Christian Business Builder

Ok, yesterday I told you that I had a seven step plan for business success. I told you that I would deliver that plan to you over the next seven days. I also told you that the creator of this plan can guarantee you success if and only if you are willing to follow the plan completely. If you fail to completely follow this plan your level of success will be effected.

So … without any further adoo, here is step number one in the seven steps to business success:

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; …” (Proverbs 3:5a)

I know, I kown, you’ve heard this before. But wait, give me a chance and I will show you how all of these thought fit together before I am done and, if you believe God’s word, you will see how your success can be guaranteed if you are willing to work this plan.

Now, let’s look at step one.

Trust means to be confident or sure. It means to be bold and to make to trust. So, if we apply this to business success, we could say that if we are going to be successful in business, we need to be confident in the Lord; to be bold in him.

We need to trust in the Lord “with all our hearts.” Our heart is the seat of our intellect, emotion, and will.

So, when we put these definitions together, we need to be confident in the Lord with all of our intellect, our emotion, and our will. This means that the Lord needs to be our confidence when we consider the technical aspects of business and marketing, when we struggle with the emotional ups and downs owning a business can bring, and as we surrender our will for success to that of the Lord. (Remember he doesn’t always define success the same way that we do.)

It is a simple first step, but it is not an easy one. To truly trust in the Lord means that you have to always agree with him and yield yourself to his direction throughout the course of your business career. Add to this the fact that Satan battles, seeks to blind and discourage all those who trust in the Lord and you have to make a real commitment to this first step.

However, if you are willing enough and surrendered enough God will bring you to a place of real success if you trust in him with all your heart.

Tomorrow - “and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

I wanted to take just a minute to say “Hello” to the whole online world. I am writing because I have a passion for business and for my faith in Christ. I want this blog to reflect both passions.

If you become a regular reader you will see that the theme of my writing will be a combination of the biblical understanding of business, finances, and making a difference in the world along with what it takes to be successful in the online business world.

My expertise comes from both failures and successes. I want people whose faith really means something to them to be able to have a place to gather around a proverbial cup of coffee and have a conversation about what it means to be a Christian Business Builder.

Come join me and let’s change the world through our faithful service to God and man in the world of business.

Dave Wellman, Founder
Christian Business Builder

In this post we are going to be looking at the second principle in The Jesus Model.

The second principle is:
Jesus presented himself in service to God the Father.

What this means to our business practices is that we need to build our businesses as a part of our service to God the Father.

When Jesus prayed to God the Father in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-45) he said, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

In that statement Jesus presented himself in the ultimate way in service to God the Father. Remember that God was going to pour out his wrath on Christ while he hung on the cross. He was also going to forsake God the Son while he became sin for us who knew no sin.

Knowing all of what lay before him, Jesus still presented himself for service.

God had not asked the same level of service from anyone before nor has he since. That being so, he still wants us to be living sacrifices for him in this world (Romans 12:1-2).

This level of service is not just about us being “spiritual.” It is about our overall testimony in life. This includes our business model and philosophy.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Again to the Corinthians Paul says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Our business is a part of our relationship with the Lord. Since it is, we need to yield it to him and follow after him as he leads. Just like Jesus was willing to follow God’s lead even if it meant he would suffer greatly for his service, we should be willing to “look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12)

When the great God of the universe is in full charge of all our lives (our business included) and we serve him with his glory in mind, he will provide us with the wisdom and understanding necessary to be successful.

Does your business function as a method of your service to the Lord?

Just a thought ….

Dave

What should Christians do about the “wealth” marketing that so often surrounds the Network Marketing industry? Unfortuantely, from where I am sitting, we not only buy into this philosophy, but we sell it to others.

Our ads talk about people making “more money in a moth than we used to make in a year.” Our lead capture sites have pictures of houses bigger than all but the most successful networkers own and cars that cost more than most of our houses.

