Two weeks ago, we briefly described four core values that act like guardrails to guide us in building missional enterprises. Last week, we looked at the first of the four values: the importance of Abiding in Christ.

This week we turn to the concept of Building Triple Bottom Line Enterprises.

As we have shared previously, the triple bottom line is derived from the three great mandates of scripture:

• The Creation Mandate to be fruitful, increase, fill, subdue, rule, work, and care
• The Great Commission to make disciples of all nations
• The Great Commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves

The Creation Mandate is the basis for the bottom line of Making a Profit – by successfully serving satisfied customers, making a profit reflects a kingdom of God culture that generates wealth for the enterprise, the shareholders, the employees, and the suppliers while adding economic value to the community.

The Great Commission is the basis for the bottom line of Making Disciples – first becoming a lifetime disciple of Jesus Christ and then engaging in life-to-life discipling with people in your business context, marketplace, and church.

The Great Commandment is the basis for a commitment to and dependence upon God’s Kingdom Values and Principles that permeate all that we do. In addition, the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves forms the basis for the bottom line of Making a Difference – by adding value to the local community through job creation, selling quality goods and services, helping the needy, taking care of the environment, or countless other ways to bless and serve people in your community.

We illustrate the Triple Bottom Line using a triangle, communicating that we are committed to a holistic pursuit of all three bottom lines.

For a beautiful illustration of a company striving to fulfill the triple bottom line, we strongly encourage you to take a moment to read the article Cambodian Mattress Factory Transforms Lives (https://navigatorsworldwide.org/worldwide-newsletter/2023/4/3/cambodian-mattress-factory-transforms-lives).

The article, from the Navigators Worldwide Newsletter, highlights the work of a mattress-making factory in a poverty-stricken region of Cambodia. Regarding the triple bottom line, this company is:

• Making a Profit – the company is growing, and “very profitable,” being “the only producer of this type of mattress in Cambodia.”
• Making Disciples – with several inspiring stories of faith and life transformation included in the article.
• Making a Difference – providing much-needed jobs and investing profits in community development programs.

Verse of the Week:

Matthew 22:36-40: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Let’s read and meditate on these words of Jesus.

If we were truly convinced that all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments, what difference would it make as we develop missional enterprises?