Too often, we as Christians seem to live two lives -  our “church life”, where we engage in our so-called ministry - and our “secular life”, where we earn our living.  If we feel called into what we consider to be full-time ministry, the immediate assumption is that we are called to be a traditional pastor, who must then establish a local church, or become a missionary.

Many people have even left their businesses or professions in the marketplace, thinking that the only way to be in full-time ministry is to be a part of the local church staff, or to be involved in missions of some kind. This mindset has left many frustrated, and they have come to realize that they are actually living outside of the will of God for their lives.

Ministry is much bigger than the local church.  Ministry involves reaching every sphere of our society.  There are three basic institutions that God has established where ministry must be carried out; the local church, the family, and the marketplace.  Among those institutions, the marketplace is the one where we spend most of our time, with the majority of those around us being people who do not know the saving grace of Jesus.

“Marketplace ministry” involves carrying out our vocation as a calling in the name of Christ, with the intent of fulfilling the Great Commandment – to love God with everything, and then to love one another as Christ loved us (Matthew 22:37-39) - and the Great Commission – to give all the opportunity to receive the free gift of salvation (Matthew 28:19-20). Marketplace ministry challenges us to allow Jesus Christ to begin to change us from being “fishermen” into “fishers of men.”

Many of us who have accepted Christ are still acting as “fishermen.” What does this mean? We spend most of our time and energy in the marketplace toiling and worrying about how many fish we can catch - how much money we can make - not realizing that, when we receive Christ, we are no longer fishermen, but fishers of men.  As we consciously prioritize our Kingdom purpose by becoming fishers of men, then Jesus Himself will take the responsibility to ensure that we catch enough fish to ensure that our needs are met, our business is profitable, our project is successful, and that our campaign for office prevails.  

Are you a fisherman, or are you a fisher of men?  Are you fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission through your business or profession?  

I started my career as an entrepreneurship instructor, executive director, and founder of a non-profit youth organization.  I was doing good works according to most standards. I was helping young people learn the skills of business, so that they could have an alternative to selling drugs. I was also providing leadership training to young aspiring leaders.  

In 1995, through a Christian businessman who was operating in his marketplace ministry, I received the LORD Jesus Christ as my Savior.  That led to a personal transformation where I received my marketplace call to use entrepreneurship as a tool to empower the body of Christ to seek and save the lost.  

That revelation then led me to develop an entrepreneurship training program called Biblical Entrepreneurship, and to repurpose the organization my wife and I had founded into a service ministry called the Nehemiah Entrepreneurship Community.

The Nehemiah Entrepreneurship Community now helps aspiring entrepreneurs build Kingdom businesses in partnership with churches, Christian organizations, and Christian colleges and universities. 

At the moment of receiving - and accepting - my marketplace call, I changed from being a fisherman, and I became a fisher of men.

Your transition may not be as drastic; it may not even cause you to change what you are doing. You may only have to change your methodology, your motivation, or your attitude toward it.  By the grace of God, the LORD has blessed us to assist thousands of individuals who are now operating profitable, sustainable, and scalable Kingdom businesses in the marketplace.

How can you identify your marketplace call?

1. Listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you.
2. Identify your gifts, skills, and abilities.
3. What are you burdened for?
4. Where does your passion lie?
5. How do you incorporate the Great Commandment and the Great Commission into the execution of your marketplace ministry?

Remember, there are very few industries and professions where we cannot serve the LORD, because the scripture says, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  (Colossians 3:17)  

However, the professions where you can honour Christ far outnumber those where you cannot.  

My prayer for you today is that God will give you the wisdom to know your marketplace calling, and the grace to walk in it.