Showing posts with label BUSINESS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BUSINESS. Show all posts

Friday, 22 November 2019

Church Members Can Help Each Other Get Through Unemployment



Not too long ago, more people had secure jobs than is the case today. More jobs today are part-time, temporary, or contract jobs. Unemployment is more likely today because more people are forced to have many different jobs in a lifetime.

Under these conditions, the ideal scenario is to go from one job immediately to the next job. Unfortunately, that does not always happen, and they're often is a period of unemployment between jobs. Eliminating unemployment or at least keeping it as brief as possible is the obvious goal of most who are, or soon will be unemployed.

Prolonged unemployment can be a family disaster. This is especially true if the only breadwinner is unemployed for an extended period of time. The stress of unemployment eventually can lead to:

  • Damaged family relationships when the unemployed person asks to borrow from relatives
  • Bankruptcy
  • Foreclosed homes
  • Repossessed cars
  • Depression
  • Alcoholism or substance abuse
  • Spouse or child abuse
  • Divorce
  • Suicide

Unfortunately, too many people keep their unemployment status as a shameful secret. This is especially true with men. That is unfortunate, because, in the current era, unemployment often has little to do with the qualifications or character of those who are unemployed. It usually has more to do with a changing national job outlook, and workers are too often only innocent victims.

By networking with their family, friends, neighbors, work associates, social contacts, and fellow church members, these unemployed people are likely to be hired more quickly. Telling everyone about their job seeking status will increase the chances that these job seekers will hear information about job openings.

This article will focus on networking efforts with the unemployed person’s church members. Spiritual brothers and sisters are likely to give an unemployed member of their church their wholehearted networking support.
                                   
These spiritual brothers and sisters have many ways to help their unemployed brother or sister. They probably, for example, are members of many other types of organizations that also can expand a person’s job-seeking network. Some of those in the church also might have their own businesses. 
Thus, they might be able to offer to their unemployed brother or sister a part-time, temporary, or even permanent job. Finally, if the unemployed person’s financial situation is grim, some of these spiritual brothers and sisters might make unsolicited offers to loan them some much-needed money.

                            

If enough members of the church are unemployed, the church also might offer a room and computer equipment for the job seekers’ support group. These support group members can meet on a regular basis to help each other applicants for jobs. What job-seeking expertise one member does not have, another member might have, and vice versa.

During this difficult period, a priest or minister can offer skilled counseling only if the unemployed person does not hide his or her unemployment status. The urge to withdraw into private shame is counterproductive and can start a downward spiral. A willingness to accept the reality of their unemployment and a readiness to accept the available help is part of the adaptive, upward spiral that will get unemployed people past their temporary career setbacks.

In the future, the temporarily unemployed person might find that these roles have been reversed. At a future time, when the formerly unemployed person has a job, some of his or her fellow church members might be unemployed. Then, the now employed person will be in a position to help them in the manner that they helped him or her before. This will give new meaning to Christ’s command, “Do onto others as you would have them do unto you.”






About the Author

Dan Vale has a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and he has been a career counselor, a director of a career counseling center, a graduate school instructor, and a career consultant. As the Career Examiner for the Examiner Online Newspaper, he published 270 career-related articles over a seven-year period, during which the time he had multiple endorsements and subscribers, and in April 2016 alone, he had over 19,000 page reads. You can view his books at his Amazon Author Page.

Saturday, 13 January 2018

Reason Marketplace Is a Great Place for Christians

Seven Reasons Why a Marketplace Is a Great Place for Christians



If God has called you into business, please don’t wish you were called somewhere else. A marketplace is a great place for Christians right now. Here’s why:

Marketplace opportunities

1. Almost all non-Christians are in the marketplace


Today, less than 20% of Americans attend church regularly. In many European countries, the percentages are much lower. At the current rate, regular church attendance is projected to drop to 11.7% by 2050.

The good news is that these people who aren’t attending church will still be waking up to go to work alongside their Christian co-workers in the marketplace each morning.

2. Almost all Christians are in the marketplace


At least 85% of the Christian workforce spends 60-70% of their waking hours in the marketplace. In addition to serving our families and our local churches, the marketplace is the primary context in which our spiritual gifts should be used. The ministry potential for Christians using their spiritual gifts collaboratively in the marketplace is astounding!

(In case you don’t know what your spiritual gifts are, my forthcoming book will include a spiritual gifts assessment as well as teaching on how you can use your unique gifts for ministry in the marketplace.)

