Biblical Business Leadership: STRATEGYНамуна

4. Strategy following God’s lead requires Faith.

As leaders, we want to portray confidence, even when we’re not sure, so others will follow.

A number of great businesses have been established in the market today because of the leader’s faith in their plans & abilities, often against conventional wisdom or established behaviors.

The Bible calls us to the same, but with reliance on God instead of ourselves. The Apostle Paul captures this thought in his letter to the Romans:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Here is the Bible telling us, don’t be like everyone else – but renew your mind in line with the teachings of the Bible to gain insights into the will of God.

But is that intended for our working lives also?

That’s a good question, but ask yourself this instead: why would the Word of God not apply to our working lives? God is LORD over all, and, as Christ-followers, we’re asked to follow Him in all that we do, not just at church or home, right?

But what does that look like? And, how do we do that?

It starts with finding God’s will – renewing our minds – so that we might adopt God’s perspective throughout our work. Then, once we know God’s will, our next step is acting in obedience and faith. 

Easier said than done, right? Let’s check some examples from the Bible…

Remember Gideon, the one God chose to lead only a few hundred men armed with clay pots, trumpets & torches against an army of many thousands equipped with the latest battle gear? After “putting out the fleece” three times, did he finally muster up the faith to achieve his success.

Or, what about Joshua, who God called to defeat the heavily-fortified city of Jericho by marching around it seven times? 

God is likely not calling you to such dramatic victories, but He does want to be involved – even in your business strategies.  

God wants you to depend on Him for your success, and not just on your team, your technology or even your market position. Dependence on God – even in the face of ridiculous challenges – was the lesson for Gideon and Joshua, and remains a lesson for us today.

In practice, this means laying your plans before the LORD, and then, when you find God’s will for those plans - then you are called to act. Even when that action seems counter to the “pattern of this world.”

Being a leader is not easy. And, being a leader in business who also seeks to follow God can seem impossible at times. 

History is filled with God’s reward and blessing on those who faithfully follow His lead, even when this may defy all conventional wisdom. Is that you too?

Reflection / Application

1. Do you know someone who trusted God for goals or a plan in business? What did that look like and how did that go?
2. Do you know someone who trusted God for goals or a plan in business and then failed? How did they react? What was the final result: in their work, in their Christian walk?
3. Are you comfortable trusting God for results beyond what your team or management might think normally possible? Why or why not?
4. If God wanted to stretch your dependence on Him in your leadership role, how might He do that? Would it be easy or difficult for you to go along with God’s plan?