your family is a kingdom franchise
For those who want to launch and grow a successful business, there are several options that you can take. However, one of the fastest growing opportunities is in franchising. In fact, according to the International Franchising Association, this year in the U.S. franchise businesses are projected to grow faster than the rest of the economy.
A few of the motivations behind why many startup and experienced entrepreneurs pursue the franchising route include:
- Direct connection with an established brand, including the use of logos and trademarks.
- A complete system of conducting the business at optimal efficiency.
- Hands on assistance with planning, structuring, and operating the business.
One of the most interesting definitions I found online for a franchise was:
An authorization granted by a government or company to an individual or group enabling them to carry out specified commercial activities.
One reason this particular definition was interesting to me was the connection I see between the Kingdom of God and our families.
With franchises, there is the expectation that a standard set of inputs will yield a standard set of outputs. In plain language, that means no matter what location I engage with — be it Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, or any other franchise — I expect to get similar results. This is because each location of that franchise applies the system they receive from corporate headquarters.
Family was the first enterprise that God created. And He created the first economy when He told Adam and Eve in Genesis 1 to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. Even if Adam had never sinned, family ministry/business would have still been needed to carry out the dominion mandate with each of them loving and serving one another.
One of the things Jesus came to restore was the structure and order of the family. He strengthened the notion of God’s expectation of the connection between the structure and operations of the Kingdom and our families. One of the ways He did this was when He taught his disciples how to pray by incorporating the words,
… Thy Kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
God’s desire is that our families look like His family in heaven. He wants the corporate culture that’s in Heaven to permeate your family culture in the earth. In Heaven there is no lack, divorce, or dysfunction. However, there is an infinite abundance of love, righteousness, peace, and joy among many other wonderful and indescribable expressions of God that we have the opportunity to experience.
So why do so many family franchises not look like the family of God in Heaven? It’s because they don’t follow the operations manual that was provided to them from corporate headquarters. The Bible, which is the God’s family franchise manual, contains the operating procedures for every family function. Within this operations manual includes a few examples of these operating procedures include:
- Executive Management: John 16:13
- Strategic Planning: Jeremiah 29:11
- Human Resources: Ephesians 5:22 – 6:4
- Financial Management: Malachi 3:8-11
- Marketing: Matthew 5:13-16
- Customer Service: Luke 6:31
- Conflict Resolution: Matthew 5:21-48
So if you’re planning to startup a new family franchise or a way to rejuvenate the one you’re currently in, incorporate the best business and family book ever written into your planning and operating procedures. You will profit from it and family will love you for it.