Starting and running a business is challenging enough for everyone. If you are a Christian, God expects you to do even more. Not in terms of marketing, finances, or management. God wants you to run a purpose-driven business that is all about the Kingdom of God.
Be sure your heart and mind are in the right place because you will find that a Christian business is not about the financial bottom line.
These are the eight important things to know before you start a Christian business
- Your business belongs to God. This is important because it will determine your heart and mind about your business.
The truth is everything we have comes from God. The air, water, and sunlight that we consume every day come from God at no cost to us. This includes your ability and resources to do business. It is all his.
So God is your boss. You work for him. How do you think your boss would like you to run his business? Not like anything here on earth, you can be sure of that. You would run it as if Jesus was right there behind you because He is.
- You are here to change people’s lives, not to make money. This one comes from your understanding of our first point.
You will must understand that making money is nowhere in the Scriptures as something that God wants man to strive for.
When the rich young ruler asked Jesus about the most important commandments in the Bible, Jesus only mentioned two. To love the Lord God with all our soul, heart, mind, and strength.
The second one is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Any wealth we acquire as a result of following these rules, not the other way around. This means that when it comes down to taking a loss or doing the right thing, you are always going to choose the latter.
- You will apply the Golden Rule. You should do to others whatever you want others to do for you, Jesus said this in Matthew 7:12.
Few things will impact our perspectives than changing shoes with the other person. This is part of being a Christian and of loving your neighbor as yourself. You have to worry about the other person not only about yourself.
- You must try to evangelize your employees. A soul is more important than all the world [verse]. We are talking about eternity. You were assigned by God in a position of authority, not just to make money, but for a much higher purpose.
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Employment is not the biggest thing that you can give your employees. pointing them to Jesus as the only salvation is.
The devil is using people of authority to destroy the church, why not use your position to turn the tables on him. Proclaim the Gospel not to the ends of the earth but to the guy in the next cubicle.
- You must build a Christian culture. Since your business is owned by God, you want His imprint in everything as much as possible.
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Putting up Bible verses in signages and banners is a start. What you want is for people to work by Christian values whether they are believers or not.
Starting with your vision to the way you greet customers should have traces of Christ in them. Your business culture will set the ethics, morality, relationships, and productivity of your workers.
- You will lead by example. Being a Christian business owner means you are always in the spotlight. All eyes will be on you at all times.
Especially in this day and age of social media where the world is waiting for the next Christian scandal or Christian leader to fall. Your integrity and witness must be without any crack.
The devil would like nothing more than to strike the shepherd so that the sheep may scatter. At work, you are the shepherd and the flocks are your workers.
When they are away from their families and from church, you will stand in the gap for them.
- You will raise your standard above the world. Remember that your boss is Jesus, and His ways are far above the ways of the world.
Being in a secular business is challenging enough, but you have to take it up a notch as a Christian business owner.
How you market and sell your products or services must be according to heavenly standards, How you fulfill your contract and serve your clients must be without blemish because it will reflect negatively on God.
You are not to engage in price gouging, you are to price your products fairly. You pay your employees on time and based on what they need to live with dignity.
There will be times when you don’t get paid so that your workers and suppliers can get their payments. When a customer insists on getting their money back, you do so with a smile.
- You will give your first fruits, tithes, and offerings We are all just stewards of God’s resources here on earth.
If you trust God and see him as your employer, you will give to him what is His. Actually, everything is His. You are showing your faith by honoring him.
Final Thoughts
Don’t be scared of embarking on a journey of faith as a Christian business owner. These simple principles are a joy to follow once you push away from the shore. As the familiar land of our comfort zone becomes smaller, you will discover new principles on the horizon as you sail with Jesus.
