Do you have a “Sunday relationship” with God? You go to church, maybe even teach a Sunday school class, visit with friends and spend the rest of the day with a spiritual attitude. But when Monday comes and you put on your business suit, you leave God behind when you walk out of your house.
While most Christian women would never say they leave God behind, their actions often suggest that is what happens. They don’t make unscrupulous choices or do anything illegal in their businesses, but they don’t give God control of their careers. They don’t ask for His advice on decisions or consider how each choice affects their ministry. For many women, ministry and business are two separate parts of their lives.
Bringing Ministry into Business
You are not a Christian 10% or 30% of the time. Every aspect should reflect that you are 100% Christian. It isn’t just about not doing bad things with your business, but using your business to further the work of Christ – or doing good things.
That sounds good in theory, but how can you apply that concept in your business? Here are some practical suggestions. Not all of them will work for every type of business, but you can choose the right ones to apply.
- Start your day with prayer. Pray for your employees, your customers and for the ability to make the right decisions. Formally invite God to lead your business every day. He will accept the invitation.
- Organize a Bible study with staff. This may be planned for before the work day starts, during lunch or after the business closes for the day. Invite participation, but don’t make it mandatory.
- Include Bible verses on your company website and even a personal testimony if appropriate. Many non-Christian organizations are known for their Christian values, such as Hobby Lobby.
- Get involved with a ministry organization and donate funds, time and even participate with your employees in volunteer work.
- Establish your own charity organization to work with a cause you believe in.
These are just a few suggestions on how you can incorporate your own ministry into your business. As Christian business owners, it is your responsibility to extend your ministry into every aspect of your lives.
Start Small
It can be intimidating to think about changing the way you do business. Several big organizations take a lot of criticism for their stand. You don’t have to make revolutionary changes to start with. Instead, begin with baby steps, like praying before meetings or sharing your faith with others you come in contact with.
Write out a mission statement for your business that communicates your vision and how you will implement God-honoring principles into the workplace. Communicate with your staff members and get their feedback and answer questions.
How have you included God in your business? What are some ways your business is different from others because you are a Christian? If any of these ideas inspired you, please leave a comment. Also, let us know of other ideas you have incorporated into your business to make it part of your ministry. We want to serve God 24/7 in every area of our lives.
