission statement should be timeless. It should endure the fads that come and go, providing guidance over the long term. I like this one from Pruett Builders…

[typography size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222″]Sharing the love of Christ while building homes and relationships with excellence.[/typography]

Combining your company’s core purpose and values into an integrated and memorable mission statement is as challenging as it is important! An effective and often-used mission statement can inspire and direct team members to a worthy goal, while its absence leads nowhere.

Do you have an effective mission statement?

If so, are you maximizing its impact in your company?

If the answer is no to either question, are you ready to start?

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Do You Have A Strategic Plan…for Ministry?

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When was the last time you worked on your strategic plan for any portion of your business?  How much time did you take to do that?  How many people were involved in the process?  What were the results?  Do you think it was time well spent?

Strategic Planning

Quarterly Planning Session

For our company, the last time was this past week (Tues-Thurs).  We spent several hours over several days leading up to Wednesday in drafting rough plans for our 4th Quarter Strategic Planning session.  We went off-site all day Wednesday for the actual session.  Then we spent Thursday compiling the notes and finalizing our plans.

I think we spent a total of 20 hours with various combinations of 15 people.  I figure it was a total of roughly 200 man-hours for our quarterly planning.  We came away with solid plans and forecasts for our focus areas over the next quarter.  I think it was time well spent.

Maybe your experience is similar.  Maybe you spent more time, maybe less.  Either way, strategic planning is a critical part of running a business.  It is necessary to keep a team focused on the right things so that maximum energy is applied where maximum results will be seen.

Strategic Plan for Ministry?

So, that begs the question, how much time have you spent in strategically planning the ministry aspect of your business?  Is this even something that is on your radar?  If not, should it be?  Shouldn’t we be spending more time determining how God would have us use our business as a vehicle for His ministry?

Strategic ministry planning is the same as strategic business planning, but it more specifically focuses on how we will allow God to use our businesses as vehicles for ministry.  It is a process in which you map out the following, as they relate to doing ministry through your business.

  • Purpose
  • Target Markets
  • Strategies & Tactics
  • Timetable
  • Reporting & Accountability

I can tell you that this is something that I have worked on in streaks for the past eight years, but I have never formalized the process.  Nor have I ever been intentional about involving others on our team.  It’s not that we have not done anything, but we certainly cannot point to a consistent planning process in the ministry area.

That is changing now.  Over the past several weeks, I have selected three key members of our company’s leadership team, described my vision for increased ministry through our business, and asked for their interest level and motivation for taking our ministry planning to another level.  All three are “all in” and committed to this process.  Now that the team is drafted, we have to determine our plan.  Since this is new territory, I went outside for help.

Seeking Outside Help

I have been a member of C12 for almost six years now.  You can read more about this organization and its tremendous benefits here (C12Group.com).  One of the many opportunities offered by C12 is something called a Strategic Plan for Ministry seminar.  The seminar is given by the founder of C12, Buck Jacobs.  If you ever want to meet someone who absolutely bleeds with passion for business as a vehicle for ministry, it is Buck Jacobs!

Anyway, my team and I went to this seminar this past week and came away with a clear path to creating a Strategic Ministry Plan for our business.  Over the next several posts, I will be outlining this path for you.  In addition to that, over the next several months I will be reporting on our team’s progress toward a more strategic integration of ministry into our business.  I hope this information is as helpful to you as it has been for us.

Have you considered intentional planning for ministry in your business?

If so, what steps have you taken in this direction?  

If not, what is stopping you from taking the first step right now?

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Building A Christian Platform

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I was praying the other day and reflecting on the struggles I have experienced over the years in my efforts to honor God with our business. So as I was reflecting, I asked God why it has been so hard. I asked Him why I always seemed to be facing yet another challenge. I really wanted to know why it was not easier to do what I was trying to do!

Christian platform

Oppositions, Challenges, and Disappointments

You see, it has been eight years since I turned over the business to God. During that time, I have seen two to three times as many oppositions, challenges, and disappointments as I can remember in as many years before turning the business over to God.

