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God Is at Work: Transforming People and Nations Through Business
Global business has the potential to bring biblical cultural values, greater economic prosperity and blessings to the nations of the world. It's already happening in innovative undertakings, such as ET, a call center business in India where at least 60 percent of the employees call themselves Christians. Modeling biblical principles and recognized for its world-class level of service, this successful company has created jobs, built a profitable business, strengthened the local church and seen people decide to follow Jesus. In God Is at Work, Ken Eldred examines how God is transforming people and nations through companies like ET amidst an emerging missions movement called "Kingdom business." Challenging the view that capitalism and biblical principles cannot coexist, Kingdom business is achieving economic and spiritual transformation around the globe and is welcomed even by developing nations that are traditionally closed to the gospel. This unprecedented book gives a comprehensive overview of Kingdom business, its objectives and approaches. Ken Eldred's personal experience, as well as other Kingdom business efforts around the world, highlights this integrated missions movement, a unique combination of missions, successful business practices and economic development. Learn how leaders of developing nations around the world, some of whom are Muslims, are inviting Christian business leaders to come into their countries and bring needed spiritual capital and business principles to create greater economic opportunities for their people. Discover the role of Kingdom business professionals in advising, funding and operating for-profit enterprises of varying sizes and types. See what happens when God is at work giving individuals the opportunity to participate with Him in Kingdom business, one of the greatest missions endeavors of the twenty-first century. The opportunities to advance the cause of Christ have never been greater. We are called to act now.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2005
3 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 28, 2015
Excellent concepts, atrocious editing. I've been looking for a book that develops a better "theology of work" than what I've encountered, and this book gets the ball rolling.
September 3, 2016
The best work I have read so far on Business as Mission (Business for transformation). It deals heavily with differing approaches to business as mission (particularly microenterprise development) and why the integration of faith and work is crucial in successful work/life.
I can't possibly put all my excerpts here so refer to this link for all my highlights:
https://www.evernote.com/l/AAE-cAWwQd...
I look forward to reading Mr.Eldred's other book further exploring the integration of faith and work.
---
“Those two pioneers of civilization—Christianity and commerce—should ever be inseparable.” – DR. DAVID LIVINGSTONE (1857)
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 23, loc. 345-347
Recently, a friend told me that when he prays, he asks only for strength and courage to do what is right in his business. That is fine as far as it goes, but God has and wants to give more. These prayers fall short of the potential in the relationship we have with God. I told him his prayer was fine but that it left God out of partnering with him in his business. He said, “I get it; I am only getting half of the equation. The other half in my business is God.” I noted that his was a good analogy, except it is more like firing on one cylinder when we have available to us seven more.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 28, loc. 416-420
How does this strong, personal position benefit you as a vendor, employee, or visitor of Inmac? 1. Every attempt will be made to treat you fairly. 2. In all ways we desire to be an ethical and aboveboard company. 3. Everyone will be treated with respect and consideration. 4. Personal faith is a privilege and a very private matter. Your privilege and privacy in this area are absolutely respected. 5. If for any reason you are not treated according to these principles, such treatment is not intentional and will be redressed. If anyone has any questions about these pamphlets or our policies, please feel free to pick up the house phone and call me at extension 5003.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 37, loc. 563-574
We have had the opportunity to introduce a Christian-based leadership development program within the company. PowerWalk, a Canadian organization that developed a Christian training course delivered primarily to churches, met with the top ET executives, many of whom are not Christians. Stating that it would remove explicit Christian language and Bible references though keep the Scripture excerpts and biblical concepts, PowerWalk offered a course for employees on a voluntary basis. It was designed to provide significant business and leadership training to ET’s employees. While the management is Hindu, the company embraced the idea and expressed a desire to have the entire management group go through this Christian-based training course. PowerWalk’s leadership training is fun and interactive and deals heavily with relationships. There was also opportunity to interact with participants in less formal settings outside the classroom and gauge their spiritual interest. Over a weeklong period, 80 or 90 people, a cross-section comprising about 10 percent of the company went through a training