This information was assembled by Pastor Michael Shover and includes ideas from other CREC pastors including Douglas Wilson, Jess Monnette, Shawn Paterson, Joost Nixon, Nathan Zekveld, and Steve Jeffery.

As our church community grows and people are working with and for one another, there are opportunities for sin to mess things up. Here are a few helpful tips to consider as you go into business with anyone, but especially a brother in the church.

Write it down

Regeneration does not make anyone’s memory perfect, least of all yours. And do not assume that a handshake will do because you are working with a fellow Christian. Christians are sinners too. “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).  Write everything down in a contract. Good contracts are good fences, and good fences make good neighbors.

Details fade over time, and as details fade misunderstandings can grow.  We write down a shopping list when we go to the hardware store so that we will remember what to buy. How much more should we write down the terms of a business deal between brothers?  The functional process of putting things down on paper allows both parties enough time to think through the arrangement from their own side and also to see what the other side is thinking. This process routinely raises questions one (or both) sides have not considered yet and need to discuss.  

This is also important for long-term business ventures.  Although written agreements (usually in the form of a partnership/shareholder/operating agreement) are relevant if the venture fails, they are absolutely vital if the venture succeeds. No one fights when there is nothing to divide up. But when the business is successful and really starts to take off, the potential for misunderstanding, mistrust, and sin grows. These agreements should address who will be responsible for contributing money/labor, what the income from the business will be used for, and how the money will be split between the owners. It should also address how (if) a partner can exit the arrangement, what the buy-out terms will be, and what the triggers for that buy-out will be. Depending on the nature of the venture, it should also address whether or not other third parties can come in, and if so, on what terms. Having the agreement in writing allows third parties (e.g., a Session of elders) to review and assess the arrangement if there are disputes.  

Abide by what you wrote down

A righteous man swears to his own hurt and does not change (Ps. 15:4). Don’t flake out on a contract that was written up because you now come out on the wrong end of the deal. You knew that was a probability going into the agreement, and now here you are. Honor your word.

Maintain internal records

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds (Prov. 27:23). Keep a record of all your business dealings. Information is gold. If you don't keep good internal records, you're going to take money from the next client to pay off the last client. Don’t do that.

No partiality

There will always be tenderhearted Christians ready to take up the side of whoever the “poor buddy” is. Just because one person comes out worse at the end of an argument does not mean that they are more righteous and deserving of more compassion. Likewise, just because a person might come out better financially does not mean that they are in the wrong because they can afford it. This violates the Scriptures. “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour” (Leviticus 19:15). Just because a man is a bad businessman, and you feel bad for his wife, does not mean that his invoice is invalid, and he shouldn’t have to pay. Therefore, don’t allow emotions and sentimentality to dictate what is right and wrong.

Do not go to law against one another

It is not lawful to sue a brother before unbelievers (1 Cor. 6:1-8). You shall not go before the unbelieving pagans to get justice. A lowly church janitor is more capable of judging in righteousness between two Christian brothers than a pagan judge. It would be better for you to suffer wrong than to take your case before the ungodly seeking justice.

More blessed to give

The Golden Rule is “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matt. 7:12), and it is not “hope that others would do unto you how you wish they would.” You should go into every business relationship with a brother looking to give something additional, rather than trying to get something additional. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus who taught, that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Don’t expect discounts because you are a brother. Try, when possible, to give something additional because he’s a brother. When someone in the church is doing business with you, you are not responsible for whether they are observing this.

Who Pursues?

In a biblical ethic, the debtor should always pursue the creditor. You should want to pay your bills as fast as you can, rather than have someone hunt you down looking for payment. If something happens and you cannot make payment on time, or you cannot provide a service on time, you should be quick to pick up the phone and provide information to the person about why they don’t have their widget, payment, or whatever. “Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loves another has fulfilled the law” (Rom. 13:8).

Protecting Reputations

Heidelberg Catechism 112 says, “I must do what I can to defend and promote my neighbour's honour and reputation.” If you decide to stop using the services of a brother it may be because of ordinary reasons (price, distance, etc.). If that is the case, there is no reason to explain yourself. Just go your way.

There are times when a fellow Christian does a poor job, cuts corners, and acts as though a job done with haste is the same as doing a job done right. If slipshod or substandard work is the reason to stop using the services of a brother, you must tell your brother about your concerns. If you have done so, it is legitimate to express those concerns to others if they seek or need your recommendation on this brother’s work. But you should not go around lambasting him or insulting him, and telling everyone how bad a job he did. You should be honest if asked, but in a way that still seeks to honor him. If a person is being downright unethical (as biblically defined), then, you must follow the pattern given in Matthew 18.

As unto the Lord

“Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11). The flip side of the above is, to do all things as though you are serving the Lord. Do not cut corners, do not do a halfway job, and do not be the kind of person that others question the quality of your work. You should do your work with high quality, care, and with a view that it will last a long time. “And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain” (Isa. 65:23). If you are building a house, or flipping an apartment, build it as though the quality and precision were to be fit for a residence in Heaven. If you are cleaning a house or a room, clean it as though the next person to use it will be Jesus. This is how you establish a good reputation. “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold” (Prov. 22:1). Doing good quality, hard work, and not cutting corners, is important for establishing your own reputation, but also the reputation of Christ the Lord and the church.

If your business reputation is such that people are hesitant to do business with you, then you need to reevaluate your approach, for it is negatively affecting how people view you, your church, and your Lord.

Honesty

Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord, And dishonest scales are not good (Prov. 20:23). This applies to the butcher who puts his thumb on the scale, and sells you ¾ lb. of meat for the price of 1 lb. But it also applies to how much you charge a person for the quality work you do. Don’t charge a person $50 an hour when your skill level is barely at $30 an hour. Don’t put in as little work as possible and seek the maximum amount of pay. Be honest.

Don’t Muzzle an Ox

Also, employers should pay their employees well, but an employee should work so hard that the employer is so impressed with their output that they just want to throw money at them. This also means employers should not take their high-quality, high-productivity workers for granted and not pay them what they are worth, just because they can get away with paying them lower wages. Also, it takes time to establish reputations and everyone needs to recognize that nobody is born with the divine right to a raise. “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men” (Prov. 22:29).

No Free Consultations

Being a member of the same church does not entitle you to free consulting services. When you ask questions of a brother in business, it should only be to determine if you need his services, not an attempt to get them without paying for them. Avoid making anyone “set up shop” at church or fellowship events.

At a fellowship event, you can ask questions about “when would be a good time to call about thus and such?” But even here, be sensitive. When you call, after you have asked a few questions about whether or not the services are necessary, you are on the threshold of imposing on a brother. This means that after the first few minutes, you should expect the meter to be running (and should say so). If the person you are talking to does not charge you, that is his business. But you should expect a bill as soon as you get to the point of using his expertise.

Remember some professions are more vulnerable to this kind of imposition than others. Low risk: MRI technicians, librarians. Medium risk: teachers, guys with tools. High risk: medical doctors, auto mechanics, veterinarians, realtors.

Beware of egalitarianism which says that it is all right to do this to what you consider “high-income” professions. Don’t assume that someone “doesn’t mind” because you have been doing this to him for years. He just has better manners than you do. In all things, apply the golden rule. Ask yourself what would be a temptation to you in your profession, and then don’t do that to other people in theirs.