Sure, there have been victories. And there have been innumerable rewards as well. Please do not misunderstand my point here. I would not go back and change anything, but there is no doubt in my mind that these eight years have been my toughest ever in business.

Questioning God

As a result of these challenges, I often question God about what I am doing and how I am doing it. He and I have had some heated discussions about the business and all I have experienced (at least one side of the discussions has been heated!) . I am just thankful that He continues to listen!

It was during this particular “discussion” that He gave me a picture. The picture is one of a platform. As I considered this picture, I thought about what it might mean in the context of what I had been asking Him. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that He was showing me that all of theses struggles and challenges were part of a bigger picture.

In going through these experiences, I was in fact building a platform!

Building a Christian Platform

This platform I am building will allow me to speak to others now and in the future. For example, as a result of building this platform over the past eight years, I am able to speak through this blog. Maybe I reach a large number of people and maybe not. But whoever gains anything from my experiences could be impacted for eternity as a result! The more struggles I have going forward, the more opportunities I may have in the future to speak to others. While my platform may only be a small wooden deck right now, it could become something beautiful one day! Either way, God will certainly be able to use it!

Platform

Purpose and Hope

Now after telling you all of this, why is it actually important? Well I believe we all require purpose and hope to keep going through life, especially during the hard times. Without purpose or hope in the equation, it is easy for us to get depressed with our circumstances. Maybe it is different for you, but I need to know that what I am experiencing has a purpose. So, as I thought about how my experiences are serving to build a platform that God may use later to reach others, I got a sense of purpose. I had hope that there was a point to it all. And for me, that was comforting!

What are you building?

Does the thought of building a platform help you?

What will your platform look like in the future?

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Do You Have Leaderboard Envy?

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Imagine you are a NASCAR driver and you are in the hunt for the Sprint Cup Championship. At second place in the chase for the cup, you know you are in contention for the season crown, but as things happen in this final race, you are pretty far behind in the pack while the points leader is out front with a comfortable lead.  All you have to do is beat him in this race and you have the crown.

The Challenge

You are slowly moving up through the pack, but things continue to happen that hinder your progress.  You see your hopes dwindling away.  What makes it worse is your knowledge of how your main competitor has made it this far.  His rule-breaking and illegal modifications to his car have given him an advantage all season.  You know this, but most others just think he is that good.  You don’t mind losing straight up, but it really bothers you that you have followed the rules to the letter and are coming up short as a result.  As you attempt move after move to catch up, your every effort is thwarted.  It is almost as if there is a conspiracy against you!

Your Feelings

How do you feel at this point?  What are your emotions?  Do you question your strict adherence to the rules?  Do you wonder, just for a moment, what difference it might have made if you had just bent one rule, maybe two?  Do you envy the points leader and his apparent success?  If none of these thoughts have entered your mind, then you are better than me.  I think it is just natural to think this way, no matter how hard we try to avoid it.

The News

Anyway, back to the race.  Your helmet speaker crackles with static and you hear your crew chief’s voice.  He tells you that he has heard from a very reliable source that the NASCAR officials have learned about the points leader’s practices and they have proof.  It appears they are going to let him finish the race, but his title (and the rest of his trophies) will be stripped from him. Stunned by the news, you don’t exactly hear the rest of the consequences he will endure, but you get the sense that you no longer envy his position. The bottom line is that as long as you keep up your pace and finish the race, you will get the crown.

Still Feel the Same Way?

Now what are your thoughts?  How do you feel now?  Do you still question your blameless practices?  Do you still wonder what one or two bent rules would have meant to your season? Is there any envy of the other guy left in your system?

Go right now and read Psalm 37 – the whole chapter.

It is not long, but it is good.

The Verdict

Do not let the world’s scoreboard alter your path.  Do not let the apparent success of the wicked bring envy to your heart.  Trust God to do what He says He will do.  Follow His path, finish the race, and you will get the crown (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Do you get caught up in what the world says is most important?

