Tag Archives: Christian ministry

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Don’t Believe These 5 Myths About Christian Business!

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I get many opportunities to talk to other Christians that own or operate a business. When I try to explain to them why they should be using their business to impact people for eternity, I sometimes get a blank stare. They often ask me questions that indicate they have significant misconceptions about Christian business. Today, I want to dispel 5 of the most common myths I have encountered regarding Christian business.

myths

Misconceptions Galore!

The problem is that many people, even Christians, misunderstand what the Bible says about being a Christian. This is even more true when it comes to being a Christian in the business world.

As a result, they often associate Christianity with weakness, laziness, and blind faith. If you have been in business for any length of time, you know these qualities don’t add up to business success. So when I explain my efforts to run a Christian business, the response is not always very positive!

Let’s take a look at the 5 most common myths you might encounter or even believe yourself. Once we dispel these, I think you might have a much better picture of what your business should look like (and what it shouldn’t look like!).

Myth #1 – Christian Businesses should hire anyone!

This is a very common myth and it is rooted in the desire to be kind and fair to everyone. Do unto others what you would have them do unto you, right? While that last statement is true, it does not equate to a wide open hiring policy!

First of all, it is not fair to the applicant to hire them if they are not a good fit for the job. They will never get fulfillment from a job that does not fit them. By not hiring this applicant, you will “help” them move on to find the job that IS a fit for them. You may even choose to assist them in this search if you see enough potential in them.

Not only is it not fair to the applicant, it is not fair to the other current employees to make them work with someone that does not fit the job. This will only increase their load and cause other issues. Of course, the final damage is to the business itself. It is tough enough to run an efficient business without having to work around those not fit or qualified for their jobs.

Myth #2 – Christian businesses should say yes to any request!

I cannot specifically say where this myth originates, but it certainly exists. Sometimes you get a local sports team looking for a sponsorship. In other cases it is a customer looking for an excessive amount of free products or services. You will even have employees ask for difficult exceptions to company policies.

I certainly believe we should try to accommodate requests to the extent that we can and when it makes good business sense. Sometimes, we might do it even when it does not make business sense (but we know it is the right thing to do at the time)! However, for us to say yes to (virtually) every request is impossible.

There are times when the only wise answer is, “No.” A Christian business owner must accept this and not let guilt take over. Jesus did not say yes to every request. Neither should we. Do the best you can, but don’t fall prey to this myth!

To Be Continued!

I have run out of room for today, but will finish with the last three myths about Christian business in my next post. I hope these have been helpful to you.

Have you believed either of these myths?

Do you see how accepting these myths as truth can limit (or destroy) your business?

What are some other myths you have encountered?

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What Do You Do With The Interruption?

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Business is busy. That may seem obvious, but for anyone in a leadership position in business, it can be a big problem. We are always working on something. Some projects require very little focus from us. Others require our complete attention. That is usually when the interruption comes, right?

interruption

Forms Of Interruption

For me, this “interruption” could come in the form of a customer asking a simple question. It could be an employee that needs clarification on a process. Maybe it is phone call from a vendor that needs my authorization on an expenditure.

Interruptions can come in many shapes and sizes. When we are intently focused on getting something important done, how do we handle the interruption? I am not really asking about your manners or patience with the cause of the interruption.

The Bigger Question

The question I am asking is much bigger than that. We all know that we should be gracious and approachable when interrupted. That’s not my point.

The real question is more about your mindset regarding the interruption. In fact, I am actually asking about the bigger interruptions in your plans. To be more clear, let’s look at an example from Scripture.

Paul’s Interruption

Paul is on a mission. He has been called by God to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Anyone who has read any of his letters in the New Testament would agree that he was focused on this mission. Nothing deterred him from accomplishing the mission.

Then we read in Philippians 1 that Paul has been put in jail. Imagine that you are in his sandals and you have this mission in front of you. This is a big “project” with huge ramifications for those you seek to teach about this gospel. Then you find yourself in jail…for no real good reason! How could this happen?

