Tag Archives: opportunities

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Automotive Super Conference Coming Soon!

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Typically, I do not have much advertising on this blog. At the same time, one of my stated goals is to provide resources for anyone interested in using their businesses for an eternal impact. I believe the Automotive Super Conference is this type of resource.

Automotive Super Conference

Automotive Super Conference

For that reason, I want to bring this upcoming conference to your attention. The conference is going to be held in Charlotte, NC at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on March 13-14, 2013.

You can read more by clicking on the banner above, but the Automotive Super Conference is targeted toward auto dealers and their employees. It will be themed around Dave Anderson’s How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK, which I have used for some posts here in this blog. In fact, Dave Anderson will be the keynote speaker as well!

I Am Excited!

I am really excited about this conference for several reasons.

First, I have never heard of a Christian conference in the car business. These just don’t happen in our industry. If it has happened before, then I missed it.

Numerous Benefits!

The obvious benefits are numerous. There will be Bible-based teaching with direct application in every department in a typical dealership. There will be 14 different workshops covering many topics – all centered around the Bible. That is really cool!

In addition to the workshops, there will be sharing of best practices and fresh ideas coming from various panel discussion sessions as well as the breaks and meals in between. This is often where the best learning happens for me. There is no doubt I will come away having learned something.

It is also going to be inspiring to see that none of us are alone in our efforts. Being able to see hundreds of other dealers and industry leaders gathered in one place to learn more about how to honor God with their businesses – that will be awesome! I can’t wait!

My First Workshop!

Finally, I am excited about the Automotive Super Conference because I have been given the opportunity to present one of the workshops! I have not finalized my topic yet, but you know it will be along the same lines as the blog. As soon as I finalize the topic, I will give you a sneak preview!

Spread The Word

My request to you is that you help me spread the word. Tell anyone you think might be interested about this conference and send them to the site to learn more. Like I said, you can click on the banner above or the link below. You can also copy the link and paste it into your emails, tweets, etc.

While the theme of the conference is Bible-based, everyone is welcome. Maybe someone seeking a faith will come to know Jesus because they attended! Who knows what God has planned?!?!

http://automotivesuperconference.com

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Apostle Paul And Marketplace Ministry, Part 2

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In my last post, I showed you an example of how the origin of marketplace ministry dates back to the days of the early church. I showed you how the Apostle Paul set an example for us in the marketplace of Athens. In today’s post, I want to break down the first two steps of the four-step method Paul used and how we can apply it in our current-day Christian business settings.

marketplace ministry

Marketplace Ministry In Acts

To catch up, please take another moment to read the passage – Acts 17:16-34. If you take time to study exactly what Paul did and said, I think you will come up with a fairly simple 4-step process for marketplace ministry.

Let’s dive right in.

Step #1 – Be observant and sensitive to your surroundings.

Paul – Take a look at verse 16 first. Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens. Was he frustrated at the delay? Did he pass the time focused on that frustration? No, instead he was paying attention to his surroundings and noticed all of the idols in Athens.

Jump to verses 22-23. Paul is speaking to the marketplace people and mentions that he has noticed they are religious. Not only that, but he also noticed an altar “To An Unknown God.” Some of us may have seen this and chuckled at the senselessness of such an altar. Paul saw an opportunity for marketplace ministry!

Application – Today, we have business going on all around us and there are plenty of opportunities for similar observations. If we pray for wisdom and discernment, God will respond and answer that prayer.

I encourage you to slow down, pray, and start noticing the tell-tale signs around you. These will give you clues on how to share the gospel where you are.

Step #2 – Listen to what they say.

Paul – When Paul first started teaching the message of the gospel in the marketplace, he elicited a response from the crowd. Some called him a babbler and others thought his teaching was strange. Surely Paul heard these comments from the crowd. Likely, he was at least mildly bothered by them.

But rather than react to the responses, he listened. He heard that they were interested in “new teachings” and were actually, for the most part, just curious. By listening to their comments and questions, he learned about how they thought.

Combined with what he had already observed (Step #1), he came up with a terrific strategy for sharing the gospel in a way that would fit the crowd!

Application – We have the same opportunity for marketplace ministry today if we will only slow down and listen. Too often, in an environment of political correctness and a lack of tolerance for Christian views, we react with anger or frustration when questioned. Unlike Paul, we fail to set our emotions aside and think strategically.

