By Al Behel
In the past I did a lot of business consulting and coaching on success in the business world. Once I worked with a national chain with more than 800 business locations throughout the United States. They are successful because there is a constant focus on improving customer satisfaction and delivering the best service possible.
Fifty percent of new businesses fail in the first year and 95% fail in the first five years. While there are other factors contributing to their failure, many of them fail because they fail to recognize that the business of business is not business, but the business of business is people. When there are no customers or consumers, there is no business.
When Jesus was unintentionally left behind in Jerusalem at age 12, Hhis frantic parents returned to find Him in the temple discussing Scripture with the teachers of the law. When they verbally reprimanded Him, He responded, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” A provacative question. Does that mean God has a business? Yes, His business is people. People who are lost and need a Savior. People who cannot save themselves.
God’s business is church business. It is the business of the Kingdom. While there is no product to peddle, there is a message to be shared, a grace to be experienced, and a redemption to be received. God’s business is our business. We are about the Father’s business. That’s the business of the church.
When the church ceases to focus on the needs of people it will face a sudden demise. Henry Ford said a man should never leave his business, but should think of it by day and dream of it by night. Our Father’s business is open 24 hours a day. It never closes, but welcomes the downtrodden, the lonely, the alienated, and struggling sinners. Mediocrity is not enough. We must provided exceptional service.
Our Father’s business requires dedicated servants whose primary goal is the success of the business. They think about it by day and dream about it by night. They know that its success depends on their continuous and effective performance, doing the Father’s will.
In the past I did a lot of business consulting and coaching on success in the business world. Once I worked with a national chain with more than 800 business locations throughout the United States. They are successful because there is a constant focus on improving customer satisfaction and delivering the best service possible.
Fifty percent of new businesses fail in the first year and 95% fail in the first five years. While there are other factors contributing to their failure, many of them fail because they fail to recognize that the business of business is not business, but the business of business is people. When there are no customers or consumers, there is no business.
When Jesus was unintentionally left behind in Jerusalem at age 12, Hhis frantic parents returned to find Him in the temple discussing Scripture with the teachers of the law. When they verbally reprimanded Him, He responded, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” A provacative question. Does that mean God has a business? Yes, His business is people. People who are lost and need a Savior. People who cannot save themselves.
God’s business is church business. It is the business of the Kingdom. While there is no product to peddle, there is a message to be shared, a grace to be experienced, and a redemption to be received. God’s business is our business. We are about the Father’s business. That’s the business of the church.
When the church ceases to focus on the needs of people it will face a sudden demise. Henry Ford said a man should never leave his business, but should think of it by day and dream of it by night. Our Father’s business is open 24 hours a day. It never closes, but welcomes the downtrodden, the lonely, the alienated, and struggling sinners. Mediocrity is not enough. We must provided exceptional service.
Our Father’s business requires dedicated servants whose primary goal is the success of the business. They think about it by day and dream about it by night. They know that its success depends on their continuous and effective performance, doing the Father’s will.
- Al Behel preaches for the Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://greatsmokymountainschurchofchrist.com/
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