Should your Business Advisor be a Christian?

If you’ve been a business owner for any length of time, it quickly becomes obvious that you can’t do it all yourself. You need help to make your vision a reality. In most cases, like your plumber and roofer, as long as they are honest and do quality work, hiring them to solve your problem can work out just fine. But what about advisory level positions?  If someone is helping you develop and execute a long term strategic plan as well as providing leadership training and accountability, they will deeply influence the actions you take in the company and at home. If you are a Christian, the only person you should trust in this role is a fellow brother in Christ.

Shared Purpose

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?  2 Corinthians 6:14

What are your deepest goals and ambitions? Why do you get up each morning and work so hard to keep your business strong? For the Christian, the answer is simple: For the Glory of God. We are created by God, empowered by God, and what we do has great meaning and purpose as we work heartily for God. Since we know that without faith it is impossible to please Him, all our work must be done in Faith empowered by the Holy Spirit.  How can a unbeliever advise you on how to work this way?  How can an unbeliever encourage, rebuke, and exhort you in your work when their motivations are worldly rather than heavenly? The power of a shared purpose cannot be overstated.

Prayer

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  Philippians 4:6

Do you know what will happen in the market next quarter? How about where to find your next strategic partner?  Search engines and AI can conjure up a researched solution, but they are still fallible and never guaranteed to give you exactly what you need when you need it. However, as a Christian, you know someone who can never steer you wrong: the God-Man and only mediator for us humans, Jesus Christ.  Are you praying for your business? Do you have an advisor who is praying for you and your business?  How can someone who does not know God help you navigate the unknown future?  There are many advisors who are quite confident in their predictions, whether right or wrong, but coming humbly before the Lord will give you solid answers and bold confidence for the future. 

Wisdom

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.  Proverbs 13:20

Since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight, a business advisor who meets both of these criteria can offer advice based on things that are eternal, not things that are passing away.  Gaining knowledge is something that can be done through many avenues, but correctly applying that knowledge to your business and achieving an intended result comes by wisdom. A good Christian advisor is one who is skilled, studied and experienced in applying both business fundamentals and God’s Word into difficult work situations. An unbeliever only has worldly tools at their disposal.

Conclusion

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.  Proverbs 27:17

Do not be seduced by what the world falsely calls knowledge. Ensure that you are equally yoked so that your business can be a pure reflection of your love for Jesus, your family, employees, customers, and community. Your work matters too much and eternity is too long for you to make the tragic error of picking an advisor who does not know God.