Again, we need to pray for God to teach us how to do this. It does not come naturally so we cannot expect to get it on our own. Instead, we need to pray, practice, and trust God to make up the difference!

In my next post, I will address the final two parts of Paul’s process for marketplace ministry. Hopefully, you will be able to take these four steps and apply them to your business opportunities.

What observations have you made that allowed you to share the gospel?

Are you being intentionally observant, listening to those around you?

Do you typically react to criticism or thoughtfully respond to it?

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Apostle Paul And Marketplace Ministry

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For the past nine years, I have been attempting to run our business from an eternal perspective – effectively using it as a platform for Christian ministry. Unfortunately, this is not very common and therefore I often find myself explaining exactly what I mean by marketplace ministry. Today, in an effort to shed more light on this, I want to take a look at an example of marketplace ministry in the life of the Apostle Paul.

marketplace ministry

Paul The Tentmaker

We know from Acts 18:3 that Paul was a tentmaker by trade. We don’t necessarily know how much of his time was spent making tents versus doing ministry, but it is clear that tent making was his occupation. The following verse refers to Paul coming to stay with Aquila and Priscilla.

Paul came to them, and being of the same occupation, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.
Acts 18:3

Because we don’t necessarily know how much time Paul spent making tents, I am not going to attempt to draw an exact parallel between Paul’s ministry and a current-day Christian business. That is not the point of this post at all.

Marketplace Ministry

Instead, I simply want to broaden your understanding and awareness of the existence of (and need for) marketplace ministry – dating all the way back to the days of early church. Then I want to give you some simple tips, based on Paul’s example, for following Paul’s example in your business today.

First, let’s take a look at another passage in Acts, only one chapter before the verse mentioned above. This passage is too long to include in this post, so I will ask you to take a moment and CLICK HERE to read Acts 17:16-34. It will only take you a minute!

Paul Was Troubled

What is the first thing you read about Paul’s mindset in verse 16? It says his spirit was troubled or that he was greatly distressed. His problem was the rampant worship of idols in Athens. I am not sure what exactly brought this to his attention or whether it was related to his tent making. It really is not important.

The point of this is that Paul’s spirit was troubled at the worship of idols in Athens and so he went into the marketplace everyday to reason with those who were there. Don’t you think Paul would feel the same way today if he witnessed our marketplaces? Don’t you think his spirit would be troubled?

Are You Troubled?

If so, is yours? Paul told us to follow his example as he followed the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). If this is indeed what we should be doing, don’t you think our spirits should be troubled as well by the worship of idols in our marketplaces? Shouldn’t we be distressed?

Let’s assume for the moment that you agree with me on this and your spirit IS troubled.

What next?

What are you to do about it?

Paul And Marketplace Ministry

Well, those are good questions. For the answer, let’s take a look at what Paul did. Going back to the passage from Acts 17, we see in verses 17-18 that Paul did not just sit still when his spirit became troubled. Instead he went right to the people (some in the synagogue, some in the marketplace) and met them where they were.

It is certainly possible that he did this by turning his tent-making business into a marketplace ministry. Unfortunately, there is not enough detail in this passage to determine whether or not that is true. All we do know is that he did put himself in the middle of the marketplace and began sharing the simple message of the gospel.

Initial Response

The initial response to what Paul was saying was curiosity. The people told him that they wanted to hear more about this “new teaching” he was proclaiming. As a result, Paul was given the opportunity to talk to the very leaders and authorities in the marketplace (the Areopagus).

Results?

What were the results?

Well, some sneered and mocked him. They were not interested in what he had to say and they made it clear with their response. Others, however, believed him and began to follow Paul to learn more.

They Need What We Have

Folks, when you break it down, it is really this simple. The majority of the people in the marketplace today need the message that we have. They need to know the truth and we have it! All that remains is for us to begin going into the marketplace and sharing this message.

Different Methods, Same Ministry

This will look different for some than it will for others. We all have different opportunities and skills for entering marketplace ministry. God has determined this according to His will and we are only charged with following His lead. I encourage you to begin praying about how He can use YOU in this effort.

In my next post, we are going to break down Paul’s actual 4-step method from this passage and try to apply it to our current day marketplace ministry opportunities.