How Would You See It?

Would you see THIS as an interruption? Would you get frustrated at the injustice and start trying to figure out how to escape? Would you lose focus on the overall goal and become preoccupied with your circumstances?

What did Paul do? Well, he uses the time wisely and continues to accomplish the mission God gave him. He does this in several ways.

Paul’s Response

First, he uses the time to write four letters to various churches (and one individual). In these letters, Paul encourages, chastises, and teaches about the gospel. He made very effective use of his time in prison to continue his mission to spread the gospel!

Second, he took advantage of the fact that he was imprisoned by Gentiles! He likely saw a number of different guards each day as they fed him and guarded him. He used this time to witness to these guards and explain to them the cause of Christ!

Paul even recognized that others were preaching more boldly about Jesus as a result of his imprisonment. While some had pure motives and others did not, Paul welcomed any accurate preaching of the gospel as helping to accomplish his mission.

What About Us?

Paul tells us to follow his example (1 Corinthians 11:1). If we do this, how can we handle the interruptions that come our way? Not only the little daily interruptions, but even more so the big ones?

When we have big plans for ministry through our business and something interrupts these plans, how can we react in a way that imitates Paul? Can we reasonably expect to stop and pray that God would reveal that part of His plan to us?

If He chooses not to reveal His plans, can we patiently look around at our circumstances and determine how to continue our mission despite the interruption? Is our eternal perspective so ingrained in our mind that we could adapt to the circumstances and maximize the opportunities they presented?

How Close Are We?

Are we so close in our relationship with God that this behavior is possible?

If not, what are we going to do to change?

I encourage you to stop and pray about this. As business owners and leaders, we are normally trained to overcome the circumstances of any interruption and move on with the mission. We are problem solvers and have wiring that keeps us moving.

Instead, sometimes we need to recognize that God may want us to sit still and look for His will IN the interruption. If we will draw closer to Him, it is more likely we will be able to do this when the time comes.

How good are you with handling an interruption?

Do you see interruptions as potentially coming from God?

What do you need to do differently?

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Does Imminent Bankruptcy Change Your Investment Plan?

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Imagine for a minute that you know me as a 100% reliable and trustworthy source. Imagine also that I have just told you that I have undeniable evidence that the U.S. Government is going to file bankruptcy in Federal Court next Monday morning. What would be your reaction?

Bankruptcy

Ripple Effects of Bankruptcy?

I am not a guru when it comes to these types of issues, but I am fairly sure I could make some educated guesses about some of the ripple effects of an event like this. I assume you could do the same. In light of that, how does your current investment portfolio look? What would be your new financial plan?

Would you buy more shares of stock or sell what you have? Would you invest in the U.S. Dollar or move toward gold and silver? Would you make plans to spend as much as you could before the date of the event or would you try to invest in those areas (food, barter materials, etc.) that would contribute to your long term survival and well being?

Would any of these actions change if I told you the date of the bankruptcy filing was actually 6 months from now versus next week? What about one year from now or longer? How would your urgency change?

Truth Is Worse!

Obviously, I do NOT have advance notice of a bankruptcy filing like this. Unfortunately, the knowledge I have is far worse than this. In fact, I am fairly confident that you have this same knowledge that I have.

Folks, the truth is that this entire world that we inhabit is bankrupt. The filing has already been made and we are simply living out the discharge process. What is the only major difference in this news and my fictional bankruptcy filing?

Timing.

We read in 2 Peter 3 that this world is already scheduled to be destroyed. Everything in it will be destroyed and our works laid bare. Bankruptcy has been filed, but the discharge process is taking time. Peter tells us here that the Lord is patient, but the events are coming nonetheless.

Lost Value

Let me translate to be clear. Everything you “own” right now will be destroyed. It will have a value of $0. Any investments you have in land, buildings, stocks, etc. will be brought to a total value of zero. This is a total and complete bankruptcy with full liquidation of assets.

