‘God is in control of my business’

Mission in the workplace is one of the concepts that Christians writers have been reflecting about in the last years. Believers should understand that the reality of the gospel involves every aspect of life, faith is authentically integral if Christians understand God's soverignty over everything.

An example of businessmen who are applying this theology of work are the ones appearing on a BBC Business article called “Firm faith: the company bosses who pray”. Author Katie Hope introduces top executives who hold prayer meetings and see their companies through a spiritual lens.

It is the case of Wang Ruoxiong, founder and chairman of Tentimes Group. He became a Christian  seven years ago, and he now says that “He [God] controls everything. I am merely a housekeeper of Jesus, assisting him in taking care of the company.”

He and several other members of the Senior management team believe that following Christian values have helped them to make the firm more effective. Of course the employees’ technical skills such as marketing and sales capability have also played a big part.

“When the senior managers at the top are willing to use the values in their own work and life, the values are passed down. Eventually they become the shared values of the common employees of the entire company”, Wang said. “At that time, the company becomes truly irreplaceable”

GOSPEL VALUES AFFECT BUSINESS DECISIONS

Another example of a Christian leading his business is Gavin Oldham, executive chairman of retail stockbroker The Share Centre. He is an elective lay member of the General Synod - the highest governing body of the Church of England – a fact he states openly on his firm's website biography and his Twitter account.

But while he never hides the fact that he is a Christian, he says he is careful not to “flash the brand” at work.

“It can't be overt. There's such a huge range of backgrounds. It may be that people have no faith. You have to respect others”, he argues.

But he says his faith does guide his business life as well as his personal life - particularly, he says, his belief in God's unconditional love, which he tries to apply in his own life.

He says the belief of “love your neighbour as yourself” provides a structure for when he's making difficult business decisions and ensures a consistency which he believes ultimately has helped him to make better judgements at work.

You can read the full BBC report here.