Either you thought of it or someone you know has tossed it up to you.  Either way, it is a valid question.  After all, based on the news and political issues all around us, it appears that the last thing you want to do is associate your business with anything Christian.  It is too polarizing, right?

Barna Group Study

Surprisingly, it is not as big an issue as you might think!  According to a study conducted by Barna Group (check out the details of the study here), the people that may be offended with any Christian connection to your business are actually a very small minority.  Let’s look at the results.

When asked in two different ways about the likelihood of their doing business with a company that was managed according to Christian principles or embraced and promoted the Christian faith, roughly 55% of these consumers indicated they were indifferent!  In other words, the connections to Christianity did not affect their buying decisions in either direction.  Of course, while this is good news, it really does not tell us what we want to know.  Let’s dig a little further.

How about those that would be more likely to do business with a Christian company?  These responses to the question made up roughly 40% of the total responses!  Two out of every five consumers surveyed said that a company’s connection to the Christian faith would make them more likely to do business with them.  In fact, almost 25% said they would be a lot more likely to do so!

Fantastic News!

I see both of these results as fantastic news!  While I do not believe we are to market and advertise our Christian faith in our business (some may argue this), I am glad to know that the vast majority of those who see the connection are either indifferent or more likely to do business with us!

So what percentage of the responses is left over?

How many people are less likely to do business with a Christian company?

According to the Barna Group study, only 3% – less than one in thirty – of the respondents said they would be less likely to do business with a company that has overt connections to Christianity.  Only 3%…is that really a large enough population to cause concern?

Our Experience

While I have not conducted an official study like Barna, I have been outspoken about the Christian foundation for our business for almost fourteen years now.  I have never been confronted by anyone claiming offense at our beliefs.  I have had a couple of email complaints (literally 2 or 3) stating they would not purchase from us due to our Christian witness.  I am also certain that we have had customers walk away, but just not voice their opinion.  I don’t doubt that at all.

But really, how many do you think make up that group?  If your experience DOUBLED that of the Barna study, would 6% kill your business?  Do you really fear the size of that group more than you trust God at His Word?  He promises to meet our needs (Philippians 4:19).  He promises if we will seek Him first, he will add “these things” (Matthew 6:33).  God is faithful to make good on His promises (Deuteronomy 7:9).  Trust Him to do just that!

What are you really afraid of?

Isn’t your God bigger than that fear?

What should be your next step?

Photo by AntonioGuillem / iStock

Ambassador Defined

Just to make sure you remember our working definition of “ambassador,” I want to include it here for reference:

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.

So what are the critical points here? What aspects are key to our success as ambassadors for Christ?

Full-Time Job

First, let’s talk about the fact that an ambassadorship is a full-time job. It is not one that is only done on the weekends or in the evenings. Ambassadors are always on call. They must always be ready to meet with anyone, not postponing any opportunity to advance their king’s desires.

If we are to be Christ’s ambassadors, then we must be the same way. Being an ambassador for Christ is also a full-time job. Whether in church on a Sunday or on the job site on Monday, we are to represent the desires of our King to those around us.

Part Time Not Available!

This job cannot be taken on a part-time basis. Sure, many of us have been taught that full-time ministry is the responsibility of our local church’s staff or missionaries in a foreign field. Unfortunately, this lie has been accepted by many – even by some in church leadership themselves!

The truth is that we are ALL full-time ministers. We’re all called to be full-time ambassadors for Christ, fulfilling the responsibilities of this job at all times. We are to be ambassadors at church. We are to be ambassadors at work. We are to be ambassadors in the community.

With Intention And Purpose

The second critical point is that the role of an ambassador is an intentional one. It is a job that is done on purpose – actively, not passively. The ambassador is not one that sits around in her office waiting to be called on. She is actively pursuing relationships and working to advance the cause of her homeland.

Unfortunately, many Christians see their job as ambassadors for Christ to be different from this. Many only mention their King on Sundays or in certain crowds when others initiate the conversation. Too many Christians feel they are to be private about their faith, allowing their King to do His own work…without their help.

Folks, this is crazy! As ambassadors, we are to be actively pursuing relationships in every context of our lives – at work, at home, in the community, etc. – for the purpose of pointing others to our King Jesus. We are to be intentionally representing His desires for them to everyone with whom we interact.

There Is Urgency!

Finally, the third critical point I see in this verse is urgency. Look at Paul’s words again:

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

Notice a couple of words that convey this urgency to us. “God is appealing through us,” and “We plead on Christ’s behalf. These words, appealing and plead, should make us realize that time is of the essence. We are not guaranteed tomorrow and neither are those who are lost without Jesus.

