Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
2 Corinthians 5:20

What Is An Ambassador?

When you first look at this verse, you may not recognize the fullness of the charge we are given by it. That’s fine…I did not either when I read it the first hundred or so times! Fortunately, it has finally clicked for me and I want to pass my thoughts on to you for consideration.

Let’s start by asking the question, “What is an ambassador?” Though the following is not the official dictionary definition, I believe it does a good job of combining various definitions and descriptions that I have found for an ambassador. Take a look:

An ambassador is a dignitary whose full-time job is to live for a period (usually years) in a foreign land, intentionally building relationships with the people native to that land and purposefully representing to those people the desires of his king.

If you will agree that this accurately describes an ambassador, then I think it would be good for us to break it down into components, applying each one to our own lives.

A Dignitary

The first part of this definition I want to cover is “dignitary.” A dignitary is a person considered to be important because of high rank or office. If the U.S. were to send to a foreign country an ambassador that had absolutely no authority, no knowledge, no “rank” at all, then the only reasonable expectation would be failure. No one would take them seriously, right?

The same is true of us. Whether we realize it or not, we are all dignitaries of our King. We are children and heirs of the Most High God (Romans 8:16-17), the One that created everything that is! We are His chosen children…I am not sure there is a higher rank we should desire.

Lives In A Foreign Land…

An ambassadorship is a position that requires the individual to relocate to the foreign land where he is assigned. This is not a commuter job. It is not a summer job. To be effective in executing this job, the ambassador establishes a residence in the foreign country.

Once again, the same is true for you and me. This earth is not our home. Often in Scripture, we are called aliens or strangers here (1 Peter 2:11). This earth is where we are to live for a period, but it is not where we belong. We belong in heaven with our Father, only here for a time.

…For A Period

Though the ambassador does relocate to the foreign land and commit to living there while on the job, he also knows that at any time he could be called home. An ambassador goes into the job knowing it will not last forever. At some point, he will return to his home “country.”

We, too, will be called home some day. Some will be called home sooner than others. Whether we have a relatively long stay here or a brief tenure, we know it is only temporary (Job 14:1-2). We have a job to do while we are here, but that job will eventually end and we will return home.

Builds Relationships

The ambassador must build relationships with the people in the foreign land if he expects to be effective in his job. These people are very different in their culture and traditions. They will not easily respond to an outsider without first having a relationship with him.

If we are to be effective ambassadors in this world, we must build relationships with the people here (Matthew 9:10). We must learn what makes them tick and study their needs. We need to meet them where they are and help to meet their needs. By building solid relationships with them, we will better be able to complete the next step.

Represents The Desires Of The King

The ambassador’s job does not stop at building relationships. There is a purpose to these relationships. His purpose, from the very beginning, is to represent his “king’s” desires to the people of this foreign land. His purpose is to win them over to these desires and to convince them that these desires are in their best interests.

When we become ambassadors for Christ, we are to be doing the same thing. We should be building relationships with those around us SO THAT we can express to them the desires of our King (Matthew 28:19-20). We need them to know that God loves them and wants the best for them. They need to be convinced by us that Christ’s desires are in their best interests.

To Be Continued!

In my next post, we will look at what I would say are likely the most important aspects of the ambassador job, specifically the one we are called to fill. In the meantime, I would encourage you to take some time and think about what this verse means to you and your job or business.

Do you see yourself as an ambassador?

What part of the above descriptions gives you the most trouble?

If this is new to you, what are your thoughts right now?

Image by Fly_dragonfly / iStock

Too Much Hypocrisy!

One of the worst complaints you will usually get from a non-believer is about the hypocrisy of Christians. The truth is that they are right! When you consider facts like the divorce rate being similar for Christians and non-Christians alike, it is no wonder we have a hard time convincing them we are different.

The divorce rate is only one example. There are many others. I do not need to go into this because you already know what I am talking about. The point is that as Christian business leaders, we simply must start living as godly examples, distinctly disciples of Jesus. Our walk must match our talk.