So…what is your plan? How does your current portfolio look? Do you feel good about its diversity? Are you wisely invested in those areas that will last after this bankruptcy?

Vague Timing?

Back to the issue of timing. In my fictional bankruptcy, I gave you a hard date, a timeline that you could see and one that would allow you to make necessary adjustments. The world bankruptcy explained by the Bible does not do this. No one knows when the final discharge will happen.

And that, my friends, is why many of us are asleep at the wheel. We think we have time. We are living with the illusion that we can deal with these eternal investment issues at some point in the future. Unfortunately, we simply do not know. Therefore, many sleep.

Portfolio Shift?

I am sorry, but I just don’t think that is what we are supposed to be doing. As for me, I am certain that I have entirely too much left invested in this world and not nearly enough laid up in heaven. I am working on that, but I have a long way to go.

What about you? What if this “world bankruptcy” were to be discharged today…how would your portfolio fare? If you are like me, that is a scary proposition. While I know without a doubt that my soul would survive the fire, I am concerned that I have too much stuff that would not.

Future Investment

I have told you before that my job description, and life’s goal, is to add silhouettes. To the extent that I can accomplish this goal, my investment in this effort will survive the fire. My struggle is to invest more and more time, energy, and resources into this effort and less into the material rewards of this world.

I must continue working to shift my portfolio away from the temporal and toward the eternal. I am convinced that we are called to live IN this world. I am just as convinced that we are not to make it our home. We should be renters here, not owners.

I encourage you to take some time and think through this idea of world bankruptcy. Think about where you are currently investing your time, treasure, and talents. Consider Paul’s warning (1 Corinthians 3:10-15) to us and begin doing work that will survive the fire. I think this would be a great investment for you!

What does your portfolio look like today?

What action do you need to take to correct it?

What is your level of urgency? What should it be?

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Is Your Life Like Your Closet?

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I recently had to clean out my closet at home. After ten years without doing it, the accumulation of stuff and clothes that no longer fit had finally gotten out of hand. I finally recognized the need and set aside the time to clean it. In the process, I was reminded of a truth about life that all Christians need to learn. If you cannot see the connection between a clothes closet and a life truth, then read on!

closet

Organizing My Closet

Obviously, I first had to go through everything in my closet and determine whether I would keep it, give it away, or trash it. I went through work clothes, play clothes, socks, shoes, etc. I think you get the idea.

Once I did that, I figured I would take the opportunity to reorganize the entire closet. I know, that may be a little OCD, but I liked the idea and ran with it. I went to WalMart and bought a couple of cheap cloth baskets for socks, tshirts, etc. I placed these in line on my shelves.

I moved my work clothes to one side and put my casual clothes to the other side. I made sure my work shoes were easily accessed while the others were off to the side. My ties (fewer now because I got rid of those with stains or those too wide!) were placed on the tie rack in the corner and my belts moved to the other corner.

Each Had Its Place

When I was done, I stepped back in pride. I had found a nice, neat area for each type of clothing and accessory. While my closet may not win any HGTV awards for creativity or design, I had achieved what I had set out to do. I had compartmentalized the area and each part had its place.

As I stood there, I remembered the life truth I mentioned at the beginning of this post. If given the opportunity, many Christians will do the exact same thing with their faith as I did with my socks. Stick with me and I think you will see what I mean.

Separate Life Compartments

Too often, we as Christians compartmentalize our lives. We have time for our family. We allocate time for our work. We may prioritize some time with friends and/or hobbies. We also make sure we give time to our faith. Each area of our lives has its own time allotment.

Some of these areas overlap at times (friends and faith, family and hobbies, etc.), but for the most part they are each kept within their own compartment. This is especially true of our faith.

Maybe we have friends at church, but it is unlikely we are regularly and intentionally meeting with them to grow in our faith together. We don’t talk much about our faith with some of our other friends or family because they might get offended.

Faith And Workplace Separate?