No Time To Waste!

Since this is true, we do not have time to waste. We need to be acting and we need to be doing it now! There is no more time for us to concern ourselves with building our own fame and renown or pleasure and wealth for the purpose of our enjoyment. Instead, we are to be focused on that which God says is urgent and of primary importance.

This is not about leading a poor lifestyle, but about putting our first priority on fulfilling our jobs as ambassadors and leaving the rest to God. He promises to take care of the rest of it (Matthew 6:33)!

How often do you find yourself being passive in this job?

Based on these critical points, what action step do you need to take first?

Who can you encourage to take the same challenge?

Photo by phototechno / iStock

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

What about you? Are you living a great adventure? Or are you just watching (and envying) those who are?

What Is Adventure?

Before I go any further in applying this to our Christian business efforts, let’s take a minute to define what I mean by “adventure” living. One dictionary defines adventure as “an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.”

I want to key in on two words – unusual and hazardous. I believe an adventure is “unusual” because it is something we have never done. There is an “unknown” factor that gets our blood flowing and excites us.

The “hazardous” element is the presence of risk. In an adventure, there is usually risk involved. It may be the risk of injury or the risk of loss. Whatever the case, pairing the risk and the unknown makes for an exciting experience – one that can bring great reward!

God Wants This For Us!

This is what I mean by adventure. This is also what I believe God wants for us in our relationship with Him. I do not think God is looking for those who want to play it safe or avoid all risk. I do not think He wants us clinging to the pew (or anything else!) and living for consistency or monotony.

If we just read His Word, I think we will see that God is looking for those who want an adventure with Him. You can probably name the same examples I can – Abraham was asked to leave his homeland and travel far away without knowing the destination. Noah was called to build a boat without water nearby or rain in the forecast.

Moses was called back to Egypt and then to the wilderness. Peter was called to leave his career and was later called out of the boat. Lazarus was called out of the grave and Zacchaeus was called out of the tree. I could go on, but you get it. In each situation, these people were on an adventure with God. There was the unknown factor and the element of risk in each story!

Elements of Adventure

So, let’s bring it back to you and me today. What great adventure is God calling us to join as we run our businesses? It will be different for each of us, but the same basic elements will be there.

There will be an unknown factor. God is calling us to an adventure, but He is not giving us a detailed map of the journey! He is calling us to accept the unknown and trust His wisdom and guidance. What we CAN know about the journey and the destination – they are worlds better than any plan we could create on our own!

There will also be an element of risk involved. God is not calling us to maintain our grip on everything we own while we “pack” for our trip with Him. He is instead interested in seeing us loosen our grip on everything other than Him. He then wants us to grab hold of Him and not let go – saying “Here I am, send me!”

What Is Your Adventure?

Letting go means we risk losing it all – at least in the short run on this earth. At the same time, I believe He is good for His promises – like 1 Corinthians 3:14, Matthew 6:33, and Luke 6:38. If we completely trust Him to make good on His promises, then in the end, we will see rewards we cannot comprehend – not to mention the adventure between now and then!

Like I said before, the great adventure God wants for you in your business is different from the one He has in mind for me. Your adventure might include going out on your own and starting the business He has placed in your heart. It might mean you stay right where you are, but you quit playing it safe and start taking some risks for His purposes.

4 Simple Steps

I cannot tell you the details of your adventure. I will leave that up to God. What I can do is give you four simple, powerful steps to getting started. If you will follow these steps to the letter, I guarantee you an adventure beyond your imagination!

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!

Is He Safe?

I will close with one of my favorite quotes of all time. It comes from C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. When asked if the lion, Aslan (representing Jesus), was safe – here is his response:

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Jesus is not safe. There is no promise of safe in all of Scripture, as it pertains to this life. Instead, I encourage you to determine that this year you will step out into the great adventure in your relationship with God. Give Him control and see where He leads…you will never look back!

Where would you rate your life on a 1-10 adventure scale?

Do you believe that God wants this kind of life for you?

What actions do you need to take to get started this year?

Asking Of God For Years?

I have read about people (mostly mothers) that have prayed for years and years for family members or others to come to Christ. Others have been praying for what seems like forever to be able to have children. I have several prayers myself that have been going on over ten years!

So what is the deal? Why is it so different when we are asking of God? Why do we often get no answer (or one we don’t like!) even after praying for such a long time? Why does He seem to delay or withhold what is good from us?

Answers In Scripture

These are very good questions and ones that I think we can answer from Scripture. At the same time, I think it is important that we first answer another question. This other question needs to be answered first because it will help us better understand the answers to the first questions. Make sense?

