
“Business disciples me daily”
— Shawn Yates | IC12
Why integrating faith into business transforms not just your strategy—but who you become as a leader
Many Christian business leaders already know why they want to honor God in their work.
They want:
To glorify God
To build something meaningful
To steward their business well
But as this conversation makes clear, the real challenge isn’t the why.
It’s the how.
At some point, many leaders reach a moment where they say:
“I want to dedicate this business to the Lord.”
And yet—what often doesn’t change?
The way they actually run the business.
That’s where the disconnect begins.
The Gap Most Christian Entrepreneurs Feel
There’s a subtle but powerful tension:
The end goal changes (glorify God)
But the methods stay the same
And when that happens, something feels off.
As discussed, many leaders haven’t seen what it actually looks like to integrate faith into the daily execution of business.
So they get stuck.
They know what they want.
They just don’t know how to live it out.
Building Your Kingdom vs Building His
One of the clearest shifts described in this conversation is this:
Building your kingdom
vs
Building the Kingdom
That shift changes everything.
It’s not just a philosophical idea—it’s a practical one.
Because once that conviction sets in, the next question becomes:
“How do I actually do this?”
And that’s where many leaders hit resistance.
Why Integrating Faith Makes Business Harder
There’s an honest truth shared in this episode:
Integrating faith into business often makes things harder.
Not necessarily because of external pressure.
But because:
Your standards increase
Your decisions become more complex
Your accountability deepens
You’re no longer just asking:
“What works?”
You’re asking:
“What honors God?”
And those are not always the same answer.
The Power of Surrounding Yourself with Wise Counsel
This is where environments like C12 become important.
Not because they provide easy answers.
But because they provide:
Wise counsel
Shared experience
Honest challenge
As described, not everyone in the room has it figured out.
Some are further along.
Some are just starting.
But together, they wrestle with real questions like:
“What’s the right decision here?”
“How do I lead this situation faithfully?”
“What does obedience look like in this moment?”
And that changes how leaders operate.
A Leadership Shift: From Resources to Souls
One of the most powerful reframes shared is this:
Are people resources to manage—or souls to steward?
That single shift changes everything.
When leaders begin to see people differently:
Decisions change
Priorities shift
Outcomes look different
Because now, business is no longer just about efficiency.
It’s about stewardship.
Business Doesn’t Just Grow You—It Disciples You
One of the most striking statements in the conversation:
“Business disciples me every day.”
That idea reframes everything.
Because business isn’t neutral.
It’s forming you.
Every day, it’s shaping:
Your character
Your habits
Your priorities
The question becomes: What is it forming you into?
Personal Transformation vs Business Growth
An important insight from the discussion:
Personal transformation is not a side effect.
It’s central.
In fact, across the board, leaders experience:
Growth in awareness
Growth in conviction
Growth in their walk with God
And while business strategy improves…
What stands out most is:
Who the leader is becoming.
Redefining Success: Profit vs Stewardship
Profit still matters.
That’s acknowledged clearly.
But the deeper question becomes:
Is profit the goal?
Or is it a measure of stewardship?
Those are two very different perspectives.
One says:
“How much can I get out of this?”
The other asks:
“How well am I stewarding what I’ve been given?”
And that shift reshapes decisions at every level.
The Hidden Cost of “Hustle Culture”
There’s a common belief many business leaders carry:
“To succeed, I have to sacrifice everything else.”
That can include:
Family
Health
Spiritual life
But this conversation challenges that assumption directly.
Instead, it asks:
How do you steward your family?
Your spouse?
Your children?
Your health?
Because success that destroys everything else…
Isn’t success.
From Chaos to Order
Another key idea discussed: God is a God of order, not chaos.
And business leaders are called to reflect that.
Which means:
Bringing structure where there is disorder
Creating systems where there is confusion
Leading with clarity in uncertain environments
As leaders begin to see this, they start recognizing:
Chaos in operations
Chaos in priorities
Chaos in life
And they begin to bring order to it.
The Reality of a Fast-Paced World
The conversation also highlights the reality of today’s environment:
Volatility
Uncertainty
Ambiguity
This isn’t occasional anymore.
It’s constant.
And in that environment, leaders often feel pressure to:
Move faster
Do more
Sacrifice more
But the question remains:
At what cost?
The Balance Leaders Must Face
One of the most practical elements discussed is the idea of evaluating life across multiple areas.
Not for perfection.
But for awareness.
Because many leaders realize:
They’ve neglected rest
They’ve ignored retreat
They’ve lost margin
And without addressing those areas…
Breakdown becomes inevitable.
From Doing for God to Being With God
One of the most powerful shifts described is this:
Moving from doing for God → to being with God
That shift changes:
Motivation
Decision-making
Identity
Instead of striving to produce results…
Leaders begin to:
Walk with God
Listen more
Trust more
And what happens next is surprising.
The results they were chasing…
Begin to flow naturally.

Submission vs Striving
Another core tension highlighted:
“I must do more”
vs
“I must submit more”
Many leaders default to effort.
Trying harder.
Pushing further.
But the conversation reframes the answer:
The answer is not striving—it’s submission.
That doesn’t remove responsibility.
But it changes posture.
The Role of Community in Transformation
One consistent theme:
You cannot do this alone.
Leaders need:
Counsel
Challenge
Encouragement
They need people who will ask:
“How is your walk with the Lord?”
“Where are you struggling?”
“What are you avoiding?”
Because without that…
Blind spots remain.
The Breakthrough Many Leaders Experience
One of the most significant outcomes described:
Leaders gain clarity on their purpose.
In fact, many report realizing:
Why God made them a business leader in the first place.
That removes a lot of internal tension:
No more separating business and mission
No more feeling like business is secondary
No more confusion about calling
Instead:
Business becomes the mission field.
Your Mission Field Is Already in Front of You
A powerful idea shared:
You don’t need to go somewhere else to do meaningful work.
Because:
Your mission field is already in front of you.
Every day.
Through:
Your team
Your decisions
Your leadership
That realization changes how leaders show up.
The Transformation That Matters Most
At the end of the day, this conversation points to one core truth:
When you submit your business to God…
He transforms you.
And often:
That transformation matters more than the business outcomes.
In fact, one statement captures it well:
“He’s a completely different person.”
That’s the real result.
Who Are You Becoming?
This entire conversation leads to one question:
Who are you becoming through your business?
Because success alone isn’t the goal.
Transformation is.
Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/tS5mIWOIero
Listen to full episode on itunes/spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5fv1Tkl2ye2IiuZNTWjwvK?si=x_ErYExDTVOZd-w6vAwYEg
Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org
Read Part 1 here: https://www.ibam.org/the-truth-about-faith-and-work-why-the-sacred-vs-secular-divide-doesnt-hold-up
Transcript Evidence
All insights, quotes, and concepts in this article are derived directly from the provided transcript, including themes such as:
The gap between “why” and “how” in faith-driven business
The shift from building personal kingdoms to God’s Kingdom
Business as a tool for discipleship and personal transformation
Redefining success through stewardship
The role of community, submission, and purpose in leadership
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