What are some biblical principles for success Christian entrepreneurs can use to grow their business?
As a Christian entrepreneur, it’s important to know the biblical keys to success when you’re trying to grow your business.
While there are many paths to success, not all of them are ethical or recommended for a Christian business owner because the way you define success is probably different from the way a non-believer defines it.
To build a successful business, you must know the biblical principles for business success so you can use them to achieve your business goals for the glory of God.
In this post, I am going to share some biblical success principles that will help you to stay on track and build a successful business.
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5 BIBLICAL KEYS TO SUCCESS FOR CHRISTIAN ENTREPRENEURS
1. WISDOM
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)
As business owners, we all want lasting success, however knowing how to attain it can be a bit tricky, that’s why the first key to biblical success is wisdom.
When you own a business, you need a lot of wisdom to weather the storm . This is especially true if you’re a small business owner who is responsible for making all the business decisions.
Why do you need wisdom?
You need wisdom to make the right decisions for your business, so you can avoid making irreversible or costly mistakes.
You also need wisdom for lots of things including making hiring decisions, marketing your business, funding your business, where to invest your money, how to spend your time, how to treat your customers and build relationships.
Knowing how to make smart decisions will save you from a lot of stress and possibly financial ruin.
If you lack wisdom or don’t feel confident in your decision-making ability, ask God to help you. Ask him for wisdom. Tell him to direct your path and lead you to the right people and resources.
Don’t assume you don’t need wisdom because you have a business degree or are intelligent. We all need wisdom and true wisdom comes from God.
It’s the Lord that gives wisdom, out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding (Prov. 2:6), so don’t be afraid to pray for wisdom or be too proud to seek God’s direction for your business.
A lot of mistakes can be avoided if you take the time to seek and get wisdom.
I know business owners who jumped into the wrong market or expanded their business too quickly because they didn’t have the right information or know how to make good business decisions.
Don’t underestimate the role of wisdom as one of the most fundamental biblical principle of success.
2. HUMILITY
You may be wondering why humility is one of the biblical keys to success.
It’s okay. I used to feel the same way. I once asked myself “what does humility have to do with business success?”
And the answer I got was, a lot!
To succeed in business, you need a humble and teachable spirit. You have to be willing to ask for (and receive) help. You have to know and accept your limitations, and acknowledge the fact you don’t know everything there is to know.
A haughty spirit is an unteachable spirit. When you’re humble, you’re willing to learn. You’re willing to make mistakes and be corrected. Just like the Bible says in Proverbs 11: 2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
As a humble Christian entrepreneur you don’t try to spiritualize everything to disguise a proud heart. You stop pretending that you can pray everything away because you don’t want to admit you don’t have all the answers or ask for help.
Being a Christian business owner doesn’t mean you should know everything and God doesn’t expect you to, that’s why he’s given you experts, people and resources to help you succeed, if only you’ll utilize them!
Many of you are struggling in your business because of pride.
You’re afraid of being judged or thought inadequate, so you continue to pretend that everything is okay, but behind closed doors you’re scared everything is falling apart.
As a sinner saved by grace, I know all too well the danger of pride. I continue to deal with this issue daily.
I have to constantly remind myself that my sufficiency is in Christ and it’s okay to not be perfect in every area. It’s okay to admit to a weakness and it’s a good thing to ask for and receive help.
If you’re like me, I want you to know you can’t achieve all that God has for you unless you have a humble heart.
Humility is one of the biblical keys to success, so embrace it!
3. THE RIGHT BUSINESS SKILLS
Running a business is hard work especially if you’re a team of one!
As a small business owner, you wear many hats and you have to be good at a lot of things even if you plan to outsource some tasks.
To build successful business, you need to have some essential skills otherwise you’re going to keep struggling to take your business to the next level.
Like the Bible says in Proverbs 22:29 “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”
To grow your business, you have to be skillful. Thankfully, it’s possible to learn new skills, so there’s a no reason to not acquire the skills that’s essential for building and running a thriving business.
So what business skills do you need to have?
At the very least you need marketing, sales, and customer service skills (so you can retain your customers). You also need some financial skills to help you keep your business financially healthy.
In my experience, good communication and people skills are two of the most important skills every entrepreneur should have. Depending on your type of business, you’re going to be dealing with vendors, employees, business partners and other entrepreneurs. Having good interpersonal skills will serve you well in your business.
One of my favorite books for building interpersonal skills is How to Win Friends and Influence People. Check it out if you’ve never read it.
Knowing how to manage people, lead them and get them on your side is necessary for the success of your business.
Another skill that doesn’t receive a lot of attention but can make or break your business is the importance of having an entrepreneurial mindset.
An entrepreneurial mindset is basically knowing how to run a business. Which means learning to think like a business owner and not an employee.
As an entrepreneur, your business has lots of needs. You need an entrepreneurial mind to identify what those needs are so you can come up with a plan to address them.