Good! So let’s tackle the first question in today’s post and the other questions in the following post. The first question is this:

What is our responsibility in asking of God?

While this may seem like a simple question, I would like to turn to a part of the Sermon on the Mount for the foundation to the answer to this question. Let’s look at Matthew 7:7-11 and see what we find.

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:7-11

If you read this passage quickly, you could get quickly frustrated. It sounds like God is a vending machine. It sounds like asking of God is a quick way to get anything we want! Fortunately, this is not true. Fortunately for us, He loves us more than that, but we will get to that later!

God Does Not Work Like That!

If you have been a believer in Jesus long enough to pray for something, then you know this is not how it works. You know, likely from experience, that God is not a vending machine. Simply asking of God does not give us whatever we want the way it works in our culture.

However, there is good news! We have some responsibility in the asking and if we will follow what Scripture tells us to do, then we will get what we want (with just a little twist).

Step #1 – Go To God First

This sounds like a simple statement, but there is more to it than it seems. We cannot simply go to Him when we cannot get what we want elsewhere. We are to go to Him alone.

This means we should not be going to the world to get what we want. We should not expect our businesses, our employees, or our co-workers to give us what we want. Instead, we should be relying on God Himself to supply us with our needs.

To back this up, look at Matthew 6:33 where it says to seek Him first. Take a look at Psalm 37:4 where it says we are to delight ourselves in Him. In both verses, it follows that the rest will be given to us. The desires of our hearts will be provided by Him.

Step #2 – Go To God Continuously

The actual verb tense and mood from the original Greek in verse 7 above (ask, seek, knock) means that we are to continually do these things. We are not to ask, seek, or knock once. We are to do so repeatedly, over a period of time, with no sense of an end to these actions.

Look at the parable of the persistent widow from Luke 18:1-8. She continuously asks the local judge for justice against her adversary. She does not simply make a single request, but pesters him over time. He finally relents and grants her request, just to get rid of her!

Immediately after teaching this parable, Jesus says that God will certainly hear the cry of his children for justice and grant it swiftly! Like the widow, we need to make our requests known to God and do so with persistence. Better phrased, Matthew 7:7 might say, “the one who continues to ask as a habitual, ongoing requesting will receive.”

Step #3 – Believe It will Happen

Again looking at the original Greek tells us something interesting about the phrases, “it will be given” and “you will find” and “the door will be opened.” It tells us that these actions are believed by the author to be certain future events, not potential or possible results.

Jesus, the Son of the Living God, used language to say that He believed with certainty that these events (given, find, opened) would absolutely happen! That should be enough for us. For one more exclamation point, look at James 1:5-8.

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.
James 1:5-8

In my next post, we will look at a key condition Jesus puts in this passage about asking of God and getting what we ask for. We will also look at 3 ways to apply this Scripture to our business and personal lives.

Have you made a habit of asking of God first?

Do you ask continuously or once and done?

How strong is your faith when it comes to answered prayer?

God Will Provide

In my last post, we looked at a passage in Matthew 6:25-32 in which Jesus teaches us not to worry about the temporal things of this world. He tells us that God knows our temporal needs and that He will provide for us because of His love for us.

We discussed how difficult it is for us to avoid thinking (and worrying) about these things because our flesh is so weak. Knowing this is true, what are we to do?

First Priority

I think the first priority should be determining what we should be focusing on. If we want to get our thoughts off of the wrong things, it helps to know what the right things are, right?

To figure this out, let’s look at the next verse in that same passage, as well as two related verses.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
Matthew 6:33

So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18

Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life that you were called to and have made a good confession about in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12

Eternal Perspective?

Based on what you read here, what is it that you think you should be focused on right now? What perspective should you have as you go through this life here and now?

I think it is clear that our thoughts should be focused on the eternal perspective, not on the temporal worries of this life. Instead of worrying about our retirement or the travel we are going to enjoy, we should instead be focused on impacting other people for eternity by pointing them to God and sharing His love with them!

Somehow, we need to learn to stop allowing our minds to be occupied with the stream of material desires, social status, and career success. Thoughts of the kind of car we drive (hurts ME to say!) and the clothes we wear should take be replaced by thoughts of how we can best meet the needs of those around us in a way that points them to God.

Don’t Miss The Point!

The point of this is NOT to simply stop spending on ourselves and start giving it away to others. Not at all!

The point is that we should begin to look at our existence in light of a 1,000 year picture instead of the next 30 days, 18 months, or 5-10 years. This is the eternal perspective. When we do this, the worries of today fade and suddenly we begin to realize how meaningless these thoughts are in light of eternity.