We don’t allow our faith to enter our workplace for the same reason. Or it might be that we feel our faith will limit our ability to do business profitably. Surely God would not want that, right? Work is for Monday through Friday, family on Saturday, and we give God our Sundays. That is the way it has always been.

Unfortunately, the way it has always been is wrong. God does not want our Sundays (only). He wants our Mondays through Saturdays as well. He wants our time with family and our time with friends.

God Wants Our ALL!

God wants to be a part of our hobbies and our social lives. He wants to live in our workplace and direct our business decisions. There is not a single part of our lives that God does not want. He wants it all. Want proof?

Let’s just ask Jesus. He should know the answer, right? Jesus, what is the most important truth for us to remember in life?

Love the Lord your God with ALL of your heart, with ALL of your mind, and with ALL of your soul. This is the first and greatest commandment (emphasis mine).
Matthew 22:37-38

God IS Our Closet

Folks, we may need to compartmentalize our closets, garages, or work desk. Separate areas for separate items can be helpful for an organized mind. However, this is not true for our lives when it comes to our faith and our relationship with God.

In life, our faith in and relationship with God IS our closet. It IS our life. Everything else can have its separate place WITHIN our faith, but nothing we have or do should be separate from this faith. Our relationship with God permeates every aspect of our lives.

There is no other way to live out the Greatest Commandment.

What About Your Business Life?

Take a look at your business or work life. Reflect on how God is a part of this area of your life. If He is, what can you do to allow Him to be more involved. If He has not yet been allowed into this part of your life, then pray about how you can turn it over to Him.

The ultimate goal is for Him to fully control this area (along with all other areas) of your life, with you as the passenger and Him as the driver. That is a tough position to reach, but the more you prepare for it, the easier it becomes.

Is your life compartmentalized like your closet?

If you changed it at one time, has it drifted back?

What action do you need to take next?

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What I Learned From My Reader Survey

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Last month, I completed my very first Reader Survey. I have been writing this blog for 3.5 years now and I am ready to take it up a level. In order to do this, I felt it was critical to get your feedback about what you like best, what could improve, and any other ideas that might come from a survey.

survey

Reader Survey Results

I had 71 responses overall. This represents just over 15% of the number of email subscribers currently receiving my posts. My goal was to exceed 20%, but I think 15% was acceptable for a first effort. I know I got enough consistent feedback to give me the direction I need moving forward.

I have heard from the results that some of you are interested in the results, so I thought I would summarize them in this post. First I will give you a profile of the typical reader. Then I will tell you the five conclusions I reached based on the comments and suggestions offered.

Reader Profile

Let’s start with the profile:

  • My typical reader is male (72%) and falls between the ages of 45 to 64 (also 72%).
  • He is a business owner, entrepreneur, or a leader/employee in a business (65%).
  • He lives in the U.S. (86%) and his household income is over $75,000 (62%).
  • He has been integrating his faith and his work for years (64%).
  • His favorite topics have been Personal Growth (63%), Leadership (59%), and Business Practices (51%).
  • He has recommended my blog to others (58%).
  • He is most active on LinkedIn (86%) and Facebook (71%).
  • He prefers to read my blog via email (57%).

Since this is my first survey, I will be interested to watch how these demographics change over time. I will keep you updated as I complete future surveys.

My Conclusions

Now, let me share what I have learned from this survey. While I took lots of notes and learned more than this, I will share the main 5 lessons I gleaned from your feedback. The following five conclusions stood out above the rest.

1. Keep focusing on application!

    I heard loud and clear that you like that I most often focus on content that is easily applied to what you do. Like me, I understand that you are interested in reading about topics that you can take and apply to your own situation. This is cool to me because this was my number one goal from the beginning! I will commit to maintaining this focus.

2. Keep it real!

    I am so thankful that the way I write seems to resonate with you. I am not fancy or scholarly. I simply write the way I think – real, honest, and to the point. Your feedback told me to keep it this way. Evidently, most of you are as busy as I am and don’t have time for eloquent, fluffy posts about theory. Good thing – I can’t write any other way!