Do you let the success of dishonest competitors eat at you?

Will you trust what God’s Word  says about the fate of those competitors?

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After the Exit Interview, Now What?

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In my last post, Ten Reasons for an Exit Interview (with Purpose), I described why you should always execute an exit interview with departing employees.  So, you did the exit interview and got some feedback.  What are you supposed to do now?

First of all, you may actually receive positive feedback from the departing employee!  Don’t be shocked!  If you are doing some things right, be excited and appreciative for the compliments.  However, for the sake of this discussion, let’s focus on the not-so-positive feedback.  What do you do with that?

  • Do nothing at all.

    I am just kidding!  (Just out of curiosity, did you find that to be ridiculous advice in this context?)  Unfortunately, that is exactly what most people do with this information.  If they even complete an exit interview at all, it is most likely done to complete a checklist of termination paperwork.  Then the potentially valuable information is discarded as unworthy of their time!  Or maybe the feedback was painful and difficult to face head-on.  Regardless of the reasons, this is NOT a recommended step to take!  Read on…

  • Validate the feedback.

    Sometimes you will simply get sour grapes from a disgruntled employee.  While this is sometimes true, it is a mistake to assume it will always be that way.  Take what you heard, sift through the emotions (yours and theirs!), and find the nuggets.  If you have not observed the issues yourself, consult other employees that you know to be objective.  Get their perspective.  Simply put, do your homework and find out if there is validity to what you heard.  Pray for wisdom and discernment as you do this!

  • Determine if there is a pattern.

    What if you find the issue(s) to be true?  Okay, so something went wrong or a part of your business did not meet your standards.  Maybe you received negative feedback about you or your style.  What next?  Find out if it was a one-time problem or, more likely, a pattern.  Is it the result of a broken process or an isolated personality conflict?  Don’t gloss this over.  Dig through the rubble or smoke and determine the root.  If it is an isolated situation, move on to the next issue.  If it is a pattern, read on…

  • Find the best solution(s) and correct the problem.

    While this sounds simple, it is too often left undone.  Even if you remained objective through this whole exit interview process, it is possible that remaining employees may not.  They may be holding the sour grapes!  Whatever the situation, if the issue you have uncovered is legitimate, you need to push through to correct it and make sure it does not reappear.

  • Follow up with the ex-employee – thank them!

    Why not?  Do not allow pride or busyness keep you from thanking them for their productive feedback.  Let them know of your appreciation as well as your efforts to take action.  You do not have to go into detail about what you found.  Just let them know that their words did not fall on deaf ears.  They will appreciate it and you will be blessed as a result.

  • Commit to 100% execution of exit interviews in the future!

    Assuming you followed the whole process from beginning to end, then you can see the benefits of completing exit interviews with every departing employee.  If your company is too big for you to do them personally, then assign the responsibility to someone else, but make sure they grasp the value of the process.  Communicate to them the importance you place on the feedback.  Set up the process to make sure there is accountability in its execution!

What is your experience?

Are there any steps you would add?

Have you committed to exit interviews?

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10 Reasons for an Employee Exit Interview (with Purpose)

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I called a friend the other day and asked him out to lunch.

While that may not seem unusual, consider that this friend had worked for our company up until that week and was terminated for non-performance.  Now are you interested?

I told him that my offer to buy his lunch had two main purposes.  First, I wanted to take the opportunity to learn from him whether there was anything he thought we could do better as a company.  He is also a Christian and could give me insight about that aspect of our company.  While I think I have a good feel for what happens from day to day in my business, I always hear something in an exit interview that surprises me.  If I am open to it, I can always learn something from an ex-employee.

My second purpose was to take the opportunity, with his permission, to offer advice to him.  I had observed him for close to a year and I felt I had a perspective that could help him.  If I am truly in this business for an eternal impact, why would I not intentionally mentor another Christian when I have the chance?  I felt we had a good enough relationship that he would give me that chance.

I learned about a couple of things that we could improve on immediately.