session. At the end of the week, it was agreed that this training should be offered to everyone in the company—including spouses. The PowerWalk course is now a one-day component of the new-staff training program at the company, and a person who reports to the Chief of Human Resources has responsibility for maintaining and promoting it, with the support of a group of pastors. PowerWalk helped to establish a pastoral team of local men and women who are available for follow-on work that emerges from the ET effort. This team of Indian Christians is equipped to conduct in small-group settings an expanded course that includes topics such as marriage and stress management. The team is also available for counseling of ET staff and is committed to planting house churches in the area. “God is opening doors, and people are being challenged and exposed to the gospel,” notes PowerWalk’s Dan Sinclair. A group of ET employees has committed to regular meetings in which they seek to develop their faith, following a ten-part curriculum on how to grow strong in the marketplace. They’re also praying for the company and for the spiritual condition of those whom they encounter on a daily basis. When ET experienced an economic downturn that threatened the company, Christian employees got together to pray for their business. The company recovered, and many recognized the source of the turnaround.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 45, loc. 683-701
“Please don’t send us money; it only creates division. But do send us business people who can create jobs for us, that we can build ourselves up.” The Eastern European Christian leaders at a 2004 conference in Bulgaria were unified in their call for the Western Church to send Christians skilled in business to bless their nations economically and spiritually. Rajesh, an Indian leader of an organization that coordinates the efforts of 15,000 Indian missionaries, agreed. “We need to learn how to live our faith in the workplace; how to work and witness,” he said. “We need models of doing business and outreach.” Drazen from Croatia went so far as to say, “Sending us missionaries is good, but we’d prefer that you send us godly businessmen who can teach us and help us to start businesses and create jobs in a Christ-like way”1 These Christian leaders were calling for Kingdom business.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 47, loc. 708-716
But what are the benefits of business as a missions strategy? Are there any unique features that Kingdom business promises? I see at least 10 reasons why business people are strategically important and effective: 1. Kingdom business is a model for fully self-sustainable missions. Profitable businesses support Christians devoted to the Great Commission without tapping into monies donated to churches or missions agencies. Owned and managed by Verbo Church, Casa Bernabe Orphanage in Veracruz, Nicaragua has 35 arable acres of land that are leased for farming. The land yields fresh food for the 80 kids at the orphanage, enables them to develop vocational skills, and provides an income for the ministry of the orphanage. 2. Kingdom business brings much-needed expertise, technology and capital. A Kingdom-focused entrepreneur built the most advanced chip factory in China with Western technology and $1.6 billion in investment capital. Kingdom business professionals build local commerce by supplying the principles, training, advice and funding needed to grow businesses. 3. Kingdom business creates jobs. Unemployment is a major problem in most underdeveloped nations, and it often leads to unrest, chaos and even violence. The best way to aid those in need is to give them jobs. In many regions, Christians are disenfranchised and particularly subject to employment challenges. That is the case in India, where ET is providing employment to hundreds of Christians. Kingdom business professionals start and grow businesses that result in meaningful work for many people, Christian and non-Christian. 4. Kingdom business builds the local economy and blesses the nation. As biblical business principles are taught and the business infrastructure is enhanced, the country’s economy becomes more robust. And as business and trade grows, more families earn incomes and standards of living increase. A Kingdom business was given Israel’s highest industrial award and was commended by the government for blessing the nation of Israel. Kingdom business professionals are a blessing to nations by promoting successful business. 5. Kingdom business provides access to many locations. Even in countries closed to the gospel, Western business people who establish and promote successful local enterprises are welcomed. Kingdom business professionals currently operate in countries like Afghanistan, China and North Korea. They can reach all corners of the world. 6. Kingdom business presents the gospel by word. Business is a wonderful context for personal evangelism. Successful capitalism is based on biblical principles, and culture is transformed through opportunities to teach both these principles and their biblical source. People are changed through the saving power of Jesus, and lives are transformed through opportunities to share the words and life of Jesus. The witness of Christians at one Kingdom business in China resulted in 10 people each month deciding to follow Jesus. Kingdom business professionals speak the gospel of Christ to employees, business leaders and the local community. 