When we realize that our actions today could mean the difference between someone else spending an eternity with God or separated from Him, our actions begin to change.

When we realize that 1,000 years from now it will be too late to share the love of Jesus with someone who does not know Him, our attitude toward money will change.

Eternal Perspective!

We we stop focusing on what is seen and begin to focus on what is unseen, then we are seeking first His kingdom. We are taking hold of the eternal life we were called to. It is then we are fighting the good fight. It is then we are seeing from an eternal perspective.

I realize this is easier said than done. I struggle with this myself, probably more than you do. At the same time, I am determined not to give up on myself. I am committed to continue training my thoughts to seek the eternal. It is not an easy battle, but it is one I will not quit fighting.

Stay Tuned!

In my next post, I plan to give some tips on how we can fight this battle. Stay tuned!

Do you have trouble seeing this life from an eternal perspective?

What is your biggest challenge in changing this mindset?

What are the potential downsides of seeing from the eternal perspective?

“Good work doesn’t just find audience; it also finds anti-audience.” – L.L. Barkat

Knowledge of Anti-Audience Enough?

While it would be nice if the simple knowledge of this “anti-audience” was enough to give us the strength to press on in acting out our Christian faith, I am sure that it is not. It is not enough for us to know this any more than it is enough to tell your husband or wife you love them on your wedding day and expect them to know it from then on!

We are just not that good. We forget the things we learn. We forget important truths and fail to recall them when we need them most. I think that is the primary reason God has given us the Bible. With His Word in our hands, we can regularly remind ourselves of His promises and truths. By memorizing His Word, we can refer to it when we need it.

Everyday Battle

As Christian business owners and leaders, we go into battle everyday. We battle this anti-audience (the world) as well as the enemy that is in charge of it for a time (Ephesians 6:12). Every time we try to impact someone else for eternity, we are going to face this anti-audience. Whenever we make strides to grow closer to God and bring others along with us, we will get resistance from the world that hates us (John 15:19).

Tools For Battle

In an effort to help you in this battle, I want to give you some tools that you can use when you face opposition. This list is not an exhaustive list. I am sure you can add some of your own favorite verses or tools that have helped you in similar situations. Either way, I hope you find this list to be helpful.

1. Memorize God’s promises – Pick out a handful of verses that clearly speak to your heart about God’s promises regarding the plans He has for you. Memorize these verses and practice calling them to mind when trouble comes. God’s Word is living and breathing…use it! Here are a few that I recommend for a start.

Even if you (likely) have read these before, try to read them again for the first time, as if offered by the most esteemed mentor you can imagine. Don’t just memorize the words, but internalize them.

Matthew 6:33 – Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you.

Romans 8:39 – For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 54:17 – No weapon formed against you will prosper.

Psalm 37:5-6 – Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

Romans 8:31 – If God is for us, who can be against us?

2. Find an accountability partner – Find someone of like mind that can understand the fight you are in. Someone who is not out on the field of battle themselves, but is instead on the sidelines, likely won’t make a good partner in this case.

Find someone that has been bloodied a few times themselves. This person will understand what you are going through and can encourage you when you need it most. You can do the same for them!

3. Begin a journal – If you will start by taking roughly 10 minutes a day to write (or type) your thoughts and experiences, you will benefit greatly. First, it always helps to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper (or the screen). For some reason, this just makes it easier to deal with.

You will also find that you can go back during those times of heavier opposition from the anti-audience and read about your past successes. This does wonders for your confidence! Many electronic journals (I use LifeJournal) allow you to tag and categorize entries for easier searching later.

4. Get in the habit of prayer – Of course, this seems like a no-brainer. It is also really tough to do because so many people feel like their prayers need to be clean and organized. I read something the other day about praying sloppy (I know the grammar doesn’t work, but it fits!).

God does not need us to clean up our thoughts before we pray any more than He wants us perfect before we enter the church. Give God everything on your mind AS IT IS in your mind. He can handle it! The more you do this over time, through smooth AND rough times, the more peace you will have.

5. Keep reminders of your positive results – Build a scrapbook, Evernote folder, or other method for organizing any evidence of past results. I have an Evernote folder where I store such reminders as “Thank You” notes, letters, voice mails, and other scraps that remind me of successes I have had in the past. I return to these when I am feeling worn down by the anti-audience!

I hope these tools help you. If you have other ideas I can add to the list, please include the in the comments section below! I would love to hear your thoughts.

Which of these do you need to add to your arsenal?

What has worked for you in the past?