Planning is the ability to tap into the mind of God and gather the necessary details on how the vision He gave you will be implemented. It requires you to carefully do your research so you can effectively support and communicate the assumptions you make throughout the plan based upon the revelations that the Lord has given you.

Planning is essential to the success of any business.  It is key to not only starting the business but to managing the business as well.  Can you imagine Moses building the tabernacle of God without a plan from God, or Jesus fulfilling His purpose on the earth without the blueprints of the Old Testament to make references to and be guided by?  Effective management begins with planning, which leads to setting goals.  Planning is the most important function in establishing a business.  The sad reality is that most entrepreneurs do not bother to plan.  The excuse often is time, know-how, or they just feel it is not necessary.  No doubt about it, planning is hard work.  It involves thinking and thinking is hard work.  In essence, planning is solving future problems before they occur, making decisions, speculating on the future (both far and near), setting objectives (long and short range), considering alternatives, and making choices.  Planning for the future requires flexibility to cope with the unexpected.  You must set timetables and establish priorities; decide on the methods to be used and the people who will be involved.  You must analyze the existing situation, formulate and apply targets, logic, and creativity to all details in between.  Planning gives purpose and direction to your daily activities.  Without it, your activities are aimless and uncoordinated.  Whether you are a start-up business or a growing business, if you have not developed a plan or updated you existing plan, it is essential that you do so, not just for your sake, but for the sake of those who are called to co-labor with you.

Keys to successful planning:

1. Seek the Lord for clarity and direction
2. Determine the type of plan and engage your team
3. Clarify your purpose and mission
4. Update your internal and external assessments
5. Develop your strategy or operation plan
6. Update your financial plan based on your new strategy
7. Develop your monitoring systems

Eliminate the excuses, overcome the procrastination, discipline yourself, and write your plan.  Just doing it will be a reward in itself.

We have great news!  Following NPIM Weekend, we will offer a 2-day BE Teacher Certification Training. To register, click here!

The Teacher Certification Training will equip you to teach the BE Certificate Program live or online.  You will join a global network of marketplace believers committed to helping people build Kingdom businesses.  If in business with a partner or spouse, second registration (business partner or spouse) receive 25% off the course fee.

This early bird special expires September 17, 2010.

Regular price is $1,200.

We have more great news!  A couple of days prior to the teacher training, we are offering a 2-day Live BE I Intensive Training in the Atlanta area.  To register, simply click here.

BE I Live Intensive (Principles of Biblical Entrepreneurship) is the first of a three-part course that provides foundational Biblical principles and core business concepts. BE I teaches the Biblical approach to identifying opportunities, taking calculated risks, solving problems, and exercising stewardship for biblical profit while developing a Christ-centered character and attitude.

The clear, concise and practical principles have immediate “take home” value that can impact your business quickly. The course is a transformational tool that challenges existing business paradigms and grounds students in the Biblical truth about business. New Christian entrepreneurs and existing business owners alike can fulfill God’s plan for their lives through business. Excellent training for Kingdom Business and Business as Mission.

In this segment of the Kingdom Business Forum, a panel of experts discuss the importance, challenges and opportunities for a Church who wants to engage their Business People by starting a Marketplace Ministry.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Watch this incredible video of Jim Hargis as he talks about his role as the Senior Business Pastor at City Bible Church and how other Churches can start their own Marketplace Minsitry!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out this video from Kingdom Business Forum of Jay McCall, an addiction specialist as he talks about the truth about Marriage, Addictions and Business!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they? Which of you by worrying can add a cubit to his stature? Matthew 6:26

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, man’s foundational needs are physiological. These needs – food, drink, and clothing – are the literal requirements for human survival. If they are not met, the human body cannot continue to survive. Although Maslow’s hierarchy is incomplete – in that it does not include man’s need for God – it does speak to those natural elements that cause man to worry and become anxious. Nothing creates anxiety and worry like the feeling that one will run out of food and natural provision.

This is why Jesus addresses this issue head-on during His Sermon on the Mount. He states in Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I say to you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” As if that were not enough, He continues in verse 26 to challenge us to look at the birds of the air and learn from them.

What can we learn from birds?