7. Kingdom business presents the gospel by deed. Jesus took His disciples, showed them by example, and explained the truth to them separately. It is in the day-to-day activities that we demonstrate Christ. Business provides the opportunity for Kingdom business professionals to demonstrate the gospel in everyday life and to model faith in the real world to a broad range of people. When explaining the concept of Kingdom business to a group of Christians, I was asked what would happen if a business failed. My belief is that such times of trouble present great opportunities to demonstrate the true faith, which in good times is more difficult to do. 8. Kingdom business enables local funding of the church. As local Christians earn incomes and build successful businesses, they accumulate the financial resources that allow them to support the mission of the local church. This is especially important in areas where outside funding is blocked or curtailed, but any breaking of dependence on support from Western sources is commendable. Kingdom business professionals empower believers in developing nations to assume financial responsibility for the local church. For example, a Kingdom business owner in Croatia was able to use his profits to fund the construction of his local church building. 9. Kingdom business can be a valuable partner for other missions efforts. In no way is Kingdom business considered a replacement for the work of church planters, translators and pastors. Those traditional missionaries will always be needed. In fact, profits from successful business ventures can be used to support those missionaries who are dependent on outside sources of funding. In some cases, as with a group of Kingdom businesses in China, the business itself can provide employment and income for foreign missionaries who also have church-planting or discipleship objectives in the local area. (But it is important that these missionaries perform competent and dedicated work for the business and that they do not sacrifice their obligations to the company for their evangelism objectives.) Kingdom business professionals generate resources and opportunities that can be deployed by other segments of the worldwide missions movement. 10. Kingdom business taps into an underutilized yet highly capable resource in the Church. Many business people have a deep desire to be more involved in the Church’s missions effort. We need to give the business community an opportunity to be useful in Church and missions beyond the roles of check writing and church administration, for without capturing their hearts, we will not capture their souls. Kingdom business is not limited to those people who run large corporations. Everyone with business experience can add immeasurably to the body of business knowledge in most developing countries. CEOs, managers, small business operators and entrepreneurs have gifts, talents and experiences that can be used to take the gospel to and bless many nations. I am reminded of the story of a CFO who went on a missions trip to Mexico to build houses, a task for which he was hardly equipped. Imagine how much more he could have blessed the local people if he had helped them improve their businesses or the country’s financial system.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 55, loc. 833-879
what does the fruit of Kingdom business look like? R. Paul Stevens, scholar and author on the topic of faith in the marketplace, notes 10 characteristics of companies that are led by followers of Jesus whose goal is to advance the kingdom of God.4 1. The presence of a Christian or Christians with a sphere of influence. This does not necessarily mean that the Chief Executive Officer or the majority owner of the business must be a Christian. I am a board member of and minority investor in ET, an Indian company with few Christians in senior management but with a decidedly Christian influence. At Inmac, my partner was not a follower of Jesus, though we agreed that we would run the company on Christian business principles. The important characteristic is that Christians affect the policies and direction of the business. 2. A product or service in harmony with God’s creational purpose. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’“ (Gen. 1:26). God’s command to fill the earth and rule over His creation includes development of the world. To be sure, there are business activities and realms, such as pornography and illegal drugs, which do not fulfill this mandate. But most commercial activities, from producing medical equipment to dry cleaning to selling groceries to farming, are helpful to society. 3. A mission or business purpose that is larger and deeper than mere financial profit (though including it) so that the business contributes in some way to the kingdom of God. For more than 25 years, my personal life goal has been to be a witness to employees and the business community and to fund Christian work around the world. I have moved from entrepreneurship to venture capital to philanthropy, yet my personal mission statement has not changed. 4. The product and service is offered with such excellence that it suggests the presence of the Kingdom and invites the opportunity to witness. Though not situated in the developing world, Buck Knives is a prime example of this characteristic of Kingdom business. Located in Southern California, the company has been a manufacturer of high-quality pocket knives for more than 100 years. The company is renowned for the excellence of its products. In the warranty note to customers who purchase his knives, chairman Chuck Buck states, “From the beginning, management determined to make God the Senior Partner. . . . Each knife must reflect the integrity of management, including our Senior Partner.”5 Buck’s outstanding products allow the company to point to Jesus, whose life and teachings motivate this excellent service. 