Purpose of the Directory
"Truth is, when commerce follows biblical principals, outcomes are better"
The purpose of the Business Directory is to provide your congregation with the opportunity to utilize the products and services of Christian businesses within the church. All listed businesses have pledged to adhere to "Business with God;" the biblical principles of running a business. This paradigm includes stewardship and a biblically based dispute resolution process among other things.
The church business directory is a great way for Christians to support and encourage one another in their daily lives. The business directory is not to be used as a means of solicitation or a mailing list for fund raising.
The Responsibility of Consumers
Neither the church nor Gdirect endorses any of the businesses within the directory. In addition, neither is responsible for the performance of these businesses.
By seeing the word "Christian" in front of the description of a business, it is easy to automatically expect the highest standards, the best service, and the best possible price. Certainly, we hope that these businesses strive to live out their lives according to the teachings of Christ. However, these business owners face the same daily challenges of us all. Therefore, before you use a business within the directory, perform the same sort of research and comparison that you would complete if you found that business from another source.
A business that goes to your church does not owe you a special price or a cut-throat deal simply because you worship together. These businesses have thresholds of pricing that make economical sense to them. Shop around and compare, but don't expect the impossible simply because they go to your church.
After that, if you are happy with these businesses, tell others about them. Helping these businesses survive and prosper will help your church survive and prosper.
The Responsibility of Businesses within the Directory
By participating in the directory, you are adding the word "Christian" before the word "Business" as part of your description. With this single word comes the additional responsibility of conducting business in a manner that follows God's way.
By encouraging users of the directory to complete their research and due diligence before they use your products or services, they will expect a higher standard because of your actions and not just because of your religious affiliation.
As the coordinator of the directory, Gdirect reserves the right to hold listed businesses to the pledge that was agreed to in advertising within the directory. This includes utilizing the "Peacemakers Pledge" to help in dispute resolution.
The Peacemaker's Pledge
A Commitment to Biblical Conflict Resolution
As a person reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I believe that I am called to respond to conflict in a way that is remarkably different from the way the world deals with conflict.¹ I also believe that conflict provides opportunities to glorify God, serve other people, and grow to be like Christ.² Therefore, in response to God's love and in reliance on His grace, I commit myself to respond to conflict according to the following principles:
- Serve the Lord with all my heart and soul.
- Abide by integrity in business and to make my business a place of integrity
- Be honest and follow business according to God's word
- Promote honesty at all times
- Treat others as I would like to be treated
- Create superior quality in my business thorough the products and services I provide
- Never promote products, materials and/or services that advertise any illegal activities, pornographic or sexually suggestive content, gaming or contending faiths
- Act with compassion and patience with those who disagree with me and to seek Godly council for resolution before seeking legal counsel
- Respect one another's differences and opinions with dignity and kindness
- Treat my competitors with the same kindness and care I want from them, realizing it is better to become allies than enemies
- Act at all times as one who is Christ-like to my employees, patrons, partners, clients and customers
I Also Commit To:
- Glorify God. Instead of focusing on my own desires or dwelling on what others may do, I will seek to please and honor God by; depending on His wisdom, power, and love; by faithfully obeying His commands; and by seeking to maintain a loving, merciful, and forgiving attitude.3
- Get the log out of my own eye. Instead of attacking others or dwelling on their wrongs, I will take responsibility for my own contribution to conflicts, confessing my sins, asking God to help me change any attitudes and habits that lead to conflict, and seeking to repair any harm I have caused.4
- Gently Restore. Instead of pretending that conflict doesn't exist or talking about others behind their backs, I will choose to overlook minor offenses, or I will talk directly and graciously with those whose offenses seem too serious to overlook. When a conflict with another Christian cannot be resolved in private, I will ask others in the body of Christ to help us settle the matter in a biblical manner.5
- Go and be reconciled. Instead of accepting premature compromise or allowing relationships to wither, I will actively pursue genuine peace and reconciliation—forgiving others as God has forgiven us, and seeking just and mutually beneficial solutions to our differences.6
- Dispute Resolution I fully commit to working with others and agree to communicate with others at all times so as to avoid or minimize disputes or disagreements. If disputes or disagreements do arise, I commit to resolving such disputes or disagreements in an amicable, professional and expeditious manner so as to avoid unnecessary losses, delays and disruptions. I commit to adhere to the following biblical dispute resolution principals:
- Overlook an offense. Where an offense is minor, one person deliberately and unilaterally decides to forgive the wrong and walks away from the conflict.
- Dealing with an offense. Contact the parties involved directly. Personal offenses that are too serious to overlook should be resolved through confession or loving confrontation, leading to forgiveness and reconciliation.
- Resolution of an offense. Negotiations dealing with the issue of money, property, or other rights should be resolved by using first a non-sanctioned mediator to reach a mutually agreeable settlement through an exchange of promises that are fair and acceptable to all parties involved. I agree that any claim, dispute or controversy which has not been resolved by a non-sanctioned mediator, shall first be submitted to non-binding mediation administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Any claim, dispute, or controversy which has not been resolved by mediation shall be submitted to binding arbitration administered by the AAA.
I agree to incorporate the above Dispute Resolution process and contract language into agreements I have with my clients, customers and vendors.
By God's grace, I will apply these principles as a matter of stewardship, realizing that conflict is an opportunity, not an accident. I will remember that success, in God's eyes, is not a matter of specific results but of faithful, dependent obedience. And I will pray that my service as a peacemaker brings praise to our Lord and leads others to know His infinite love.7
- 1 Luke 6:27-36; Gal. 5:19-26; Matt. 5:9
- 2 1 Cor. 10:31-11:1; Rom. 8:28-29; James 1:2-4
- 3 1 Cor. 10:31; James 4:1-3; Psalm 37:1-6; Phil. 4:2-9; Col. 3:1-4; 1 Peter 2:12; John 14:15; James 3:17-18; Rom. 12:17-21; Mark 11:25
- 4 Matt. 7:3-5; 1 John 1:8-9; Prov 28:13; Col. 3:5-14; Luke 19:8
- 5 Matt. 18:15-20; James 5:9; Prov. 19:11; Gal. 6:1-2; Eph. 4:29; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; 1 Cor. 6:1-8
- 6 Matt. 5:23-24; Matt. 6:12; Eph. 4:1-3, 32; Matt. 7:12; Phil. 2:3-4
- 7 Matt. 25:14-21; 1 Peter 2:19, 4:19; Rom. 12:18; John 13:34-35
- Adapted from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande (1997).