Godly Example

As we continue this series about being teachers and accepting the command given us in the Great Commission, we are now going to turn to what it means to be a godly example. Why is this important and what does it have to do with teaching?

Let’s look at how Paul instructs Timothy about this:

Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace,along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels.
2 Timothy 2:20-23

Set Apart?

These verses follow our verse from my last post where Paul told Timothy that he is to be a skilled worker when it comes to correctly handling the Word of truth. Now, Paul is telling Timothy that he is to set himself apart in order to be useful to God. Not only is he to correctly teach the Word, he is also to purify himself from anything dishonorable.

This is exactly what most Christians have NOT been doing. Instead of setting ourselves apart and getting rid of the dishonorable, too often we are right there in the middle of the mess. We are hand-in-hand and arm-in-arm with those non-believers. We act and behave differently on Sundays, but you can’t pick us out of a crowd of people the rest of the week.

We Must Change!

This is wrong and must change!

First, it must change because it destroys our intimate relationship with God. We cannot expect clear and consistent communication with Him while at the same time we are ignoring His guidelines for us.

But this kind of behavior also eliminates any credibility we have for teaching others about His Word. No one is going to listen to us teach about patience when we blow up at the slightest mistake from an employee or coworker.

We will not be able to instruct others to love mercy when we fail to forgive those who have crossed us. Our teaching effectiveness will be next to zero when it is clear to others that we do not practice our own material!

Student’s Perspective

Think about it from the student’s perspective. How convincing is a teacher that obviously does not follow his own instruction. I still remember being told (in fun) as a kid, “Do as I say, not as I do.” While I still obeyed, I knew there was just something wrong with that logic!

Paul is wisely telling Timothy (and us at the same time) that in order for a teacher to be effective, he or she must also live by example. We all must heed this instruction if we truly desire to live out the Great Commission.

Just one thing: live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Philippians 1:27

Have you had a teacher that ignored this instruction?

What was your response to their poor example?

Where do you need to improve your living by example?

Photo by sculpies/Shutterstock

Skilled Worker Required

It has been several years now since we moved into our new Honda building. It was a huge renovation project that took nine months and almost 150 different skilled workers to accomplish. While many would see this as a fairly simple project, I can tell you that it was much more complex than it looked. Without the efforts of those involved, it would never have happened.

Why do I say skilled workers? Sure, there were some intricate jobs like laying the ceramic tile or doing the metal work on certain pieces of custom fixtures. Either of these jobs should qualify as requiring a skilled worker, right? But what about the guys that were sweeping the floors every day. What about the one’s demolishing the walls and old fixtures at the beginning? Are these really “skilled workers”?

Skilled Worker?

In my opinion, they are. If the superintendent had handed me a broom and asked me to be one of the sweepers, I would have required much more information. I would need to know when I was to sweep. Sweeping at the inappropriate time could be dangerous to my health if that was the same time a wall was being torn down.

I would also need to know where to sweep from and where to sweep to. I would need to know what to sweep up and what to leave behind. If sweeping a large area, I would want to know the most efficient way to do it as well, right? All of this information is already known by a skilled worker. He would require no instruction and would correctly handle the job.

Teacher Of God’s Word

The same is true of a teacher of God’s Word. Before we dig into this, let’s look at the Scripture I am drawing from:

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15

We Are To Be Skilled!

We discovered in my last post that we are all commanded (in the Great Commission) to be teachers. While there will be different settings for each of us, HOW we teach should be the same. I don’t mean our methods, but instead I am saying that we are all to be skilled workers when it comes to teaching others about God and His Word.

The first step in becoming a teacher is to get to know the subject matter. If we are going to attempt to pour into others, we must have something to pour, right? This “something” is a working knowledge of God’s Word. In fact, we should have such a strong knowledge that we are “not ashamed” of that knowledge (or the lack of it)!

Easy 3-Step Process?

