Shocking Statistics Among Christian Entrepreneurs: This Could Affect You!
Thank you for the emails, blogs and messages on the topic of the success rate TODAY of Christian Entrepreneurs with ‘God-Inspired’ ideas. They have really been insightful.
Here’s my view and experience. If you haven’t seen the poll - look/vote here. We SHOULD be able to say that our success rate with God-Inspired ideas is far higher than the world; absolutely. In fact, our tiny poll revealed (initially) that more than 60% who responded felt that “we succeed more than the world with God on our side!”
Surely with a God inspired idea and God to help us through, we are going to succeed at a higher rate than those without either one.
My Experience Has Been Shocking
My experience though, is this is NOT the case at all. Far, far from it.
I believe Christians need to face this fact more objectively. The problem is surely not with God. It’s with us. It is impossible for me to count the believers I have met, been asked to advise, known & and observed, with God-inspired ideas for businesses - mainly throughout the US and some in Canada - whose enterprises ultimately fell way below what they felt God has shown them. WHY? (Yes there are exceptions and I love these.)
Let’s ask a question. Can we at least agree that being ’successful’ as a Christian Entrepreneur, whether you are a mom or dad working from home, owner of a corporation, a service professional, manufacturer or whatever, involves… being excellent, profitable and generous? Not one or two - ALL of these. I say it does.
I also say the vast majority of Christians nod their heads in approval to this but are all too quick to accept lame explanations of spiritual warfare holding back their coffee shop from selling great coffee at a reasonable price with a cool atmosphere or that suddenly it’s not God’s will.
Stop the insanity and let’s get going.
The problem is not on God’s end. I am sure of that. And no, God is not the one stopping your business because He is against it or because you are not doing everything in your Christian walk to perfection.
Thief!
One of the most masterful thefts in the body of Christ is the robbery of SKILL. Yes SKILL. Somehow we have come from the place where people like Bezalel, Lydia, Daniel and the 3 Hebrew children, marked in part part by their remarkable skill, were the right kind of role models, and instead eventually settled in a place down the street from sloppy agape. How is it that those Biblical characters and many more were able to devote themselves to becoming skillful, known among Christians and non for their mastery, and not characterized or written off as those consumed with fleshly human effort?
Many Christian circles under recognize the value of mastery in the marketplace as valid expression of faith. Where are the master craftmen, philosophers, able governors, doctors, scientists, internet gurus and entrepreneurs renowned for their exceptional skill, that more frequently used to emerge from the ranks of Christendom?
What I Learned the Hard Way
I am talking from my own experience here. Many times when I wanted to blame God or some other culprit for my failures and setbacks over the years, in many cases, I later discovered it was my own fault from lack of SKILL in a particular area where it was needed.
He looks to us to take inspired ideas and steward them effectively. There is a tremendous breakdown between us hearing from God a direction for business and the way many of us go about executing from that point. That is why today, voices are emerging with information to help bridge this gap.
Mark My Words
Mark my words. SKILL is being restored as a target in the body of Christ by the Lord himself and one of the principle places this is expressed is in the marketplace.
Let’s do what is necessary to fill our knowledge gaps and then apply this knowledge consistently over time to develop our gifts, so we may truly become masters of what we are doing - yet another kind of demonstration to the world of God’s pre-eminence.
In Christ and to Your Success,
Rick for Ti-MC
PS What say you? There is so much more on this topic I’d love to discuss.
I agree. I also think though that this is a changing world and a changing market place. Sometimes the skill we have might need to be redirected - such as my case, but I have to find to what. I want to keep working at home but unfortunately what I do is slowly becoming obsolete due to electronic medical records. I guess skill would still be the answer though. I may just have to become skilled in something else.
Great thought Rebecca. Thanks for sharing.
It’s an interesting question, whether skill that is obsolete or going that way is really skill at all - at least the way it once was - practically speaking. It’s seems that its value diminishes. I suppose skill and relevance (market value) must be married at some level to create success in the marketplace.
Your last sentence is very wise. Intriguing comment. Rick
Mmm - very interesting! I’ve just started working as business coach and currently have a coach teaching me to coach - if that makes sense! Although, I have been in my own business for six years, I have really struggled and the main reason has been - I didn’t have the skill to run a business - even though I am skilled to be a trainer, coach and career adviser. Let’s face it I didn’t know the first thing about sales and marketing and to be honest thought a margin was a blank column on the side of a piece of paper. I thought that with God on my side I couldn’t fail - wrong!!! Well the good news is that I know that my calling to work in business is right and now I’m getting the skills that I need to actually run a business. What an eye opener!! I would definitely encourage everyone to follow their calling but to also get the skills. David
David:
Thank you for sharing. Excellent insight from someone who has been there.
And you raise a good point that skill building within one’s calling is surely the preferable kind! Blessings on your new coaching business. It’s great to hear about your transition.
Incidentally, if this interests you, you’ll find other coaches that you may want to connect with on the no cost innovative christian social network at: http://www.innovativechristian.com
Hey I really like the comment about mastery __ Ministry with no mastery does not ring true, it is airy fairy, spiritual gobbeldy-gook!!! There is no one so influential in the marketplace as a master craftsman, skilled in his/her trade, and “called” of God into their ministry of business. __ the Bible talks about getting knowledge, getting understanding, and getting wisdom__ how arrogant we can be sometimes when we expect that God to “give” us a successful business, we have to do our part __ get educated, keep upskilling, and add understanding by DOING the job.
My other comment would be to surround yourself with others who have will encourage you, both in your business and spiritually.. some one who is a master themselves.!! There is wisdom in the counsel of others, however be sure that they have the skill set and understanding you are needing…. bad advice is also a big disaster. “by their fruits you shall know them”….
I am a newby in the Retail world. I have been in marketing and sales before and am so nervous yet excited at the possibilities of connection and networking in the world as we have it today. That is super great advise Coralie. I am firmly of the mindset that us Christians need to be pace setters in the world in terms of innovative creative ideas and our ability to walk in integrity in the midst of chaos and truly be an example of excellence.