3. Discipleship actually can happen in the marketplace


Church leaders often are criticized for the lack of discipleship and spiritual growth among their congregations. Let’s give our pastors a break. How much discipleship actually can happen during a two-hour church service on Sunday?

Discipleship-that is, becoming more like Jesus-happens in everyday life. Yes, discipleship can happen anywhere… even during a two-hour, lecture-style event on Sunday. However, the potential for discipleship and ministry investment in a weekly service is a fraction of what is possible during an entire work-week spent with our co-workers, clients, etc.

4. The marketplace is a more authentic showroom of Christianity


If you were shopping for a car, you’d probably go to a showroom. Before you bought anything, you’d probably want to see if the car actually functions properly on the road. You might even ask the dealer to allow you to take the car home for a day or two to test it out.

The local church is like the showroom for Christianity. The marketplace is the test drive. The marketplace is where our unbelieving co-workers get to see if they really want what we have. Daily, they see how we react under pressure. They see how we treat people. They see how much God truly matters to us in our daily lives.

As mentioned in “Reason #1,” most people aren’t even coming to the “showroom” anymore, so marketplace Christians are now serving as both the showroom and the test drive of Christianity.

marketplace Christians

5. The marketplace forces the Church to use all of its capabilities


Personality-driven and super-pastor Christianity don’t work in the marketplace. Having a bunch of Christians sitting on the sidelines of ministry may not prevent a local church from increasing numerically, but it won’t transform the marketplace for the glory of God.

So far, most of the teaching about “marketplace ministry” has been defining marketplace ministry without regard for people’s unique spiritual gifts. For example, if I have an apostolic gift, of course I’m going to view marketplace ministry as a mandate to “ascend and take the Business Mountain for God” (see 7 Mountains). If I have a pastoral gift (i.e. marketplace chaplains), of course I’m going to view marketplace ministry as a calling to “care for the personal needs of my employees and/or co-workers.”

We need to approach marketplace ministry in a way that leverages the spiritual gifts of all Christians in the marketplace. The “one-size-fits-all” approach only produces self-condemnation and ineffectiveness for marketplace Christians attempting to operate outside of their God-given spiritual gifts.

6. Denominational divisions are less-destructive in the marketplace


We can choose whether to attend a Baptist Church, Pentecostal-Charismatic Church, Presbyterian Church, a Non-Denominational Church, etc… but most of us don’t have the luxury of co-working only with Christians with whom we agree theologically. The marketplace has a way of diluting some of these differences. This opens the door to collaborative ministry beyond the walls of our local churches and traditions.

7. Everything gets funded from the marketplace

All money comes from value that has been created in the marketplace, and business professionals ultimately decide what gets funded. These business professionals need to know God and His plan for their lives in order to make righteous decisions concerning money.

Although business is often thought of only as the economic engine of the Church, I hope that we will begin to see and realize its full potential for transforming society for the glory of God.



Discussion: In addition to these seven reasons, what is another reason why God is mobilizing Christian business professionals for ministry in the marketplace?



Written by  Darren Shearer





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Thursday, 23 November 2017

Business with Dignity

Running a Business with Dignity!




The Bible says that many are called, but few are chosen.

Dignity- the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.

When you are working to build anything, it is important that God is at the center of what you are doing. When you operate your business with dignity, you receive the blessings of the Lord, the favor of the Lord, and the hand of the Lord on what you are doing. God desires to elevate, bring prosperity, and favor to those who uphold his name, his standards, and his character. When you begin work outside of dignity, there has been a move from depending on God to depending on oneself. However, God is the one who is all powerful. He is the one who can turn circumstances, resources, and individuals in your direction for the success of your business. Run your business with Dignity.

Your Part Cannot Override God’s Part


It is true that there is work that is required on your part, but it is important that you do not become so busy with your part that you forget to include Him. God will not force you to remember to keep Him at the center of what you do. Instead, the Holy Spirit will gently nudge you in the right direction. The Holy Spirit may whisper, “Is this wise? Can God get the glory out of this? Is this decision based on godly integrity?” As you make decisions, connect with individuals, and make other important business decisions, consult with God. Put your ideas to the Word of God to check to see if God is reflected in your work.

Psalms 127:1 “Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.”
There are many components to a business, it must be a priority to ensure that you, as the owner, and those who make up or work within the company, are in position for the Lord to build the house. This scripture reveals that unless God is building your business, everything that you attempt to do will be in vain.