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Pruning The Fruitful Branch

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Have you ever read or heard a specific Scripture many times before, but then one day something entirely new jumped out you – from that very same Scripture? I read something in my quiet time this week that stopped me in my tracks. It was about becoming more fruitful and I want to share it with you. Hopefully, you will see it to be as meaningful as I did.

fruitful

Fruit At Work

The book I was reading is called Fruit at Work, by Chris Evans. The Scripture that he referred to was John 15:1-8. In this passage, Jesus is talking about how He is the vine and we are the branches. He produces the fruit and we bear it. Without Him, we cannot produce any fruit of our own.

In the past, I have read and listened to Bruce Wilkinson’s Secrets of the Vine. This book has a great explanation of this same passage about the vine and branches. I was significantly impacted by Wilkinson’s book and wanted to be more fruitful.

Becoming More Fruitful

In going through this book, I learned in depth about how important pruning is to the production of fruit. Though painful, pruning makes the branch more fruitful. I could easily identify times of pruning in my own life.

In Fruit at Work, there is a similar quote from Evans on this same idea:

Even a well cultivated tree will only produce sparing fruit if left on its own. The way a gardner coaxes the most fruit out of a plant is by pruning. Pruning is a process of cutting back part of the plant, sometimes severely, to allow the plant to focus its nutrients in fewer places. Our master gardner does the same thing.

A New Perspective

I have read this John 15 passage literally hundreds of times, before and since. I have often thought about the process of pruning and becoming more fruitful. But what I do not know that I have ever recognized from a different perspective was one verse in particular. In verse 2, Jesus says the following…

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

What I do not remember from Wilkinson’s book is the following idea from Chris Evans. If this idea is in Wilkinson’s book, then I apologize. Evidently I was not ready to hear it then! Take a look at the quote from Evans:

As you bear fruit in your life, be aware that the areas where you are bearing fruit are subject to pruning. This may mean that a job you start to do well is replaced with another job that will challenge you to produce more fruit.

While this is uncomfortable, God knows what he is doing. You should see this pruning as encouragement that God is caring for you and is taking an active role in your growth.

More Specific Pruning

My understanding of the pruning process before did not get very specific. I just understood that I was going to undergo pruning to become more fruitful. As a branch in Jesus, I wanted to bear more fruit and knew that pruning would be a part of that process.

What I had never considered before was that God would prune in particular areas of my life, setting those areas up for a greater multiplication of fruit in the future!

Does that make sense to you?

While this is not a “salvation” epiphany, I do see it as having huge implications in two ways!

Implications

First, if there is an area in which you are bearing fruit, God is more likely to prune in that area so that you can be even more fruitful. This means you will certainly encounter difficulty and disappointment (symptoms of pruning) in your passion areas – like your Christian business! Expect it. Embrace it. Endure it.

Second, when you DO experience this pruning, take it as a sign that God is indeed caring for you and “taking an active role in your growth.” That should be extremely encouraging! Do not let the enemy whisper lies in your ear about failure. Thank God that He is working in you!

Have you experienced pruning in specific, fruitful areas of your life?

Have you recognized this process as being designed to make you even more fruitful?

Do you draw encouragement from this idea?

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Are You Committed To Continuous Learning?

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In business, we all know that continuous learning is crucial to our team’s success. I don’t think there is anyone in a leadership position that would argue against continuous learning. We probably all require it for every team member we have. My question is this…are you committed to it for yourself?

continuous learning

Continuous Learning Neglected?

Too many times, we as leaders neglect our own need for continuous learning. We do this for a number of reasons. Some say that they are simply too busy. Others may complain that they cannot afford the cost. Another group may argue that they really don’t need it.

Whatever the reasons, continuous learning is not always a prioritized part of a leader’s schedule. Folks, when this is true it is a tragedy. Take a look at the following verse from Proverbs.

The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks it. – Proverbs 18:15

I think this is clear advice – directing all of us to seek knowledge. The problem is that we often only apply this advice to those we lead. For the reasons listed above, we fail to apply it to ourselves.

More Important For Leaders

I would argue that continuous learning is more important for the leader than it is for the rest of the team. If the leader is not learning, then the team’s performance over time will decline. In some industries this is more true than others, but I believe it is true to some degree in all industries.

Take a look below at some reasons for leaders to commit themselves to continuous learning. As you read through the reasons, see if you think they speak to your situation.

    1. Leaders need to set the example for their team.
    2. Leaders need to be willing to do anything they ask of their team.
    3. Learning assists with vision.
    4. Without learning, competition will pass you by.
    5. The Bible directs us to commit to learning.

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list, but I think there are enough reasons to make the point. As Christian leaders, we should be committed to continuous learning. We should seek it as a top priority, not as an afterthought.