3. Keep the mix as/is!

    Your two favorite topics are also my top two most-frequent categories as well (Personal Growth & Leadership). For the most part, my mix of topics matches very well with your preferences. Since this mix has not been something I consciously determine, I will continue taking my own advice (and yours): I will continue to let God lead the content!

4. Keep it short(er)!

    Another clear message from the survey results – you prefer posts that are short and to the point. You do not have time to read lengthy posts. In fact, there were a few that would like to see my posts a little shorter. My focus going forward will be to work harder to keep the length down without sacrificing the message. When it makes sense, I will break a longer post into two or three to help with this.

5. Add some variety!

    I received many good ideas about what I could add to the blog to make it more useful to you. These ideas included doing more book reviews and adding video content. There was also the idea of taking time to go through Proverbs and apply it to business. I love the ideas and have already started working on some of them. Give me some time, but you will see some of these implemented in the not-too-distant future.

Thank You!

Overall, this survey was a great experience for me. I have received many new ideas from your comments and suggestions. I promise to take your feedback to heart and I hope you will see the benefits moving forward. Thank you for taking the time to give me your thoughts. I am grateful!

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Obedience Can Be Bad For You!

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When my children were not yet adolescents, I struggled to teach them about our fourth quality of godly leaders. Before you think I am some super-dad that started them that young on this kind of teaching, think again. I wish I was that good! Sure, I was trying to teach them about radical, immediate obedience, but not necessarily in the context of godly leadership.

obedience

Obedience Needed

Picture our family, my wife and I and our three kids (all under 10 years old), trying to cross the road to head into church on a Sunday morning. My son notices a friend across the street and breaks into a run to go talk with them. At the same time, a truck is 30 feet away and heading quickly toward him. Got the picture?

Now, as a responsible and protective dad, I yell out for my son to stop running.

Kinds Of Obedience

What happens if he obeys, but not immediately? Maybe he takes another couple of steps toward his friend. Now walking, he turns his head back toward me to see if I am serious. What happens to him?

What if he obeys by stopping, but he waits and stops in the middle of the street. He then turns to question me about why he should have to stop. What happens then?

I think you get the idea. If my son does anything other than radically and immediately obeying my command, then his life is endangered. This very same idea applies to our discussion on godly leadership.

Underlying Truths

See, there are truths underlying my instructions to my son. One truth is that blindly running out into a street can put him in the path of an oncoming vehicle. Another truth is that there are cars on the road with drivers that are not alert or expecting kids to run into the street. There is also a truth that says a 10 year old is not like to survive a collision with a moving truck.

These are not arguable truths. They are absolute. They are also truths that I understand as a parent, but truths that my son may not fully comprehend at 10 years old. As a result, he and I must have an understanding that he will radically and immediately obey me when I yell to him.

He must understand that partial obedience is not acceptable. Delayed obedience does not work either. He cannot choose to be selective and obey only when my instructions match up with his desires. No, a radical and immediate obedience is the only way I can truly protect him in this situation. These other kinds of obedience are bad for him!

Radical, Immediate Obedience

In his segment in Dennis Rainey’s Stepping Up Video Series, Dr. Crawford Loritts detailed his four qualities of godly leaders. I have covered the first three of these qualities in previous posts. Today, in case you have not been paying attention, I want to continue discussing the fourth quality – radical, immediate obedience.

I think you understand the application of this kind of obedience in the context of my family above. It applies the same way in our efforts to be godly leaders, only on a bigger scale.

The parallel is that God knows truths that we simply do not yet grasp. He understands things about our world and our own minds that we don’t comprehend. Based on these truths, he lays out guidelines and boundaries for us as godly leaders. He expects radical, immediate obedience to these guidelines.

