Last week, after I had spoken to 25 young professionals, a recent graduate of a state agricultural university approached me. He gave me some background of his training and explained his love of agriculture. He asked how he could use his skill set and his passion for business to make Jesus known. Then he asked, “What advice would you have for a young man like me?”

My response to him can be summed up in five steps:

1. Person | Each of us is uniquely created with a God-given wiring: our personality, interests, gifts, experiences and heart. The first step is to understand your wiring. My young friend knows he is wired for agricultural business and he told me that he wants to live his life for God. Great start! He understands who he is.
2. Purpose | The next step is to understand God’s ultimate purpose — for all peoples to worship Him. Jesus’ Great Commandments (Matt. 22:36-40) and Great Commission (Matt. 28:19) guide us in how to live, so now you must ask how to tie all of this together and live the integrated life with your profession. For those of you in business, it might mean loving God by doing business with excellence, loving your neighbor by creating jobs, and bringing others to follow Him by modeling the life of a disciple. You must fulfill your wiring in ways to accomplish God’s purposes. This is the why for life. If you start now where you are, this integrated life can be transferred to any place on earth. Watch a video about a mechanic who understands his purpose.
3. Product | This step asks, “What do I have to contribute in the marketplace?” My friend discovered that he can trade agricultural commodities for the benefit of his trading firm and for the benefit of the ultimate consumer. He sees the big picture — from the farmer in the field planting grain to the ultimate product, feeding the hungry of the world. In short, you must understand how you fit in the grand scheme of ultimate purpose.
4. Plan | Most successful endeavors require a strategic understanding of how to achieve the purpose and the product. Your plan could involve:
   • Keeping current in your profession, and being excellent in everything.
   • Understanding your role in Business as Mission. Check out understandbam.com and ibecventures.com.
   • Reading about the integrated life. Check out The Integrated Life, God is at Work, Glocalization and Business as Mission.
   • Taking a trip to an international kingdom business to see how it works.
   • Being an advocate for an integrated life in your company, community and church by promoting a Global Marketplace Impact seminars or a NewVo Business chapter.
5. Place | The final step is a natural progression from your plan: where to get involved. And it doesn’t have to be moving to some faraway place. My friend with experience in the agricultural sector may want to connect with an agriculture business in Asia and offer his skills as a Subject Matter Expert. 

You’ll find that these five steps are not easy — you’ll face challenges and hurdles along the way. But the end reward will be without equal.