My Experience

For me, this is not terribly difficult because I enjoy learning from a variety of sources. I personally make sure that I am always reading books, viewing webinars, listening to podcasts and sermons, and attending various seminars and conferences. I try to do this on a regular basis.

As I have talked about in recent posts, this has been more difficult for me as of late due to some turnover in our business. As a result, I did not spend as much time learning over that 90 day window. These things happen and we have to adapt.

At the same time, I made sure that I returned to this priority as quickly as I could. In fact, over the past 30 days, I have been fortunate enough to attend two very productive conferences. I wish I could express how incredibly helpful these conferences were for me. All I can say is that the time I spent at each will be bearing fruit for quite some time.

Industry-Specific Learning

The first was an invitation-only summit among dealers and vendors in our industry. The main topic for this summit was critical to the success of our business. I mention the invitation to make the point that the opportunity actually came to us BEFORE we were ready for it.

When the invitation arrived, we had not yet made the crucial hires we needed to make for our business and we were severely short-handed! I was not even certain the hires would be made by them time the summit rolled around. At the same time, our commitment to continuous learning made accepting the invitation an easier decision.

Christian Ministry Learning

In order to keep my mind on our Christian ministry in the business, I try to balance the learning. The second conference was Catalyst in Atlanta just last week. Unlike the summit, this conference was all about Christian leadership. The slate of speakers was mind-boggling and listening to them one-after-another felt like drinking from a fire hose!

All I could do was to furiously take notes and make plans to distill them into action plans at a later time. I will do this over the next few weeks as I work to lay out my LIFE plan for next year. I will also be using much of this material for future posts on this blog!

Learn AND Take Action

I mention this to make my final point. Knowledge without application is useless. Consider these words from James:

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
– James 1:22

Folks, as I have said above, it is a tragedy for leaders to stop learning. The same is true for learning without doing!

I encourage you to be a leader that is fully committed to continuous learning AND one that converts what you learn into action. Don’t fall prey to allowing the urgent replace the important. Neither should you become a full-time student that never acts on your learning.

How strong is your commitment to continuous learning?

What keeps you from continuous learning?

What action step should you take on something you recently learned?

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What I Did In Response To My Angry Boss

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This guest post is from Mike Holmes. He is a blogger and speaker who heads the Simple Strategies for Startups community. He is also the author of I Shall Raise Thee Up: Ancient Principles for Lasting Greatness. You can also download 4 free chapters here. You can also find him on Twitter.
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extra mile

Going The Extra Mile!

I used to work for a catering company in their purchasing department. My duties included receiving heavy boxes and moving them to the appropriate part of the company. In essence, it was manual labor.

I, however, didn’t see it like that. I saw it as an opportunity to go above and beyond in everything to either:

    a) Move up to a more a favorable position,

    or

    b) Move out of the company to a more favorable position.

So to me it didn’t matter whether I was moving boxes or sweeping floors–I was going to stand out! I was going to go the extra mile!

Angry Boss

But there was a problem: while going the extra mile I encountered a lot of grumbling from my co-workers. They just seemed to be getting angrier and angrier. I was as pleasant as I could be…but they just kept getting angrier. I stopped paying it attention until one day one the assistant manager called me:

“Holmes!” He said in a gruff manner. “I want you to move all those boxed grapes to the cooler room…by yourself!”

He said this with some of the staff around him giggling.

By myself???

There were at least 40 box of grapes, each weighing 20 pounds each, and he wanted me to move them by myself! We all knew it was a 2 man job.

At first I was upset!

Livid!

I did nothing to deserve this.

My Response

But then I remembered my friend “Holy Joe.” When Joe was mistreated for doing right, rather than get upset, he simply worked harder and did it with a great attitude!

So that’s what I did.

You should’ve seen me: I got all those boxes done in less than 7 minutes.

Then I went to the same boss and said, “What else do you need help with?” I did that too in record time. I even started helping the people who were grumbling and laughing behind my back–the manager included. And for the rest of the day I was quicker, more efficient, and more helpful than anyone could imagine.

In fact, we were so fast we finished a shipment that normally takes till 2pm at 11:30am!

The grumbling stopped. They were friendlier and more respectful. You would’ve thought I just bought them lunch!

The extra mile triumphed again!

