7 Fundamental Principles of Doing Business the Christian Way

1. Trusting

But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. Deuteronomy 8:18

The enemy doesn’t want you to succeed and he knows the only way he can stop you is by attacking your faith in the promises of God. It will look sometimes as though there is no way your business can survive, but there is a way. Push through. Pray. Listen to the Holy Spirit as He guides your steps. Be obedient and trust.

2. Giving

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35

The whole point of getting wealth is to give it away. It can do you no good whatsoever as wealth. It cannot buy you security. Your very house could be taken away, in theory (think Zimbabwe farm owner). Inflation could erode it. Its not coming to heaven with you. Do you really want your legacy to your children to be idle wealth or productiveness? So as it comes in give to the poor as much as you can. Yes its a publicity opportunity but that is a bonus sometimes its never why we give.

3. Stewardship

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21

“Oh, but I am no one’s servant, I’m self employed” I hear you say. But you still have stewardship responsibilities. Your employees’ wages, corporation or other taxes, your have to account for every penny earned and spent and it is a solemn responsibility. Doing a few black market cash jobs may seem like its not hurting anyone but it is stealing from your fellow tax payers and your business will not thrive in this sin. Your sin allows the enemy a door into your business. Keep your business as sin free as your body, your marriage and thrive.

4. Integrity

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. Proverbs 11:3

Joyce Meyer is of course rich source of advice but one bit I’ve really latched onto is whatever the date is, read the proverb of that number. Proverbs is brilliant and clear and this verse is no different. Be guided by the Holy Spirit in every business decision. The answer to every dilemma is in the heart of the believer.

5. Use

You don’t have to be a Christian to know that sitting on stock will kill your business. As will holding onto unproductive employees. Two pieces of advice from running successful businesses I would pass onto everyone are:

a) the best time to fire someone is the very moment it first crosses your mind (subject to labour law procedures etc)

b) if its not selling or helping to sell something else get rid of it!. Clearance sales, ebay it, give it away – anything! Turn assets that aren’t earning their keep into cash and put that cash into something useful and/or saleable. If it means admitting a mistake and swallowing your pride, good! Take a big gulp, you’re growing!

Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

   26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Matthew 25:24-27

The parable of the talents was a mystery to me for years til I understood the law of use. Our Lord tells us that not using our talents is a sin.

6. Borrowing and lending

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Luke 6.35

So the bible is pretty clear. Don’t borrow unless you want to be in bondage. Bondage is the territory of the devil. And loan, yes by all means, but view your loans as gifts.

7. Treating People Well

It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! Matthew 10:25

Being the head of the house is like being the head of the business. Everyone looks up to you and follows your example. Be the best. Be the best supplier, be a great customer.