The world moves fast, and the business world moves even faster.
We have all heard stories of business leaders and entrepreneurs who cut corners or treated people poorly in order to increase their profits. In these often fiercely competitive environments, it can be easy to lose sight of what’s most important.
However, being successful in business doesn’t have to come at the expense of living according to God’s word.
All over the world, Christian business leaders are accomplishing incredible things while embracing biblical values such as compassion, humility, fairness, and helping others.
If you’re devoted to your faith and you want to become a strong Christian business leader, here are some things to think about.
What Does Christian Business Mean to You?
This is an important question to ask yourself, and it’s a deeply personal one. Being a Christian business leader means something different to everyone.
To some people, this might involve being openly prayerful and forthright about their faith. Many privately owned businesses begin meetings with prayers or display crosses in each office, for example. Of course, your options may depend on whether you own the business or work as an employee for someone else.
To others, being Christian business leaders might simply mean integrating their faith with the decisions they make, how they treat others, and the direction in which they guide their business.
The term could even be taken a step further to mean a Christian business: perhaps something involved with the church, creating a ministry, or some other faith-based business.
Figuring out what Christian business means to you will help you determine what type of Christian business leader you want to be.
How to Bring God’s Teachings to the Business World
So, what are some things that are in harmony with biblical values in the business world?
We talk about many of them in our guide, Profit with a Purpose: Earning Your MBA at Southern Adventist University.
There are decisions you can make every day that can build a healthy business while also making the world a better place. These could include following sustainable business practices that are good for the environment, using materials that are ethically sourced, and hiring locally whenever possible.
The way that you lead is another great opportunity to live your faith – leading by example, trusting your team, being supportive, and being fair. It’s important that you try to act in all situations by treating people with empathy, understanding, trust, respect, equality, and open-mindedness.
You could also prioritize networking with other Christian business leaders in your community to expand your impact. As a group, you could support one another, learn from one another, and hold one another accountable.
That way, you’ll be sure not to lose sight of what’s important, even in challenging circumstances.
Finding the Right Christian MBA Program for You
If you aspire to be a strong Christian business leader, then earning an MBA is a great step to take in your career. While earning that degree, you’ll learn a whole new set of skills and build knowledge that will help you achieve your goals.
Here at Southern, we’ve built our MBA program around the concept of “missional business.” Our Christian-based learning environment is unlike any other, providing the practical skills you’ll need to succeed within a framework of faith.
With emphases in accounting, healthcare administration, and management, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from a diverse range of materials that will prepare you to make a profound impact on the things that inspire you.
Learn more about the program in our guide, Defining Missional Business: Exploring the Christian MBA Approach at Southern.