The Origin of the Extra Mile

When Jesus spoke about extra mile principle He summed it up in this statement:

    “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.”
    (Matthew 5:41 NKJV)

He related the principle to an oppressive practice of the day. It originated with the Persian government and was later adopted by the Roman government.

Under this custom the king’s messengers had power to take horses, camels, and men into service against their will. Couriers and messengers were staged in specific locations by the king; if someone were to pass the location the courier rushed out and “compelled” them into service. Simone of Cyrene was later “compelled” into helping Jesus with His cross.

Rather than quarrel and complain about the treatment, Jesus advised otherwise: comply with the request, but exceed expectations in a spirit of love and service.

The extra mile is what separates leaders from followers, great companies from mediocre ones, and it will separate you in your chosen occupation.

The Power of the Extra Mile Principle

More than just a useful practice…the extra mile principle is a spiritual law. Like “turning the other cheek” and “loving your enemy” it’s a powerful weapon in the hand of a mature believer.

What are the benefits? I’m glad you asked:

1. You benefit by the law of comparison.

    Most people don’t go the extra mile. They go the first mile and complain all the way there! When you go the extra mile the spotlight of attention shines favorably on you. And after a while you soon become indispensable to those around you…especially superiors! And indispensable employees are always paid more than dispensable ones!

2. You develop greater leadership qualities.

    Going the extra develops the habit of personal initiative–a trait necessary for ANY kind of leadership. As you employ the extra mile your brain looks for more ways to become helpful. Soon you stop waiting for people to tell you what to do–you just do it. You no longer wait for things to happen, you make them happen!

3. God makes sure you’re compensated fairly.

    Paul said,

      “Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.” (Ephesians 6:5-8 MSG)
    At the end of day whether we’re salaried or self employed: we write our own checks! We do this we the quantity and quality of service we give to either a boss, company, or clients. But even though we write our checks God is still the Boss. And if God sees you going above and beyond that what you’re paid rest assured, He’ll make up the difference. In the end He’ll reward you fully:
      “Because I, God, love fair dealing and hate thievery and crime, I’ll pay your wages on time and in full, and establish my eternal covenant with you.” (Isaiah 61:8 MSG)

But what do you think? Are there any other benefits to going the extra mile?

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Turn Your Mistakes To Your Advantage

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Here it is – my last post in the series of lessons we can apply from Joshua’s encounter with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:1-10:15). We have covered a lot of ground in the past couple of weeks as we have broken this story of Joshua’s mistake into a total of seven lessons for Christian business owners and leaders. Today we will discuss the seventh, and final, lesson.

mistake

Series Recap

In this story, God had commanded the Israelites to destroy all people groups inside the boundaries of the Promised Land. The Gibeonites disguised themselves as living in a distant land and convinced Joshua and the Israelite leaders to pledge an oath of peace.

Listed below are the lessons we have drawn from this story so far:

1. Don’t relax after a victory; be prepared to face the enemy.

2. The Enemy sometimes comes as roaring lion, sometimes as slithering serpent.

3. The Enemy knows God’s Word (better than you) and will use it to his advantage.

4. Don’t trust your own senses, but slow down and seek God.

5. Don’t repeat the same mistakes twice.

6. Mistakes do not give you right to break your word.

Two Mistake Examples

For our seventh lesson, we need to take a look at two different examples in this story and the circumstances leading up to it. First, let’s look at what Joshua did once he realized his mistake in granting peace to the Gibeonites. We already discussed the fact that he stuck to his oath a kept peace between them. What else did he do?

This is what Joshua did to them: he delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill them. On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers—as they are today—for the community and for the Lord’s altar at the place He would choose. – Joshua 9:26-27

Mistake To Advantage #1

Rather than simply give peace to the Gibeonites, he put them to work! He took his mistake and used it to his advantage. His oath kept him from destroying the Gibeonites, but did not prevent him from gaining from their labor. In doing this, the Gibeonites were thrilled to be alive and the Israelites had additional laborers!

Let’s look at a second example of Joshua using a mistake to his advantage.

Looking back at the first battle against Ai (Joshua 7:1-5), you remember that the Israelites were quickly driven back and many were killed. After hearing about the many Israelite victories due to God’s miracles, seeing the Israelites flee in front of them must have had an impact on the people of Ai! I imagine they were rather proud of that moment, wouldn’t you think?

Fast forward to the second attempt to take Ai. Joshua and the Israelites have cleansed their camp of the sin of Achan and they are ready to give it another go. Do you remember what God told Joshua to do in his battle plan?