We talk about “living on the beaches” when most of us plan our vacations at relatives houses because that’s all we can afford.

The real truth of the matter is that the average “successful” network marketer makes 4 figures a month not 5 figures. (And what’s wrong with a strong 4 figure income anyway?!)

We tell people that they can get rich “with no specialized skills” when we know that there is a large learning curve for most people.

Now, we do this because it is what we have been taught to do. The industry has become this way because we have rationalized the truth. We have looked at what is possible and have sold the “possibilities” while overlooking the “what is.”

We are told that $1,000/month would change the lives of most people dramatically and then we sell $10,000/month because that kind of money is possible AND it sounds better in our sales pitch.

Within an industry that is corrupted by its own greed and covetousness, what’s a Christian to do?

If you ever saw the recent animated version of Aladdin, you need to follow the Genie’s advice to Aladdin as he wondered about how to win the Sultan’s daughter. The Genie (Robin Williams) says to Aladdin,

“TELL HER THE TRUTH!”

This is exactly the advice we need to take as we market our business opportunity. The truth will sponsor more people who will stay and build than the sizzle of beaches, houses, and cars.

More people will respond to a 4 figure monthly income based of building a small but consisted retail customer base and developing a commited team of business builders than will commit to sponsoring 5-10 per month and getting caught up in the conference calls and webinars and purchasing leads and ad co-ops and so on and so on!

Let me give you five truths that I believe every Christian networker should tells potential team members:

1. Building a business takes time, energy, and money. Nothing in life that is good and lasting just happens. It takes work to be successful.

2. Building a business requires learning new things. You have to acquire skills that are unique to building a network marketing business. Having a “dream” is not enough if you don’t know how to do what it takes to accomplish your dream.

3. Builidng a business requires consistent action. Even if you new team member only has a couple hours a week to dedicate to building their business, they are going to have to be consistent with those hours. I know from experience that hit and miss doesn’t work.

4. Building a business in network marketing requires a heart for your team. We need to teach people that being successful in this business model doesn’t happen if we don’t focus on the success of your team.

5. Builiding a business requires that we manage our expectations and those of our team. Selling the “sizzle” may get people to jump in, but when they don’t get the “sizzle” they will jump out just as quickly.

Now, let me conclude this thought by saying that many people in this industry do acheive high levels of wealth. And that is great! But, we need to start people with all the facts and then let their dreams determine the level of success they choose to acheive.

Remember …. TELL THEM THE TRUTH!

It is the only way we can demonstrate the realistic potential of this industry and to do it in a way that our testimony is not damaged.

Just my thought ……

Have you ever been busy doing the things in life that you believed to be the things that God has led you to do, but you just couldn’t “get it together?” Then, one day you wake up, believing in God and his place in your life, and yet you start the day tired, on edge, and you don’t want to do it anymore?

When I came back to the Network Marketing industry I did so because God led me to do so. The only problem is that I came back with the same mindset and business model that had caused me to leave the industry discouraged over two years ago.

After several months of trying to learn and understand the current market conditions and praying  a lot, I have come to the conclusion that I need a “hard reset.”

I have always loved the pure, raw, entrepreneurial nature of this industry. I love innovators and thinkers. I love honest and ethical opportunities that provide products/services that people need, want, and enjoy. There is no industry in the world that provides such opportunities.

However, with every opportunity for good people to do right things there are also opportunities for abuse. Dominant personalities taking advantage of people just looking for their own view of success. People convinced to spend “just a little more” money that they cannot spare for a return that very few ever see. (A 95% industry-wide failure rate speaks volumes!)

Industry leaders blame lazy downline and unsuccessful downline blame unresponsive leaders.

Hype outweighs any concept of reality and talking about managing expectations is most often laughed at and scorned.

Everyone seems to want something for nothing and are willing to have other people pay for them to get it. Selling the “sizzle” is more important than helping people realize their own potential by helping them develop their skills, talents, and abilities.

