Its business “unusual” for the church.

By Prince t.

© God’s Business Mag, 2008
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23rd July 2008.
Florida/ Johannesburg: “Money indeed makes the world go round, but it is certainly not the most important thing for which human beings exist.” This seemed to be an obviously unsolicited consensus among an extraordinary breed of Christians, who had convened in one accord under an extremely peculiar spirit of a “business Unusual” gathering, to quote President Thabo Mbeki’s post Polokwane National Address coinage.

The importance of money to living can not be over emphasized. However, this all time truth continues to find varied expressions among people of different colours, creed or faiths, especially. While some are to this day still shy to acknowledge its importance others can do just about anything to have it.

It is to the latter category that the Bible finds no solace and therefore vehemently disproves. According to the Bible, it is not money but the love of money that is the root of all evil. The Bible attributes its claims to the evils as perpetrated by man, whose singular pursuit in life is to amass and accrue wealth in the form of money. According to the first book of Timothy 6:10b, “people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and caused themselves a lot of pain (ISV).

The church is ready and prepared morally and ethically to do business the unusual way. A day with Pastor Ray was one such exploits of the church as it embarks on the spirit of business Unusual. This annual event is one among many other business related events under the auspices of The Business Fellowship, a business wing of the Heritage Faith Worship Center, under the capable leadership of Pastor Earl Morrison. According to Pastor Morrison the vision of this ministry is to “help business and career people walk in the blessing of the Lord which makes rich and adds no sorrow”, he said. He further explained that the focus of this seminar in particular is “to develop a consciousness of unity in the area of commerce and group economics”. Through this ministry, we develop business owners and career people who are committed to responsible prosperity” he emphasized.

For his part Bishop Sherman gave the delegates, John 15:1-8 as a strategy and a fault proof process to success. “If you are not fruitful you mean nothing to anybody”, he said. “A man is measured by his fruits”, he further warned the delegates. Bishop Sherman is a very successful Christian business tycoon, who started from nothing. To his name he does not even have a grade 12 qualification. But that did not deter him from building for himself a multi-million wealth portfolio, to which he takes no glory. Bishop Sherman was yesterday testament to the fact that making money is not a sin. “Your labour is the premium expression of your worship”, he told a delegation of Christian Business man and women at a one day business seminar organized by the Heritage of Faith Worship Center in Florida, Johannesburg.

He lamented the fact that the “so-called “church” has commercialized Christianity, saying that “everybody is embracing the ‘word’ Christianity but are you supporting a Kingdom cause?” he asked. He then told the delegates that the process of life “starts with a thought, then speech and then action”. Furthermore Bishop Sherman said that fruitfulness or success starts with a gift in service. In other words Christian businessman should be determined to serve God’s people in accordance with their needs and in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself is a true epitome of a servant ‘in-service’.

He also said that it is crucial that Christian business people invest in relationships because it is through relationships that they will be able to be of influence to anyone within their sphere of influence. “Without influence you are a slave to the atmosphere of another”, he said. According to Bishop Sherman, if you are dominated by another’s atmosphere you will change toward it, because the atmosphere enacts change. “Change puts a seed in your hand, and then a harvest, anyone with seed has dominion”, he said.

Edwin foster of Foster Transport suggested that delegates form syndicates if they wanted to start businesses citing the fact that institutional lending was very difficult to obtain, especially these days. He also advised the delegates to consider franchise business ventures saying that franchise business was a very lucrative venture whose failure is very minimal in South Africa, which stands at a measle 11% considering the fact that at least a third of all new businesses fails in South Africa.

He further indicated that the franchise market in South Africa was very open, citing that at least about 17 sectors are involved, compared to the 50 and 25 in the USA and Australia respectively.

On his part, the key note speaker of the day, Pastor Raymond Le Fluer reminded the attendants that “we are not business people to make money, although we can not avoid making it, but we are “in business so that God may be glorified when we help the poor” he said. “Sustainable leadership is therefore a requirement and a necessity”, he added.

Pastor Le Fluer further indicated that “ethics were very crucial in Christian business because business is not a game”. He therefore suggested that as Christians we need not rush into the kitchen to serve Jesus, before we sat at His feet and be served by Him in his manifold wisdom. “The fact that He (Jesus) is in your house does not mean that you have a relationship with Him”, he warned. He further referred the delegates to John 12, the story of Martha, Mary and Jesus. He said that Mary knew how to wait on Jesus while Martha was busy with everything else but waiting on Jesus. “Don’t go to the kitchen before first sitting at His feet”, he advised. He moreover said that a big business requires an equally big prayer life”therefore.