Mistake To Advantage #2

He set up a fake retreat, causing the people of Ai to think the Israelites were fleeing again! I can only imagine the thoughts going through the minds of the soldiers of Ai. They must have been determined to finish the job they had started the last time. They were likely so overconfident due to the first battle that they did not even pause to think it was a ruse.

As a result, the soldiers completely abandoned their city and allowed the Israelites to come in behind them and set it on fire. Then the Israelites had them surrounded and destroyed them.

Again, the first battle was a mistake. They did not intend to go up to Ai and get their tails kicked! However, they were later able to use that mistake to their advantage!

Our Application

Folks, we can do the same thing. As we make decisions in the process of doing business, we will most certainly make mistakes. The only way to avoid making mistakes is not to get into business in the first place – and if God has called us there, we do not have that option!

When we make these mistakes, we need to stop and pray about how we can use it to our advantage. God will show us things we never would have considered if we will simply put Him first in our decision process. Trust Him to do this and He will surprise you!

Have you had the opportunity to turn a mistake into an advantage?

Have you missed an opportunity like this?

What were the results?

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Do You Repeat The Same Mistakes?

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mistakeOne of my favorite verses in the Bible is Matthew 15:16. The disciples are asking Jesus about a specific parable and what it means. Evidently a little frustrated, Jesus replies, “Are you still so dull?”

While I am probably wrong for laughing at this, I cannot help it. I even hear it in my sleep sometimes!

Why is this funny to me? I hear Him saying it to ME after one of my many mistakes!

Series On Joshua

We are getting close to the end of a series about business lessons we can pull from the story of Joshua and the Gibeonites. If you have not yet read this short story, you need to do so now. It won’t take long! You can find it here – Joshua 9:1 – 10:15.

In this story, the Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the Israelites into making peace with them. In doing so, the Israelites disobeyed God’s command to destroy all people groups within the Promised Land. In my last post, we discussed that Joshua was so easily deceived because he did not seek God’s counsel, but instead trusted his own senses.

What Is The Connection?

So, you may ask, what is the connection between Joshua’s mistake and my favorite verse in Matthew? Quite simply, Jesus’ reply in Matthew leads us to believe this was not the first time the disciples had asked a question that they should have known the answer to. Evidently, the disciples had repeated this mistake several times, trying Jesus’ patience with them.

Joshua’s Mistake

To connect this verse to Joshua’s situation, we need to go back to Joshua 6. In the beginning of this chapter, Joshua sought God’s counsel on how to attack Jericho. After that victory, the next city to be attacked was Ai. Unfortunately, Joshua did not consult with God about this one. He made his own plans and the Israelites were soundly defeated.

When Joshua finally did seek God’s counsel, he was told about sin among the Israelites that brought on the defeat. Had Joshua sought God before the attack, he would have learned of the sin and been able to address it before the defeat! Joshua should have learned his lesson right there – seek God before a decision.

Joshua Repeats His Mistake!

The problem is that Joshua did not learn his lesson. Instead, he repeats the very same mistake when approached by the Gibeonites. All he had to do was to seek God and he would have learned of the deception. Like the disciples in Matthew 15, and like many of us, Joshua repeated the same mistake and had to face the consequences.

Application To Christian Business

I think the application to Christian business is fairly clear. When it comes to trying to do it all on our own, we are certainly going to make mistakes. That is unavoidable. Even when we KNOW what God wants us to do in a given situation, we will likely fail in the execution at times.

However, we must push to mature to the point where we do not make decisions on our own! We have a God that created the world in which our business operates. He has all business knowledge and is willing to share it with us (James 1:5) if we will only ask!

I encourage you to learn from Joshua’s lesson. Burn it into your mind that God is your CEO and you will not make any significant decisions without consulting Him. Commit to asking Him for wisdom before committing to a decision. He is faithful to guide you.

Have you made this same mistake multiple times before?

Why do you think it is so hard to stop and ask for God’s guidance?

What do you need to do to prevent making this mistake again?

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The Bible: Does The Enemy Know It Better Than You?

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How well do you really know the Bible? If tested on your Bible knowledge, do you think you would score in the top percentile, in the middle of the pack, or would you likely be embarrassed at your score? If someone came to you today and asked where he should look in the Bible for instruction on a certain topic, do you think you could point him to the right spot?

bible

Bible Illiteracy

Unfortunately, too many Christians are not very familiar with the Bible, even though it is THE book upon which we should base our lives, both here and in eternity. While most recognize that this is a real problem, too few are actually willing to do anything about it. This is truly unfortunate – mainly because our enemy does not have the same problem.