How do we do this? Is there a silver bullet? Maybe there is an easy 3-step process or a quick six-week program I can zip through? Maybe I can get an app on my phone that will basically do it for me?

NO! NO! NO!

Be Diligent!

I am truly sorry to burst your bubble, but this knowledge is only going to come through consistent reading, studying, and meditating upon God’s Word. In fact, Paul tells Timothy at the beginning of verse 15 above, “Be diligent”. The path to correctly handling and teaching the Word of truth is not an easy one.

It requires a strong commitment of daily immersion in the Word. It comes through applying what you have learned and seeing the challenges that come as a result. It comes through trials and tests in which you have relied upon the Word to survive. It only happens if you are familiar with the Word because it is central to how you live your life.

Yes, you can teach without knowing all of this about the Word. But can you be a skilled worker? Can you present yourself to God in this way without being ashamed? I don’t think so. In fact, I would not want to try!

Ramp It Up!

I encourage you to ramp up your study of the Bible. If you are already doing it on a daily basis and you are applying what you learn as you walk through life, then congratulations. You are likely already teaching it as well.

If you are not already doing this, then I urge you to start (or restart). Dig back into His Word and begin to learn what He has to say to you. Do it in such a way as to be a skilled worker when the opportunity comes to teach someone else! You will not be ashamed then!

Do you already consider yourself a skilled worker with the Bible?

If not, what is your plan to change that?

Who are you going to ask to hold you accountable?

Photo by Lawrence Wee/Shutterstock

Hard Work

A number of years ago, with our children entering middle school, she went back to school to get her Master’s degree in education. She had not studied education as a undergraduate, so she had to take extra courses in order to earn her teaching certificate along with the Master’s degree. This was incredibly hard work and she met the challenge head on (with excellent grades, I might add)!

Immediately after graduation, she started as a 2nd grade teacher at a local elementary school. She was not sure (at the time!) if 2nd grade would be the best age for her, but she was excited to get to work and teach! I knew she would be good at it, but I truly had no idea exactly how good.

An Incredible Teacher!

I honestly wish I could I could describe the pride in my heart and the emotion in my throat as I think about exactly HOW great she is at being a teacher. It is not possible for me to communicate the depth of her commitment to these kids and to their education. It is truly an emotional experience for me to watch.

I know I am biased, but there is simply no way I am overstating the impact she is having as a teacher. I promise that her students will look back as adults in a couple of decades and credit her for whatever changed in them while they were in her class. I am confident of this!

What Is The Application?

Now, you are probably asking what this could possibly have to do with business and Christian faith. That is a good question! Let me explain.

There is no doubt that my wife is gifted by God to be a teacher. It comes naturally to her. She LOVES what she does and cannot imagine doing anything else. The work she puts in after hours and on weekends does not seem like work to her.

Not A Teacher?

Many Christian business leaders might look at someone like my wife and point to her gifting. Doing so, they might claim that they have no such gifting. For them, being a teacher is not exciting. Depending on their perception of the job requirements or the size of the crowd, it may even scare them!

Some may not fear teaching, but simply think they do not have the time. Others may feel they are not enough of an expert to be a teacher. There are many excuses we come up with to explain why we don’t play the part of a teacher.

Commanded To Teach!

Because of these thought processes, many Christians ignore the fact that we are in fact commanded by Jesus himself to be teachers! Instead of accepting this command, we may tend to rely on others to be the teachers. We claim all sorts of other activities to show that we are making a difference. We think this earns us a bye when it comes to teaching.

The bottom line is that we are all to be teachers.

Gifting Not Required

Now, some of you will argue with me about this. You may say that Paul says not all of us are given the gift of teaching. In this case, we are on the same page. I agree that not all are given the gift of teaching. Yet, I think we are all commanded to do it anyway.

Stick with me and let me explain my position before you close out this post and move on. If you finish this series and still feel the same way, then we will simply agree to disagree. No harm, no foul!