Obedience For Leaders

God does not ask for this type obedience because He is ruthless. He asks for this obedience because that is what is best for us. He loves us and wants us to live life to the fullest. Partial, delayed, or selective obedience will limit (or even destroy) this opportunity for us. But the picture is actually even worse than that!

The picture is worse because you and I are leading others!

Go back to the image of my son running into the street. It would be horrible to see him hit by the truck. It would be worse if my twin daughters, two years younger than him, were following his lead. Disaster!

The same is true of us and our leadership. We can lead others into life or disaster (even death), depending on how we respond to God’s truths. Which are you going to choose?

Truths Worth Dying For

I will close with a quote from Dr. Loritts regarding this truth:

If you are called to lead, there is a sacred assignment that God has given you. And there is truth that you need to steward. And that truth is not arbitrary. I’s not a bunch of opinions and traditions. These are truths that are worth dying for. […] And that’s what we need to be called back to.
Dr. Crawford Loritts

Do you recognize that God knows truths beyond your understanding?

Is your obedience typically radical and immediate?

Where do you need to alter your obedience from being partial, delayed, or selective?

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Please Take My 2015 Reader Survey

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I want to make sure I am creating the content on this blog that best meets your needs and interests. I am only able to do that if I know more about you so I am conducting this 2015 Reader Survey.
reader survey

Would you please help me with this? All I ask is that you take a few minutes to complete this survey. It is short (only 16 questions) and easy to do. It should take a max of 5 minutes and the results are completely anonymous.

Best of all – you are helping yourself! The better I can understand you and your interests and needs, the better the content will be that you find here!

I really hope you will take the time to help. If so, click below.

Thanks in advance!

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Your Job Does Not Matter!

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Wait a minute. Do I really believe that what you do does not matter? Is it really my opinion that your job is irrelevant? I don’t even know what you do, so how could I say that? Well, I guess you will have to hear me out to decide whether you agree or not!

job

Stuck In Your Job?

In my last post, I discussed how so many people feel stuck in their jobs. They are not excited to go to work. Too many people have lost their passion for their work – if they have ever had it.

Maybe you have felt like this. Maybe that is exactly how you feel right now.

If that is the case, then I have good news for you. There is an answer to this problem and I believe I have it. What I am about to share with you has transformed my work life and I believe it can do the same for you.

Go To Scripture

The first thing I want to do is take you to Scripture. I believe that all of our answers are there if we are just willing to take the time to look and study. The verse I want you to read and absorb is this one from Paul in his letter to the Colossians.

And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:17, 23-24

Whatever?

Focus on that word, “whatever,” and tell me what it means. Think about it before answering. Ready? It actually means “whatever” – as in anything, everything, etc. The point here is that it really does not matter exactly what you do, you should do it in the name of Jesus and do it for Him.

Are you a teacher? Then teach for Jesus. Are you in business? Then do business for Jesus. Do you design software? Then do that for Jesus. You get the idea…

WHATEVER you do, do it for Jesus.

We Serve Him

So, my first point is regarding the job you have. The specifics of it are irrelevant. All possibilities fall under “whatever.” Regardless of what you do for a living, the Bible says you are to do it for Jesus. You serve Him. Does that make sense?

The problem is that the moment most people truly absorb this idea in their hearts, they think they have to leave their current job and go into ministry. The truth is that only part of that is right.

True And False

The true part is that they need to go into ministry. This is absolutely true and should not be left up to paid church staff members. We ALL should be doing ministry!

The false part of the earlier statement is that they have to leave their current job. I personally tried to walk away from my job because I thought this way. Fortunately, God straightened me out and that has made all the difference for me.

Ministry Where You Are!

See, the truth is that you need to do ministry, but you need to do it wherever you are and in whatever you are doing! This is the whole idea behind the business as ministry movement. This is why I write this blog. People need to know these two ideas:

    1. Everyone is called to do ministry for Jesus!
    2. Everyone can do ministry right where they are!

So let’s go back to the original problem – you have lost the passion for your job. If you have been approaching your job as a means to a paycheck, you need to change that approach. If it has simply met physical needs and that is the way you view it, change your glasses.