This is my fourth post in a series of lessons from one story in the book of Joshua that we can take and apply in Christian business. The story is about the experience Joshua and the Israelites had with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:1-10:15).

Lessons From Joshua

We have already learned the following lessons from this story:

1. Don’t relax after a victory; be prepared to face the enemy. (Read here)

2. The enemy sometimes comes as roaring lion, sometimes as slithering serpent. (Read here)

Now I want to give you the third lesson we can learn from this story:

The enemy knows the Bible (better than you) and will use it to his advantage.

God’s Commands

Let’s look at how this lesson is illustrated in the story of the Gibeonites and their deception of Joshua and the Israelites. If you read Deuteronomy 7:1-6, you will see that God intended ALL of the nations of the Promised Land to be destroyed. Not a one of them was to be left alive. This is very clear.

However, if you read further in Deuteronomy 20:10-20 (especially v.15), you will notice that God allows for peace with other nations – those OUTSIDE the land that He is giving them as an inheritance.

Joshua knows this Scripture and is fully aware that he and the Israelite army must destroy all of the cities in the Promised Land. He is also aware that he must first offer peace with those outside of this area.

Gibeonites’ Knowledge

What Joshua did not know is that somehow, the Gibeonites also knew of this law. As a result, they used it to their advantage to achieve protection. Had they simply come in peace without a disguise, they knew they would be destroyed. Had they attempted to fight the Israelites, they figured they would end up destroyed like the other cities Joshua’s army had faced. Their only hope was to convince the Israelites that they were from outside of the land of inheritance, and were therefore eligible for peace.

Our Application

How does this apply to us today, as Christians in business?

If you are in business as a Christian, you already know that there are obvious ways to ignore the Bible and make more money. You probably know many ways you could bend a rule here or there and see quick results on the financial statement. You don’t do these things because you know they are wrong and the decisions are clear.

Unfortunately, there are times when the decisions are not so clear, when the enemy sneaks up on us and we are presented with decisions we are not prepared to make. Decisions made when unprepared are rarely the right ones. Too much is left to chance.

Jesus’ Example

When Jesus faced direct temptation in the wilderness, He answered with Scripture (Matthew 4:1-11). He was obviously prepared. If He is our model (1 John 2:6), then shouldn’t we be prepared in the same way?

In Deuteronomy 6:1-9, we are told to remember God’s commands, teach them to our children, and repeat them wherever we go. These commands are not to leave our hearts or minds. If that is the case, shouldn’t we take more time to learn them?

Our Responsibility

Having a ready word from the Bible can give clarity to an otherwise murky situation. On the other hand, if we are not familiar with Scripture, the enemy can use it against us. He tried this with Jesus, but was unsuccessful because Jesus was prepared. If the enemy were to come at you today in your business with a twist on God’s Word, how would you fare? Would you feel confident in your response?

Determine today that you are going to take action steps to improve in this area. If this is a strength of yours, turn to someone else and encourage them to join you!

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How Should A Christian Business Respond To Legal Issues?

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[box]Today’s post is a guest post by Dave Moser, who blogs at Armchair-Theology.net. Dave brings up a great question that more and more Christian business owners may face in the not-so-distant future. Read about the shocking story Dave discusses and think about how you might respond if your Christian business faced these legal issues.[/box]

legal issues

Legal Issues Facing Christian Business

In the realm of religious political discourse in the US, contraceptive/abortifacient funding and gay marriage reign supreme. These push other issues to the side – legal issues that have a huge impact on Christians in the workforce.

What if the government forced you to vindicate sin?

As a photographer, strongly considering photography as a source of income in seminary and if needed as a bi-vocational pastor, I couldn’t help but be touched by this story:

Elane Photography… received an email from a woman in a same-sex relationship inquiring about prices for shooting her and her partner’s “commitment ceremony” in Taos. The photographer knew that she could not in good conscience use her artistic skills to photograph a ceremony that communicated support for redefining marriage. Although the same-sex couple found another photographer for their ceremony, one of the partners filed a discrimination complaint with the state, subjecting the owners to a trial before the Human Rights Commission.

