Mike McLoughlin's Blog :: Planning A Successful Small Business Seminar Introduction

I am conducting a seminar called Planning A Successful Small Business. The purpose of this seminar is to impart to the participants Christian discipleship principles and business planning skills that will assist them to be successful in business to the glory of God and to the good of mankind. I recently spent two years in Zambia with Youth With A Mission conducting these seminars. I held 15 seminars in various cities and trained over 1,000 Christian business people. Many attested to the transformation in their lives and in their businesses after a seminar that combined Biblical teaching with business skill development.

The business seminar ministry is a ministry of threefold encouragement. Firstly, it encourages business people in the Christian faith and in godly character so that they will honor God first in business and not compromise the Christian faith for the sake of money. Secondly, it encourages Christians in business ability by providing helpful advice and training in small business skills. Finally, it encourages Christians in business to serve the purposes of God in business, further His kingdom through marketplace ministry and disciple their nation for Jesus Christ.

Seminar Objectives

1. To establish a Biblical foundation and framework for business planning that puts God and His kingdom purposes first.

2. To teach principles from Scripture that can be applied to the business planning process and will result in the advancement of the Kingdom of God as well as the profitability of the business.

3. To disciple Christian and pre-Christian business people in godly character in the conduct of their business activity.

4. To impart business planning skills that will teach business people to anticipate potential problems, discover potential opportunities, and operate successfully at a profit so as to accomplish goals that advance the Kingdom of God as well as generate income for material needs.

5. To assist business people to discover the purposes of God for them in business and to encourage business people to plan for the accomplishment of these purposes.

6. To empower existing and potential business people with knowledge that will encourage in them a sense of dignity and self worth through self-employment.

Seminar Method

The seminars are designed in a format that is simple, easy to understand and to remember. They also provide opportunity to apply lessons to a case study. Each chapter will begin with teaching on godly principles in business and end with practical steps for success in business.

I have identified twenty-one principles from the Bible that are consistent with Jesus' call to radical Christian discipleship and I have applied them to business practice. These principles are taught first in the seminar to equip you with godly character (the fear of the Lord) so that you are teachable and able to receive all the knowledge you need, business wise. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Proverbs 1:7). The principles will be grouped into seven chapters -- seven representing the number of God.

From my education and my experience in starting and operating a small business I have identified a number of key business principles in planning, marketing, managing, budgeting and staffing. The business principles will be grouped into six chapters each containing six principles or steps to success -- six representing the number of Man.

The material in the seminars is introductory in nature and emphasizes the development of planning skills. The seminars do not provide much teaching in operational business skills. There are any numbers of institutions that can provide students with operational business skills such as bookkeeping or sales management.

Seminar Results

The seminars should help students to identify whether or not they are ready to start a business, review their present business activity, plan for the start up or expansion of a business, improve business decision making, avoid potential pitfalls in business practice, conduct business to the glory of God and extend the kingdom of God through their business activity to the good of the community.

Marketplace Ministry

One lady who runs a hair salon has commented to me about her experience after learning these principles. She said, "My attitude has completely changed and I am making more money, It's amazing! Just like you said, it's also a ministry and things are working. Actually people are happy to find me here!"

So the message of the seminars should change the attitudes of Christians towards work and business from seeing it as the dull grind of making money to seeing it as an opportunity to show the character of God in the marketplace. This change not only impacts the business of the Christian but it has an effect on other businesses as well. When customers are "happy to find" the Christian business person, and that business starts doing well, non Christian business people start wondering what's up and examine the way in which they are doing business. In effect, the Christian who ministers in the marketplace is discipling that marketplace for Jesus.