5. Customers are treated with dignity and respect and not just as a means of profit. Outstanding service means that the customer is to be loved and respected as a person created in the image of God and that business transactions should be fair. “Welcome aboard,” Buck tells its customers, “You are now part of a very large family. Although we’re talking about a few million people, we still like to think of each one of our users as a member of the Buck Knives Family.”6 We are to treat others with love and respect. If business is our ministry, genuine service to the customer is part of following God. 6. Employees and workers are equipped to achieve greater potential in their life and, if they are Christians, to work wholeheartedly with faith, hope and love. God has gifted individuals with talents and abilities. A primary concern toward employees should be the deployment of those gifts in meaningful ways that allow them to glorify God through their work. Those who are followers of Jesus should be fully committed to excellence in their work rather than neglecting their duties in favor of ministry. At Inmac, I saw my job in part as guiding the company and preparing people for larger roles in the company. 7. All aspects of the business are considered to be potentially a ministry and the subject of prayer. Kingdom business professionals think of their work in the marketplace as ministry, and guidance through prayer is an important aspect of surrendering the business to God. “The fantastic growth of Buck Knives, Inc. was no accident,” Chuck Buck tells his customers. “In a crisis, the problem was turned over to Him, and He hasn’t failed to help us with the answer.”7 Likewise, you will find recounted in these pages a number of instances in which God clearly answered prayers regarding aspects of my own work in business. 8. The culture (values, symbols, governing beliefs) of the organization line up with God’s word and Kingdom purposes. There is a renewed recognition in business education that a company’s culture is a key to its success. By explicitly promoting and adhering to biblical principles, such as integrity, service, justice, respect and trust, Kingdom business professionals can infuse both their companies and the local business community with values that bring honor to God. His Kingdom is advanced as individuals and their business practices honor God’s teaching. 9. The business runs on grace. The business world is full of inequalities. Organizational position, economic position and social position all result in the potential for power to be exerted with respect to others. God invites us to operate on grace, for He extends grace when we fail. “If sometimes we fail on our end, because we are human,” says Buck’s message, “we find it imperative to do our utmost to make it right.”8 Likewise, we told Inmac employees to admit it if they made a mistake—we would support them. We extended grace to our customers by giving our customer service people the power to fix any problem on the spot, whether it was caused by our error or by the customer’s. The customer service people were guided by one simple principle: If you had this problem, what would you like the company to do for you to fix it? There will be mistakes and failures, but Kingdom business professionals should operate within a spirit of grace. 10. The leaders are servants, dedicated to serve the mission of the business, the best interests of the employees, the customers and the shareholders because they are first of all servants of God. Servant leadership has recently become a concept embraced by some academics, but its origins are not at all modern. Jesus taught that status and heroism are not required for leadership. In fact, He taught that to be a leader, one must be a servant. Rather than seek honor and position, servant leaders are committed to the common mission, and they empower their team members to excel. As a servant of God, I sought to serve others at Inmac. The letter I mentioned in chapter 1 that was displayed in the Inmac’s lobby made it very clear that employees, customers and partners could expect to be treated with respect, fairness and integrity because I was a follower of Jesus.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 68, loc. 1032-1087
Kingdom business professional Clem Schultz has been founding and operating companies in East Asia for a number of years, and he is often approached by those who wish to use his businesses as a cover for their evangelism work in a region. Clem stipulates that those missionaries work no less than 20 hours per week in the business, and that they be competent, trained and fully committed to their jobs in his companies. He even mandates that there be no witnessing with fellow employees on the job, stipulating that it can be done after hours and that the believer must demonstrate a proper work ethic during the working hours he or she has committed to the company. The Kingdom business is a vehicle for missions, but it is not to be used as a front for missionaries who have no interest in working there.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 77, loc. 1171-1176
I can't possibly put all my excerpts here so refer to this link for all my highlights:
https://www.evernote.com/l/AAE-cAWwQd...
I look forward to reading Mr.Eldred's other book further exploring the integration of faith and work.