Keep Dignity despite Challenges


There may be challenges that arise as your business is developing, but you can expect the support of God when your business is running with Dignity. God will sustain you and your business during those times. God is not limited in resources, and as believers, we have access to his reserve. There will be temptations to work through other means to make things happen in the way or timing that best suit your plans; however, you have to choose God’s way over your own. Trust God to be faithful, timely, and wise to what is necessary for your business to continue and flourish as it should.

It is important to understand that there are some stages of development that you have to go through to appreciate where God is taking you. Challenges are not meant to break you or your business, but they are meant to help you propel to your next level. However, depending on how you handle the difficult moments, will determine where your heart truly is when it comes to what matters to God.
I Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

Trust the timing of God for your life! When you choose to walk with dignity when other options are available for you to do other things, you can interrupt God’s will and plans for your life. What can be a temporary fix outside of dignity can turn into a mountain size problem in the future.

Dignity as an Iceberg


Dignity is like an iceberg. It can seem so small or minuscule on the surface, but underneath there is so much more substance to it. Dignity is one of those virtues that people admire. When you operate in a way that you can be trusted to do what is right despite what is presented in front of you, people will want to be connected with you and what you are doing. In addition, when your dignity is strong, even when the enemy tries to tear down what you have built, it will be destroyed before you are destroyed.

God wants to do something wonderful for His people. He desires to bless the work of the people of God. Are you working indignity? Are you keeping Him at the center of what you are doing? There are ideas, blessings, creative ideas, and so much more that He can reveal and impart into your heart. Will you be in a position to receive? He is seeking a vessel working in Dignity. Run your business with dignity.









Author Bio-

My name is Chavon Thomas. I am a resident of Virginia Beach, VA. God birth something new to me in 2016. It was during some of the most challenging times, that I found God pulling on me to rise about various circumstances and move into destiny. A blog called New Beginnings with Me. It is a blog for women to encouraged, uplifted, and inspired to walk in the purpose that God has called them to be. 

The choices that I make are Spirit-led because my desire is for God to take pleasure in what I am doing. God has given me ideas, abilities (that I did not know I had), and people who support me. I invite you to go visit my blog at www.newbeginningswithme.com. I am available for speaking engagements as well. My desire is to travel the world teaching the gospel.

You can follow me on my social media sites: instagram and facebook

Thursday, 2 November 2017

Ministry through Business

 Ministry and Sharing Jesus through Business


To an average person, the word ministry refers exclusively to the Pastors and Preachers of the gospel; it does not apply to anyone who does not fall directly or indirectly under these two individual categories. Well, that may seem like a popular opinion held by the majority, but it does not in any way make it a fact. Biblically, ministry as a word and the engaging of ministry as an act does to apply to Preachers or Pastors alone. Instead, it refers to every Christian who desires to carry out God's commandment through their lives and in whatever they do.

The earlier that Christians understand that in whatever area or field of life they find themselves, that God expects them to do the work of ministry, affect people’s lives positively and bring glory and honour to His name, the better and easier it will be to affect the cooperate world for God. Be it in business, politics, government appointment or multinational companies.

For Christians who go into business, beyond the sales and the profit made from the business, one thing must always be on their mind, and that is transforming nations through business. When Christians develop this kind of mindset, even in the marketplace, it helps a great deal in spreading the gospel of the Kingdom of God to all the corners of the universe. As Matthew 28:19 said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” The truth that must be told is that the Preachers alone within the walls of the church cannot fulfil this task, there is, therefore, need for every hand especially businessmen and women to be on deck in winning souls in the business world and other fields of life.

Changing Lives beyond the Church Walls

A fact that cannot be denied is that every Christian (Preacher or not) have been called by calling into a full-time life of Christian service. This service extends beyond our various church walls and mission fields. It goes right into the cooperate world where we live and make daily communications with people.

In fact, a majority of Christians are not working in the church as Preachers or Missionaries. They are working in common spheres of life such as the civil service business, healthcare, academics, skilled craftsmen and the rest. This so means that the greater tasks of changing the lives of people as Gods representatives lie not within the four walls of any church but outside it which is in the cooperate society.

