Values-Based Decision-Making: A Biblical Guide for Christian Business Owners

 FAITHFUL BUSINESS SERIES

As a business owner, I’m faced with decisions on a daily basis–sometimes on a 5-minute basis! 

At times, those decisions are quick and obvious. Other times, there isn’t an obvious “right” answer. Things are nuanced. 

How do I know I’m making the right decision for my business?

A pros-and-cons list can be a helpful tool when faced with a difficult decision. When I was making the decision whether or not to take over ownership of The Studio I used this tool.

It was only somewhat helpful to me. Both sides of the list were pretty even and they each had significant weight to them. Were there going to be wonderful, joyful, and prosperous benefits to owning The Studio? 100% yes!! Was there also going to be a significant risk and investment? Was there going to be new and demanding use of my time and energy that would take away from other areas of my life? Also, 100% yes!

At that moment, it was apparent that I needed something deeper than a pros-and-cons list.

How Core Values Guide Business Decisions

Values aren’t decorative words for a website. 

When you have clearly stated and defined personal values, business values, and business purpose, they become a filter through which opportunities and decisions can pass. These bring up three foundational questions:

1. Who am I committed to being?

2. How is this business committed to operating?

3. Why does this business exist?

Values like community, relationships, leadership are key to my life and my calling and they caused me to consider the opportunity presented with The Studio and Impact Coaching as something I could not ignore. With eyes wide open to the cons-side of the list, my values encouraged me to step forward in faith and say YES! And, while I have questioned my sanity a couple of times, I have never really doubted that values-based decision. In fact, it gives me peace and purpose through the challenges.

How about you? Do you have clearly defined values? They can be a litmus test for you as you work through your daily decisions.

Biblical Wisdom for Business Decision-Making

Values don’t replace God’s direction, which can come from scripture, prayer, and the wisdom of your spiritual community. As a follower of Christ, our values themselves must be continually examined in light of God’s wisdom. They should never become an idol in and of themselves.

Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Our decisions don’t happen in isolation. They flow from what we believe, desire, prioritize, and treasure. And that means identifying our values isn’t simply a personality exercise. For Christian business owners, it’s also an opportunity to examine our hearts.

Are my values being shaped by my relationship with God, or are they simply reflecting what I want?

James, in his letter to the twelve scattered tribes, recommends, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5) As a business owner, you might genuinely value family, community, financial stewardship, and service. But those values can pull you in different directions. Which one takes priority in a particular situation? That’s where wisdom, prayer, and discernment come in.

Even when our values are clear, we still need God’s wisdom to apply them.

Chick-fil-A: When Business Values Cost Something

Chick-fil-A is a business that is well-known for its values and designing a model aligned with those values. As the founder, Truett Cathy had strong personal values that he infused into his business model. 

What is one thing that comes to mind when you think of Chick-fil-A? They are closed on Sundays! They met a lot of resistance to this decision, which comes from their value of giving employees one day a week to rest and/or worship. “You’re losing profits!” Chick-fil-A stayed anchored to this values-based decision. 

Your values will eventually cost you something. But, consider them in your business plan and build a successful, sustainable, and profitable business around those values. Values can guide faithful decisions even when the financial outcome is uncertain.

Chick-fil-A illustrates: What does our business value?

Let’s look to another iconic figure to see how values can direct your personal life.

Dolly Parton: How Personal Values Shape Decisions

Dolly’s Imagination Library is a strong example of the legendary singer and songwriter’s values in action. It reflects her commitment to literacy, her family roots, and providing opportunities for children.

I bet, if you took 90 seconds, you could make a reasonable guess as to Dolly’s values. Here’s my guess–Be Yourself, Stay Positive, Honor Your Roots, Lift Up Others, Be Generous.

What do you think? Am I close?

What a wonderful ambition, to have your values so clearly lived in your life that when people from the outside look at you and can name them so confidently.

When you stand back and look at your lifetime to this point, can you track where and how your values have influenced your decisions? Or, can you see where you decided to change course based on your values and things started to look different for you?

Dolly clearly shows us what it looks like to live your life according to your values. Now, what’s going to happen when you face competing demands tomorrow?

How Values Help Us Set Boundaries and Say No

As a successful business owner and leader in the community, you probably get a good number of requests sent your way on a daily basis. Opportunities to help, serve, support, lead, and give are abundant! How do you decide which ones will be your best YES and not just an obligatory chore?

When your values are clear, it’s easier to know when to say yes and when to say no. The challenge then becomes communicating those decisions to others with confidence and grace.

One NO that I had to give recently relates to the decision to take ownership of The Studio. Remember when I said that it would be a significant investment of time and resources? One of the first things I did was resign from a non-profit board I was sitting on. It was a difficult decision, but I was confident that my time was going to need to be focused elsewhere, and I don’t regret it, although I miss the mission and people involved.

Values can help us explain why a boundary exists, either to ourselves or to others. 

Values make some decisions before the decision ever arrives.

Putting Your Values Into Practice

Values-based decision making doesn’t eliminate risk, sacrifice, or uncertainty. It gives us a foundation for moving forward faithfully despite them.

Here are a few coaching questions that can help you in this endeavor:

1. What are my 3-5 most important personal values?

2. Why does my business exist beyond making money?

3. What would I have to compromise to say yes?

4. Does my calendar, budget, or business model reflect the values I claim to have?

There’s a difference between stated values and demonstrated values.

Your calendar and bank statement may reveal your actual values more accurately than the framed values statement hanging on the office wall.

Do the decisions I’m making reflect the person–and the business–I say I want to be?

Values don’t necessarily make the hard decisions easy. They make them clearer.

This article is the third installment in Faithful Business: A Biblical View of Stewardship and Growth, a series exploring how we can honor God through the businesses God has entrusted to us.

If you missed the first two articles, I invite you to explore Growing Your Business Without Guilt, where we examine the relationship between growth and faithful stewardship, and Profit and Generosity: A Biblical Approach for Christian Business Owners, where we consider how to build a profitable business while remaining generous with our resources.

Coming next: Success. What if God’s definition of success looks different from ours?