Business Idea: Create a T-Shirt company
I always thought putting messages on T-shirts would be a great way to get people to come up to you rather than you going up to them. Once they read some crazy saying on your T-shirt and ask you, “What the heck does that mean?”, then there’s your open door. I’m too busy writing to start my own T-shirt company so feel free to use any of the following sayings to make your own shirts:
· Saint & Sinner
· Want to Join the Acts 1:8 Club?
· Truth + Love = Jesus
· Epaphroditus In Training (See Philippians 2)
· God is Not a Salad Bar (my favorite)
· Spirituality without God = Self Indulgence
· Don’t Be a Sardis (See Revelation 3)
· Look Straight Ahead (See Proverbs 4:23-27 on guarding your heart and concentrating on desires that keep us on the right path)
· Jesus Wept
· #1 Sinner -or- Chief of Sinners
· Jesus was Homeless
· Nothing New Under the Sun (See Ecclesiastes)
· Hope Now...Heaven Later
· Letting My Light Shine (bright yellow shirt)
· A Time for Everything (See Ecclesiastes)
· If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done. Eccl. 11:4
· Ask not how Jesus can serve you. Ask how you can serve Jesus.
· We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fallProv. 16:33
· We All Believe In Something
· Be the one! Luke 17:11-19 (This is in reference to the ten lepers whom Jesus healed but only one came back to thank Jesus. Be thankful!)
· Not in Charge
Okay, so if you’re going to do something like this, be bold. Pick bright, vibrant colors for your shirts like canary yellow and lime green and use solid, block letters in bright colors too. Just make sure your eyes don’t hurt when you look at the shirt. And if you are not sure what those slogans above really mean and want an explanation for any of them, good! The idea is to get people talking and we might as well start with you. Think about them, though, and make your explanation your own.
A Merger Between Business and Faith – Books to Explore
“Jesus, CEO,” by Laurie Beth Jones and others in her series talk about applying the teachings of Christ in your work (and in your life).
“God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life,” by Gene Edward Veith, Jr., goes beyond just work and addresses the Christian’s total calling: in family life, church, citizenship, and vocation.
“Great Commission Companies: The Emerging Role of Business in Missions,” by Steve L. Rundle and Tom A. Steffon.
The Facts on Witnessing at Work
Can Christians get busted for witnessing at work? There are certain guidelines for you seed planters out there gearing up to share your faith with your co-workers. Go for it, but take a look at this article by David C. Gibbs, Jr., President of The Christian Law Association, for some tips on what to be aware of concerning, “The Legal Implications of Witnessing at Work,” (Source – “Christianity Today,” October 29, 2004).
Go to “Christianity Today’s” website (or FaithInTheWorkplace.com and do a search for that title to find the article or try the following URL: http://www.christianitytoday.com/workplace/articles/legalimplications.html
Combining Your Business with God’s Business
Do you own your own business? What might be some ways to integrate your faith and let your light shine while serving both the business needs and spiritual needs of your customers? Many businesses proudly display the “fish” symbol for Christ in their signage, business cards, and other forms of identity.
In one business, the owner takes their outreach a step further and offers prayer along with a cup of coffee. The “Chit-n-Chat Coffee House” in Waukee, Iowa often receives prayer requests from their customers as they place a coffee order. Kate Boettcher looks at her coffee house as “a way to bring Christ to our customers without being preachy.” She has a Bible verse-of-the-day on the chalkboard for people to ask questions about, and, through word-of-mouth only, has become a place known for good coffee, friendly people, and an offer of prayer for those who want it.
Turns out, many people do.
(Source: “Would You Like Prayer with that Latte?” in “Today’s Christian Woman,” March/April 2004, Vol. 26, No. 2, by Jared VanHorn.) Read the full article at: www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2004/002/16.58.html
Changing the World, One Cup at a Time
Here’s a great idea – create a business whose purpose is not to make money for itself, but whose sole purpose is to use its profits to fund charitable projects.
That’s just what founders John Sage and Chris Dearnley did. As it says on their website: “Believing that the principles of capitalism could be applied to the non-profit sector, they developed Pura Vida Coffee as a "funding engine" to support the charitable programs of Pura Vida Partners, a non-profit organization. Pura Vida Coffee sells Fair Trade, organic coffee throughout the United States and uses all of its resources for charitable purposes. Through this model, our co-founders sought to bring hope to at-risk children in Costa Rica – where Pura Vida’s charitable activity began – and to inspire a new generation of consumers and business leaders who believe that capitalism can be used as an engine for social good.”
If only more businesses operated on that principle. If you like coffee, and I know a lot of you Starbucks junkies out there do – check out the Pura Vida website and even buy a few bags of coffee. They support “fair trade” coffee so that you know the coffee growers are getting a fair price for their coffee beans and you’ll also be supporting the Pura Vida efforts to help the children of Costa Rica while enjoying some darn good coffee. Read the rest of the mission and goals at: www.puravidacoffee.com
No comments:
Post a Comment