Jesus states, “For they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly father feeds them.” Whoa, you mean birds do not work, yet our God feeds them? Now isn’t this a violation of God’s economic principles of sowing and reaping? The Apostle Paul makes it very clear in II Thessalonians 3:10b, that “If anyone will not work, neither should he eat.” God Himself states in Genesis 3:19a “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground.”

Why does God give birds preferential treatment? He does not. Jesus is teaching us about a law higher than the law of sowing and reaping-the law of sovereignty. The law of sovereignty is God’s complete authority and power over His entire universe. The way laws work is that any law can be overridden by a higher law. For instance, according to the law, it is illegal to drive past a red traffic light. However, if there is a policeman driving his car with his siren on, not only can he pass the red light, but if you are blocking his car, you must move to make way for him.

The law of sowing and reaping states that if a man will not work (sow), he shall not eat (reap). The law of sovereignty, however, states that God has authority and rule over the entire creation, and He will provide for anyone He chooses in any way He chooses. The lesson here is that if God can feed a non-working bird that is not made in His image and likeness, what about you and me, who not only are made in His image and likeness, but also work to bring Him glory?

Why did Jesus use this example? I imagine that He was ministering to people who were worried about their provision, not necessarily because they were not willing to work, but perhaps because they could not find jobs as a result of discrimination towards Jews in a Roman colony.

In their day, just like today, there was possibly limited job availability. Maybe there were people who had jobs, but who were not making enough money to meet their basic needs. As one of my friends puts it, they had more days in the month than they had money.  I am sure that there were businessmen in His midst who were unfairly and heavily taxed which impacted their profitability. Some may have been forced to close their businesses, and others may have faced low demand since customers themselves were economically challenged.

The questions the people must have asked Jesus were, “How will we feed ourselves and our families? How will we pay our workers and pay our expenses?” Jesus responded by saying, “Do not worry; do not be anxious; do not take the problem into your own hands. God has not forsaken you; man does not live by bread alone.”

To illustrate His point, He pointed to the birds of the air. God, the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, the Sustainer of life, the Creator of all things, the Faithful Wonder Himself feeds them.

He,
El Elyon – the Lord most high,
El Shaddai- the God who is sufficient for the needs of His people,
Jehovah Elohim – the Eternal Creator,
El Olam – the Everlasting God,
Jehovah Jireh – the Lord our Provider,
Jehovah Shalom – the Lord our Peace,
Jehovah Shammah – the Lord is present,
Jehovah Rohi – the Lord our Shepherd,
Jehovah Huseemu – the Lord our Maker,
Jehovah Eloheenu – the Lord our Maker,
He cares for them!

Now if God takes care of birds that do not work, what about you and me who are not only created in His image and likeness and whose difficulty is not as a result of slothfulness on our part or even our lack of a desire to work? Will God not take care of us in the midst of circumstances outside our control? Even if our circumstances are due to mistakes on our part, we serve a God who is merciful, kind, gentle, generous, forgiving, and who works all things “together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28.

How are you doing? Have you lost your job? Is revenue down? Are you worried about meeting your needs, meeting payroll, or paying the bills? Follow Jesus’ instructions:  look at the birds of the air and know that you have more value than they do.  My prayer for you is that, “my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19. Think about His goodness in the morning and thank Him for His faithfulness as you lay down at night. He will take care of you.

As part of our “Doing Business as a Family” series, we discovered New Venture Lab and Venture Academy as resources for kingdom businesses doing just that.  Watch the full episode of “Doing Business as a Family with special guest Wade Myers of Venture Academy Online!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nehemiah Weekend, Destiny Metropolitan Church-Atlanta, GA September 23-26
NPIM Weekend provides educational and networking opportunities for Biblical Entrepreneurs and individuals desiring to start and operate their own business from a biblical perspective, while raising funds to support the ministry.   This year’s event will be held on September 23 -26 hosted by Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church in Atlanta Georgia, Senior Pastor, Dr. Brian Crute. The weekend begins on Thursday evening with a Welcome Reception followed by a Biblical Entrepreneur (BE) Conference on Friday.  The Conference ends on Friday with an Alumni Luncheon.  We continue on to the next day, Saturday with the BE Conference, followed by a banquet in the evening.  NPIM Weekend culminates with  Sunday Worship at Destiny.

For other information and registration, click here.

We have partnered with this kingdom company to expand the Biblical Entrepreneurship Training world wide.

Click below to learn how?

Click here to view the embedded video.