Business Foundations
Growing up in the Deep South, the Bible and church has always played a significant role in my life. Both in our home and through regular church attendance I was taught biblical knowledge. My mother prayed for me every day and spent much time teaching and training me in the routine of home education. My father did too, as work allowed. I’ve come to appreciate at that as I now have a family of my own and realize that such parents have become more rare.
My dad has been an entrepreneur for most of his working life — certainly for as long as I can remember. Perhaps it was this life pursuit of his — running his own businesses — that helped the conversation in our home circulate around work, biblical principles put into action, and the practical relevance of working out what we believe.
It has often been emphasized that — if one really wanted to serve God — being a pastor or missionary was the real route to go. And while I suppose that I was significantly influence by that, my upbringing gave me a decidedly practical — and turns out biblically historical — emphasis that the work of the “secular” man who labors in the fields of goods and services for the body was just as Kingdom needed and important as the “sacred” man who labors in the fields of goods and services for the soul. It has in fact so often been emphasized in their differences that it took the American Revolution to present to the world pastors dubbed as the “Black Robed Regiment” — and later pastors like Thomas Chalmers — who would significantly close that gap as pastors. Chalmers quipped “Show me a people-going pastor and I’ll show you a church-going people.”
This all came to clear focus for me in recently reading a wonderful book by Jordan Raynor, “Called to Create”. This book has been — so far — a revolutionary piece in how to view the calling and legitimacy of business, it’s role and importance in the life of a believer, it’s rooted connection to the nature of God and the calling of man, and even in its foundational preparing for our Savior Jesus as He prepared for 3 years of earthly ministry.
This calling to create is rooted in Who God is. It is an essential expression of who we are as image bearers. It is indispensable fuel for Kingdom advance. And it reveals to us much of God’s great purposes and callings for our lives and His glory.
Over the next few weeks, let’s take the time to do a book review together as we see the value, wonder and rich biblical purpose in the call of God to join with Him in our call to create!
