The Purpose of Kingdom Business

by Patrice Tsague, RCE Partner



"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and Bill Gates are known to have made billions of dollars as captains of their industries and have given billions of dollars in philanthropic contributions to society through the creation of several foundations. Whatever their motivation was, they are known to have contributed significant amounts of wealth to society and are still contributing today. Very few individuals will ever contribute more money to society than these men. To my knowledge, none of them claim to be Christians except for John D. Rockefeller, a devout Baptist who tithed to his local church since his very first paycheck.



As great philanthropists as these men have been to society, their business practices are not to be envied; they built their wealth by employing shrewd, manipulative, morally questionable, and sometimes illegal, business tactics. Their goals were to build wealth by any means as long as they later gave back to society. If they stood before God's judgment and recited their good works before God as a basis for eternal rewards and favor, God's response would be He did not need their money but their lives; the money did not belong to them in the first place but to God; they were mere stewards of His money.

Our giving must be the substance of our lives rather than the substance of our earnings. God's question to them would be, "How did you treat your employees, your customers, your vendors? Were you a light for Me in the marketplace? Did you acknowledge my Son?"

When we consider the purpose of kingdom business, many people today make the mistake of approaching it the same way that these robber barons approached it: let's build great businesses that generate lots of profit so we can give back to society. This is a very self-centered, godless approach.

God does not need our money; He needs our lives, our ministries. These men's theology is a works-based theology rather than a faith-based theology. God cares not just about how much money you make but how you treat your employees, how you respond to the laws of the land, how you manage your businesses, and how you treat your customers. He cares about how you conduct the entire business. "The earth is the Lord's and everything therein"; therefore He can fund His work any way He wills. The purpose of kingdom business is not to fund the gospel or missions but rather kingdom business is the mission. It is an instrument by which we are to fulfill the Great Commission and not just support the Great Commission.

Kingdom businesses are a transformational tool for the marketplace. It is God's business; managed by God's stewards, for God's purposes. Yes, one of those purposes is making financial contributions to the advancement of His kingdom but it would be a mistake if we think that making financial contributions to the kingdom is the sole purpose of business. If that was the sole purpose, then the robber barons should be models and heroes of kingdom business since they have given to society more than any of us will probably ever give. However, with all their giving our society has become more sinful and secular. Their giving has not changed much about the eternal direction of our society.

God is not looking for philanthropists; He is looking for marketplace missionaries. He is looking for individuals who will accept the call to see and do business differently. God is looking for people who will see their businesses as pulpits and see themselves as shepherds in the marketplace. They are to see their businesses as instruments to fulfill the Great Commission to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. Like one preacher once said, "we are to preach the gospel and if necessary, use words."