Why God Needs Your Business
By Tina Wolfe
McDowell County
I’ve been on a wild adventure with God learning to take my Sundays into Mondays and beyond. Amid a pandemic, economic turmoil, and political chaos, I left a secure, regularly paying job because God told me to leave. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t hear Him or that I misunderstood him—no, that signal came in loud and clear.
About a year before the pandemic, I signed on to an immersive coaching program, Kingdom Driven Entrepreneurs created by Shae Bynes. She introduced me to a whole new way of doing business with God, not just for God. Her books, Doing Business God’s Way and Grace Over Grind helped answer my question, “How do I serve and honor God in my work as passionately as I do at church and home?” Or in God’s word, (Rom. 12:2) “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” We are not meant to compartmentalize our faith. We are called to be God’s representative in our work whether we work for a company or we own it.
Let me explain.
My faith was at what you might call a plateau. My church life was rich and fulfilling and my home life was evidence of God working miracles as I practiced obedience to Him (learning that my way of handling things wasn’t exactly working out as I planned). Something was missing. I felt so deeply that He had more to teach me and the one place I struggled was at work. I understood that God was calling me to show up with my faith in the one area of my life where it was being regulated by others—or so I thought at the time.
I had been struggling in my corporate roles as communications and marketing director. My desire to live out my faith in all areas of my life was creating conflict. What I was writing based on the mission statements and core values of the organizations and businesses was not lining up with what leaders were doing and the way they were conducting business. The practices were completely natural and accepted in the world’s way of doing business, but God’s way of doing business is on a completely different scale and level. And I wanted His way. The incongruities pricked at my conscience. I would prayerfully and professionally point out the incongruities I was experiencing and was often labeled as “difficult” and “not a team player” or “just didn’t understand how things were done.”
The question I had been asking myself was, how do I live in this world of business with its worldly practices of white lies, justifications, hidden agendas, and half-truths, and not be of it? In the last 10 years, it became glaringly evident that my ability to let it go as ‘just the way things are done’ was more than I could bear—I needed God’s help. We are trained in the world of business to be politically correct instead of learning the difficult lessons of learning to rebuke in love, hold people accountable by calling them up to their best selves, and honoring the truth wherever that leads us with God’s grace and mercy. I realized that the Holy Spirit’s convicting me on these things and the damage it was doing to people was to prepare me to receive the answer to my nagging question. (God is so wise and patient with me.)
Over a decade, God and I had conversations on how to handle conversations, how to present new ways of doing things, and how to clear up inconsistencies—seeking a Godly way of expressing my concerns. Mathew 6:33 became my daily devotional and the apostle Paul became my Biblical mentor on what God had to say about work. It was a profound learning experience for me as many times, I admit, I didn’t get it right. But I was consistent in seeking the Lord’s guidance in how he wanted to me show up in the marketplace. I began also listening to Jordon Raynor’s devotions and podcast, Word Before Work. I learned that God has a lot to say about our work and how, like everything else we have, is a gift from Him—to bring Him glory.
God understood that I needed to experience these things and “work out my faith” with Him to learn how to show up with my faith in the marketplace. Colossians 3:23-24 became my mantra, “and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward to the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
The Marketplace is an integral part of our spiritual work. Along with the verses mentioned above, Proverbs 16:3 tells us to “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Genesis also shows us that God worked, setting an example for us, during the first six days of creation. And Psalm 90:17 says, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands.” Paul chose to work because he knew that setting an example with his behavior and actions helped build trust and relationships. He did so with the honor and integrity that God provides through his grace.
When we commit as Proverbs 16:3 instructs us to do He promises to establish our plans. This isn’t a one-time occurrence or a verse hanging on the wall. This calls us to seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in all of our business affairs from our business plan to our vacation policy. As Bynes says before every podcast, “This isn’t business as usual.” This is a commitment that ensures the promises of Scripture for you and your business. This is what it means to live in this world but not be of it.
What is a Kingdom-Driven Entrepreneur?
(*from Doing Business God’s Way)
“A Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur is different from what you may be accustomed to experiencing among believers in the business world.
Kingdom: God’s rule and reign (the King’s way of being and doing things), the realm of heaven, and the government of God
Driven: Propelled or motivated by
Entrepreneur: One who organizes and operates a business (or businesses), identifying a need or desire and filling it in the marketplace
“When we talk about being a Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur, it means that your entrepreneurial endeavors are motivated by seeing an increase of the Kingdom of God on earth, and they are propelled forward by seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.
“Once you decide to be a Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur, you simply will not be able to imagine doing business without partnering with the presence of an awesome and limitless God. Isn’t it an honor to know that the Creator of the Universe, the only one who sees all and knows all is interested in working with you in your business? He desires to create with you, guide you, provide for you, and draw you (and others) closer to Him in the process.”
I am now joyfully serving small businesses and operating my consulting business as a Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur. The best part is that I can truly be a part of His work in the lives of people every day. I don’t rush to follow trends, I don’t have to stress about making tough decisions, and I have an ‘awesome and limitless God’ as my partner and CEO. I am inclined to believe that I am not the only business professional whose spirit is convicted to honor God in their professional life. If you desire more of God in your business and work and are interested in diving deeper into Shae Bynes’s book, “Doing Business God’s Way” contact me.
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Tina is a long-time resident of McDowell County with a passion for helping business owners operate from a Christian, servant-led perspective. She is a follower of Christ, a wife, and a mother. As a business owner, marketing professional, and journalist, she has studied Christian business models and worked with business coaches to learn how to effectively operate in a worldly business environment from a Godly perspective. She believes that when we dare to serve, we succeed in life, and business
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