Doing God’s Business God’s Way is a statement of my personal ministry philosophy and calling.  To be an instrument for demonstrating God’s will in the conduct of business affairs in His earthly Kingdom is my objective.  More specifically, my call to ministry is directed at promoting organizational excellence for churches and Christian organizations via enhancing their administration and management of ministry programs.  My burden is for ministries within the African-American community that all too frequently have insufficient exposure to resources and expertise to bring their God-given visions to maturity.

In Luke 16:1-13, Jesus imparts the parable of the dishonest manager.  He teaches that while dishonest, the manager acted shrewdly (v. 8), and He acknowledges that the “children of this age,” or the worldly, are more shrewd in their dealings than are the “children of light,” or the spiritual.  He goes on to advise those who are spiritual to learn from the worldly in their management and care for the things of this world and apply that to our management and care in the concern for souls and eternity (v. 9).  That means to me that our conduct of ministry needs to employ the best operating principles and practices that represent our Lord and the Great Commission He has given us to win souls (Mt. 28: 19-20).  We learn from the world, but we then are charged “to present our bodies as a living sacrifice” and “to not be conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may discern the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2).  It is on this scriptural foundation that my call to ministry management is based.

From the two scriptures, Luke 16:1-13 brings us to understand that we must manage resources appropriate to life in God’s kingdom.  Romans 12:1-2 tells us that we must be a total sacrifice to God with a whole new way of thinking, one that relies on having the “mind of Christ” according to the image of God.

What then is the image of God that informs our business actions? God is holy, God is just, and God is loving.  We have an obligation to represent Him by exhibiting business conduct from a position of holiness, from a standard of justice, and from a heart of love.  That is Doing God’s Business God’s Way.

                                                                                    ---Dave A. Petteway