The Center of a Biblical Worldview of Christian Business Ownership
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights Theology and Business

The Center of a Biblical Worldview of Christian Business Ownership

What is the center of a biblical worldview of business ownership? How should a Chrisitian business owner view the owner's role as a steward before God? This is how I define this center, in one sentence: Christian business owners live with an eternal perspective derived from their covenantal relationship with God and is lived out through biblical stewardship. There are several questions that can always be asked...
November 1, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive Insights, Theology and BusinessTags: ,
Common Types of Ethical Decisions Christian Business Owners Face
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights

Common Types of Ethical Decisions Christian Business Owners Face

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners. Schwartz (2017:234-235) suggests there are different ethical situations that a business owner may face: Moral temptation: the owner can benefit or avoid loss. Moral temptations require moral willpower. Stand up for ethics: the owner will suffer if the correct ethical decision is made. Standing up for ethics requires moral courage....
October 30, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive InsightsTags: ,
Posted inChristian Stewardship Executive Insights

Should Corporations Tithe? Not Necessarily.

Some strongly believe that a business owned by a Christian has its responsibility to tithe in addition to the owner’s tithing. Since the corporation is considered a separate legal entity, some believe it has a spiritual responsibility to tithe. In addition, it is not uncommon for ministries with whom this researcher has been associated to tithe 10 per cent of their donations to other Christian organisations. It...
October 19, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Executive InsightsTags:
Taking Too Much Compensation as the Owner of a Business
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights

Taking Too Much Compensation as the Owner of a Business

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners.  Description of the Problem: Most business owners take cash out of the business as compensation without any link to the business’s success (Mikaloniené, 2020:919). Cash is often taken because the inherent power structure of a closely held business allows the owner to set a compensation level without justification to another...
October 19, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive InsightsTags: ,
Business Formation and Christian Theology: Partnerships
Posted inChristian Stewardship Executive Insights Theology and Business

Business Formation and Christian Theology: Partnerships

A three-part Bible and Business series on what the Bible says about the legal formation of a business. This post on partnerships will be abnormally long when compared to Sole Proprietors or Corporation. The reason for this is simple: many partnerships do not work well and seem to be the structure in which many ownership problems prevail. The harmony and trust the partners have at the beginning...
October 17, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Executive Insights, Theology and BusinessTags:
Business Formation and Christian Theology: Sole Proprietor
Posted inChristian Stewardship Executive Insights Theology and Business

Business Formation and Christian Theology: Sole Proprietor

A three-part Bible and Business series on what the Bible says about the legal formation of a business. A sole proprietor is an individual who is engaged in business activities. A sole proprietor does not register a business entity with government authorities. A sole proprietorship is the easiest business type to form because there is no legal structure. However, under current American law, a sole proprietor can...
October 10, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Executive Insights, Theology and Business
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights

Hearing the Voice of God in Ethical Decision Making

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners.  Ethical decision-making is not merely an intellectual exercise for the Christian business owner. It is also a dynamic spiritual activity. Coupled with filtering the situation’s details through the two great commands (love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself) as the starting...
October 7, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive InsightsTags: , ,
Overworking Your Staff to Save on Payroll Expenses
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights

Overworking Your Staff to Save on Payroll Expenses

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners.  In this scenario, an owner expects the employees to work sixty, seventy, or even eighty hours each week without additional compensation, such as bonuses or stock options, for working longer hours. Description of the Problem: Some owners naturally work sixty or seventy hours weekly. They enjoy their work, and they...
October 7, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive InsightsTags: , , , , ,
Right-sizing a company to save it from bankruptcy
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights

Right-sizing a company to save it from bankruptcy

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners. Nearly every company will need to be right-sized[1] at some point in its lifecycle. No business ever has sustained growth. There are always downturns which owners face. Description of the Problem: Owners get caught in a downward spiral when they believe revenue growth is the answer to a sustained deficit....
October 6, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive InsightsTags: , ,
Manipulating Accounting Entries to Save on Taxes
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights

Manipulating Accounting Entries to Save on Taxes

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners.  This ethical situation is created when the owner commingles business and personal expenses. As a result, expenses that would normally be personal expenses, such as leasing an automobile, become business expenses that reduce taxable income because the owner owns a business through which the owner can create tax write-offs. Description...
October 3, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive InsightsTags: , ,
Tolerating Boorish Behavior Because of the Benefits an Employee Brings to the Company.
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights

Tolerating Boorish Behavior Because of the Benefits an Employee Brings to the Company.