Commanded?

Most likely we are all familiar with the Great Commission. Jesus was speaking to the disciples (and, I believe, to all of us as believers) when he said the following (emphasis added by me):

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and TEACHING them to obey all I have commanded you.
Matthew 28:19-20

If you believe the Bible to be the inerrant Word of God and that this verse is directed to all believers, then you accept that you are to be a teacher. I do not see any way around this. It is right there in black and white.

Perception Of Being A Teacher

Now, the problem most people have is with their perception of the word teacher. When I say all of us are to be teachers, many assume that means they are to be in a typical classroom (at school, church, etc.) and are to teach a room full of students (youth, adults, etc.).

This is not so. When I sit down with a salesperson and give them advice on how they can improve their performance, I am a teacher. When I spend ten minutes giving a simple devotion to a small group of employees at work, I am a teacher. The size of the audience and the setting are both irrelevant. There are endless combinations of situations where I can show I am a teacher.

More To It!

Of course, to fulfill the Great Commission, there is more to it than the above examples. Hopefully, you are interested in digging further into this idea. If so, you will be glad to know that I will spend the next several posts doing just that.

My hope is that you are excited to see your role as a teacher once we have completed this series. If nothing else, I pray you have begun to seek God about this, asking Him to reveal to you how He wants you to be a teacher.

Stay tuned!

Gifted or not, do you see yourself as a teacher?

Who do you see as your student(s)?

Who has been a teacher to you?

Photo by Syda Productions/Shutterstock

Christian Business Leader Truths

1. You must live by example, to a higher standard.

As the owner or leader of a Christian business, you are the example to follow, whether you like it or not. You are the head of the business and your employees are going to look to you for the example. What do they see?

You can talk all you want about your “Christian business” and how you want everyone to live it out, but if YOU are not living the witness that matches your talk, then you are wasting your breath. And just in case you want to take Charles Barkley’s approach (watch this video), forget it. You cannot vacate this position just because you say so!

2. Others need to know you care before they will listen to you.

You can have a full alphabet of letters after your name to represent your education. You can have decades of experience in your field and have the scars to show for it. You can even have a book you wrote on every desk in your business to prove your expertise.

All that is fine, but if you truly want your employees or team members to listen to you, you had better show them how much you truly care about them. This cannot be faked or imitated. You must sincerely care about those around you AND they must know it before you can expect them to hear what you have to say and act on it.

Sure, you can demand obedience, but you will never get their heart. Without their heart, you have no engagement. Without engagement, your struggle will be long and difficult!

3. Dollars given are nice, hands-on ministry is better.

It is so easy for successful Christian business leaders and owners to see a cause that touches their heart and give money to it. There is nothing wrong with this at all! In fact, I encourage it!

The problem is that this act requires very little investment or sacrifice in many cases. If you really want to change lives, you need to get your hands dirty! In addition to giving money, you need to step out and give of yourself.

This can mean different things to different people, so I encourage you to simply pray God will reveal His will in this for you. Ask Him to send you out and teach you through hands-on experience in giving!

4. This life is a marathon, not a sprint.

Too often, it is easy to get caught up in the fact that we have not seen any immediate results from our efforts lately. We bust our tails for a period and then look around for the payoff. When none is found, we get discouraged.

We cannot forget that the race we have been called to run is not a short one. We will eventually finish it and get the rest we deserve, but until then we are to run. This is not to say we do not take our sabbath rests and breaks to sharpen the axe. We must. However, we simply cannot afford to depend on the run-reward-run-reward pattern that often exists in world around us. God’s pattern is different…BETTER, but different!

5. You are not alone.

This is the Achilles heel of so many Christian business leaders today. We think that God has called us, equipped us, and then sent us out alone into the world to impact it for Him. In fact, if you did not read that last sentence carefully, you may be thinking it was a true statement!