When Jesus spoke in Matthew 9:37 that “…the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few”, h was simply implying that the Pastors and church workers along are not enough to get the job done. This is because a large number of person out there in the cooperate world who are yet to experience a change and accept Christ as their saviour. One factor that must also be noted is that a lot of these unsaved or unchanged lives will not come any closer to the church building. Not to talk of being spoken to by the Pastor, so this is leaving them practically to the mercies of those Christians in the common spheres of life who understand their ministerial assignment even outside the church and are faithfully keeping to it.

Effectively Impacting People through Business

Having established that business is supposed to be a ministry for Christians; an avenue to spread the kingdom of God to the entire nation, another truth that needs to be established from now on is that the aim of ministry in business is not just to show up every morning in your marketplace.

A business with a bible and trying to convince people to believe in God, the aim is to establish changing lives business, a business that through its operation and reputation, the lives of people around is transformed and imparted on positively. If that is the aim, it, therefore, means that every Christian in business should understand and appreciate the fact that business and soul winning can be inter-related in so many ways.

To adequately fulfil these ministry aims of changing lives and effectively impacting the lives of people, this ministry business needs to, first of all, be instituted using basic foundations. As well as procedures for establishing an excellent and profitable business, but then after that, there are key points that must be considered seriously which are of uttermost importance. They exhibit great value to the business of which integrity, stewardship responsibilities, fairness, and uprightness are practised.

other points worth noting, which enables a business to have a transforming impact on people are;
1. Serving people rather than just business for profit
2. God-centered business, not self-centred business
3. Business as Christ’s ambassador


You can see also Business Ethics and Christian Faith

Sunday, 22 October 2017

Business Ethics and Christian Faith

Business Ethics and Christian Challenges

The relationship between Business ethics and Christianity has become a trendy subject in the contemporary context. This consideration must have been as a result of a quest in assessing possible factors capable of influencing business ethics and environment. Many suggest that Christian faith and business ethics are two parallel entities capable of ruining the benefits or true practice of the other. Others insist they are common and wholeheartedly agree with each other.

We can begin by defining the two terms and properly evaluating the intercepting points of Business ethics and Christianity. Before assessing if there’s positive correlation as alleged by many or a full disagreement. Business ethics are measures or principles applied in business for its growth and the best interest/satisfaction of the stakeholders, shareholders, and the business community. Christianity refers to the life of Jesus, the Son of God. Christians are known as the believers of the Son of God who practice the same life like Him.

The Ten Commandments

It can be deduced that business ethics are not explicitly subjecting any businessman or woman into a deviancy from Christianity since it has no specific outlines of contrary activities. However, when business standards are established for only profits, it would be accepted that business ethics may involve cheating, greed, dishonesty, and negligence of trust or others of its kind which are not in concordance with the Christian faith.

Without being bias in Christianity, business ethics include
• Honesty
• Loyalty
• Accountability
• Integrity
• Impartiality
• Trustworthiness
• Respect and concern for others
• Law Abiding
• Commitment to Excellence

The mentioned business ethics above, however, are fully in concordance with the Christian faith. Aside from those mentioned above, there are other business ethics which promote Christian challenges in the corporate world. These challenging ethics are either induced by the business stakeholders, shareholders or business environment. To an extent, some business requires illegal activities before success can be recorded. However, some of this business ethics are fabricated by the operating individuals to enforce business profit regardless of the religious views or Christian ideology to those decisions.

Christian challenges in the corporate world

The corporate world is more centred at profit-making, and being in the position to participate in a business environment can be challenged by many factors. Aside from your personal decisions to ensure stability to your business and to enforce growth, business supervisors can also contribute to these challenges. Not mentioning those from subordinates.

Let’s recall that Business ethics are measures to ensure the business growth. It does not make a necessary account for the legality of the measure. Hence, some of the ethics not promoting Christianity include the following.

Sales of services or products not supported by Christian faith

Some business ethics necessary in making more sales of a product or services may imply an introduction of a complementary product, which is not endorsed by the Christian faith. These complementary products or services sometimes serve as the principal means of selling. While they remain a service Christians cannot support, it leaves them with practising below the required ethics to flourish in such business. Some of these products or services may include the use of prostitutes to promote brothel business.

Contrary demands from business shareholders or Stakeholders

In business ethics, shareholders contribute to every decision carried out to maintain its growth. But profits are usually prioritized as against religious views or positions. Operating as a Christian business manager may become more challenging when the stakeholders demand that some contrary actions are taken to favour the business growth instead of integrity and honesty. A good example of this position may be operating with an expired license for a certain period, delivering an alternative or substandard product in place of the customer’s demand by changing the pack, etc.