It is time for change! I believe with all my heart that is why God brought me back.

That being said, I need a “hard reset.” You know what I mean. That time when you have been so corrupted by all the “stuff” that the only answer is to wipe everything out and start over. It’s a pretty drastic move but there are times when it is the only way to completely remove the corruption. The scariest part of the “hard reset” is knowing  that when you push the button there is no turning back.

As of today, I have “hard reset” everything about my business model. My hope is that this reset will provide hope for the struggling, comfort to the weary, and an energy for right change that will carve out a niche for people like me in this wonderful industry.

I am looking for 12 leaders to step out of the shadows. 12 people who will join me in my business, my vision, and my life. Only hard working, visionary, servant-leaders need apply!

Wanna play? Click here to get more details!

As the Pilgrims and their Indian friends sat down for the first thanksgiving feast in the new world, they had much to be thankful for.

They had survived their first full year in the new world.

They had found new friends among the natives of the land who helped them with understanding and knowledge of this new land.

Though many had died in the first winter, they were still alive as a group and had a real sense of optimism about the future.

In our day we should be thankful as well ….

We should be thankful because God has blessed us with another year.

It may have had its ups and downs, but we have made it through and that is worthy of our thanks.

We should be thankful for all the new knowledge and understanding we have gained this year (even if some of the knowledge came for lessons learned in failure.)

We should be thankful for new friends gained and old friends retained as we worked our ways through our daily endeavors.

But more than anything we ought to be thankful for the Lord’s continued goodness in our lives.

The Psalmist said it best when he said, ” Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. ” (Psalm 100)

We can demonstrate the thankfulness that we have to the Lord by our glad service, the song in our hearts, and our attitudes of praise and thanksgiving.

Do our team members see this in us? Do they know that above all things we are joyful and thankful leaders? Do we demonstrate our thankfulness in all the aspects of our business as well as our life?

Have a great thanksgiving and may God bless you, your family, and your business in the year to come.

While pondering life over a cup of coffee this morning, God drew my attention to the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3, in which Solomon was establishing the truth that “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

As I read on, I was stuck by the thought that now was the time that God’s people need to step up and step out to become successful in this world.

It is a time of great uncertainty and a time of great fear.

People are looking for stability in this world. Financial for sure …. but I believe also spiritual.

However, since most people have an unreasonable concept about God, Christ, and Bibllical Christianity, we may need to start with them were we have common ground.

That common ground might very well be in the area of their financial security.

So … in order to be “all things to all men” as Paul admonished, how can this be your time to succeed?

Consider 5 things:

1. Show up everyday - if you are going to lead ad build a strong and stable business, you need to show up everyday. Now that doesn’t mean “work” everyday (remember the sabbath rest was established by God) but it does mean that you need to engage life everyday. Don’t be a sideline sitter, be up, out, and active in  every phase of your life.
2. Live everyday as if it were your last - what I mean here is that if this were your last day to get things done, your intensity level would be through the roof. Whether you spent it working, witnessing, praying, or playing, you would do it like there was no tomorrow.
3. Live everyday like the success of everything you value depended on you alone - will you make that last call? Will you record that important video? Will you comfort a friend in need? Will you make life in your world as good as it can be?
4. Live everyday like you cannot do anything unless you are completely yielded to Christ - Jesus told us that without him we can do nothing. As believers our strength, wisdom, and energy all rest in our willingness to make Christ the Lord of our daily living.
5. Live everyday to the fulfillment of God’s will and his work - Jesus said in John 4 that he was sustained in this life by the doing of God’s will and the fulfillment of God’s work. This needs to be the over-reaching truth that drives us everyday. We need to know God’s will for our lives and we need to surrender to the fulfilling of it on a daily basis.

Is it your time to succeed? You and God are the only one that know the answer to that question.

If it is your time, put your hand to the plow and don’t look back!

If it is not your time, get alone with God and ask what it will take for your time to come.