The problem with this statement is the one word, “alone.” Look at Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples. He also tells us He will be with us, to the very end of the age! Also look at God’s words to Joshua (Joshua 1:2-9). Twice, He told Moses He would not leave him or forsake him.

Just like the disciples and Joshua, we are sent out to do ministry in a tough world. Please, do not get caught in the trap that allows you to think you are alone. With the presence of the Holy Spirit in you and Jesus at the Father’s side interceding for you, you are anything but alone. Draw strength from Him and press into Him for the endurance you need. It is there for the asking!

Which of these truths are you most guilty of forgetting?

What truth would you add to this list? Why?

What are you going to do to remember these truths?

Photo by hxdyl/Shutterstock

A Missionary Family Story

Let me first explain what they are doing so you can see the parallels.

My friends, husband and wife, are in the medical field. Mark is a certified physical therapist and Rachel, his wife, is a nurse. They have 5 children ranging in age from 4 to 14 years old. They began by selling all they owned and moving to Costa Rica for roughly a year. There they attended a language school to learn Spanish.

Cusco, Peru

From there, they moved to Cusco, Peru where they will live for somewhere between 5 and 10 years. They, along with several other American missionary families (including Mark’s twin brother David and his wife Brooke!), are operating a medical clinic in Cusco. In this clinic, they are providing for the physical needs of people that normally would not get quality healthcare. They are also attempting to meet the spiritual needs of the patients by praying and sharing Jesus with them.

In addition to the clinic, they are involved in getting to know students at the local medical university in Cusco. By doing life with these students, their hope is to teach them about the gospel and point them toward God. For those that come to know Jesus, the idea is to disciple them. This means showing them how to minister to the spiritual needs of their future patients while also meeting their physical needs.

End Goal

The end goal is to have a self-sustaining clinic ministry, run by native Peruvian medical professionals that are also mature disciples of Jesus. If God accomplishes this goal through my friends, they will feel free to leave this ongoing ministry in the hands of the people they have evangelized and discipled over their years in Peru. They then plan to go on to do the same thing somewhere else!

Steps To The Process

Now that you have a picture of their lives and purpose at this point, let me highlight the steps they described in their process:

• Establish a life among the people
• Build relationships with them
• Do life with them
• Sprinkle conversation with the gospel
• Be prepared to share the gospel
• Disciple them to do the same
• Go somewhere else and repeat the process!

Simple Process…For Us!

I am not sure why, but I pictured being a missionary to be something much more complicated and sophisticated. I also imagined it would be more formal for some reason. Instead, it really is a simple process. In fact,…

It is also an exact outline for you and me! Again, the only difference between their picture and ours is the location.

“ The only difference between their picture and ours is the location.

Folks, the call from God that is on the lives of my missionary friends is the exact same call that is on your life and mine. There is NO difference.

The Bible they read is the same one you and I read. The Great Commission and the Greatest Commandments are the same for us as they are for them. In case these have slipped your memory, here they are again!

The Great Commission

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20

The Greatest Commandment(s)

And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him: “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
Matthew 22:35-40

A Missionary Wherever You Are!

Again, the only difference for us is that we may not be called to leave the country, state, or even our neighborhood. We may be called to stay exactly where we are. But even if this is true, we are still called to do the same thing they are doing. We are called to be a missionary wherever we are!

In my next post, we will break this process down and apply it to our lives. I hope you will pray in the meantime for God to open your heart to seeing your calling from a new perspective!

Is this idea new to you or something you have already recognized?

Where is your mission field?

If this is new to you, what do you need to do next?

Called to Ministry?

I will tell you that I never really got a “call” into ministry. I can remember hearing a message from a speaker when I was in high school that talked about being called into ministry. I remember him saying that one in four of us in the crowd would likely be called into ministry. I can still recall how I looked around at my three friends and thought, “I hope it isn’t me!”

Fast forward 15 years from that point and things changed drastically. No, I still did not receive a “call”, but I did figure out that I did not need to! I did not need to receive a call because I began to read how ministry is the responsibility of every single one of us!