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners.  Description of the problem: Some organisations, including Christian ministries, make conscious tradeoff decisions to accept a level of egocentricity, arrogance, callousness, or insensitivity in key employees because of the talents, skills, and positive outcomes these employees bring to the organization. Their destructive tendencies can be mistaken as leadership qualities: “Taking...
October 2, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive InsightsTags: , ,
Generating fake online reviews for the owner’s products or service
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights

Generating fake online reviews for the owner’s products or service

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners. Word-of-mouth advertising has always been considered the best kind of advertising because it costs nothing and is one of the most trusted forms of marketing (Tan, 2015:Online). Description of the problem: In this scenario, the owner hires a firm to write positive but fake reviews of the owner’s products or...
October 1, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive InsightsTags: , , ,
The Starting Point for Christian Ethics
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights Theology and Business

The Starting Point for Christian Ethics

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners. Ethics in Business Making correct ethical decisions matters for two reasons. First, when one allows small compromises to encroach into one’s ethics, those compromises will become larger and larger until there are significant moral or legal violations. Second, making correct ethical decisions is tantamount to following God’s commands. Foundation for...
September 29, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive Insights, Theology and BusinessTags:
Compromising Product Quality
Posted inChristian Stewardship Ethics Executive Insights

Compromising Product Quality

This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian Ethics for Christian Business Owners. Product quality refers both to the manufacturing of the product as well as to the marketing of the product. If the marketing suggests that the product is an average quality product, then the consumer can expect an average quality in the manufacturing of the product. But when there is a...
September 29, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Ethics, Executive InsightsTags: ,
Growing New Entrepreneurs for God’s Kingdom
Posted inChristian Stewardship Theology and Business

Growing New Entrepreneurs for God’s Kingdom

I'll offer several ideas here on what a local church ministry could do to be intentional about growing new stewards who own for-profit businesses. Being a Christian business owner is a much a calling as being a missionary to a foreign land. The macro point is not about the money. It is about God's call on their lives to serve him in the marketplace. All ministry is...
June 8, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Theology and Business
Who I am in Christ
Posted inChristian Stewardship

Who I am in Christ

This post is a reminder of the truth of who we are in Christ. These truths apply as much to Christian business owners as anyone else. This list is taken from Neil Anderson's book, Victory Over the Darkness (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 36-37.) John 1:12: I am God's child John 15:15: I am Christ's friend Romans 5:1: I have been justified 1 Corinthians 6:17:...
May 12, 2023Posted inChristian StewardshipTags:
New Book: Working for a Difficult Boss: Lessons from the Life of Daniel
Posted inChristian Stewardship Executive Insights Leadership Theology and Business

New Book: Working for a Difficult Boss: Lessons from the Life of Daniel

In the United States, roughly 158 million people go to work daily. Well over half (70%) report working for a bad boss. At some point, 50% will quit their jobs because of a boss who lacks the skills and ability to manage people well. In addition, according to Barna Research, 25% of American adults are practicing Christians. This means that (roughly) 40 million Christians go to work...
May 6, 2023Posted inChristian Stewardship, Executive Insights, Leadership, Theology and BusinessTags:
When Business Owners are “All About the Money”
Posted inChristian Stewardship

When Business Owners are “All About the Money”

I was recently reading Acts 16 and several things about the owners of the slave girl jumped out at me from the page. Here's the passage: 16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed...
October 10, 2022Posted inChristian StewardshipTags: , , , ,
Posted inChristian Stewardship Current Events

US Adults Giving Patterns show Christian Church Still Number One

If you wonder where US adults give their money, the Barna Group has answered this question. In a survey of 2,016 adults in 2021, Barna found that US adults give to the following causes and institutions, as follows: Christian Church - 19%Animal Welfare - 12%Extreme poverty - 10%Christian ministry - 10%Medical research - 10%Global climate change - 9%Environmental issues - 9%Racial justice - 8%Sexual abuse causes -...
August 22, 2022Posted inChristian Stewardship, Current EventsTags: ,
How Churches can Grow and Mentor New Christian Business Owners
Posted inChristian Stewardship

How Churches can Grow and Mentor New Christian Business Owners

You can download the companion slides in PDF format here. I’ll offer several ideas here on what a local church ministry could do in order to be intentional about growing new stewards who own for-profit businesses. First, you’ll need the support of your pastors and elders. Most ministries in local churches need this support. They will become your first group of stakeholders. Secondly, spell out the purpose...
November 9, 2021Posted inChristian Stewardship
The Heart of Stewardship
Posted inChristian Stewardship

