{"id":20829,"date":"2022-05-09T20:28:52","date_gmt":"2022-05-09T20:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.joinc12.com\/?p=20829"},"modified":"2023-03-20T13:58:50","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T13:58:50","slug":"business-as-a-ministry-calculated-risks-eternal-rewards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.joinc12.com\/leadership\/business-as-a-ministry-calculated-risks-eternal-rewards\/","title":{"rendered":"Business as a Ministry: Calculated Risks, Eternal Rewards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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All Christian CEOs and business owners eventually wrestle with the concept of stewardship. If we believe that God is Lord over everything in our lives, at some point, we realize His lordship includes our businesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

C12 CEO, Mike Sharrow<\/span>,<\/span><\/a> says, \u201cThe term stewardship is commonly used in reference to our financial decision-making. Biblical stewardship, however, is really a matter of identity\u2014who we are and whose we are \u2026 We \u201cgive\u201d nothing to God; He owns everything. He has entrusted us with the responsibility of stewarding His businesses and His most prized possession: people.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The implications of that reality are challenging. The thought of integrating our faith into the daily operations of our companies can seem like a daunting, dangerous, and even risky journey. <\/span>It seems easier to keep our faith private and maintain the status quo.<\/span><\/p>\n

You may be wondering where to start. Perhaps the fear of what others will think is holding you back. Or maybe you have tried a few things, like giving to charity out of your profits, but are unsure about being more intentional or bold with your witness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can become stuck, worrying about the worst that could happen. But Paul reminds us in his letter to Timothy:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGod has not given us a spirit of fear,\u00a0but of power and of love and of a sound mind.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u2013<\/span>2 Timothy 1:7<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of the day, every activity in business comes with risk. <\/span>John G. Shedd<\/span><\/a><\/span>, President and Chairman of the Board at Chicago\u2019s <\/span>Marshall Field & Company<\/span><\/a><\/span> during its heyday in the early 1900s once said, \u201cA ship is safe in the harbor, but that\u2019s not what ships were made for.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At C12<\/span><\/a><\/span>, we have been helping Christian CEOs and owners walk the business and faith integration journey for thirty years. And we can help you navigate through the risks and rewards that accompany this journey. <\/span><\/p>\n

A Business and Faith Integration Role Model<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

David Green, CEO of Hobby Lobby<\/span>,<\/span><\/a> knows the challenges that come with choosing faith over fear in business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As he embarked on the journey to make faith integral to his business, there were all kinds of risks to evaluate. He wrestled with how God would view his treatment of his employees, his customers, and his finances. And, in a radical and potentially costly decision for a retail business, he was convicted to close stores on Sundays in honor of his view that God created Sunday as a day of rest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, <\/span>Green decided that honoring God<\/span><\/span><\/a> was his highest value. \u201cSometimes God asks you to do something, not because it brings prosperity, but because it\u2019s right and develops faith. When we began viewing the business as a platform to show the love and truth of the gospel, things became clear. <\/span>I take risks in business all the time to make a dollar; why would I not take risks for the eternal benefit of people<\/b>?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Seven Limiting Mindsets to Business as a Ministry<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

