What Biblical Principles Should Guide Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship often involves navigating uncharted waters, making strategic decisions, and leading teams towards shared goals.

For you and I who seek to align our business practices with Biblical principles, there are timeless guidelines to consider. By embracing risk-taking, excellence, honesty, and humility, we can build businesses that are not only successful but also grounded in ethical and spiritual values.

Let’s explore these principles and the benefits they bring to your entrepreneurial adventure.

Risk-taking: Trusting God’s provision

The Bible acknowledges the necessity of taking risks, as seen in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). In this parable, a master entrusts his servants with varying amounts of money before leaving on a journey.

The servants who invested and took risks with their master’s money were rewarded, while the one who buried his talent out of fear was chastised.

This teaches that taking calculated risks, when done in faith and wisdom, can lead to growth and success.

What I find most interesting about this parable is that the first two servants, who had invested and worked to double the money given them, were rewarded in the same way. The master said, “Well done good and faithful servant, you have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of more.” We all want Jesus to say that to us, right?

We also see examples in the Bible of others who took risks, and how it paid off. Esther went before the King without an invitation to plead for her people; Priscilla when she and her husband took Apollos aside to correct his view; and, Puah & Shiphrah when they disobeyed Pharoah and did not kill the newborn Hebrew boys.

God calls us to take risks in our businesses every day. He wants us to trust Him for the results. It is another example of God using our businesses to grow our character to be more like His Son.

Benefits of Biblical Risk-taking

1. Innovation and growth- Trusting in God’s provision encourages us as entrepreneurs to step out in faith, encouraging innovation and business growth.
2. Resilience- Biblical risk-taking builds resilience, as we learn to rely on God’s guidance through our challenges and uncertainties.
3. Reward- As illustrated in the Parable of the Talents, wise risk-taking can lead to significant rewards and opportunities.

Excellence: Striving for God-honoring work

Colossians 3:23-24 urges believers, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

This call to excellence challenges us as entrepreneurs to pursue the highest standards in our work, not merely for personal gain but to honor God.

Striving for excellence does NOT mean perfectionism. I want to make that clear. Excellence refers to consistently striving to achieve the highest standards in all aspects of business. It is a commitment to quality and continuous improvement.

The Biblical example I see here is Ruth. She worked diligently, during the harvest, gleaning from the fields so that she and Naomi could eat. She had a great attitude and worked with such excellence that others noticed. 

For our businesses, it’s about creating value, maintaining integrity, and creating a culture of high performance and accountability within ourselves and our teams.

Benefits of Pursuing Excellence

1. Reputation- A commitment to excellence builds a strong reputation, attracting clients/customers, partners, and even investors.
2. Satisfaction- Delivering high-quality work provides a sense of satisfaction and purpose, knowing that your efforts glorify God.
3. Impact- Excellence in business practices can also lead to broader societal impact, setting a standard for others to follow.

Honesty: Building trust through Integrity

Proverbs 11:3 tells us, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”

Honesty and integrity are foundational to building trust, a critical component in any successful business. As entrepreneurs, we are called to be transparent, fair, and truthful in all our business dealings.

You may think this is obvious for Christians, but we need reminders all the time. In today’s culture, it can be extremely tempting to try and get away with things because we think no one is paying attention.

Our Biblical examples here are Huldah and Deborah. Huldah, with her singular focus to learn God’s Word, did not mince words when asked to authentic a piece of scripture and then give a shocking prophecy. And Deborah made it very clear to the army commander that he would not get the honor of killing their enemy.

We must continue to operate our businesses with honesty. We are representing God in the marketplace. It is just not our reputation that is one the line, but God’s.

Benefits of Honesty

1. Trust- Honesty cultivates trust among team members, customers, and others, building loyalty and long-term relationships.
2. Sustainability- Ethical business practices lead to sustainable success, as businesses known for their integrity are more likely to endure.
3. Peace of mind- Operating with integrity brings you peace of mind, reducing stress and enabling clearer decision-making.

Humility: Leading with a Servant’s heart

Philippians 2:3-4 encourages believers to, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Humility is about recognizing one’s limitations and valuing the contributions of others, promoting a collaborative and supportive environment.

Servant leadership specifically requires us to lead by example. Our primary goal, as the leaders of our businesses, is to serve others by prioritizing their needs over our own interests. Leading by example means demonstrating empathy, active listening, and stewardship. The focus is on empowering and uplifting those around you, this includes clients, partners, and team members.

Of course, our best example of humility (and servant leadership) in the Bible is Jesus. Here are just a few of the things He did:

• washing the disciples’ feet
• feeding the multitude (twice)
• teaching about humility and service
• describing the actions of a good shepherd, and
• empowering His disciples to live out the Great Commission.

Our businesses thrive when we model what we want to see in others. We truly live out the Bible’s collection of ‘One Another’ verses when we practice humility.

Benefits of Humility

1. Team cohesion- Humble leadership promotes teamwork and respect, enhancing productivity and innovation.
2. Adaptability- Humble entrepreneurs are open to feedback and willing to learn, making them more adaptable to change.
3. Respect- Humility earns respect from team members, clients, and peers, creating a positive and motivating environment in your business.

Following these Biblical principles

Incorporating Biblical principles such as risk-taking, excellence, honesty, and humility into entrepreneurship not only aligns with spiritual values but also offers practical benefits.

When you embrace these principles, you can expect to build a resilient, innovative, and trustworthy business that positively impacts you, your community, and glorifies God.

By prioritizing these timeless values, you can navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship with wisdom, integrity, and faith.

Let me know what you think. I invite you to start a conversation with me in the comments. And if you are looking for more insights on how to apply these principles, I invite you to watch this video.

Be filled to overflowing,

DeneenTB