---
“Those two pioneers of civilization—Christianity and commerce—should ever be inseparable.” – DR. DAVID LIVINGSTONE (1857)
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 23, loc. 345-347
Recently, a friend told me that when he prays, he asks only for strength and courage to do what is right in his business. That is fine as far as it goes, but God has and wants to give more. These prayers fall short of the potential in the relationship we have with God. I told him his prayer was fine but that it left God out of partnering with him in his business. He said, “I get it; I am only getting half of the equation. The other half in my business is God.” I noted that his was a good analogy, except it is more like firing on one cylinder when we have available to us seven more.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 28, loc. 416-420
How does this strong, personal position benefit you as a vendor, employee, or visitor of Inmac? 1. Every attempt will be made to treat you fairly. 2. In all ways we desire to be an ethical and aboveboard company. 3. Everyone will be treated with respect and consideration. 4. Personal faith is a privilege and a very private matter. Your privilege and privacy in this area are absolutely respected. 5. If for any reason you are not treated according to these principles, such treatment is not intentional and will be redressed. If anyone has any questions about these pamphlets or our policies, please feel free to pick up the house phone and call me at extension 5003.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 37, loc. 563-574
We have had the opportunity to introduce a Christian-based leadership development program within the company. PowerWalk, a Canadian organization that developed a Christian training course delivered primarily to churches, met with the top ET executives, many of whom are not Christians. Stating that it would remove explicit Christian language and Bible references though keep the Scripture excerpts and biblical concepts, PowerWalk offered a course for employees on a voluntary basis. It was designed to provide significant business and leadership training to ET’s employees. While the management is Hindu, the company embraced the idea and expressed a desire to have the entire management group go through this Christian-based training course. PowerWalk’s leadership training is fun and interactive and deals heavily with relationships. There was also opportunity to interact with participants in less formal settings outside the classroom and gauge their spiritual interest. Over a weeklong period, 80 or 90 people, a cross-section comprising about 10 percent of the company went through a training session. At the end of the week, it was agreed that this training should be offered to everyone in the company—including spouses. The PowerWalk course is now a one-day component of the new-staff training program at the company, and a person who reports to the Chief of Human Resources has responsibility for maintaining and promoting it, with the support of a group of pastors. PowerWalk helped to establish a pastoral team of local men and women who are available for follow-on work that emerges from the ET effort. This team of Indian Christians is equipped to conduct in small-group settings an expanded course that includes topics such as marriage and stress management. The team is also available for counseling of ET staff and is committed to planting house churches in the area. “God is opening doors, and people are being challenged and exposed to the gospel,” notes PowerWalk’s Dan Sinclair. A group of ET employees has committed to regular meetings in which they seek to develop their faith, following a ten-part curriculum on how to grow strong in the marketplace. They’re also praying for the company and for the spiritual condition of those whom they encounter on a daily basis. When ET experienced an economic downturn that threatened the company, Christian employees got together to pray for their business. The company recovered, and many recognized the source of the turnaround.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 45, loc. 683-701
“Please don’t send us money; it only creates division. But do send us business people who can create jobs for us, that we can build ourselves up.” The Eastern European Christian leaders at a 2004 conference in Bulgaria were unified in their call for the Western Church to send Christians skilled in business to bless their nations economically and spiritually. Rajesh, an Indian leader of an organization that coordinates the efforts of 15,000 Indian missionaries, agreed. “We need to learn how to live our faith in the workplace; how to work and witness,” he said. “We need models of doing business and outreach.” Drazen from Croatia went so far as to say, “Sending us missionaries is good, but we’d prefer that you send us godly businessmen who can teach us and help us to start businesses and create jobs in a Christ-like way”1 These Christian leaders were calling for Kingdom business.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 47, loc. 708-716
But what are the benefits of business as a missions strategy? Are there any unique features that Kingdom business promises? I see at least 10 reasons why business people are strategically important and effective: 1. Kingdom business is a model for fully self-sustainable missions. Profitable businesses support Christians devoted to the Great Commission without tapping into monies donated to churches or missions agencies. Owned and managed by Verbo Church, Casa Bernabe Orphanage in Veracruz, Nicaragua has 35 arable acres of land that are leased for farming. The land yields fresh food for the 80 kids at the orphanage, enables them to develop vocational skills, and provides an income for the ministry of the orphanage. 2. Kingdom business brings much-needed expertise, technology and capital. A Kingdom-focused entrepreneur built the most advanced chip factory in China with Western technology and $1.6 billion in investment capital. Kingdom business professionals build local commerce by supplying the principles, training, advice and funding needed to grow businesses. 3. Kingdom business creates jobs. Unemployment is a major problem in most underdeveloped nations, and it often leads to unrest, chaos and even violence. The best way to aid those in need is to give them jobs. In many regions, Christians are disenfranchised and particularly subject to employment challenges. That is the case in India, where ET is providing employment to hundreds of Christians. Kingdom business professionals start and grow businesses that result in meaningful work for many people, Christian and non-Christian. 