By Jeff Brink, April 19, 2024

Two weeks ago we began this series by introducing the analogy that all of God’s children are working in His family business, the largest business ever created. Every day should be viewed as a family workday, working side-by-side with our brothers and sisters in Christ, to continue God’s work on earth and make kingdom impact.

Worldly family businesses typically have goals and objectives, both short and long-term. A typical list looks like this:

• Building a name (or legacy)
• Growing the business (or flourishing)
• Providing for the broader family
• Developing and maintaining a sterling reputation
• Succession planning

In the coming weeks, we will continue connecting these worldly pursuits to building God’s Kingdom family business and provide practical insight. Today, our focus is on growing the business (or flourishing).

To successfully execute any growth-oriented business plan, team members must work together toward common goals while using their individual talents to play specific roles. Similarly, God calls all Christ’s followers to be part of His plans for kingdom expansion and to participate in human flourishing. Although God assigns us different jobs and roles, He provides unique gifts for fulfilling our tasks, equips us with biblical instructions, and connects us with the local church for motivation and inspiration to live and work for the Lord.

Chick-fil-A and Hobby Lobby are two of the largest and best-known family-owned organizations in the United States. Both operate based on Christian principles. Both have grown large and continue to flourish in their respective markets, largely due to those Christian principles put into practice.  However, they are successful because the product and experience they deliver are also better than alternatives.  These organizations can have a positive impact on their customers and employees because they operate with excellence. And, oh, by the way, they operate on Christian principles.   

As we reflect on our jobs that may not be with organizations operated on Christian principles, being excellent in how we do our jobs will reflect well on whom we claim to ultimately serve.  Excellence in living our lives and working alongside people who are not Christ-followers gives us the unique opportunity to tell people why we can have hope for the future and find joy even in the midst of the mundane.

Since the days of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20), God’s kingdom has expanded exponentially. Just as He charged Peter and company to make disciples, Jesus calls us to share His kingdom’s work and participate in its growth. Kingdom work is not exclusive to those with official church titles; it is the privilege of all believers. What a diverse—unified, but diverse—group of people we are. We all have different gifts God uses to promote growth and harmony in the Church body (Ephesians 4:16).

So, what does this look like in our work spheres? What practical steps can be taken to participate in God’s plan to expand His kingdom?

• Being salt and light in the workplace
• Excelling at our job assignments in God-honoring ways
• Using our gifts to glorify God
• Planting seeds with co-workers (only a mustard seed is needed sometimes)
• Being a witness and pointing to Jesus
• Inviting coworkers (and others) to Christian events
• Sharing the Gospel through table-talk

Remember, you are in business with over a billion brothers and sisters in Christ. Everyone plays a different role, and yours may be small or large, but God hand-picked it to make a kingdom impact. Be intentional, pray, and look for opportunities to help grow the family business.