Having an entrepreneurial mind means you understand you’re responsible for the success or failure of your business. Which means you must have the ability to plan, strategize and execute your plan without waiting for someone to nudge you or tell you what to do next.
You must take the initiative in your business and be able to think creatively if you want things to run smoothly.
If you’re unsure what skills you need or lack, take the time to do an audit of your current skills to see where you’re struggling and where you need some help.
For example, if you struggle with the financial side of things, you’ll need to learn about personal and business finance. If you struggle with marketing, you may need to take a course, attend a training or work with a Christian business coach to help you learn the best marketing strategies for your business.
And remember to pray and ask God for his blessing because “He is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)
4. THE RIGHT TOOLS AND RESOURCES
No question about it. Having the right tools can make a big difference in your business.
As a Christian, you’re told to “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)
While this verse is talking about spiritual warfare, you can also apply this principle to your business.
To survive in the marketplace where competition can be pretty fierce (depending on your industry), you need the right tools and resources to navigate this landscape.
The kind of tools you need will depend on your type of business. As an example, some of the tools you need for a brick and mortar business may not be necessary for an online business and vice versa.
Having good tools and learning how to use them is a biblical key to success for any business.
Successful entrepreneurs have learned this secret, that’s why they are constantly innovating and investing in new technology so they can continue to serve their customers.
Yes, it’s true you don’t need every fancy gadget out there (especially if you are not going to use them), but there are a few tools you can invest in to move your business forward.
For example, are there tools that can increase your prodcutivity? Do you need a website to reach more people? Do you need to invest in some business technology? These are the types of questions you should ask yourself from time to time if you want to keep growing your business.
A lot of business owners shy away from technology because they don’t understand it, but that isn’t a very smart approach. The way we do business is changing so we muct adapt (not talking about our values or beliefs here) or risk becoming irrelevant . You can learn how to use anything if you’re determined so there’s no need to ignore tools that can help you grow.
Now ask yourself “am I holding my business back because I lack the tools I need?” If your answer is yes, do a thorough assessment of your business needs and make a list of some tools that will help you to build a successful business.
Remember, a competent Christian entrepreneur is a well-equipped man ready for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:17)
So don’t stunt your progress by being ill-equipped. Having the right tools, resources and people is one of the biblical principles of success every Christian entrepreneur should pay attention to.
5. ACCOUNTABILITY: A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)
When you were an employee, you had a manager, head of department or someone else you reported to. These people kept you accountable. They made sure sure you did your job to an expected standard or you ran the risk of facing disciplinary action.
As an employee, accountability is pretty straightforward, but when you’re a business owner and your own boss, whom do you report to? Who ensures you are doing the right thing, putting in the hours or running your business ethically?
For some Christian entrepreneurs, they believe they are only accountable to God and don’t need anyone else looking over their shoulder.
While you’re indeed accountable to God, there’s a place for being a part of an accountability group or having one or two people you are accountable to.
If you’re a business partnership, your accountability partner would be your business partner. If you’re married, your spouse cold serve as an accountability. Your pastor, a business coach, mentor or other Christian business owners can also fill this position.
I am aaaaa bit of an introvert and I like the freedom of doing my own thing, making my own decisions and not report to anyone. But, there’s an inherent danger of straying from the straight and narrow path when you try to go it alone.
As a Christian entrepreneur, you need someone or two who can ask you the tough questions without fear. Someone who can call you out when they see you operating outside biblical principles.
If you’re single (or married) and wondering how to stay accountable, you can join or start an accountability group with other Christian entrepreneurs, but be mindful about surrounding yourself only with people who share the same values as you and are invested and hopeful for your success.
Remember iron sharpens iron so your accountability group should be made up of people who share the same belief and value system as you.
Take heed to not surround yourself with yes men. People who accept everything you do without questioning it. Without accountability, you’re going to drift off course, so be very careful who you surround yourself with.
Don’t ignore the advice of your spouse or other wise counselors, they have been placed by God to help you.
Accountability as a biblical key to success is often underrated, but if you’re wise, you won’t neglect this very important aspect of building a successful business.
Final words on biblical principles for success for Christian entrepreneurs
There are so many success principles flying around, but for a believer, some of these principles are contrary to our Christian faith.
Knowing the biblical keys to success will help you build your business according to God’s word and without compromising your Christian testimony.
There are lots of other biblical principles for business success, but hopefully, the five listed in the post will help you to stay on track and grow a successful business for the glory of God.
Which of these biblical success principles do you think is the hardest to implement as a Christian entrepreneur?
Related Christian business advice posts
5 Habits of a Christian Entrepreneur (That Will Set You Apart)
7 Daily Practices for the Christian Business Owner
5 Biblical Keys to Success for Christian Entrepreneurs
Very wonderful articles, I have been helped a lot. Every one is an entrepreneur, the difference is what and how you’re doing entrepreneurship. These principles and keys in biblical entrepreneurship has helped to my businesses on a firm and strong foundation.
Thank you! I am thrilled to hear these articles have been a blessing to you. Wishing you a great new year in your business. Blessing!