New Year, Renewed Purpose

As the calendar turns to a new year, it’s natural for us to think about goals and resolutions. For Christian business leaders, this season offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the past, seek God’s guidance and take steps to ensure a purpose-filled year ahead. Faith-driven leadership is not just about managing business; its about aligning every aspect of your work with God’s calling. It is as much about identifying and balancing what success means for you with our Christian call to serve and advance the kingdom of God.

Faith-centred goal setting

The start of the year comes with ambitious goal-setting and many of us have heard the saying “new year, new me”. This is because the start of the year, from a personal stance is the perfect opportunity to reinvent ourselves. As a Christian, my goals are Christ-centred as I pray and meditate over the next steps God has laid out in front of me.

When it comes to business, I wanted to understand whether business leaders approach goal setting in the same way, especially with businesses founded by Christians and these were the responses I received.

“I don’t primarily think of it [goal-setting] as a faith driven process, its more about values concerning sustainability and stewardship, but I can link it back to the fifth mark of the mission … the people in the business are quite diverse and we all share an ecological perspective and so there is a view on the need for integrity but not faith”.

Another leader highlighted the importance of aligning business plans with prayerful reflection:

“it starts with prayer – simply asking God, ‘What do you want me to do this year?’ From there, I listen and write down what He is saying. I also reverse-engineer practical goals, like scouting for the right team or preparing in advance for opportunities.”

Faith centred goal setting looks different for everyone, but the common thread is the intentional pursuit of God’s will.

Balancing profit with purpose

As Christian business leaders, we recognise that profit is necessary for sustainability, but it’s not the ultimate goal. Our real measure for success is in the lives we touch and the impact we make. Integrating purpose into a profit-driven strategy is a balancing act and one leader stated:

“It’s difficult! But I’ve found that the more I trust in God’s direction, the greater the rewards – both financially and spiritually.”

Another shared:

“You can’t generally optimise both [profit and impact]. Decide what matters most to you. If you care about things beyond money, don’t make money your primary focus. Instead, optimise your work to achieve the outcomes you care about. Money is a means to an end, not an end in itself.”

One of the most profound statements I heard is to “seek the Lord’s guidance around every decision, large or small”.

Reflecting Christ in the workplace

The workplace should be more than a place of business – it can be a mission field. Every decision we make, from hiring decisions, our partnerships or serving customers should be an opportunity to reflect Christ’s love and values. In a world driven by self-interest, faith driven leadership offers a refreshing and transformative model that inspires others.

One leader shared that the hope is always to “protect global commons and reduce the harm that humanity does to creation …” and when it comes to market competition the goal is to “largely ignore the competition, encourage the company to do what it wants to do rather than to compete with a view of dominating the market and optimising profit. It is enough to do what we do well.”

Another way of making the workplace a mission field is to be “mindfully generous in business dealing” and this was supported by another leader who finds that whilst working in a secular environment, the way in which we interact with one another should always point people back to Christ.

A year of purposeful leadership

As we reflected on the past year and the experiences that have shaped our leadership style, one key insight stood out: “Amazing things happen when we work in God’s strength and trust His plan for His business.”

Leadership is rarely a smooth or linear journey. This reflection reminded me of the importance of stepping back to care for those who need us most, whether they are our parents, children, or even ourselves. Recognising when to pause and prioritise others is a vital quality of truly great leadership.

So as you step into the new year, embrace this moment to renew your purpose as a leader. By integrating your faith into your business goals and strategies, you’ll find not only great fulfilment but also the opportunity to impact lives for God’s glory.

May this year be the year where your business becomes a beacon of hope, generosity and success. We hope you have a successful and faith-filled 2025!

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