C12\u2019s mission<\/span><\/span><\/a> is to equip Christian CEOs and owners to build great businesses for a greater purpose. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to recognize what makes a business great. We see companies with great financial results, great customer service, great people, etc. But how do businesses move from producing great results to also serving a greater, eternal purpose?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We encourage Christian leaders to view their business as a platform from which they can produce Kingdom impact in the marketplace\u2014a concept we refer to as a <\/span>Business as a Ministry or \u201cBaaM<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re new to the concept of Business as a Ministry, you may be concerned about what implementing these ideas might mean for your business. Here are some common limiting mindsets we\u2019ve encountered as leaders consider the BaaM methodology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Ignorance <\/b>\u2013 \u201cYou don\u2019t know what you don\u2019t know!\u201d Some leaders are simply unaware that it is possible to integrate faith into their businesses. Others might wonder what more they could legally do beyond just having a strong morality and ethic of \u201cdon\u2019t do bad stuff.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Suspended Animation<\/b> \u2013 Some leaders are awaiting permission. They don\u2019t think they\u2019ve received a \u201ccalling\u201d in their vocational journey and lack certainty in their qualifications.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Misinformation<\/b> \u2013 Some hold a misperception that BaaM is illegal, immoral, or imprudent to integrate faith and business leadership. Could you go to jail? Is it even right or just to express our beliefs and approach business as authentic followers of Jesus Christ?<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Embarrassment, Shame, and Fear<\/b> \u2013 Nobody wants to be the person who is obnoxious with their faith, bludgeons others with truth, and polarizes the room.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Guilt and Inferiority<\/b> \u2013\u00a0We know we are all imperfect examples of disciples of Jesus, acutely aware of our past failures and present struggles. It can be difficult enough to run the business well without the added expectations of doing it \u201cfor God.\u201d These leaders dread being labeled as hypocrites.<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Lack of Models<\/b> \u2013 Others are open to the journey, but they don\u2019t possess a roadmap for what can be done, what should be done, or how to do it wisely.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Obstacle and Comparison Fixation<\/b> \u2013 Great stories like those of David Green are inspiring. But the comparison trap can also paralyze.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Adopting the BaaM methodology will take some practice. Learning to take the right risks in wise ways will take some practice as well. Through the collective wisdom of our members and <\/span>our strategic partners<\/span><\/a><\/span>, we can help you overcome your limiting beliefs as you journey toward the goal of making God known through your business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Weighing Business as a Ministry Risks and Rewards<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Jesus sent his disciples on a mission with uncertainty and risk\u2014even praying God would not spare them from trouble<\/span> (<\/span>Luke 10:1\u201323<\/span><\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

    Jesus often chose to teach about God\u2019s economy through illustrative stories. He famously told a parable about a leader entrusting variable sums of money to servants and then evaluating and rewarding them based on their ROI. While the servants did not receive equal start-up capital, each had an opportunity to leverage what the leader gave them. The only servant he chastised, as it turns out, was the one who let fear of failure justify his inaction (<\/span>Matthew 25:14\u201320<\/span><\/a><\/span>).<\/span><\/p>\n

    We see here that God approves of and even encourages calculated risk-taking.<\/span><\/p>\n

    So how do you wisely weigh the risks and rewards for <\/span>Business as a Ministry<\/span><\/a><\/span> in your unique context?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    In this video, <\/span>C12 CEO Mike Sharrow<\/span><\/a><\/span> guides us through an exercise that reveals our readiness and faithfulness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Business<\/a><\/p>\n

    A two-by-two matrix can be a helpful tool to understand the critical factors as we embark on our BaaM journeys.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The first dimension, on the horizontal axis, evaluates our business protocols. Our policies must exist on solid legal and business foundations or we risk recklessness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The second dimension, on the vertical axis, evaluates our Business as a Ministry practices. If we believe God owns our businesses, but we are not implementing BaaM activities, we limit our Kingdom impact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    So, which quadrant of practices and protocols would your business fall into on the BaaM Risk Assessment?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Business<\/p>\n

    Let the lower right quadrant sink in for a moment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you are a Christian leader and letting fear limit your BaaM impact, might your expression of faith appear superficial? Are you living with the same mindset that clouded the third servant in the parable, who took his talent and buried it in the ground? How could God move in your business through your next step of faithfulness, coupled with the necessary best practices?<\/span><\/p>\n

    Business as a Ministry Calculated Risks for Eternal Reward<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

    If you find yourself struggling with any of the limiting beliefs above, we have proven practices to help you overcome them and implement BaaM with increased confidence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    We\u2019ve created a checklist of BaaM Best Practices<\/span><\/a><\/span>. Each practice exists well-within legal and best-practice protocols and will help you move your business toward the upper right quadrant of faithfulness.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Here are two examples:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. Corporate Governance:<\/b> \u201c<\/span>We have defined a mission, vision, and core values\/principles anchored in the gospel and eternal perspective.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      C12 member and CEO, Kris DenBesten<\/span><\/span><\/a> says that one of the most important things he did at his company, Vermeer Southeast, was to adopt a vision statement that allows others to see Christ in the work they do. Their mission is:<\/span><\/p>\n

      To SHINE with excellence.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n