The Business Forum at Real Life Ministries

It is surprising the references the Bible makes to management, business principles along with references to money and possessions. Have you ever considered that two of the most successful managers in history were Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon? They were in difficult situations and yet were very successful.

The richest and wisest man to ever live was Solomon, who gave us a lot of insight about wealth and priorities.

Last month we interviewed Steve Marr for a column and highlighted the books he had written on these topics. This, in turn, led to another person, Mark Collins, who uses those same principles to teach a group of business leaders on a regular basis.

Steve came from a background as CEO of a large Midwest firm and Mark was a partner in one of the largest executive recruiting firms in the world. Both have decades of business experience to share. It was a privilege to meet both and sit down with Mark and find out how he is applying the Bible to the business world.

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Mark, explain what The Business Forum is and how it got started.

The Business Forum (TBF) is a ministry of Real Life Ministries, Post Falls. Our Senior Pastor, Jim Putman, was seeking a way to serve the business community. Working with Jim, I and a group of business leaders developed TBF to promote business practices that incorporate biblical principals. We believe that better communities come through better business leaders.

Our approach is to sponsor events, called Forums, focusing on a business topic presented by a Christian businessperson. The forums include discussion among audience participants, enabling them to learn from each other. These events range from 500 participants down to round table discussions of 30 people or less. We also have a team of Christian businessmen and women who are available to meet with people on a one-on-one basis. Through the discussion aspect of our Forums and the one-on-one meetings, TBF promotes networking among business leaders. As Proverbs 27:17 states: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Many people may not realize that a democracy and free enterprise all owe their success to high moral standards and integrity. Can you explain the principles that you see as essential in any successful business?

We believe that God’s inspired word, the Bible, is the ultimate book on business management. The applications cover a wide range of areas. Two key principles set forth in God’s word, central to effective business management, are being a Servant to others and a Steward of resources. As a Godly Servant, a business leader makes it a top priority to identify and meet the needs of individual stakeholders (employees, customers, suppliers, creditors, community, etc.). Jesus taught this, for example, by washing His disciples’ feet (John 13). Stewardship recognizes that everything belongs to God — not us — and we are to manage His resources consistent with His will as set forth in His word. Psalm 50:12 says, “... for the world is mine and all that is in it.”

It is surprising for many to find out that the number one topic, after Love, in the Bible is money and possessions. Often in our society, our definition of “success” is different than a biblical definition. How would you define that for people you consult with?

Success in business has everything to do with seeking God’s direction through prayer, studying the Bible, and receiving counsel from others. Many people look at the end game in business as making a profit — often only for themselves. A Biblical approach to profit is to view it as a means of achieving God’s ends. For example, reinvesting in the business, sharing profits with employees, giving to the community, etc.

That is such wise counsel! Too often we think of our faith as a compartment only opened on a Sunday morning. You have regular meetings of this group and in fact the meetings coming up are focused with a topic called “Management by Proverbs.” Explain what this is about.

The book of Proverbs is a rich storehouse of wisdom highly relevant to the challenges faced in managing a business. We are offering a series of small group Forums that use the Proverbs to address topics such as Business Planning, unpacking what various Proverbs have to say about how it should be done. The next two Forums on this topic are set for June 5 and June 26. Tickets for the June 5 event can be bought at EventBrite: http://bit.ly/tbf-619

Mark, thank you for giving back to leaders in your “retirement.” If business owners and leaders want to be a part of this, how do they contact you for more information?

Go to our website: www.bettercommunities.net and click on the “Contact Us” button.