We had a great lunch and it went just as I expected.  He gave me some honest and thoughtful feedback.  As always, I learned about a couple of things that we could improve on immediately.  Also, as I expected, he was open to my feedback on his performance and future work opportunities.  With our company, he was not in a job that fit his strengths.  We discussed another job he is already considering as well as some he has not considered, based on my assessment of his strengths.  All in all, we both profited from the meeting.

Typical Reasons to Conduct an Exit Interview…

    1. Gain a new perspective about your own business (or department, team, etc.).
    2. Learn what you are doing well…or not so well.
    3. Confirm what you may already know (but have not verified) to be true.
    4. Uncover real reason for leaving company (if voluntary termination)
    5. Make peace with an ex-employee

Additional Reasons from a Christian Perspective…

    1. Gather frank accountability feedback on your witness
    2. Give them frank accountability feedback on their witness (if they are a believer)
    3. Offer advice, mentoring for their future.
    4. If applicable, recommend resources for help (substance abuse, financial distress, etc.).
    5. If appropriate (your witness is intact and ex-employee is non-believer), share the Gospel!

What are your thoughts on this list?

Are there any reasons you would add or remove?

Does your company execute exit interviews?  If not, should you?

If so, do you have a success story to share?

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10 Pitfalls to Running a Christian Business

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Have you prayed about how you are to run your business?  Have you sought God with intensity on the question of running your business for Him?  If not, I would suggest you not read any further until you do.

I know I am probably breaking several “Rules for a Successful Blog” when I tell you not to read further, but I cannot help it.  If you think you can get enough information on which to make a solid decision in this area without first seeking God in prayer, then you are mistaken.  In fact, if you simply look at the facts through your own eyes, you will almost certainly decide against running your business this way.

Praying and Thinking

If you are still reading, then I assume you have prayed (and continue to do so) about this decision.  You may have read my posts on the 5 Reasons to Run Your Business According to Your Christian Faith (if not, click on the “Reasons” Category in the sidebar to the right).  It makes sense to you, but you are still not sure whether you should proceed or not.  Good.  I am glad you are thinking about it.  I want you to think about it.

As with any major decision, I believe we are to go to God’s Word.  What does the Bible have to say about making a major decision like this?

For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?  Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to make fun of him, saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.
– Luke 14:28-30

Count the Costs

I will tell you, from my personal experience, that this decision is bigger than it even looks.  There are pitfalls, and benefits, that you have not even thought of.  It is just not what it appears.  Therefore, as Jesus taught in this Scripture, we must count the costs.

I realize that your experience in making this decision, and then implementing it, will not necessarily mirror my own experience.  At the same time, because I have already been through this process, I can share about my journey.  My hope is that I can help you avoid, or at least be prepared for, the following pitfalls (as well as those not listed!).

I will give you the list of pitfalls like Solomon might have done it in Proverbs.  Here are ten pitfalls of running a Christian business, eleven hazards you will face when basing your business on your Christian faith…

The Pitfalls

1. People think a Christian business does not terminate people
2. People think a Christian business never says no…to anything!
3. Your old policies, processes, habits will have to change
4. Your comfort level will be shaken
5. The people you thought would congratulate and support you…won’t.
6. You will lose friends.
7. You will come under attack.
8. Your priorities will change.
9. People will take advantage of you.
10. You will lose battles.

11. You will give up profit.

First of all, this is not an exhaustive list.  Secondly, I believe the benefits outweigh these pitfalls!

Now, some of these are self explanatory and some require further clarification.  While I will not do a continuous series of eleven posts on these pitfalls, I will take each of these topics and expand on them in the coming weeks and months.  I hope you will follow along and participate in the discussion as we go.

What are your thoughts right now?

Are you truly praying for God’s will in your business?

Are you willing to give it to Him despite the apparent costs?

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Reason #5 (of 5) for Running Your Business According to Your Christian Faith

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This is the final post in a series of five posts on why we should run our businesses according to our Christian faith.  Like the others, this reason comes straight from the Bible.