When you are living in the times of success, you will have great opportunity to share your story and your faith with those looking to you for other answers as well.

Just my thoughts ….

Dave

I am on kind of a crusade these days. I see ads all the time that deal with the subject of sponsoring. These ads all tell us that if we just buy an ebook or learn social marketing that we can have an endless supply of leads and sponsor large quantities of new distributors (10, 15, even 20 per month).

We are then told to expect a 95% drop-out rate and to just keep sponsoring and the “cream will rise to the top.”

Then I look at the life of our Lord Jesus and see that when he built his team, that he did it with twelve (none of which could really be called the cream) rather than with the multitudes.

By building a smaller team, Jesus was able to teach them on a personal level. He could spend time with them and answer there questions, deal with their pride, correct their faltering faith, and just be there for them all the time.

It makes me wonder … should Christian networkers learn a lesson from our Master on this one?

I think so. I would rather work with a group of 12 close friends whose lives I can touch and who can touch mine than to sponsor so many people that I really don’t know who they are or what they are really looking for in life.

Could there be a Judas among my 12. Yes, but Jesus carried on and the gospel was still preached in spite of him.

I just don’t want to get to the end of my life and know that most of the people I told about my great business opportunity knowing that 95% of the people I sold on business ownership failed to be successful.

I know many will say, “I gave them a chance and their success is up to them.”

I am glad Jesus never determined that my spiritual success was to be left up to me!

Even as a believer, I can still know great success if I will just walk with the greatest teacher and mentor ever given. (The Holy Spirit)

My opinion is in the manority in the industry but I still hold to it.

If you wan to know more about why I think this way just email me and let’s get together and talk!

Dave

Proverbs 6:6-11

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Have you ever wondered what this ant thought of the sluggard as he looked at him from the anthill?

He must have thought about the waste of potential that the sluggard was born with.

Maybe he worried about the sluggard’s family with winter fast approaching.

He could have been considering all that he could teach the sluggard if he would just take time to listen.

Mostly though, I think the ant was sad. You see, it is sad to think that anyone created by the Author of all that was, is and ever will be would settle in life for what can come to him by just existing. God placed within the ant a desire to do the best he could within the wisdom, power, and resources made available to her.

So, for her to peer out of her anthill and see someone with much greater potential than hers just sitting on the sidelines of life with no amtitions to be all that God made them to be must have indeed been a sad thing.

You might be wondering what such a story as this has to do with Network Marketing as a Christian business builder? Well, in this story, three things come to my mind:

1. If I believe God wants me in this industry, am I serving him to the best of my ability?
2. Am I learning all that I can so that I can be the best coach and mentor that my team can have?
3. Am I inspiring others to take up the cause so that we can multiply our efforts and change our world?

The ant in this story was just doing what came naturally. She was preparing for the winter which would surely come. Are we, who believe that God has given us the desire to build strong and successful network marketing groups, following in the footsteps of the ant or are we just waiting for whatever happens our way?

Just a thought!

When people think about their businesses, more often than not, they don’t also think about the Bible as a principle source of knowledge. Over the years as I have worked to build my business, I have bought and read may books written by the hot authors of the day. Many of them did have insight into things that help with the technical aspects of business. However, until recently I didn’t really consider the volumes of wisdom available to Christians from the greatest book ever written on any subject, The Bible.

The Bible doesn’t have the latest email marketing techniques, or the “magic bullet” for sponsoring, or even the best way to choose a company (although I’m not a convinced about this one). What it does have though is God’s view of life for all people. What life is all about, how to be successful in this life, and how to pass on that success to succeeding generations.

Over the course of the next couple weeks I am going to be posting some principles from God’s word that I believe should motivate serious believers with regard to the development of their network marketing business. I hope that you will be blessed and challenged by these principles (as I have been in studying and thinking them through on my own).

Please feel free to comment and add your wisdom to the conversation!

Look for more throughout the next couple weeks.