Christian leaders engaged in the marketplace need to know there is a higher purpose to their careers than boosting their company's bottom line. Helping leaders discover their spiritual purpose in the marketplace has been the driving force of our church's Marketplace Ministry.

After attending one of our Marketplace Ministry events, one business leader said, "Now I realize that there is a spiritual purpose for my business."

Purpose is a powerful word, a life-changing concept, a spiritual revelation. Purpose is "the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists." Our church—The Father's House in Northern California—is helping leaders discover the purpose for their businesses, their talents and their prosperity.

God created all of us for the purpose of loving and glorifying Him. When we use the talents and skills He gave us, we glorify Him in our work. Author Wayne Grudem observes in Business for the Glory of God that one of the ways we can glorify God is through "imitation of the attributes of God." Grudem writes that desire in humans to imitate God is "why human beings have an instinctive drive to work, to be productive, to invent, to earn and save and give and to do the thousands of specific activities that fill our days."

Business leaders who find purpose in the marketplace are motivated to work tirelessly to achieve that purpose. The results can be astounding!

Consider what Bill Gates shared about starting Microsoft.

"When Paul Allen and I started Microsoft over 30 years ago, we had big dreams about software," Gates said. "We had dreams about the impact it could have. We talked about a computer on every desk and in every home. It's been amazing to see so much of that dream become a reality and touch so many lives. I never imagined what an incredible and important company would spring from those original ideas."

Most of us don't know Gates, but our lives have been affected significantly by his life purpose.

Wealth on Purpose

In our Marketplace Ministry, we teach our business leaders that their life matters. Their life has meaning, and their work has purpose.

In Deuteronomy 8:6-17, God tells Israel of the blessings that come from observing His commands. He let them know that they would live in good lands with plenty of resources and that all their material needs would be met. Then in verse 18, He tells them to remember something really important.

"But you must remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to get wealth, so that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is today."

God gives us the "ability to get wealth." Why? What's the purpose of this wealth? To "establish His covenant" made with Abraham (Gen. 12:2-3). It's a covenant of blessing, not only for them personally but also "a blessing" to others through them. Israel would be blessed to be a blessing. They would prosper for the purpose of extending God's spiritual kingdom.

This is also the purpose for our financial success—that we would bless people in need, finance church ministries and reach those far from God through generosity extending His kingdom all around the world. As present-day Christ followers, we are under the same covenant of blessing Abraham was under through our faith (Gal. 3:8-9, 29).

When marketplace leaders grab on to the spiritual purpose for their business, their work becomes much more meaningful. They begin building a business to glorify God and using their wealth to build His kingdom in their community and around the world.

Support in Community

Practically speaking, how is our church helping businesses? At The Father's House, we encourage our business leaders to see their business as a ministry that is vital to God's will being accomplished in their community.

As pastors, we instill in them faith and vision for greater levels of success and influence in their particular market sector.

We push our young entrepreneurs to dream big, work hard and connect with the older, more experienced business people who can mentor and coach them.

We provide a platform for business people to meet together through our BusinessLink ministry. BusinessLink offers a network for the success-driven, high-capacity achiever—or those who want to become one—desiring moral support, sources of wisdom, relationships and prayer.

BusinessLink gatherings are held once a month on a weeknight and are led by business leaders. The first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes of the 90-minute gathering are for talking together and networking. There is usually a 15-minute roundtable discussion on business-oriented questions asked by the ministry leaders. Then a guest speaker will talk for 25-30 minutes on a relevant topic having to do with business practice, market conditions or legal issues or will present a testimony of how God intervened and has blessed a business opportunity. Periodically one of our pastors will speak, adding a spiritual emphasis on business and finance.

We have a couple of important guidelines for BusinessLink. First, guest speakers are not allowed to promote their business. They can share what they do and describe their business, but are asked not to promote it as an opportunity for new clients or partnerships. This is a fine line, but we've had success in keeping it. This is not a "dog and pony show" moment to attract new clients, and we don't want BusinessLink attendees to feel like they are sitting through a sales presentation.

Second, we never ask for money. BusinessLink is a safe environment for business leaders to come and not get "hit up" for money from pastors or ministry leaders. We've never taken an offering at any BusinessLink gathering, but as a church, we cover the cost for these events. We see these gatherings as "investments" in our business leaders. These leaders respect the fact that their pastors don't see them or this gathering as a place to ask for money.

Another important thing we do is provide a platform for business people to connect with job seekers. This ministry, CareerLink, is designed to help people who are looking for a new job or considering changing jobs in the future. Each week at a gathering held at our church, those in attendance hear from recruiting experts, career coaches and other guest speakers. Topics discussed are how to write a winning resume, how to set yourself apart in a job interview, do's and don'ts on an interview and how to stay motivated in their job search. Many of our people have found the best jobs they've ever had because of what they learned at CareerLink.

Results From Outreach

Since we launched CareerLink, two amazing things have happened. What started as a ministry for our local church has expanded to include our community as a whole. As a result, one of the greatest things that has happened is that now the majority of people in attendance at CareerLink are from the community rather than from our church body. Word has gotten out that there is a local church that will equip people in the community to find jobs. CareerLink has become an "on ramp" for people to discover our church.

The other amazing result of this ministry is that local businesses and job placement programs have asked to partner with us. The job programs let us know which companies are looking for workers so we can send people their way. Local companies contact us directly and inform us when they have job openings. People who came to CareerLink without hope now have new careers, bringing them dignity and financial stability.

Lastly, we let our business people know that we want to pastor them. I used to push them to lead business-oriented small groups until I realized that most of them needed to be in small groups as participants, not as leaders. As hard-charging business leaders, they need to work on their marriages and their parenting challenges or just hang out with cool people who aren't expecting more than friendship from them. They need to know that we care about them as people.

Ted is an example of a successful business owner who needed pastoral care. In an email he sent to me, he shared how the care he received had impacted his business:

"My wife, Nancy, and I started going to TFH (The Father's House) in January 2010," Ted said. "We had never been involved in or committed to a church before that time. We joined a marriage small group, and I started attending Marketplace Ministries. I started forming friendships and relationships with other business owners within the church.

"My wife and I are the owners of a company of approximately 40 employees, and we specialize in hazardous waste transportation and management. When we found our way to TFH, we were struggling in our marriage and our business was also in trouble.

"Morale was low, and the culture of the company was terrible.

"As a result of relationships formed at TFH and Marketplace Ministries, God placed exactly the right people in my life.

"One of our pastors introduced Nancy and me to a couple who helped us to get our marriage back on track. We then introduced our whole company to their teaching and guidance, which started a culture shift at work using godly principles.

"Another member of Marketplace Ministries who specializes in helping organize companies with process and procedures began working with our management staff. This has been another huge step in helping change the way we do business.

"We know that it pleases God that we are now seeing the 'big picture':

"What is business for? The answer is kingdom purposes.

"We are now not only experiencing the best year financially in the history of our company, but we are also seeing big life changes in those working with us.

"We have come a long way in our walk and are grateful for the help we have been afforded from our local church."

When business leaders find their purpose, everything changes! Pastors can help them discover new levels of success by including ministry to the business community as part of their church's overall strategy.  

Wil Lake serves as the Napa campus pastor at The Father's House, reaching people in Northern California's Napa Valley. He also oversees leadership development and the church's Marketplace Ministry, encouraging business people to see their business as a ministry.

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