The Heart of Stewardship

View the sermon here. In this series, we have learned that the Context of Stewardship is our covenant relationship with God. Part of our pledge to be faithful to Him includes being faithful in giving to Him. The Context of Stewardship means that we allow Him to transform our hearts through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit as He writes His laws into our minds and...
May 18, 2021Posted inChristian Stewardship
The Life of Christian Stewardship
Posted inChristian Stewardship

The Life of Christian Stewardship

View Bill's sermon here. Good morning. We’re in the 3rd Sunday of a four-part series focusing on Christian stewardship. The central idea which we’re working with is this: Disciples of Jesus Christ are faithful to God in stewarding all that He owns by disadvantaging themselves in order to advantage His kingdom. On the first Sunday, we looked at the Context for Stewardship. We learned that the context...
May 11, 2021Posted inChristian StewardshipTags: , ,
The Foundation of Stewardship
Posted inChristian Stewardship

The Foundation of Stewardship

Watch the sermon video here. Good morning. We’re in the 2nd Sunday of a four-part series focusing on stewardship and generosity. The overriding theme we’re working with in this series is this: Disciples of Jesus Christ are faithful to God in stewarding all that He owns by disadvantaging themselves in order to advantage His kingdom. Last week, we considered the Context of Stewardship. We learned that our...
May 7, 2021Posted inChristian StewardshipTags: , ,
The Context of Stewardship
Posted inChristian Stewardship

The Context of Stewardship

This sermon was preached on April 25, 2021 at The Grove Church in Maple Grove, MN. View the sermon here. Introduction Good morning.  I’m Bill English. Along with Kathy, my wife, we have been attending here for roughly 12 years. For those who are visiting, I am not on staff here, though I am seminary trained to be a pastor. Right now, I work in business in...
May 3, 2021Posted inChristian Stewardship
Becoming Free From the Bondage of Sin, Part 2 of 8, Bondage is More Than Addictions
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Becoming Free From the Bondage of Sin, Part 2 of 8, Bondage is More Than Addictions

Listen to the podcast here. Watch the companion video here. When it comes to bondage and sin, what we’re discussing is the notion that sin is your master. Sin is believing that “our way” is better than “God’s way.” It is a violation of God’s commands: Sin is any want of conformity either of the moral state of the soul, or of the actions of a man...
April 24, 2021Posted inChristian StewardshipTags: , ,
Becoming Free From the Bondage of Sin, Part 1 of 8, Common Ownership Dysfunctions
Posted inChristian Stewardship

Becoming Free From the Bondage of Sin, Part 1 of 8, Common Ownership Dysfunctions

View the companion video at the Bible and Business YouTube channel. Taken from Chapter 2 of A Christian Theology of Business Ownership. In observing various business owners and leaders, I’ve concluded that there are common dysfunctions into which many fall. Table 2-1 outlines some of the more common dysfunctions and likely results. Table 2-1: Common Owner Dysfunctions and Results Common Owner DysfunctionsCommon ResultsAvoids conflictLoses top talent.Incivility is...
March 27, 2021Posted inChristian StewardshipTags: , ,
Be Content with what You Already Have
Posted inChristian Stewardship

Be Content with what You Already Have

From 1 Timothy 6.3-10: If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing.They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who...
November 27, 2020Posted inChristian StewardshipTags: ,
What it Means to be a Christian Business Owner
Posted inChristian Stewardship Theology and Business

What it Means to be a Christian Business Owner

Recently, I had lunch with a business owner who is on his second business. He grew and sold the first business he owned and how he’s on his second business. As we talked about business, he made the comment that he’s far from perfect when it comes to integrating his faith as a business owner. “I don’t hold Bible studies for my employees”, he said. “Sometimes, I’ll...
November 7, 2020Posted inChristian Stewardship, Theology and BusinessTags: ,
Comparing the Value of Faith and Money
Posted inChristian Stewardship

Comparing the Value of Faith and Money

I was reading through First Peter 1 the other morning and was again struck by how our faith is worth more than precious gold: In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though...
November 1, 2020Posted inChristian StewardshipTags: , ,
Seven Things Christian Stewards Do
Posted inChristian Stewardship

Seven Things Christian Stewards Do

#7: Always “On” Stewards are always “on stage”. They faithfully represent the owner’s interests. Stewards learn about and further the relationships of their Master as it relates to the entrustment. Stewards behavior, language, attitude, methods of interaction – all reflect character and persona of their Master. #6: Make Difficult Decisions Stewards make difficult decisions on behalf of the owner which  are in alignment with the owner’s beliefs,...
November 1, 2020Posted inChristian StewardshipTags: