Taking Credit For Versus Taking Pride In - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

First, greetings to the many folks from mainland China, Korea, and throughout Asia who are stopping by our blog. Thanks to you and our other visitors from around the world. I'm truly excited to see the Lord expand our audience across the globe.

Think back to your school days. Mine were filled with crushes on girls who weren't interested, spending what little money I had on baseball cards, and feigning sickness so I could stay home to watch The Price is Right and The Family Feud.

Thankfully, my mom usually saw through my charade and sent me to school. There my teachers taught me not to plagiarize or otherwise steal and take credit for someone else's work.
As I pondered this while cleaning the kitchen yesterday, the Lord hit me with this: if we teach our kids not to take credit where credit isn't due, why don't we practice the same in ministry and in business?

Think of your latest ministry or corporate success? Then consider the Spirit-inspired words of the Apostle James: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." Next, ponder that God sends harvest-producing rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Even if you're not a Christian, God is graciously providing for you.

(By the way, if you're not a Christ-follower, time is not on your side to confess you're a rebel from God and turn to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. I digress...)

Perhaps no other experience teaches you to recognize the clear work of God on your behalf like being a ministry fundraiser or owning a business.

I hate to admit it, but I'm a closet fundraiser. That's right, a fundraiser. I cringe even as I pen those words. Not that I don't like helping people tell their ministry story. I just don't appreciate the tendency in fundraising work to take credit for the clear provision of Jehovah Jireh.

Once upon a time, my job was to travel the States raising funds for Christian ministry. When cash came in, I was "clearly gifted." When times were lean, my bosses questioned what I was doing with my time. I found it to be a most-vexing situation.

God used that time to teach me to trust Him more--a lesson I'm definitely still learning. He also used my fundraising days to instill in me a real conviction to give God credit for the things He's done. This doesn't mean that I can't take pride in my work and all the successes God brings in my walk with Him. (see Galatians 6:4) It simply entails not plagiarizing God's work by passing it off as my own.

Reflect on your business or your vocational ministry. Are you actively seeking to glorify God through your efforts and to give Him the glory for your success? Or are you content simply to thank Him for your talents and the money & people He brings your way, with a secret nod to your own greatness. Confidence in the Spirit's calling and gifting is biblical. (see Ephesians 3:1-12) Trusting in yourself and proffering God's work as your own is foolish and destructive. (see Proverbs 28:26)

As co-laborers with Christ in church, parachurch, and workplace ministry, we should take pride in God and in His work in our lives. But we must not plagiarize the clear work of God by celebrating ourselves as the source of the success He brings.

Gotta go. The Price is Right is coming on down...

Business as Mission - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

Isn't this time of year grand? Countless hours spent filing personal and corporate taxes, knowing that the documents you request from your bank should arrive about the time we see a free Tibet.

Yesterday I blogged about business as ministry. Today I want to introduce you to the world of business as mission. But before we go there, let me encourage you pastors and ministry leaders.

If you don't already have one, I strongly encourage you to start a prayer chain devoted to the Christian business owners and other marketplace-shaping believers in your midst. If they're walking rightly with Christ, these business leaders are seeking the Spirit's provision and guidance to take care of their employees and grow their businesses, to the glory of God. They're also likely looking to use their businesses and the proceeds from them, to advance God's kingdom. What an incredible responsibility!

No, I'm not asking you tap dance around company leaders and coddle them. (See James 2 for more on that.) But you might want to stop and consider the unique opportunities the Lord is providing business people and prayerfully consider how the Spirit might lead you to intercede for and equip Christian professionals "for the work of service."

Now to business as mission...

In a nutshell, business as mission is the notion that your business is your mission, that your mission is your business. Business as mission practitioners seek to use their God-given talents to start and/or operate successful companies which meet real-world needs and provide a platform to advance Christ's kingdom. Of course, as with all evangelistic/discipleship endeavors, the fruit comes not from the plan, but from God "who makes it grow."

Quite frankly, the whole business as missions movement is a big departure from past dichotomizing between business and ministry. You're either in business or ministry, right? Business people are there to make money, support pastors and fund ministry, right? God hasn't bestowed talents upon marketplace Christians and provided them with unique opportunities to expand His kingdom, has He? He has!

Certainly Christ certainly gave the first-century apostles and prophets, and now evangelists and pastor-teachers to equip believers "until we all attain...to the measure of the fullness of Christ." God has also sovereignly and uniquely empowered Christian business people to shine as children of light in the midst of our crooked and perverse generation. As I mentioned yesterday, Priscilla and Aquila were two such folks.

Notice the eternal work of the Spirit through this biblical power couple. First, the Lord used Priscilla and Aquila to provide shelter for Paul. (Acts 18:3) Later, in part surely because they had acquired skills through which they could care for themselves just about anywhere, Priscilla and Aquila journeyed with Paul to Ephesus. (Acts 18:18-19) Finally, Priscilla and Aquila discipled Apollos in the whole truth about our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (Acts 18:24-28) How the Spirit moved through lowly Christian professionals!

Praise the Lord, He still works through Spirit-led marketplace believers in much the same way. If our Father has called you to business as mission, be strongly encouraged and seek Him wholeheartedly.

Consider the example of Priscilla and Aquila, ground yourself in God's holy word as they did, and seek Him for how He might work through your business acumen to edify and evangelize! This could take the form of ministering and mentoring right where you are, or putting your skills to good ministry use overseas. Go for it, even as you remember our Savior's exhortation, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom." (Luke 11:32)

For more info on business as mission, visit Business as Mission Network--the unquestioned hub of the Business as Mission movement.