New Set Of Glasses

Now, put on the set of glasses that shows you a new “Why” for your job. Rather than seeing your job as a burden, begin to look at it as a means to doing ministry. Instead of seeing your job as something that you have to do to eat, start looking at it as a way to serve God and others for His sake.

What does your job look like now?

Begin The Process

Please know that I realize this process takes more time than the 2-3 minutes you need to read this post. I cannot convince you in 800+ words that your job now has a completely new meaning and purpose. At the same time, I can encourage you to start praying about this.

The end result, if you are diligent, is that God can put a new passion in your heart for the job you are now doing. He can give you a “Why” that gives you a feeling of excitement every time you head to work. “What” you do is not important, but having the right “Why” can change everything!

Please share your experience with this idea in the comment section below!

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15 Killer Ideas For Christian Ministry

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In my last post, I described a house that had gas cans, lit candles, and exposed wiring throughout. We agreed that the owner of this house is clearly trying to create conditions for a fire to break out. We also looked at how this same idea applies to Christian ministry in our businesses if we are looking for eternal impact by pointing people toward God.

Christian ministry

Examples Of Christian Ministry

Today, I would like to give you some specific ideas about how we take this same approach in our business. I do not have the space to fully describe each item on the list. Instead, I will give a brief description and then, when possible, direct you to another post on this site that goes into more detail.

My hope is that you can take even just a couple of these ideas and adapt them to your business. If you have any questions or want to discuss them further, please comment below or send me an email. I will respond as quickly as I can!

    1. Mission Statement
    God is central to our company mission statement and core values.

    2. Chaplain program
    We offer chaplain services to our employees on a weekly basis through Corporate Chaplains of America. This service is incredible and has too many benefits to list here!

    3. Owners Manuals For Life
    We put a New Testament Bible in the glove box of every vehicle we sell. The cover says “Owners Manual For Life” and we have a note inside that explains how we believe it is the greatest book they will ever read. We don’t point it out to the customer, but let them find it later.

    4. Christ in Christmas Party
    We celebrate and have fun like other companies, but we also make sure there is a story or illustration at the end of the party that contains the gospel message to keep our focus on the real reason for the party.

    5. Christian magazines, Gospels of John in lounge
    We keep Christian magazines like “TwoTen” on the tables in the customer lounges at each of our stores. We also keep pocket-sized copies of the Gospel of John stocked there.

    6. Bible Studies
    Our chaplain (and sometimes our Controller) leads a weekly Bible study in the employee break room. We do one at lunch and one at breakfast so everyone has the opportunity to come, regardless of work schedule. We provide the food and we watch a video series followed by discussion.

    7. Devotions
    I go around to each department once a month and tell a quick story or illustration with a business and spiritual message woven in. These take five minutes or so and stay very light, but get great responses!

    8. Employee Newsletter
    I write an article for our employee newsletter once a month. In this article, I follow much the same pattern as the devotions mentioned above.

    9. Library
    We have a couple of library areas across our locations where we keep books for use by employees. Topics range from spiritual to family to parenting to business. If they are looking for a book we don’t have (and it fits our mission), then we will get it.

    10. Sponsorships
    We sponsor a number of faith-based organizations around our community. While these are mostly financial sponsorships, there are also opportunities to help with things other than money. Use of facilities, social media marketing, etc. are some examples.

    11. Car wash
    We host faith-based organizations on our parking lot and provide all necessary materials for them to hold a car wash fundraiser. They provide the labor and keep the revenue from the customers. We give a per-car donation as well.

    12. Open meetings with prayer
    We take time at the beginning of our sales meetings to open in prayer.

    13. Employee recognition
    We recognize employees who go above and beyond expectations outside of their job with a couple of awards – the RPM award and the Lightning Strike.

