Last week, we briefly described four core values that act like guardrails to guide us in building missional enterprises.

This week, we look at the first of the four: the importance of Abiding in Christ. The commitment to abide in Christ is rooted in the words of Jesus in John 15:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 (ESV)

As enterprise leaders, we can tend towards self-confidence and self-sufficiency, which makes a focus on abiding in Christ all the more critical. The Anglican bishop and theologian J.C. Ryle described abiding in Christ in the following way:

To abide in Christ means to keep up a habit of constant close communion with Him–to be always leaning on Him, resting on Him, pouring out our hearts to Him, and using Him as our Fountain of life and strength, as our chief Companion and best Friend.

Our dependence upon Christ also leads us to see ourselves as the stewards of our enterprises, not as independent owners.

We encourage you to choose at least one of the two excellent resources below and commit to taking about ten minutes today to read and reflect on how they can guide you into an even deeper abiding in Christ.

• Abiding over Striving, from the Faith-Driven Entrepreneur blog, is the engaging testimony of Brett Hagler, CEO and co-founder of New Story. Brett tells of his experience of starting a successful enterprise soon after becoming a follower of Jesus. From the introduction: “While I fell in love with Jesus and made radical life changes, I did not fully understand the importance of abiding in Christ over striving for my venture . . . I allowed the trajectory of my venture to shape my identity.”
• Not Ownership but Responsibility, an article from the Theology of Work Project, explores the importance of seeing God as the owner of everything, and ourselves as responsible stewards. Summarizing this principle, the article states that “Though we don’t own anything, God has graciously entrusted us with the care, development, and enjoyment of everything he owns. As his stewards, we are to manage his holdings well and according to his desires and purposes.”

For even more insights on this topic, check out the M3 Weekly edition, You Can Do Nothing, from October 2022.

Verse of the Week:

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11 (ESV)

As we lead enterprises for God’s glory, may each of us come to experience the joy of Jesus more fully as we grow in abiding in him.