Biblical Business Leadership: STRATEGYНамуна

1. Strategic planning is Biblical.

Oftentimes, we put a separation between our working lives and our lives as Christ-followers. One of the areas where this is most prevalent may be the area of strategic planning and business plan development. 

You might think, whatever does the Bible have to do with strategy and planning? Aren’t those areas a little far removed from my life, and my daily activities, as a Christ-follower?

Yes and No.

YES, it’s true that we don’t hear much (if anything) about strategy and business planning at church, in our small group, and neither does it spring out at us from the pages of the Bible.

But NO, the Bible is not far removed from our daily business activities, even those of strategy and planning. 

As we begin a study of what the Bible says for our business lives, there’s no better place to start than with the words of Jesus Himself:

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”  Luke 14:28, NIV

That’s Jesus dispensing practical advice for every project we might manage. 

Almost 1000 years earlier, wise King Solomon dispensed similar advice in the book of Proverbs, suggesting that strategy and planning is a requirement for profitable operations – read these verses carefully, they have been paraphrased in a way to capture the meaning especially for our situation today:

Attentive leadership achieves healthy profits; operations executed hastily precede failure. Proverbs 21:5 (paraphrased)

Successful business strategy comes from the research & experience of many; so get your guidance before you launch. Proverbs 20:18 (paraphrased)

These words may seem surprising in how practical they are, but strategy and the other elements of business planning are Biblical. Jesus' second example in the passage from Luke reiterates the point: 

“Or suppose your company plans to enter a market where others are already successful. Won’t you first sit down and consider whether your resources and plans are adequate to secure a profitable market position?”  Luke 14:31 (paraphrased)

Strategic planning is clearly encouraged and supported by the Bible!

In the remainder of this series, we’ll look for additional wisdom on how best to lead in this area, as a Christ-follower tasked with the responsibility of business leadership is a sacred calling.

Reflection / Application

1. Are you surprised by the applicability of the Bible to the topics of business strategy and planning? Why or why not?
2. From the Bible passages referenced, what connections do you see between what the Bible says and strategy or planning in your work?
3. What speaks to you as a leader from this study? What impact does it have on your leadership role?