When you read the gospels, you do see Jesus “call” the original 12 disciples into ministry. However, if you read on, you will notice that He later tells them to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). That’s us…and if we are disciples, then it becomes our job to go and make more disciples! It is our responsibility. We are commanded.

We Are Called!

We are not to sit around and wait for a call. We are not to ignore ministry, leaving it to others because we never “heard” a call to do it ourselves.

Folks, some people do ministry as paid staff members in the church. This is certainly necessary and they deserve praise. I could not do what they do.

At the same time, the rest of us STILL have the responsibility to do ministry. Not only are we to do ministry, we are to do it FULL TIME!

Everything For The Lord!

That’s right, you read it correctly. Every disciple of Jesus is commanded to do EVERYTHING we do as if doing it for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). That means our every step should be a form of ministry.

Please understand me. God wants our all (Matthew 22:37-40). He is not satisfied with us carving out portions of our time to give to His work. He wants our every minute to be devoted to Him. While He is not looking for all of us to join a monastery and meditate 24/7, He DOES want us to spread His love everywhere we go.

Truly, that is all that ministry is – spreading God’s love to all around us.

My Ministry

For me, I began to understand this as I went through a small group study that was led by a mentor at work. I started seeing how God had placed me in a perfect position of leadership within our family business. This position allowed me to use the influence and resources at my disposal to make an impact on the people around me.

Over a period of years, I learned through trial and error. I learned from those older and wiser than me. I learned from whatever sources I could find. In fact, I am still in a position of learning.

Enlist Others

At the same time, I now find it my responsibility (and yours!) to turn and teach others what I have learned. I don’t have it all figured out, but I take comfort in something Andy Stanley once said.

You don’t to fill anyone else’s cup. You simply have to empty yours.

Convinced?

For today, if I can get you to see that you are indeed called to ministry, then I will consider it a successful day! If you are convinced, then let me know in the comment section below. Let me know, even if my post did not help you arrive at this conviction…I want to hear from you! I would also love it if you would share this post with someone that needs to hear it!

If you are still not convinced, I pray you will take some time to dig into this idea for yourself. Read the verses I have listed below and pray that God will show you the truth and how it applies to you. I can promise you this – He is faithful to answer your sincere prayer!

1 John 2:6
Matthew 22:37-40
Colossians 3:23
1 Peter 4:10
Matthew 28:19-20
Matthew 6:33
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Matthew 10:39
John 13:12-17
John 14:12
Romans 12:1-2
1 Corinthians 15:58
2 Corinthians 5:20
2 Timothy 2:2
James 1:22-25

photo by Jes

Missing The Adventure?

Well, I believe there are two main reasons that you might not be experiencing the adventure that God has in mind for you. There may be others, but I think these two reasons will cover the majority of cases. See if you agree.

Clear Purpose Required

The first reason I believe for not living God’s adventure is that you do not yet know or understand your purpose. I am not referring to your specific calling or the career(s) God has prepared for you. I am referring to your overall purpose as a believer in (and disciple of) Jesus. I am referring to your purpose as described throughout the New Testament.

Folks, you cannot read the Bible (see verses at the bottom of this post) and come away with a conviction that He has called you to live a quiet, safe life as a private Christian who goes to church on Sundays and lives a different life during the week. You cannot logically determine that God desires a part-time relationship with you on your terms or at your convenience.

His Purpose For You

No, He wants it all! In fact, He has paid for it all. As a result, your purpose is now to live according to His purpose for you. You are no longer your own; you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). These may not be the velvet-glove words you want to hear, but I promise you they are the truth.

What if you understand this truth and you are committed to living out your life according to His purposes for you, but you are pretty sure you are not living the adventure He has in mind for you? If this is the case, there is likely only one other reason.

Distracted From Purpose?

If you “get it” as I have described it above, but you are not currently living the adventure, then it is most likely because you are distracted from your purpose. Stop and take a look around at your circumstances. Think about your priorities. Consider your most recent concerns or fears.

