Do you feel conflict between spiritual values and financial success?
If it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, why aren’t we all sitting in sackcloth and ashes, living as poor monks who eke out a living on one meal a day?
And what about Joseph and David and Solomon and Daniel? And what about St. Paul, who so far as I can tell was a badass tentmaking pro and Jewish businessman?
What kind of carpentry shop do you think Jesus ran, anyway?
I believe entrepreneurship is not merely a job description, but a calling. If you are truly an entrepreneur, BEING an entrepreneur is part of your identity and life work. It is a spiritual destiny, not merely a
way to make a buck.
On Saturday April 5th I did a deep dive at Greater Chicago Church’s School of Equipping and Transformation. We unpacked this and explored the tension between “abandoning it all to be a disciple” and the call to be influential in the marketplace, in Babylon.
Listen to the recordings and you will definitely be inspired, knowing what questions to ask yourself and ask God; how scripture can become your ultimate success manual; and how a faith community can propel you to achieve your destiny.
Perry Marshall
| Prospering in Babylon Part 1 | ||
| Prospering in Babylon Part 2 | ||
| Vivian’s Words | ||
| Prospering in Babylon Final | ||
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About the Author
Perry Marshall has launched two revolutions in sales and marketing. In Pay-Per-Click advertising, he pioneered best practices and wrote the world's best selling book on Google advertising. And he's driven the 80/20 Principle deeper than any other author, creating a new movement in business.
He is referenced across the Internet and by Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, INC and Forbes Magazine.
9 Comments on “Prospering in Babylon”
This message is right on! I’m trying to build a Faith-based business and this message re-confirm that I’m on the right track, thanks, Perry!
I remember the first Amway convention I attended and the speaker started talking about “God” and “Jesus”. I was so offended I actually started screaming at my wife that the speaker had no business talking about this “God” stuff at a business meeting.
Funny that I never thought to walk out of the room.
Truth was I felt that I was being judged but in truth I was judging myself.
Fortunately, I realized (after several years) that this was my issue not the speakers.
I agree there is more to life than money, but I wish you would leave out the religious element. I’m sure you mean well and feel your religion is great but more and more thinking people are opting out of religion for sincerely considered reasons.
You are welcome to not listen to the recording if you are not interested.
Why do you have to wish he would keep religion out of it? These emails are sent based on the permission you gave, but read based on the discretion you exercise.
All you and I ever need do, is exercise our discretion.
It is so refreshing to see a successful business owner walking in his gifts, talents, and abilities.
This walk is definitely one that requires faith and know that you are making an impact in our lives on His behalf.
Thank you.
Much wisdom in this approach to understanding the concepts of market, value, and money energy. I’d love to pass it on to others that feel a spiritual quandary. A side issue–hypertracker seems unreliable lately.
To memos from the head office:
It is very important to follow them.
I learned the hard way:
More than 10 years ago I was very receptive to memos from the head office, and I followed them, knowing the importance.
But once I got a memo which was kind of:
Do X and everything will be fine, sunshine etc.
Do Y and there’ll be dark clouds and lots of problems.
Well, I was stupid enough to do Y.
Result: I got lots of problems for years…
In addition to that, I didn’t receive any memos anymore.
It felt like I was blind…
Still not really recovered from that.
So, if you are lucky enough to get memos from the head office, by all means, follow them!
(But make sure that these memos really come from god or from your soul. Your ego or the devil also have the capability to send memos. If you are aware you can recognize the difference.)
Chris
P.S.: If you wonder, what X and Y were:
X was : “quit your job in 6 months”
Y was : “quit your job now.”
I was really trying to do the good thing, i.e., X, but in a clumsy, ego and scarcity-driven way:
I have told my employer that I want to quit now but I am willing to stay 6 months if they give me a severance indemnity.
They declined that and so I quit early because my ego didn’t let me say that I’ll stay for 6 months anyways…
So I have chosen Y with all the consequences that the memo has told me…
Conclusion: Here’s lesson 2: If you follow a memo, don’t let your ego interfere with it.
Instead, follow the memo in a direct way, without tricks and detours.
P.P.S: Your recordings are very interesting and mind-changing.
For example:
Got me to finish one of my projects.
And got me to think more about the mission of my life.
I hope to figure that out soon.
There’s no Vivian in my life telling me my mission, so I have to find it out in another way…
I must admit that I’m not into changing the world – I changed myself instead, and whilst failing dismally as a marketer, it’s taught me an enormous amount about people. Because people are crucial to understanding how to deal with money, even in our modern computerized world.
So let’s get one thing clear: the person buying your goods (or service) values your product more than they value their money. For the seller, it’s the other way around.
For the true entrepreneur, there are no ties either way. Total freedom. Nobody’s forced into any binding contract where goods and money are welded together. The buyer comes freely because they know they’ll get quality. They value not only what you sell, but your way of selling it. And they don’t need tying into a stiffly worded contract to force them into returning. They’ll do it because you’re providing them with what they need in exactly the way they need it – the truest entrepreneurial synergy.
Solomon’s wisdom was not only its simplicity, but that it was valid. And whilst I’ve this is put simply, the people I speak with don’t like it. If it’s not complex, they feel stupid – and since they’re not stupid, I must be. To them, simple isn’t elegant and since they’ve never tried it, have no idea just how hard it is to do. And what they’re certainly not into doing is paying me, large amounts or not. A fifty something divorcee isn’t the kind of person they’re going to believe, especially when she’s raving about stupid things like “value”. They need evidence before they’ll believe anything I tell ’em. My problem is that evidence doesn’t grow on trees, but since I’m good at growing things, I’ll stick with that.