What is a Christian Business

Technical Coffee Logic
3 min readAug 13, 2022

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Photo by Danist Soh on Unsplash

Last week I wrote an article encouraging Christians to start Christian businesses, but what exactly is a Christian business? Does the business need to explicitly sell Bibles, or some sort of Christian product, or is it the way a person conducts business that defines the business as Christian? If it is in the manner in which business is conducted, what does that even look like? And who is ultimately the Christian working for — himself or God?

Not Product, But Production

I would deem a business to be a Christian business, not by the product they sell — though the product should not be unrighteous — but by how the business owner conducts business. This definition should free the Christian entrepreneur to then pursue the passion the Lord has put in their heart. It is not there by coincidence; the Lord is using you to advance His kingdom in an area that needs advanced.

For example: owning an orchard, breeding dogs, owning a house cleaning business, or a tech business; these can all be deemed as Christian businesses if you are conducting business in a righteous and just way that is based upon Scripture, and you understand that true wisdom comes from the Lord. Conducting business in this manner will be a light into a dark world and will open the door for the Gospel to spread and the Kingdom of God to advance in your community.

The Quality of Your Work is Defined By The Lord

What does operating a business in godly wisdom, righteousness and justice look like? When you are in the midst of a struggle or a big decision, where do you turn for counsel to act wisely, righteously, and just? If you are desiring to run your business to the glory of God, your counsel will be Scripture, and — if need be — Scripture in the midst of godly advisors.

Counsel should come from the Lord, not from man; your business ethics must be defined by Scripture rather than the world’s ethics. So as you come into conflict or decisions, do you run to wisdom found in the infallible Word of God, or do you follow what the world says is right?

You Don’t Work for Yourself

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. (Romans 6:22 ESV)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 ESV)

Another part of owning a Christian business is understanding who you are working for — this would also apply to employees of a company. As Christians, we are the Lord’s. He has purchased us, and we now have the law written on our hearts; therefore the work we do is to the Lord, which means every thought should be taken captive to the glory of God and everything we put our hand to should be to the glory of God.

… take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV)

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

I am not saying that every thought has to be explicitly about God, but you must know every piece of work that you do, no matter how small, should be done with the understanding that God is sovereign and is over all of it. He has put you in this place with that work in front of you for a reason, so be thankful and trust Him. That should be the undertone of all the work that is done as you conduct business in this world.

And as the Lord blesses you in your business ventures, it is crucial to remember that all you have is from the Lord, not from the strength of your own hands.

Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 8:17–18 ESV)

“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,…” Acts 17:6

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