His Kingdom, My Business

Steve draws a wealth of wisdom from both Scripture and the world of business in this timely resource that moves us out of the confines of holy huddles to join God on His mission. Interweaved with real-life examples, this book is both practical and challenging. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the unique person that God has created you to be and on the calling upon your life to be a kingdom change agent! I’ll be prayerfully rereading this as I continue to discern what God has in store for me.

I am delighted to commend His Kingdom, My Business to everyone serious about following Jesus in their own personal faith adventure with Him.

More than thirty-five years ago, our church was blessed by prophetic leaders who really understood that the Jesus we follow is not just Lord of an hour or two on Sundays, but truly Lord of the rest of the week too. He is Lord not just of church structures and organisations, but the whole earth – and it came as a profound and life-changing revelation that God’s commission to Adam in Genesis 2:15 was to work – and to care for the earth is our commission too. Anything less misses the point entirely and diminishes the gospel.

The result of this teaching has been a faith adventure in computer software, video production, holidays and facilities management, and with them the opportunity to partner with God in some exciting and fruitful ways – and to see how he uses us for His divine purposes. Your faith adventure will lead to different roads – but serving the same Lord of all.

Here is a clear, well-explained, faith-building prompt for others to come into such a fulness, for churches to recognise and honour those in the workplace. Not just because they want the cash, but because genuinely Jesus cares passionately for all aspects of the world He created, the world (cosmos) He died to save – and the world in which He has planted us in the twenty-first century. That is what we were created to do. That is the kingdom that is now – and is to come.

This is a timely, authentic and compelling read for those who want to understand the vocational possibilities of work.

We spend around one-fifth of our lives in work, so as Christ’s followers it is an important area for mission and evangelism. Writing out of a grand passion and with hope, Steve brings to the foreground of our hearts and minds an understanding that God calls us to be a blessing in every job situation and context. With conciseness and clarity, his book advocates that Christians see their labour as glorifying God, blessing through service and conveying the good news of Jesus Christ. Weaving together biography, history, theology and practice with stories from his life, Steve’s wisdom encourages confident service wherever we might find ourselves – be that the office, the supermarket or the boardroom. An absorbing read and apt reminder of what it means to inhabit faith at work.

Steve is a man of gravitas, character and vast experience, who has lived his life embracing workplace mission. His Kingdom My Business is filled with wisdom, practical advice, good theology and memorable stories; this book is a must read for Christians searching for answers and encouragement in their workplace mission field.

Having journeyed with Steve for more than twenty years, it is perhaps not surprising I found myself in complete agreement with the central message of this book. I also found myself re-energised by the challenge Steve brings. As a skilled facilitator and communicator, when Steve speaks to you, not only does he give you the opportunity to respond, but he also asks the follow-up questions which will ensure you are actively engaged; it happens in conversation, and it happens in this book.

A deeply practical, committed analysis of the place of work in holistic religious practice. Developed from within an evangelical–social activist tradition, and regularly illustrated with practical challenges and dilemmas, Steve Botham’s argument addresses the dual responsibilities of citizenship and discipleship in the complex multicultural urban environment of the twenty-first century. True to the gut-wrenching turmoil of the workplace, but full of encouragement and wisdom, the book provides an energising blend of theological reflection, practical psychology and personal testimony that will stimulate any reader to reflect afresh on their approach to work and its place in their understanding of themselves.

This book is a must read. I’ve known Steve for many years and I’m grateful for his input in my life. He has always been committed to Kingdom Business.