Last week I received an email titled “8 Core Beliefs of Extraordinary Bosses”. It struck me that these principles are not just worldy-wisdom but are comparable to the Christian life. Here they are:

1. Business is an ecosystem, not a battlefield. We are all in this together! We are in a battle for souls, a battle against sin, and a battle against Satan. Too often the Church gets into battles with each other over things that just don’t matter. We use our weapons for friendly-fire and the Kingdom of God stops advancing because of our stupid pride. Remember who the enemy is…it’s not against flesh and blood that we fight, but against the powers of Satan and darkness. Our communities should be ‘eco-systems’ of humility, love, and acceptance.

2. A company is a community, not a machine. God hasn’t made us lifeless robots that are pre-programmed to forcibly love him. He has revealed himself through Jesus Christ as a God of Love, Compassion, and Justice. He has given us the choice to come to him or reject him. When we come to him we are welcomed into his family and every Christian on Earth becomes our Brother or Sister. We’re brought into a community of love, not a lifeless religious machine.

3. Management is service, not control. God has served us incredibly by making a way for us to be forgiven of our sin. He has bought us freedom from the slavery to sin and continues to free us from our bondages throughout our entire life. He is Lord and has every right to guide our lives with the wisdom and righteousness of his Holy Spirit. Without his constant work in our lives, we would stray back into the slavery of sin.

4. My employees are my peers, not my children. The leadership of the church is given to the people of God to serve them, not to lord it over them. God establishes leaders to teach us, disciple us, and discipline us when necessary but never to control or manipulate us.

5. Motivation comes from vision, not from fear. We are motivated to serve God, worship him and love him because he loved us first. The incredible sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is not just the gateway into God’s Kingdom, but should be the example of how we are to love each other – sacrificially. God sacrificed his Son for us so that we might have life. That is not motivation by fear but it is perfect love casting out all fear.

6. Change equals growth, not pain. People die, jobs are lost, suffering and hardships will come to all people. God allows these things to grow our faith as we trust him in the pain. The greatest growth comes through suffering. If we always had a comfortable, perfect life, we’d quickly forget about our need for God.

7. Technology offers empowerment, not automation. The printing press is an old invention but it was critical in the production of billions of Bibles over the years. Today, the internet provides us with online Bibles, sermons from the farthest reaches of the world, and quick answers to hard questions. But these technologies should never take away from a personal prayer life and intimate time with God. Interacting with a screen is not the same as coming into the presence of God and getting to know him better one-on-one.

8. Work should be fun, not mere toil. God’s Kingdom and his work should fill us with joy. There are few things that bring as much joy to me than being with God and helping others to know him better. It’s hard work but it’s rarely toil. God is a God of joy – and the joy of the Lord will be our strength.

Everybody wants a boss who thinks and operates this way. The amazing thing is that we already have a God who is all this and so much more. I’m thankful that his Kingdom is ruled by love – not anger, fear, or guilt. Thanks to Jesus that he made it possible for us to have a relationship with the God all creation…the greatest Boss imaginable.