Mar 26, 2019
What sets Christian business owners apart from the rest? Should we follow the standard business advice out there, or should we be doing things differently?
In this conversation, Holly and I dive into the topic of business again. In episode 38, you heard Holly interview me as I shared about my business journey. But today, we are digging into some key principles that we believe set us apart as Christian women in business.
Whether you have a business of your own, work in a business environment, or have considered working from home or starting a business, this episode is sure to give you some points to consider!
And if you are someone who would like to earn some extra income from home, join me for my free workshop to help you understand your options. It's taking place April 9th, 2019 at 12:30pm Eastern.
Sign
up here for the free workshop:5 Ways to Earn Income From
Home.
Ministry or Business?
Before we discuss the key principles, we want to tackle one question that we received in our private Facebook group: How do I know if I have a ministry or a business?
Holly and I each share our perspectives on this, and we note that we all have a ministry, regardless of what kind of work we do. We are all called to bring glory to God in whatever we do, and we’re also called to make disciples.
However, if we are purely discussing ministry vs. business in an organizational sense, we identify a ministry as typically being a non-profit organization whereas a business would be for-profit.
In this conversation, we are
primarily focusing on business in the traditional sense, where a
product or service is being offered in exchange for
money.
5 Key Business Principles as a Christian Business Owner:
1. Our focus is a Kingdom focus instead of an earthly one.
Colossians 3:2 - “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Having a Kingdom focus will affect the way we view work itself, the way we view our money, and the way we treat others.
In episode 3, Abby Rike Rockenbaugh shared that in Christian leadership, we might do things differently than what the typical business advice might be.
2. We steward our money and recognize that it belongs to God.
When we view our business finances in this way it really gives us a good perspective on how we handle things. We are working in God's business and we are handling God’s money so what we do with it matters.
- Deal with your money mindset.
- Take your finances seriously.
- It’s not wrong to make money.
Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.'"
The issue is not earning money but rather having a love of money. It comes down to trusting God to provide what you need.
At the same time, you need to be willing to work when necessary without being obsessed with money or wealth.
- Listen to the How They Blog episode about making money as a blogger or online.
- Listen to episode 35 with Melissa Whaley.
- Visit Holly's website to learn more about her bookkeeping services.
Download Holly's FREE Guide: Best Practices for Handling Money as a Christian Business Owner
3. We treat our clients and customers as people made in God’s image, not just as a means to an end.
We believe that if you are a Christian business owner, then every person you interact with should be treated with dignity and respect, because they are made in God’s image.
This means that even if they hold different values than you do, or even if they are rude or unkind, we still have the choice to treat them with kindness.
Also means that we don’t see our clients or customers just as dollar signs or stats on a page… but rather real people.
Honesty, respect, and integrity should mark us as Christian business owners.
It’s also important to remember that we never really know what others are going through. We are able to meet people’s needs and minister to them even in the business world by showing them love.
Your business does not have to be faith-based to be effective or to be a ministry.
4. With our marketing, we are strategic but not sleazy.
There’s a lot of things you can do in marketing that are legal and even praised in the business world…. But they can sometimes become sleazy.
It’s possible to promote a product or service without being dishonest.
It’s also vital not to be desperate in our marketing attempts.
It’s not wrong to sell or to use marketing tools in your efforts, and it’s important to recognize that not everyone will love what you do or buy your product or service.
5. We operate out of our core values.
What are core values? They are how we make our decisions. We all have them, but we’re not all intentional about identifying them.
Getting clear on your core values will help you make clear decisions. Our core values should be connected to our faith in some way.
When we follow other business mentors or leaders, we need to discern whether what they are teaching line up with our core values and/or line up with Biblical principles.
It’s easy to get “FOMO” and feel
worried about missing out on business or leads if you don’t know
what your core values are.
Other Episodes Mentioned:
Episode 3: Surviving Loss & Embracing Leadership with Abby Rike Rockenbaugh
Episode 35: Healing from Ministry Hurts with Melissa Whaley
Episode 36: Ditching Balance for Surrender
Episode 38: From Social Worker to Business Owner
Connect with Esther, Holly, and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast:
Episode Sponsor: Confident Leader Club
Today’s show is brought to you by the Confident Leader Club. If you’re a Christian woman leading in ministry or business, and you have a desire for deeper community with other leaders, accountability towards reaching your goals, access to ALL the downloads I’ve created, monthly bonus content including workshops and trainings on specific topics, and much more, I want to invite you to check it out. Visit confidentleaderclub.com to learn more.
Key Quotes:
“The love of money can affect rich, middle class, and poor. When our obsession becomes money, that is when it’s a wrong perspective and a wrong attitude.”
“If I were to only serve
Christian business owners, I’m actually losing an opportunity to
minister to people who might not otherwise get to know God.”
This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode40.