The Purpose of Business: A Catalyst for Flourishing
- Enterprise Stewardship
- Apr 15
- 4 min read
The purpose of business should be greater than just maximizing shareholder value—it should be a catalyst for flourishing. So what is flourishing? Flourishing was fully manifested for a brief period in human history. This period was after the creation of man, but before man chose to be his own moral authority. Genesis 2:15-18 lays out this flourishing scenario for us:
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’ The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”
This passage outlines three essential requirements for flourishing:
Material Provision
Authentic Relationships
A Purpose for Living
Economic Capital – Material Provision
God placed man in the garden to work it and take care of it (Genesis 2:15). And the result of work is material provision—food, clothing, and shelter. These physical necessities of life are attained by working, and we call this economic capital.
Economic capital is the material benefit derived from the stewardship of our LIFE (Labor, Influence, Financial resources, Expertise). It is the result of the faithful investment of our time, tribe, treasure, and talent.
Economic capital is crucial because it is required for our basic physical needs. Consequently, it demands a large proportion of our time and is one of the main things that can distract us from having a great relationship with God.
Besides providing our basic physical needs, economic capital allows us to fulfill our ultimate purpose and calling in life. The importance of work as it relates to creating economic capital is paramount to a fulfilled LIFE. Work is sacred, not secular, and when we understand that, our work takes on new meaning.
Capitalism vs. Socialism
There are two competing economic philosophies in the world today:
Socialism promotes the concept that production, pricing, and distribution of wealth should be highly controlled or owned by an elite group of government leaders. Recent examples include the late USSR, China, and Venezuela.
Capitalism promotes the concept that private individuals should own the means of production, and the free market determines the pricing and distribution of wealth. Recent examples include the United States, Hong Kong, and Great Britain.
History has shown that capitalism is the best economic system to create wealth. Over the last 30 years, the world has seen over 1 billion people exit poverty as third-world countries have embraced capitalism. However, capitalism must be guided by a moral code to prevent personal ambition from leading to exploitation.
Social Capital – Authentic Relationships
Seeing that it was not good for man to be alone, God created a helper (Genesis 2:18). We were created to live in community and engage in deep, authentic relationships. This leads to social capital—the wealth of relationships that benefit communities and organizations.
Social capital consists of mutual benefits (economic, relational, emotional, political, spiritual, etc.) derived by like-minded people pursuing a common cause. It is driven by relationships and fosters trust, shared values, and common goals. Ultimately, a business cannot be sustainably profitable in the absence of social capital.
Social capital manifests itself in safe communities, good race relations, happy employees, an unpolluted environment, fine art, great music, patriotism, unified families, bipartisan politics, and a genuine love for fellow human beings.
Spiritual Capital – Moral Authority
Without a strong purpose for living, man cannot peacefully and successfully live in a free and open society. This purpose includes a moral authority for how we are to live. In Genesis 2:16-17, God lays down His first moral boundary:
“You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”
This boundary underscores the need for spiritual capital—the moral code by which we live based on truth (God’s Word), faith (Jesus Christ), and character (obedience to God’s will).
Spiritual capital is necessary because it answers the why question. It transforms our focus from serving ourselves to serving others, and it provides the foundation for creating economic and social capital. Without a moral code, society becomes self-serving and intolerant, failing to promote the common good.
High Impact Business: A Catalyst for Flourishing
A business that creates material provision, fosters authentic relationships, and promotes a moral code becomes a High Impact Business. It becomes a catalyst for flourishing by generating economic, social, and spiritual capital.
If a business is a creator of material provision, authentic relationships, and a promoter of the moral code, it becomes a High Impact Business. It becomes a catalyst for flourishing as it creates Economic, Social, and Spiritual Capital.
Without a strong moral purpose (spiritual capital), the triple bottom line loses its effectiveness. A human-centered rule of law is unworkable without a higher moral authority. When individuals define their own moral standards, society risks becoming governed by power rather than justice.
The world is increasingly recognizing that business should serve more than just shareholder value. Social impact investing has become a booming sector, with over $504 billion invested by 1,340 organizations. In 2019, the Business Roundtable redefined corporate purpose to benefit all stakeholders, not just financial shareholders.
The Christian community is also embracing High Impact Business as a sustainable alternative to charity. Rather than simply giving aid, businesses that focus on economic, social, and spiritual capital empower individuals and communities for long-term prosperity.
Conclusion
High Impact Business is a transformative approach that integrates economic capital (material provision), social capital (authentic relationships), and spiritual capital (moral authority) to create a flourishing society. When businesses operate with a higher purpose, they become catalysts for lasting impact—changing lives, strengthening communities, and advancing the Kingdom of God.
Amen.