Strategic Advice

I was blessed to grow up in a church with lay leaders; people who blended their work lives with teaching and preaching - investing heavily in the lives of people in the church and those who made contact with the church. But while that demonstrated that church ministry was not an exclusive clerical role, it was one way traffic. What do I mean? Well, people in business could be involved in ministry (church ministry), but I did not perceive that people could be called to ‘ministry and mission in and through business’.

Of course we were taught to do everything (including our work lives) “as unto the Lord” - but largely that meant ‘word hard because God is your boss and He’s watching you’ … and ‘your work provides for your family and gives you funds to support Church, mission through the church, and missionaries’ (the latter being the real heroes of the faith!).

The last 20+ years have broadened that perspective! I am thankful to see some breakdown of that ‘sacred/ secular divide’, to see ‘a call to business’ recognised, and to see ‘missional businesses’ throughout the world.

Yet - so often and too often- we do not let God take all we are and all we have, and use it for His glory.

We say that everything is His, but we live lives of functional atheism … our words say one thing, our ‘real’ day to day choices actually reflect what and who we trust. May we allow our hearts to be changed by His Spirit and fed by His Word!

I have been personally challenged over the last weeks about God’s entrepreneurial gifting. As business people we have skills that He wants to use to change nations for His glory. Our ambition and vision should be broadened.

I am impressed by 1 Chronicles 12:32 where we read: “From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” (NLT).

What would it look like for 200 of us to “understand the signs of the times”? … reading (through Spirit-given discernment) the opportunities and threats of the world around us … and (with strategic Spirit-given wisdom) … providing ‘course correction’ to our families, our businesses, our churches, our communities, and our nations?

What an entrepreneurial calling!

Blessings on you as you work out your call from the King!

- Ian J MacCorkell.