Product hoarding to create inflation and exorbitant profit

Another business ethics by most business owners which are highly beneficial especially when they lack competitors is to hoard the products or make it scarce in the area to enforce a new price. This leaves the consumers no choice but to secure the product or services since they would have to travel a considerable distance for anything similar. Hoarding nullifies trust, integrity, honesty, accountability, among others.


Overcoming business ethics not in accordance with Christian faith

The most assuring way to overcome business ethics that are not in concordance with Christian faith is first to accept that they are wrong and not to be practised. This strong disagreement with the wrong ethics gives you an edge to the right position (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

Christian faith and business ethics are not to be treated separately by any Christian. Rather, Christianity should superimpose every business ethics to be adopted (Proverbs 3:6, Matthew 6:33). Irrespective of the profit assured by a contrary business ethics, Christians should understand that business environment and ethics should also serve as a medium of teaching salvation. Christians should not forget that every practice awaits rewards. Hence, only good foundations can stand the test of time.




Read Also Ministry through Business

Tuesday, 15 August 2017

Christians in the Marketplace

Reasons Why the Marketplace Is a Great Place for Christians 


If God has called you into business, please don’t wish you were called somewhere else. The marketplace is agreat place for Christians right now. Here’s why:

Almost all non-Christians are in the marketplace. 

Today, less than 20% of Americans attend church regularly. In many European countries, the percentages are much lower. At the current rate, regular church attendance is projected to drop to 11.7% by 2050.

The good news is that these people who aren’t attending church will still be waking up to go to work alongside their Christian co-workers in the marketplace each morning.

Almost all Christians are in the marketplace

At least 85% of the Christian workforce spends 60-70% of their waking hours in the marketplace. In addition to serving our families and our local churches, the marketplace is the primary context in which our spiritual gifts should be used.
The ministry potential for Christians using their spiritual gifts collaboratively in the marketplace is astounding!(In case you don’t know what your spiritual gifts are, my forthcoming book will include a spiritual gifts assessment as well as teaching on how you can use your unique gifts for ministry in the marketplace.)

Discipleship actually can happen in the marketplace

Church leaders often are criticized for the lack of discipleship and spiritual growth among their congregations. Let’s give our pastors a break. How much discipleship actually can happen during a two-hour church service on Sunday?

Discipleship-that is, becoming more like Jesus-happens in everyday life. Yes, discipleship can happen anywhere… even during a two-hour, lecture-style event on Sunday. However, the potential for discipleship and ministry investment in a weekly service is a fraction of what is possible during an entire work-week spent with our co-workers, clients, etc.

The marketplace is a more authentic showroom of Christianity

If you were shopping for a car, you’d probably go to a showroom. Before you bought anything, you’d probably want to see if the car actually functions properly on the road. You might even ask the dealer to allow you to take the car home for a day or two to test it out.

The local church is like the showroom for Christianity. The marketplace is the test drive. The marketplace is where our unbelieving co-workers get to see if they really want what we have. Daily, they see how we react under pressure. They see how we treat people. They see how much God truly matters to us in our daily lives.
As mentioned in “Reason #1,” most people aren’t even coming to the “showroom” anymore, so marketplace Christians are now serving as both the showroom and the test drive of Christianity.

The marketplace forces the Church to use all of its capabilities

Personality-driven and super-pastor Christianity doesn’t work in the marketplace. Having a bunch of Christians sitting on the sidelines of ministry may not prevent a local church from increasing numerically, but it won’t transform the marketplace for the glory of God.

So far, most of the teaching about “marketplace ministry” has been defining marketplace ministry without regard for people’s unique spiritual gifts. For example, if I have an apostolic gift, of course I’m going to view marketplace ministry as a mandate to “ascend and take the Business Mountain for God” (see 7 Mountains ). If I have a pastoral gift (i.e.marketplace chaplains), of course I’m going to view marketplace ministry as a calling to “care for the personal needs of my employees and/or co-workers.”

We need to approach marketplace ministry in a way that leverages the spiritual gifts of all Christians in the marketplace. The “one-size-fits-all” approach only produces self-condemnation and ineffectiveness for marketplace Christians attempting to operate outside of their God-given spiritual gifts.