If you fall into this category, then you will likely begin to see the distractions that have taken you off the adventure path. You will probably begin to identify distractions in multiples. You might even be shocked at the number or size of these distractions.

Priority Shift

Maybe your business goals have become your main priority, stealing your heart instead of remaining a means to an end. It could be that your fitness goals have turned into vanity goals rather than driving you to care for your temple. Even your church leadership pursuits can get twisted or you can lose your original focus on their true purpose.

I promise you, I understand. I have found myself in the same situation many times. I had the greatest intentions, but before I knew it I was on the side of the road dealing with issues or pursuits that I should have avoided or ignored. It happens to the best of us.

Take Action!

The key here is to recognize the problem and then take action. Once you are aware of the distractions, you have to do whatever it takes to get back on track. Doing so is not easy, but it is rather simple. In fact, I believe the steps you need to take here are the same ones you took to start the adventure in the first place!

1.) Get intimate with God through consistent Bible study and intense prayer.
2.) Let go (mentally, emotionally) of everything else you value.
3.) Ask Him to use you.
4.) Hold on, buckle up, and obey!

Regardless of which of these reasons apply to your situation, I recommend you start with Step #1 and proceed through all four. Remember that God is your greatest source of focus, wisdom, and power. Do not try to do this on your own. It is more about surrender than it is about striving. Let Him lead you.

Matthew 22:37-40
Matthew 28:19-20
Luke 9:62
Luke 9:23
Romans 12:1
Galatians 2:19-20
1 John 2:6
Ephesians 2:10
Colossians 3:23-24
1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Christian Business Leader Truths

1. You must live by example and to a higher standard.

As the owner or leader of a Christian business, you are the example to follow, whether you like it or not. You are the head of the business and your employees are going to look to you for the example. What do they see?

You can talk all you want about your “Christian business” and how you want everyone to live it out, but if YOU are not living the witness that matches your talk, then you are wasting your breath. And just in case you want to take Charles Barkley’s approach (watch this video), forget it. You cannot vacate this position just because you say so!

2. Others need to know you care before they will listen to you.

You can have a full alphabet of letters after your name to represent your education. You can have decades of experience in your field and have the scars to show for it. You can even have a book you wrote on every desk in your business to prove your expertise.
All that is fine, but if you truly want your employees or team members to listen to you, you had better show them how much you truly care about them. This cannot be faked or imitated. You must sincerely care about those around you AND they must know it before you can expect them to hear what you have to say and act on it.

Sure, you can demand obedience, but you will never get their heart. Without their heart, you have no engagement. Without engagement, your struggle will be long and difficult!

3. Dollars given are nice, hands-on ministry is better.

It is so easy for successful Christian business leaders and owners to see a cause that touches their heart and give money to it. There is nothing wrong with this at all! In fact, I encourage it!

The problem is that this act requires very little investment or sacrifice in many cases. If you really want to change lives, you need to get your hands dirty! In addition to giving money, you need to step out and give of yourself.

This can mean different things to different people, so I encourage you to simply pray God will reveal His will in this for you. Ask Him to send you out and teach you through hands-on experience in giving!

4. This life is a marathon, not a sprint.

Too often, it is easy to get caught up in the fact that we have not seen any immediate results

from our efforts lately. We bust our tails for a period and then look around for the payoff. When none is found, we get discouraged.
We cannot forget that the race we have been called to run is not a short one. We will eventually finish it and get the rest we deserve, but until then we are to run. This is not to say we do not take our sabbath rests and breaks to sharpen the axe. We must.

However, we simply cannot afford to depend on the run-reward-run-reward pattern that often exists in world around us. God’s pattern is different…BETTER, but different!

5. You are not alone.

This is the Achilles heal of so many Christian business leaders today. We think that God has called us, equipped us, and then sent us out alone into the world to impact it for Him. In fact, if you did not read that last sentence carefully, you may be thinking it was a true statement!