The owners explained that they tried to operate their business according to their higher principles, including those on marriage. The commission rejected their First Amendment defenses, found the company guilty, and ordered it to pay $6,600 in attorneys’ fees. The case is now on appeal and awaiting a decision by the New Mexico Court of Appeals.
– Santa Fe New Mexican (emphasis added)

The Human Rights Commission requires Christians in business to sponsor sin.

Not Just Homosexuality

This isn’t a rant against homosexuality. There are a myriad of business scenarios this type of ruling could impact:

  • The construction company which refuses to build an abortion clinic.
  • The cleaning service which refuses to clean a strip club.
  • The newspaper which refuses to run advertisements for a casino.
  • The doctor who refuses to conduct abortions.

If the government prevents Christians from recusing themselves from business deals based on moral grounds, we could find ourselves required to perform actions we abhor.

How Can Christians Respond?

Christians have many options in responding to this trend. I’ve listed some here along with some of the difficulties I see them presenting. I’m not saying that these are the only options or the best options. Neither are the considerations complete. This isn’t legal advice. It’s a starting point for thought and discussion.

1. Civil Disobedience

The first option is to knowingly disobey such orders. Knowingly abstaining from sinful actions and bravely submitting to the consequences is a powerful witness.

Considerations:

    This is dissimilar from the race-focused civil rights movement of the mid-20th century on one major factor: the momentum of cultural perception. God created all humans in His image so race-based discrimination is an affront to the very character of God. The civil-rights movement of the 1960’s was a movement towards biblical truth.

    However, abortion, gay marriage and similar issues are anti-biblical. Western culture is moving away from, not towards, a biblical truth. Culture will be against us, not for us. We will not be cheered for this, we will be jeered for this. Go down this path with eyes wide open.

2. Political Change

The western societies characterized by policies like this (or on their way to it) are also characterized by some form of citizen government. As such, citizens have the ability to affect change in their government’s policies.

This is exactly what the Alliance Defense Fund is doing in the case of Elane Photography. ADF is going to the courts to defend Elane Photography with the intention of establishing court rulings favorable to conscience-driven business practices.

Other avenues include:

  • Ballot measures to make concience-driven business practices legal
  • Nominating, promoting and voting for politicians friendly to the cause

Considerations:

    Much like civil disobedience, these measures are going against the momentum of the present culture. You might lose business, reduce social standing, receive threats or even be attacked for your stance.

3. Change Your Product

The business of photography is driven by specialization. No one is simply a “professional photographer.” There are:

  • Maternity photographers
  • Advertising photographers
  • Landscape photographers
  • Fashion photographers
  • Photojournalists
  • Infant photographers
  • Architectural photographers
  • Sports photographers
  • Wildlife photographers
  • …and a whole host of other specializations

No one sues a landscape photographer for not shooting their wedding.

Would Elane Photography be in this trouble if the service they provided was specifically “photographic documentation of Christian weddings”? Christian weddings have different customs, symbols and points of emphasis than civil ceremonies, marriages for other religions and other family events and is therefore a legitimate specialization. If that is the specialized service you provide, chances are much lower that you will be sued for not providing services in conflict with your morals.

Considerations:

    1. Offering more specific services will limit your potential pool of clients. This could have obvious impacts on revenue.

    2. The laws of your jurisdiction may not provide legal shelter with a simple rebranding of services. Consult a lawyer before rebranding your services for legal protection.

4. Use The Opportunity For the Gospel

Perhaps Elane Photography could have used this as an opportunity to advance the gospel. If the final photographs delivered included Bible verses that proclaimed the gospel or posed challenges to sinners, might God have been served?

This also gives a Christian to hold a relationship with the non-Christian instead of avoiding them. Not only your product, but your words and actions are a witness to the unbeliever.

Bake the gospel into your product and your dealings with the world.

Considerations:

    1. This method involves actually conducting the practice with which you disagree. It is, without question, a grey area. It risks directly sinning or putting a stamp of approval on the sin.

    2. You must be completely transparent about what service you are going to provide. If the photo book you deliver is going to be saturated with Scripture, this can’t be a surprise when the customer takes delivery. Make sure your contract explains that the photos will be accompanied by relevant Bible verses.

    3. Your work represents Christian business to the world in a special way. Your product must display excellence or it will tarnish the name of Christ with the labels shoddy, lazy, unrefined and substandard.

    Jesus is a treasure. Represent him that way.

What Next?

How would you respond if you were in Elane Photography’s place?

What other considerations are there for the options I listed above?