March 19, 2026

Business by the Book

Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Yesterday we noted that God is in a business. His business is souls. Your business may be something else, but there are things that can be learned from His business that may help yours. One such thing is the manner in which He set guidelines for individuals who would aspire to increase responsibilities in His business. In Acts 6 the first church in Jerusalem swelled to over 5,000 members. The growth was so fast that some began to murmur. The Apostles noted the complaints, investigated them, and took corrective action. They established the office of deacon; the Lord was pleased with this and later in the New Testament additional requirements for this office are posted.

All businesses sooner or later will need to promote individuals to higher levels of responsibility. As managers retire, move on to other jobs, or are elevated to greater positions, others will be needed to take their place. Promoting from within is a wonderful concept, but unfortunately those within the organization seldom have the required skills to be promoted. The reason for this is at least twofold.

On one hand, the employee takes no initiative to obtain the skills needed for advancement. On the other hand, the organization’s leadership fails to give clear cut understanding of the skill sets needed for advancement. Both are needed: workers with enough desire to advance who are willing to learn and grow in their ability, and an organization that makes the talents and abilities needed for advancement clear.

Consider the Boy Scouts. I joined the Boy Scouts at age 11. At 17 I was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. I was awarded this rank because I earned it. A well-defined path was laid out for me; if I followed it, did the work, and fulfilled the requirements I could earn this rank. It took years to accomplish this goal: merit badges needed to be earned, various ranks needed to be earned, leadership skills needed to be learned, community service hours had to be invested, camps attended, and other skill building tasks undertaken. Not to speak of the motivation received in the way only a mom and dad can. It paid off; today at my advanced age, I can still say that I am an Eagle Scout.

Does your business have a clear plan to help your employees to improve their skill set so they are qualified to be promoted from within? If you are an employee, do you know, or have you asked, what skills you need to be a candidate for promotion and are you willing to do the work to obtain those skills? Both are needed, they work together like a well-oiled machine. The Lord sets forth requirements for certain positions in His business and promotes from within. Perhaps this would be a good thing for your business, after all, His business has been solvent for over 2,000 years and counting.

Dr. William Howe