    14. Christian music
    Our overhead and on-hold music comes from a Pandora station with upbeat Christian music. It is not overwhelming, but provides a great atmosphere in the showroom and around the dealerships.

    15. Pay for volunteering
    We provide opportunities for employees to volunteer during community events we sponsor and pay them for half the time they spend doing so.

Not Everything

This is not everything we do to create the potential for eternal impact, but it should give you some ideas about what you can do in your business.

The idea I want to make sure I convey is that all of this does not happen at once. This is an accumulation of over ten years of intentional thought and action. We started small. You can do the same.

Progress Over Time

If you work at it over time, your business will look like the house described in my last post. Everywhere you turn, you will see potential for Christian ministry to happen. You will also realize that it is good for business!

Comment below and let me know what you would add to this list! Have a question, ask it! I would love to engage in conversation about this.

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Danger: Highly Flammable!

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Let me ask you a question. What would you think if you walked into someone’s house and saw gas cans scattered all over the place in seemingly random places? What if you looked closer and began to notice exposed wiring sticking out of various holes in the walls? If you also noticed lit candles and other flammable materials sitting on various tables and shelves, what would your thoughts be?

flammable

Extreme Picture?

Clearly, this is an extreme picture and one that is not likely to happen. However, if you did walk into a house that looked like this, what would you conclude? Would you assume the owner of the house had a death wish or that he was looking for a big insurance payoff?

Regardless of his final goal, you would have to conclude that he was interested in starting a fire, right? There would be no other reasonable conclusion that I can imagine. In fact, if it WAS his goal to have start a fire, you would probably give him an “A” for effort, right?

There Is A Point

I know this is a silly illustration, but there is a point that I want to make. In our businesses, I believe it is to be our goal to bring glory to God. While business is a worthy pursuit by itself, I believe the reward we receive at the end of this life will be based on our impact on eternity, not on the size of our business.

For me, this means that I want to run a profitable business that is healthy and growing, but I want to do this for the purpose of pointing people to God. I love business and know that God has placed me in a family business because that is where my talents can be used.

Bigger Purpose For Business

At the same time, I believe there is a bigger purpose for our business. I believe I will hear, “Well done” from Jesus at the end of this life if I have successfully run the business in a way that maximized eternal impact. This idea is my “Why” and is what drives me from day to day.

So, if that is the case, what does this have to do with a house full of highly flammable materials apparently laid out in such a way as to maximize the chances of fire breaking out? Actually, the answer is simple.

Spiritually Flammable!

I believe we can do the very same thing with our businesses. I am not talking about trying to burn them down. No, I am saying that we should sprinkle spiritually “flammable materials” around our businesses that will increase the likelihood of this eternal impact happening.

Think about it. All it takes is for us to think strategically about how we can impact people for eternity through the uniqueness of our business. We can just start small and take it slow. It does not have to happen all at one time. The little things will add up over a period of time!

Start Small

Maybe the first step is a process or policy that goes beyond the norm in taking care of your employees or coworkers. Maybe it is simply the presence of a Bible in the waiting area or a Bible verse on your business card. Get creative!

Whatever the starting point, be intentional and persistent over time. Eventually you will look around and see potential for impact everywhere. Before you know it, God is working through these “flammable materials” to draw people to Him, sometimes without your knowledge!

Positive Impact

Nothing I am recommending should be a negative impact on your business. In fact, many of those “flammable materials” that you initially wonder about will eventually prove to be a positive impact on the business. God has a way of making this happen!

I guess the bottom line is that we have to see the spiritually “flammable” potential in our business. Regardless of the nature of your business, I guarantee you can come up with ways to do this if you will take some time to brainstorm it. Pray for wisdom in this area and see what God will do to answer that prayer.

When He does, trust Him and act! Start small, but start. Don’t look back years from now and regret all of the missed opportunities you had to point people toward Him!

Do you see your business as having this kind of potential?

If not, isn’t it time you started?

If so, what spiritually flammable materials have you spread in your business?