Denominational divisions are less-destructive in the marketplace 

We can choose whether to attend a Baptist Church, Pentecostal-Charismatic Church, Presbyterian Church, a Non-Denominational Church, etc… but most of us don’t have the luxury of co-working only with Christians with whom we agree theologically. Themarketplace has a way of diluting some of these differences. This opens the door to collaborative ministry beyond the walls of our local churches and traditions.

Everything gets funded from the marketplace

All money comes from value that has been created in the marketplace, and business professionals ultimately decide what (and who) gets funded. These business professionals need to know God and His plan for their lives in order to make righteous decisions concerning money.

Although business is often thought of only as the economic engine of the Church, I hope that we will begin to see and realize its full potential for transforming society for the glory of God.

In addition to these seven reasons, what is another reason why God is mobilizing Christian business professionals for ministry in the marketplace?





Cred; Darren Shearer, The Founder & CEO, High Bridge Books

Monday, 31 July 2017

Ways to Be a King in Business

Provide & Protect: Two Ways to Be a King in Business

Not only did God call us to enter His Kingdom, He called us to rule within His Kingdom. The first commandment given to humanity was to “subdue the earth and rule; take dominion” (Gen. 1:28). We are promised that “those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:17).

As a marketplace Christian, you are a king, and a massive part of your domain is your sphere of influence in the marketplace. While our royal authority as children of God transcends the authorities among the kingdoms of the world, it should be revealed through our professional lives in the marketplace.

Let’s explore two of our primary duties as God’s kings in the marketplace.


1: Be a Provider


Kings have authority for the purpose of providing for those within their domains. As kings, what are some practical ways that we can provide for the needs of those in our spheres of influence in the marketplace?

Provide spiritual gifts - Whether your gifts are teaching, discernment, administration, prophecy, or any other, the marketplace needs your spiritual gifts to reflect the glory of God. God’s Word promises that He has made a place for our gifts. It is our responsibility to make those gifts available to those who need them.

Provide economic value - If you are getting paid to do what you do, you most likely have provided an equivalent amount of economic value. In the process, you served at least one person by providing for at least one need.

Provide economic opportunities - Whether you are have hired people or not, the economic value you provide for the marketplace creates opportunities for other people to offer value. When one need is met, new needs emerge. The solution to one problem creates new problems to be solved.

Provide alms for the needy - Do you have co-workers who are hurting financially? If you are a business owner, do you have customers who can’t pay? You may be the only one who knows about the impossible financial situations these people are in. Perhaps God is asking you to show mercy through providing some financial relief for that person.

As God’s appointed king in the marketplace, how do you provide for the people within your sphere of influence?

2: Be a Protector


Kings also are called to protect those within their domains. What are some practical ways that we can protect those in our spheres of influence in the business world?

Protect through making righteous decisions - Many of the decisions we make in business either will protect those in our spheres of influence, or they will hurt them. By making decisions in a way that protects those around us from financially, professionally, emotionally, relationally, or even physically harm-rather than protecting our own selfish interests-we can serve our co-workers, customers, and colleagues with the servant’s attitude of Jesus (Phil. 2:5).

Protect through life-giving words - On every economic level, the marketplace is extremely vulnerable to negativity and fear. As such, marketplace Christians have a significant opportunity and calling to protect those around us from this negativity and fear by speaking only “what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable… things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Phil. 4:8).

Protect through prayer - Through our prayers, we can guard our companies against loss, theft, bad business partners, bad business deals, adverse market swings, and more. Many of these things are beyond our control, but they are not beyond the control and intervention of the Holy Spirit.

You Are Royalty


When Queen Victoria was a child, she didn’t realize that she was in line for the throne of England. Her instructors trying to prepare her for leadership were frustrated perpetually because they couldn’t motivate young Victoria to take her schoolwork seriously. They knew she wouldn’t be able to lead others until she could lead herself.

Finally, her teachers admonished her, “One day, Victoria, you will be the Queen of England!”

Upon hearing this, Victoria said quietly, “Then, I will be good.”

The realization that she had inherited this high calling gave her a sense of authority, responsibility, and accountability that profoundly affected her conduct from that day forward.

Like Queen Victoria, we will always live in accordance with our understanding of who we are. As marketplace Christians, we are kings and priests who belong to God. This revelation will transform the business world as we walk in the fullness of our calling as marketplace Christians.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9).



Discussion: How is God asking you to provide for and protect those in your sphere of influence in the marketplace?






Written by  Darren Shearer

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