When you're talking about mixing your religious beliefs and business practices, it is easy to anger your customers. If you claim to be a Christian fence builder, for example, if a potential client thinks that your prices are too high, he may claim that a “real Christian” wouldn't charge as much money to put a twelve-foot privacy fence all the way around his back yard, with a sliding security gate for the driveway. Other clients who end up dissatisfied with the work you perform, and who do not share your Christian beliefs, may come away with a bad taste in their mouths about Christians because of the work that you did.
There are positives to associating your religious beliefs with your business, though. For example, you may have access to an entire market segment that insists on using vendors with shared religious beliefs. You also receive the positive emotional rewards of openly expressing your religious beliefs to the general public. If you view your work as a mission, you can use interactions with clients as a possible springboard for discussion about faith-based issues, if you feel the situation warrants it.
The bottom line, when it comes to connecting your faith to your business, must revolve around following through with your religion's tenets in your business practices. To continue the example of the Christian fence builder, you'll have to commit to integrity in all of your dealings. This means advertising honestly about your business offerings and carrying out all of your promises to clients. It means being open and honest about any setbacks or unforeseen bumps in the project budget. It doesn't mean, though, being bullied by customers who claim that a real Christian would endure endless requests for slight changes or would charge rock-bottom prices. If you have developed a certain level of skill, you deserve to be paid for the quality of work that you have performed. With these principles in mind, it can be very rewarding to let your customer base know what you believe – as long as you're willing to live up to it.
