How a Business can be Missional
What does it really mean for our businesses to be "missional"? Obviously, it's not going to be missional just because it is run by misisonaries! A missional business must be different from non-missional businesses. But, how? Here, we offer you a practical check-list of "How a Business can be Missional". (The suggestions are not in order of priority.)
Basic Requirements for Kingdom Impact
- Be praying for all aspects of your business
- Be honest and trustworthy
- Keep promises and agreements
- Be fair
- Be kind, compassionate
- Obey the law
- Respect everyone
- Commit to excellence
- Maintain a good reputation
- Be accountable
- Be joyful
Employees
- Pay a living wage – enough to support a family and provide basic medical coverage
- Pay wages and bonuses on time
- Create a mentorship, training and promotion program
- Allow employees to train and mentor others
- Measure and track employee morale
- Begin each day with communal prayer and devotional time
- Pray before every meeting
- Use Bible-based character development programs
- Invite employees to know your family by inviting them into your home
- Meet weekly/bi-weekly with employees to ask about their personal lives
- Pray for their needs
- Share scripture that speaks to their needs
- Regularly remind employees of the company values
- Visit sick or injured employees and their families
- Give Bibles as gifts
- Share business problems and challenges with employees and ask for help and prayer
- Have quarterly (paid) outreach days where employees (and their families) join the business in taking care of the poor and marginalized
- Deal with issues biblically, balancing grace and wisdom and explain the process and the biblical basis of the process
- Confess and ask for forgiveness before the other person
- Clearly post job requirements and expectations, remind employees on a regular basis. Have clear job descriptions, where appropriate
- Hire with transparency and always select the most qualified and best fit employee
- Never accept bribes or special favors
- Create a prayer room for employees to pray and seek God
- Have weekly bible studies where employees lead
- Invite employees to come to government or other difficult meetings to model a Christian response to problems
- Allow employees to see the Christian decision-making process and mentor them to make correct decisions
- Turn your office into a "safe house" where employees can come share their burdens
- Offer to help mediate family issues employees are having
- Share bible stories, new revelation, testimony and how God is challenging you on a weekly basis
- Review employee morale with employees on a regular basis to ensure that everyone is physically and spiritually healthy
General
- Display statements of faith and business practices in the public areas of your business
- Include paragraphs about aligning to Biblical values in employment and business contracts
- Publicly take care of the poor and marginalized
- Join Christian business organizations (if available)
- Find a spiritual and business mentor (often not the same person)
- Make sure the business is profitable and sustainable
- Don't put the business above your family or spiritual walk
- Customers
- Offer quality products at market prices
- Never cheat or lie to customers
- Respect all customers regardless of background, gender or religion
- Take time to meet and listen to your customers over coffee or tea
- When you hear of customers' needs, stop and offer to pray for them
- Have Bible stories ready which resonate with culture and felt needs
- Create and track monthly targets for building relationships and sharing the Gospel
- Have monthly events for customers providing Biblical character training
- Host parties for local and Christian events
- Invite customers to join your efforts to help the poor and marginalized
- Visit sick and injured customers
- Give Bibles and other quality Christian reading materials as gifts
- Invite customer's family to your house for dinner
- Stop and pray before all meetings
- Share your life and your prayer needs with customers
- Pray with irritated or angry customers
- Use Biblical peacemaking process for dealing with troublesome customers and explain the biblical basis of the process
- Don't lose your temper or engage in business when angry
- Confess and ask for forgiveness
- Never disparage or speak ill of other businesses, government or anyone else
- As customers show interest, offer to read the scriptures together
- Host bible training events for customers in conjunction with the local church
Suppliers
- Pay suppliers on time, or if possible before the deadline for the credit period
- Apply any of the tips above for relating to customers
- Pay all taxes and fees required to run a business
- Don't pay bribes that subvert justice
- Include government officials in training and business celebrations
- Don't be afraid to share your faith with government officials
- Apply any of the ideas for customers for government officials