Biblical principles and your “Christian business”

The book Biblical Principles & Business: The Practice by Richard C. Chewning, lists 18 biblical principles that Christian business owners must examine in running their businesses.  I’ve highlighted just a few below:

·        God has a perspective on business and economic practices, and He intends us to have the “mind of Christ” whereby we can acquire a true biblical view of life and the world in order to do His will in every sphere of life, including the marketplace.

·        Scripture does not reveal a dichotomy between the “sacred” and the “secular.”

·        God calls many Christians to a primary “ministry” of work in the economic arenas of life where He wants them to manifest His character and quality of behavior.

·        Our intentions, thoughts, and actions in the marketplace are of equal importance to God as He works to remake us in Christ’s image through the Holy Spirit’s use of Scripture in conjunction with life’s experiences.

·        While God’s Word is absolute in character and truth, we are nevertheless responsible in our finitude and imperfection to assess situations and make responsible judgments for which we are accountable.

·        Christians are to manifest Christ’s love—with their families, in their service to and relationships with other Christians, at play and in the marketplace.

We must remember that God is interested in every aspect of our business—from the smallest detail to the greatest achievement.  We must also acknowledge that God’s Word is always applicable and relevant to the conduct of business, even for the most mechanically oriented functions and in the most technically sophisticated environments.  God understands Six Sigma and Total Quality Control and financial statements.  His real interest lies in the human beings behind all that business lingo.

Dr. Chewning challenges us by stating that God wants us to be holy as we work in our business—set apart for His will and His good purposes (I Peter 1).  We may understand this intellectually, but I know I sometimes struggle with how this all works out concretely in the rough and tumble of the marketplace.

For example, we are told in Micah 6:8 to “do justice” but we wonder what it means to do justice toward our competitors, our employees—all of our company’s stakeholders.  There are no easy answers here.  We must (individually and corporately) dig deep into God’s Word and relate it carefully to our daily tasks if we are to truly understand God’s Way in business and respond in faith.  (By the way, this is exactly what the July 14^th event “Becoming More Profitable…A Dialog Among Christian Business Owners” is all about).   

Biblical Principles & Business: The Practice is introduced by James I. Packer in a chapter entitled, “The Christian’s Purpose in Business.”  Dr. Packer challenges me with this statement: 

Christians are made new in Jesus Christ so that they may henceforth live from entirely new motives by entirely new standards, and thus show the reality of Christ’s rule over them in every area of life—business included. 

Thus, by the world’s standards, Christians in business will always be a little “peculiar.”  For we are on a different mission—to seek to benefit others for the Lord’s sake through supplying the wants and needs of our customers.  Yes, we are to make an appropriate profit (or the business will collapse)—but we must do so in light of the above overarching goal. 

We know that just because one has a “Christian business” does not guarantee escape from economic pressures even to the point of bankruptcy.  However, we are called as Christian business owners (and as Christian employees) to do the following as we strive to make a living: 

·        Serve our neighbors

·        Glorify God

And thus we are committed to thinking out the best and most consistent application of the Christian purpose in our day-to-day business activities.   

Remember that business life is as much a calling from God for some Christians as missionary service or pastoral ministry is for others.  And whom God calls, he equips.  You and I can do our work “with the mind of Christ.”  Dr. Packer mentions that sometimes “Finding a scripturally satisfactory way of serving God in one’s business often feels like hacking a path through the jungle.”  But God is faithful.  He has promised to show us the way, even though His way may sometimes not coincide with the path followed by others. 

Have a great week. 

Keith

Keith Starcher
DayStar Consulting, Inc.

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