The problem with this statement is the one word, “alone.” Look at Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples. He also tells us He will be with us, to the very end of the age! Also look at God’s words to Joshua (Joshua 1:2-9). Twice, He told Moses He would not leave him or forsake him.

Just like the disciples and Joshua, we are sent out to do ministry in a tough world. Please, do not get caught in the trap that allows you to think you are alone. With the presence of the Holy Spirit in you and Jesus at the Father’s side interceding for you, you are anything but alone. Draw strength from Him and press into Him for the endurance you need. It is there for the asking!

Which of these truths are you most guilty of forgetting?

What truth would you add to this list for other Christian business leaders?

What are you doing to remember these truths?

[Original Post Date – May 29, 2012]

“The” Christian Ministry

So, what is all the fuss over “the” ministry? What exactly do you have to do to qualify for Christian ministry? What exactly is full-time ministry? Is it something you must be called to do?

Well, if you listen to most people, full-time Christian ministry is being employed and getting paid by a church or other ministry organization. Most people have the idea that you must leave whatever secular job you may have if you want to do Christian ministry. The two cannot exist together in the same job.

How Do You See It?

Do you think this way?

Assume you and I are sitting next to each other on a plane and we start up a conversation. During the course of this conversation, you ask me what I do. If I respond that I am in full-time Christian ministry, what would you assume I do? Would your next question be related to what church or church organization I work for?

If this would be your assumption, then you are among many who would think the same. However, I think Christian ministry applies to more than just the paid church staff.

Christian Ministry Is For Everyone

Christian ministry is something we are all commanded to do. When Jesus said we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, He pointed us to ministry. He failed to qualify that statement by adding, “on Sundays” or “as staff members of the church.” Instead, He meant everyone, everyday.

Folks, YOU are to be in full-time Christian ministry. It is not something reserved for church staff members. It is not something you are only to do when at church on Sundays or Wednesdays. Christian ministry is an attitude and action of serving others…all the time!

Uncommon Philosophy

I know this is not a common philosophy. I know that your pastor, along with most of your Christian friends, may have a different view. They will not necessarily disagree, but will simply assume a separation between Christian ministry and the business world. That is okay! It really is fine!

You see, we cannot change everyone’s perspective all at once. We cannot expect to explain this idea to a few key people and all of a sudden, everyone realizes they are to be in Christian ministry.

No, we simply need to change our own mindset to embrace full-time Christian ministry right where we are in our current jobs. We need to eliminate the separation in our minds between spiritual activity and secular jobs. We need to begin doing ministry and let others catch on as they will.

Obviously, engaging in Christian ministry can take on many forms. If surveyed people at church, work, or school, you will likely get many answers as well. For the purpose of the discussion now and in future posts, I will tell you what I believe is the root of Christian ministry.

Christian Ministry At The Core

I believe it boils down to two passages of Scripture.

The first is known as the Greatest Commandment. Jesus was asked by an expert in the law which was the greatest commandment. Jesus answered…

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.
Matthew 22:37-40

The second passage is known as the Great Commission. Some of the very last words Jesus used to instruct his disciples are these…

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20

Living It Out

When you attempt to live out these two passages, whether in business, as a paid church staff member, or anywhere else you may find yourself, I believe you are doing Christian ministry.

If you would like to see various examples of the methods we have used to live out Christian ministry in our business, check out these posts (Christian Ministry Actions). Maybe you will get some ideas you can use in your business.

I will likely say this many times…we do not have it all figured out. We simply began attempting to act out our faith in the business. You may not agree with all we do. You may think we take it too far or not far enough. Either way, I want to encourage you to think about how you can do something similar where you are.

As we go, I hope you will leave comments and let me know what you are thinking. Who knows, your comment may affect someone else that is reading and seeking answers. Don’t hold back!

Do you agree with this definition of Christian ministry?

What do you do to live it out in your life?

Do you meet resistance? How?