King Solomon was an amazing man for many reasons.  He was able to achieve incredible wealth and success.  He built houses, vineyards, gardens, and parks.  He surpassed all who had come before him. From the outside, it looked like he had it all!  What did he have to say about it?

When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind.
– Ecclesiastes 2:11

Does this sound like someone who “had it all” like Solomon?  What do you think were his reasons for feeling this way?  Fortunately, he gives us more information a couple of verses later.

I hated all my work at which I labored under the sun because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
– Ecclesiastes 2:18-19

The Problem

Solomon realized that his work would not last beyond this life.  As soon as he was gone, someone else would get it and do whatever they wanted with it.  He saw extreme emptiness in his work after he had accomplished it.

I think a key thought to consider here is that these thoughts of Solomon’s came later in his life, AFTER he had accomplished so much.  You see, while the accomplishing is getting done, the emptiness is hidden.  Everything looks so important and so urgent that we most often fail to see that it is, in fact, futile.

The Solution

What if you could reverse this principle?  Consider the idea of completely turning your business over to God and allowing Him to direct how it is built.  What if you began approaching your business as a tool in God’s hand to be used to impact others (employees, customers, community) for eternity?

Forget, for a moment, trying to imagine exactly what the business would look like. Instead, imagine what your thoughts would be at the end.

The “Stats”

Rather than counting the number of business branches or locations, employees, or zero’s in your bank account balance, imagine you are able to count the number of people who chose to accept Jesus due, in part, to the influence of your business.  Imagine counting the number of children fed or clothed as a result of the efforts of your employees.  Imagine counting the number of people you influenced through the business that went on to teach others that did the same thing (and on and on…)!

Where is the futility or emptiness in this?  I cannot imagine either being present – and I cannot wait to get to this point!

What about you?  What are you building?

What will the “stats” feel like when the counting is being done?

Regardless of what you have built in the past, will you change the future?

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Reason #4 (of 5) to Run Your Business According to Your Christian Faith

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Christian faith and business

This is the fourth in a series of five posts on why we should run our businesses according to our Christian faith.  In each post, we have looked at what light Scripture may shed on this question.
One of my favorite verses, which also happens to be one of the core verses in the Impact Discipleship series, is the following:

Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.  –
1 John 2:6

Let’s consider what Jesus did while He was here on earth.  During his roughly three years of ministry leading up to the crucifixion, Jesus poured into a small group of twelve of His closest followers.  He taught them all they would need to know to be His witnesses after He had ascended.

Early Church Strategy

These disciples, in turn, did the same thing with their preaching and teaching in the early church.  In his letter to Timothy, one of his own students, Paul wrote the following:

And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  -2 Timothy 2:2

Paul urges Timothy to teach and disciple other men that would in turn be able to teach others.  In this way, Timothy would be leaving a legacy of disciples.  I, for one, am glad the early disciples did this!  If not for them and their commitment to spreading the Gospel, where would we be today?

We know this was Jesus’ strategy.  We also know Paul used the same strategy with Timothy. And we know Paul encouraged Timothy to use the same strategy with others…who would then do the same thing!

Our Strategy?

So what does that mean for us as Christians?  What does that mean for those of us leading businesses?  Are we exempt from this?

Some of you may be saying that you do some of this outside of work.  No problem!  Keep it up!  You should be doing that.

However, while we can certainly disciple others outside of our businesses, why would we ignore the 40-60+ hours per week we spend inside our business?  Why would we not find some way to make that time count as well?  Whether through a chaplain program, lunch-and-learn Bible studies, or just simple messages in a company newsletter, there are many ways to maximize our available disciple-making time.

Once we can get past the mental block that we have to keep faith and work separate, all sorts of opportunities to live out our faith in business can present themselves.  Our first step is simply to make the decision to give God our businesses and let Him direct our paths.  He is faithful to take care of the rest!

Do you agree or disagree with this logic?

What is your biggest obstacle to move in this direction?

How are you seeking God’s perspective on living out your Christian faith?