Learn how to start a business from Paul’s missionary journeys
[Workplace Interpersonal Relationship Series]
Paul was a great apostle and an important servant of the Lord Jesus. He is a model evangelist and a model entrepreneur. I learned some lessons from Acts and Paul’s letters that have served me well as entrepreneurial principles. I would like to share some of my experiences with the spirit of a savage, hoping that I can use this to inspire others and get your responses and advice.
Entrepreneurship is a long-distance race, and you must have faith, hope, and love
As the saying goes: "It is difficult to start a business, but it is not easy to maintain it." This is the common memory and voice of all entrepreneurs, and it is also a warning and reminder from experienced seniors to those who come after. The shopping mall is like a battlefield, so be careful. In an ever-changing and highly competitive environment, why are some companies successful? Can it last forever? This is a topic that many scholars and experts are interested in studying.
Some people think that the key to business success is to choose the right strategy; some people think that success is caused by the right time, location, people and luck. Some people believe that "winning starts from the starting point". As long as you enter the market early, you will have an advantage, because "the early bird will catch the worm." However, business management is not a 100-meter race, but a long-distance race like a marathon. An early lead cannot guarantee a winning outcome. You must have physical strength and endurance to overcome difficulties, and you must have perseverance to operate for a long time and achieve sustained results.
I think: Romans 5:1-5 is the motto for Christian entrepreneurs. We are justified by faith, saved by grace, and have entered into the grace of entrepreneurship through faith. We should joyfully look to the blessings bestowed by the Lord and look forward to the glory bestowed by God every day. Rejoice even in the midst of adversity; for we know that adversity produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character; experience produces hope, and hope does not lead to disappointment. Because the Holy Spirit pours God’s love into our hearts. Christian entrepreneurs need to have faith, hope, and even more, the love of God. The process of starting a business is difficult, but the fruits are sweet. Therefore, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be steadfast in prayer. (Refer to Romans 12:12) Through reading the Bible and praying every day, you drink from the source of power. Your heart is filled with hope and joy, and you smile when you think about the future.
Paul was a visionary, faithful, and insightful steward
Paul was not one of the 12 disciples of the Lord Jesus, but he was a rising star in preaching the gospel. Paul was originally a Jew who zealously maintained the traditions of his ancestors and vigorously persecuted Christians. However, he became an apostle highly used by the Lord and actively preached the gospel to the Gentiles. The key to his transformation was that he met the Lord Jesus in person on the road to Damascus. He asked two important questions that changed his life. First, he asked: "Lord! Who are you?" The Lord said: "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecuted." He asked again: "Lord, what should I do?" The Lord said: "I want to "Send you to the Gentiles." The first question enabled him to know the Lord and gain new life; the second question enabled him to receive the Great Commission to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. From then on he did not disobey the vision from heaven. (See Acts 22:8-10; 26:12-19).
Similarly, entrepreneurs who have a clear vision and the determination to be loyal to the vision will not be double-minded and change their minds when things change. Instead, they can persevere, persist to the end, and never give up.
Paul was a principled, wise, and courageous fighter
After Paul and Barnabas completed their first missionary journey, they immediately encountered a great challenge: "Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. ’” (Acts 15:1) Paul and Barnabas argued with them greatly, and finally decided to go to Jerusalem with a few people from the church to meet the apostles and elders. In the Jerusalem Assembly, after continuous deliberations and debates, and finally with the support of the apostles and elders, the Assembly wrote letters to the Gentile believers, and sent Judas and Silas as representatives to go with them to exhort the brothers and strengthen the believers.
Entrepreneurs must have the courage to persevere and not compromise easily when faced with challenges on principled issues; when facing pressure from people with authority, they must have confidence and patience, stand firm, be kind, neither arrogant nor humble, and act wisely. To communicate.
Paul's knowledge of people and crisis management
After the Jerusalem Council, Paul and Barnabas decided to return to the cities where they had missionary work to visit the local brothers. Barnabas wanted to take his cousin Mark with him, but Paul disagreed. Because Mark left midway on his first missionary journey and did not work with them. Paul and Barnabas argued over this matter and even separated from each other. How can it be so embarrassing to be about to set off, but lose a close comrade who once fought side by side and shared the joys and sorrows? What’s more, Barnabas was Paul’s boss: After Paul believed in the Lord, he went to Jerusalem and wanted to make friends with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas received him and led him to the apostles. Later he went to Tarsus to take Paul to the church in Antioch to work with the brothers. This kind of kindness is worth remembering. But this time Paul was so insistent that the two got into an argument and even parted ways. This may seem regrettable, but Paul had the good sense to invite Silas to join him on this missionary journey.
This mission is of great significance. In Lystra, they selected young Timothy, and then the Greek physician Luke also joined the team. (See Acts Chapters 15-16) Paul obeyed the leading of the Holy Spirit, and after seeing the vision of Macedonia, he crossed the strait and entered Europe. Churches were established in Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth and other places. From then on, Barnabas' whereabouts did not appear again in the Bible, but Mark later became Paul's close co-worker in his later years. (Refer to 2 Timothy 4:11)
Everything is difficult at the beginning. At the beginning of a business, you need like-minded partners the most. However, entrepreneurial partners often have different opinions and even part ways due to different personalities, which is inevitable. Entrepreneurs must learn to be humble and considerate, know people well and do their jobs well. They must practice finding, nurturing, utilizing and retaining talents. They must be kind to others and love others as themselves. Because talent is a necessary condition for entrepreneurial success.
