What

on Earth is a Kingdom Business? Three Keys To

Supercharge Your Business Growth

http://www.mountainsphere.com

At some point youve probably wondered (or debated)
precisely what it is that makes a regular business a kingdom
business.

Theres no easy definition in scripture but there are loads of
indicative examples.

This is because the gospels and Acts describe the impact of
the Kingdom as it breaks into the lives of ordinary Jews and
Gentiles. Most of these folk were carrying on their businesses
and, in meeting Jesus, came to terms with a realization they
needed to reorder their life.

A new way of ordering their life included a new way of
ordering their businesses.

So when scripture finds these ordinary folk theyre in the
midst of asking the same questions we are.

How do order my business to honor Jesus?
How do I demonstrate the nature of God in my workplace?
How do the values of the Kingdom change the way I conduct
business?

1. Everyone Is on A Journey towards Kingdom Business
Values

In scripture, we dont see an obvious dividing line between a
kingdom business and a regular business. But we do see clear
picture of people like us grappling with the values of the
kingdom and growing towards them.

There are Kingdom values with evident business
applicability, such as:
- Solving a problem that provides a social benefit.
- Creating a culture of connection and empowerment
- Structuring your finances to honor the Lord

With this in mind, the best way to think about whether or not
a business is a kingdom business is to think in terms of a
sliding scale of values.

At one end, youre going to have highly pronounced kingdom
values that radically demonstrate belief in the existence of a
different King. On the other end youre going to have a
business that demonstrates fear, financial anxiety and a
confidence only in the basest instincts of others.

At one end youre going to have a business that looks like
Pauls tent-making company and on the other a business that
looks like (lets say) the mafia.

I can imagine Paul building tents of incredible quality, using
his business to disciple guys like Titus and Timothy, tithing to
the church, asking the Lord for fresh business ideas, building
a relational network of suppliers, saving for missionary
journeys, giving to the poor, innovating fresh tent designs and
expanding his market.

On the other hand, weve all seen enough films to know that
the mafias business ethics epitomize generating problems at
the expense of creating a profit, stripping others of power,
oppressing the poor and misusing their wealth.

So while you cant identify a clear threshold for a kingdom
business you can certainly have a business that is either
more kingdom or less kingdom.

KEY ONE: The Key of Committing To the Journey.

Everyone is on a journey toward integrating Kingdom values
into their lives. If youve committed to this journey, youre
already halfway into victory.

SIDE NOTE

On monetising a solution that provides a social benefit.

Unbeknownst to many people its a Kingdom principle that
the very act of getting involved in a business provides a
blessing. Proverbs 11:26 states He who withholds grain, the
people will curse him, But blessing will be on the head of him
who sells it. Note it doesnt say a blessing will be on the
head on him who gives it away. This means that if youre in a
position to solve a problem and do so by drawing a profit,
youre still positioned to receive a blessing.





2. Kingdom Business Demonstrates The Nature of God

Secondly, the plan of the Father is that through Christ and
through the church, He can demonstrate His true nature to
the world. Paul states that the Fathers purpose is to
demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing riches of His
grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Boom.

In a sense, a business is simply another vehicle, like family
and like our community, for the values of the kingdom to be
put on display to the world.

This means the Kingdom business mission is threefold:
1. The mission of reaching those who are in business
2. The mission of transforming the world through business
3. The mission of using business to disciple and father
others.

For some people the nature of God is demonstrated by having
Kingdom-minded co-workers demonstrate that God can
answer the questions they are asking. An example of this is
when the Queen of Sheba met Solomon, she witnessed in
Solomons kingdom the nature of a God that knew how to
order a kingdom better than she did.

For others the nature of God is seen through a business
venture that empowers them to transform their lives. For
many of the early missionaries, they demonstrated the nature
of God through introducing solutions to developing
communities.

For others a business mentor who fathers them into their
craft puts the nature of God as a father on display. Again I
think of Paul fathering the next generation of leaders in the
midst of practicing his tent-making craft.

KEY TWO: The Key of Recognising Your Vocation

Your lifes central vocation is to witness to the nature of God
in every sphere of your life. Kingdom business supercharges
our central calling to put the nature of God on display
through our lives.

3. Kingdom Principles

Lastly, in Christ, we are witnesses of a new reality and a new
King. As a consequence of recognizing Christs kingship over
our lives, being a Christian means discovering a whole new
way of ordering our lives.

And in re-ordering our lives we discover that it the Fathers
plan for us to radically increase, for our businesses to grow,
our profits to rise and our influence to expand.

But heres the thing, Kingdom increase is contingent on
aligning ourselves with Kingdom principles.

Its a pattern frequently repeated throughout the Old
Covenant. God makes a promise then says, If you keep my
commands then I will prosper you

The blessing is contingent on alignment.

When we order our lives according to Kingdom values, we
position ourselves for blessing.

 - Our integrity is rewarded with favor,
- Our tithe is rewarded with prosperity,
- Our gifts to the poor and work for justice is rewarded
with dignity,
- Our empowerment of others is rewarded with honor,
- Our discomfort at the suffering of others is rewarded
with creative solutions,
- Our generosity is rewarded with a legacy, and
- Our patience with the process is rewarded with the
character to hold the promotion.

The advantage of choosing guiding values for your business
that witness to the Lordship of Christ is that we demonstrate
to the world the existence of a different King.

When we witness to a different King, that King honors our
witness with blessing. Why? Because God favors those who
walk in the values of his kingdom because theyre the ones He
intends to walk in greater influence.

KEY THREE: If you want Heaven to get behind your business,
then order your business in alignment with heaven.