4. Kingdom business builds the local economy and blesses the nation. As biblical business principles are taught and the business infrastructure is enhanced, the country’s economy becomes more robust. And as business and trade grows, more families earn incomes and standards of living increase. A Kingdom business was given Israel’s highest industrial award and was commended by the government for blessing the nation of Israel. Kingdom business professionals are a blessing to nations by promoting successful business. 5. Kingdom business provides access to many locations. Even in countries closed to the gospel, Western business people who establish and promote successful local enterprises are welcomed. Kingdom business professionals currently operate in countries like Afghanistan, China and North Korea. They can reach all corners of the world. 6. Kingdom business presents the gospel by word. Business is a wonderful context for personal evangelism. Successful capitalism is based on biblical principles, and culture is transformed through opportunities to teach both these principles and their biblical source. People are changed through the saving power of Jesus, and lives are transformed through opportunities to share the words and life of Jesus. The witness of Christians at one Kingdom business in China resulted in 10 people each month deciding to follow Jesus. Kingdom business professionals speak the gospel of Christ to employees, business leaders and the local community. 7. Kingdom business presents the gospel by deed. Jesus took His disciples, showed them by example, and explained the truth to them separately. It is in the day-to-day activities that we demonstrate Christ. Business provides the opportunity for Kingdom business professionals to demonstrate the gospel in everyday life and to model faith in the real world to a broad range of people. When explaining the concept of Kingdom business to a group of Christians, I was asked what would happen if a business failed. My belief is that such times of trouble present great opportunities to demonstrate the true faith, which in good times is more difficult to do. 8. Kingdom business enables local funding of the church. As local Christians earn incomes and build successful businesses, they accumulate the financial resources that allow them to support the mission of the local church. This is especially important in areas where outside funding is blocked or curtailed, but any breaking of dependence on support from Western sources is commendable. Kingdom business professionals empower believers in developing nations to assume financial responsibility for the local church. For example, a Kingdom business owner in Croatia was able to use his profits to fund the construction of his local church building. 9. Kingdom business can be a valuable partner for other missions efforts. In no way is Kingdom business considered a replacement for the work of church planters, translators and pastors. Those traditional missionaries will always be needed. In fact, profits from successful business ventures can be used to support those missionaries who are dependent on outside sources of funding. In some cases, as with a group of Kingdom businesses in China, the business itself can provide employment and income for foreign missionaries who also have church-planting or discipleship objectives in the local area. (But it is important that these missionaries perform competent and dedicated work for the business and that they do not sacrifice their obligations to the company for their evangelism objectives.) Kingdom business professionals generate resources and opportunities that can be deployed by other segments of the worldwide missions movement. 10. Kingdom business taps into an underutilized yet highly capable resource in the Church. Many business people have a deep desire to be more involved in the Church’s missions effort. We need to give the business community an opportunity to be useful in Church and missions beyond the roles of check writing and church administration, for without capturing their hearts, we will not capture their souls. Kingdom business is not limited to those people who run large corporations. Everyone with business experience can add immeasurably to the body of business knowledge in most developing countries. CEOs, managers, small business operators and entrepreneurs have gifts, talents and experiences that can be used to take the gospel to and bless many nations. I am reminded of the story of a CFO who went on a missions trip to Mexico to build houses, a task for which he was hardly equipped. Imagine how much more he could have blessed the local people if he had helped them improve their businesses or the country’s financial system.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 55, loc. 833-879
what does the fruit of Kingdom business look like? R. Paul Stevens, scholar and author on the topic of faith in the marketplace, notes 10 characteristics of companies that are led by followers of Jesus whose goal is to advance the kingdom of God.4 1. The presence of a Christian or Christians with a sphere of influence. This does not necessarily mean that the Chief Executive Officer or the majority owner of the business must be a Christian. I am a board member of and minority investor in ET, an Indian company with few Christians in senior management but with a decidedly Christian influence. At Inmac, my partner was not a follower of Jesus, though we agreed that we would run the company on Christian business principles. The important characteristic is that Christians affect the policies and direction of the business. 2. A product or service in harmony with God’s creational purpose. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’“ (Gen. 1:26). God’s command to fill the earth and rule over His creation includes development of the world. To be sure, there are business activities and realms, such as pornography and illegal drugs, which do not fulfill this mandate. But most commercial activities, from producing medical equipment to dry cleaning to selling groceries to farming, are helpful to society. 