On Paul's third missionary journey, he stayed in Ephesus for three years, so that everyone living in Asia, whether Jewish or Greek, could hear the word of the Lord. Through Paul's hand, God did some extraordinary miracles, but it also caused great disturbance, and he had to leave Ephesus and go to Greece. Later, on his way back to Jerusalem from Greece, he specially summoned the elders of Ephesus in Miletus and exhorted them with earnest words: to be cautious, watchful and praying, and to warn that ferocious wolves would enter among them in the future and not spare the flock. sheep. Even among them some will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them. (Refer to Acts Chapters 19-20) This time Paul took several representatives of the Greek church to send the donations collected to Jerusalem to help the saints. Along the way, the Holy Spirit testified that chains and tribulations awaited him, and prophets predicted that he would be bound. But Paul was determined and unfazed by the dangers.
Entrepreneurs often "know that there are tigers in the mountains, but prefer to travel to the tiger mountains." Just because he insisted on his vision and mission, knowing that the future was full of difficulties and dangers, and being repeatedly discouraged by his relatives and friends, he was still full of confidence, independent of everyone's opinions, strong and courageous, and moved forward bravely.
The difference between successful and unsuccessful companies
Gerard J. Tellis and Peter N. Golder, two business school professors, spent ten years using historical methods to evaluate 66 products and analyze the differences between successful and unsuccessful companies in the same industry. They found that over the past century, the biggest differences between companies that have been able to lead and perform well for a long time and companies that have failed are the following five factors:
‧Have a vision for the mass market (Vision of The Mass Market)
‧Managerial Persistence
‧Relentless Innovation
‧Financial Commitment
‧Asset Leverage
They believe that vision is particularly important, especially if this vision is aimed at the needs of a broad mass market. The other four factors are the will to achieve this vision. They wrote the conclusions of the study in a book: Will and Vision: How Latecomers Grow to Dominate Markets (Figueroa Press, 2006).
The conclusion of this book is very similar to the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul. First of all, it is emphasized that the vision is aimed at the needs of the mass market, and the vision Paul received is also aimed at the vast number of Gentiles. This is a very risky and ambitious goal, much more difficult than targeting a niche market. However, there are huge business opportunities in the mass market. Even if it is a small profit, as long as it can sell more, it will generate enough profits to support the improvement of quality and the reduction of costs. Once the selling price is lowered, more customers can be obtained. Win more customers with "good quality, low price, and good service" and steadily increase market share.
With a clear vision, you must have the will and perseverance to persevere to the end. We must understand our customers and continue to innovate; we must not be complacent and strive for excellence. For sustainable development, continuous investment in research and development and improvement of production and marketing requires sufficient financial commitment; to expand product lines and business scale, assets must be properly utilized and leverage effects must be exerted. Only with such close cooperation can the business be successful.
▲When entrepreneurs face the challenge of principle issues, they must have the courage to persist and not compromise easily.
Paul’s life inspiration for entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs need to have a vision like Paul. Paul had a clear vision, which was to spread the gospel widely. Therefore, everything he did was for the sake of the gospel. He devoted himself to missionary work, worked tirelessly, and was not afraid of danger. He was imprisoned many times and beaten many times, but he remained calm and undeterred. Not only did he adhere to principles, but he was also meek and humble, winning trust and respect among the Gentiles and allowing the gospel to spread widely. He becomes all kinds of people to all kinds of people, and no matter what, he always wants to save some people in order to share the benefits of the gospel with them. (Refer to 1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
Entrepreneurs must learn from Paul and become excellent servant leaders. Paul led by example and worked with his own hands, always providing for the needs of himself and his co-workers. He also encouraged Titus, saying: "And our people must learn to live a serious business and prepare what they need, so that they will not be unfruitful." (Titus 3:14) He cared about the needs of the saints and encouraged the brothers to donate generously. Help those who are in need. In the management and delivery of donations, we are particularly careful and aboveboard to avoid gossiping. (Refer to 2 Corinthians 8:20-21)
Entrepreneurs must learn from Paul’s honesty, integrity and faithful service. Paul exhorts believers to be faithful stewards; to be faithful in small things is to be faithful in big things; to be diligent in everything and careful in everything. In the process of starting a business, an entrepreneur is like a sheep in a pack of wolves. He must be as nimble as a snake and as gentle as a dove. He must also be alert and cautious, because he will face "the enemy the devil everywhere, like a roaring lion, prowling around, looking for potential." Those who devour...” (Refer to 1 Peter 5:8) For example, unjust and corrupt officials demand bribes, and unscrupulous businessmen deceive and cheat. Therefore, we need Paul’s honesty, integrity, courage, and wisdom to deal with it in accordance with biblical principles to make ourselves better. Your career can glorify God, benefit people, and be blessed by God.
Please ask God to make us determined to learn from Paul’s character and determination, and in the marathon race of entrepreneurship, we should uphold faith, hope, and love and move towards the goal. Although there are challenges, with the strength God gives us, we will be able to run strong.
Elder Lin, served as Chairman and CEO of Payless Car Rental System Inc., one of the six largest car rental companies in the United States, from 1989 to 2013. Currently, he is a director of the Christian Messenger Association and is dedicated to the ministry of workplace missions and corporate transformation.