Making Your Business God’s Business | Leadership Breakfast 04.12.23
Sponsored by ITU Absorb Tech
Jeff Buckman, President of Buckman Inc., spoke at Maranatha Baptist University’s Leadership Breakfast on April 12, 2023. In his presentation, Buckman shared the importance of making one’s business, God’s business.
Buckman began by sharing what event started his road to true success in business and in life: the day he came to know Christ as his Savior. During his senior year in high school, a girl, who later became his wife, invited him to church. Until that point, he had never been to a church service. So, he was curious to know what going to church was all about. After going to church and listening to the message his heart began to open to God. The girl that invited him shared the gospel with him and led him to the Lord. A year later they got married.
When Buckman was in high school, his father had a side business that was a ski shop in the winter and a pool chemical distributor in the summer. His father encouraged him to be involved in and focus on growing that business. In the beginning, the business brought in $46,000 a year. Today, its revenue has grown to $110 million a year. The ski shop turned into 7 ski shops, and the pool chemicals that the business sold, turned into wholesale packing and distribution.
Buckman emphasized, however, that this success has all come from God. He challenged the audience to consider the possibility of a Christian business. Buckman argued that it is possible to own a successful business while making the gospel a top priority. He told the audience to think of their business as a ministry.
There was a man in Buckman’s management team that had worked for them for thirty-nine years. For years Buckman and other Christian staff shared the gospel with this man until finally, he told them that he didn’t want to hear it anymore. Four years ago, that same man came to Buckman and told him that he had accepted Christ as his Savior. This is the possibility business owners are saying yes to when they commit their business to God.
Buckman then explained some practical keys for success in business. First, pay well and give bonuses when they are due. Second, create an atmosphere in the workplace. Buckman shared that he tries to incorporate fun things into the workday. For example, in the winter when it snows, the whole office stops everything they’re doing at 2 o’clock and makes s’mores. Third, Buckman believes in maintaining good relationships with vendors. He always pays his bills three days early and values honesty. If a vendor sends them too many products, for example, they always call and tell them. Honesty is key to keeping a good testimony.
Buckman also encouraged the audience to use their success to be an encouragement to the people and ministries around them. Every year, Buckman Inc. strives to give 10% of its profits to different ministries. Throughout the years they’ve given pool chemicals and ice melt products to churches and camps, they’ve bought land to open churches and schools around the world, and they’ve bought computers and buses for missionaries and schools.
Buckman further challenged the audience to get to know the people they have the opportunity to help.
“I’ve learned that if you give, God gives,” Buckman explained.
He closed the breakfast with 1 Corinthians 1:27: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”
“When you grasp that, you realize that God can use you.”
A Q&A was held after the presentation.
Learn more about Maranatha’s Leadership Breakfasts here.