3. A mission or business purpose that is larger and deeper than mere financial profit (though including it) so that the business contributes in some way to the kingdom of God. For more than 25 years, my personal life goal has been to be a witness to employees and the business community and to fund Christian work around the world. I have moved from entrepreneurship to venture capital to philanthropy, yet my personal mission statement has not changed. 4. The product and service is offered with such excellence that it suggests the presence of the Kingdom and invites the opportunity to witness. Though not situated in the developing world, Buck Knives is a prime example of this characteristic of Kingdom business. Located in Southern California, the company has been a manufacturer of high-quality pocket knives for more than 100 years. The company is renowned for the excellence of its products. In the warranty note to customers who purchase his knives, chairman Chuck Buck states, “From the beginning, management determined to make God the Senior Partner. . . . Each knife must reflect the integrity of management, including our Senior Partner.”5 Buck’s outstanding products allow the company to point to Jesus, whose life and teachings motivate this excellent service. 5. Customers are treated with dignity and respect and not just as a means of profit. Outstanding service means that the customer is to be loved and respected as a person created in the image of God and that business transactions should be fair. “Welcome aboard,” Buck tells its customers, “You are now part of a very large family. Although we’re talking about a few million people, we still like to think of each one of our users as a member of the Buck Knives Family.”6 We are to treat others with love and respect. If business is our ministry, genuine service to the customer is part of following God. 6. Employees and workers are equipped to achieve greater potential in their life and, if they are Christians, to work wholeheartedly with faith, hope and love. God has gifted individuals with talents and abilities. A primary concern toward employees should be the deployment of those gifts in meaningful ways that allow them to glorify God through their work. Those who are followers of Jesus should be fully committed to excellence in their work rather than neglecting their duties in favor of ministry. At Inmac, I saw my job in part as guiding the company and preparing people for larger roles in the company. 7. All aspects of the business are considered to be potentially a ministry and the subject of prayer. Kingdom business professionals think of their work in the marketplace as ministry, and guidance through prayer is an important aspect of surrendering the business to God. “The fantastic growth of Buck Knives, Inc. was no accident,” Chuck Buck tells his customers. “In a crisis, the problem was turned over to Him, and He hasn’t failed to help us with the answer.”7 Likewise, you will find recounted in these pages a number of instances in which God clearly answered prayers regarding aspects of my own work in business. 8. The culture (values, symbols, governing beliefs) of the organization line up with God’s word and Kingdom purposes. There is a renewed recognition in business education that a company’s culture is a key to its success. By explicitly promoting and adhering to biblical principles, such as integrity, service, justice, respect and trust, Kingdom business professionals can infuse both their companies and the local business community with values that bring honor to God. His Kingdom is advanced as individuals and their business practices honor God’s teaching. 9. The business runs on grace. The business world is full of inequalities. Organizational position, economic position and social position all result in the potential for power to be exerted with respect to others. God invites us to operate on grace, for He extends grace when we fail. “If sometimes we fail on our end, because we are human,” says Buck’s message, “we find it imperative to do our utmost to make it right.”8 Likewise, we told Inmac employees to admit it if they made a mistake—we would support them. We extended grace to our customers by giving our customer service people the power to fix any problem on the spot, whether it was caused by our error or by the customer’s. The customer service people were guided by one simple principle: If you had this problem, what would you like the company to do for you to fix it? There will be mistakes and failures, but Kingdom business professionals should operate within a spirit of grace. 10. The leaders are servants, dedicated to serve the mission of the business, the best interests of the employees, the customers and the shareholders because they are first of all servants of God. Servant leadership has recently become a concept embraced by some academics, but its origins are not at all modern. Jesus taught that status and heroism are not required for leadership. In fact, He taught that to be a leader, one must be a servant. Rather than seek honor and position, servant leaders are committed to the common mission, and they empower their team members to excel. As a servant of God, I sought to serve others at Inmac. The letter I mentioned in chapter 1 that was displayed in the Inmac’s lobby made it very clear that employees, customers and partners could expect to be treated with respect, fairness and integrity because I was a follower of Jesus.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 68, loc. 1032-1087
Kingdom business professional Clem Schultz has been founding and operating companies in East Asia for a number of years, and he is often approached by those who wish to use his businesses as a cover for their evangelism work in a region. Clem stipulates that those missionaries work no less than 20 hours per week in the business, and that they be competent, trained and fully committed to their jobs in his companies. He even mandates that there be no witnessing with fellow employees on the job, stipulating that it can be done after hours and that the believer must demonstrate a proper work ethic during the working hours he or she has committed to the company. The Kingdom business is a vehicle for missions, but it is not to be used as a front for missionaries who have no interest in working there.
Ken Eldred, God Is at Work, pg. 77, loc. 1171-1176
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December 21, 2015Transforming people and nations through business. A great book that looks at the practical things that either allow or inhibit development and economies to thrive.
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