The Purpose Driven Church and Internet Business

How Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Church Book Influenced My Internet Business

by Jose Paclibare

When I was starting my entrepreneurial journey a few years ago, my pastor friend asked me who’s my model in internet business. My immediate answer was – Rick Warren.

Pastor Rick Warren, although not your typical businessman, is widely acknowledged as very entrepreneurial. Being a pastor of one of the biggest evangelical churches in America, his management acumen has been recognized. Some say that if Rick Warren was in the world of internet business, he would qualify as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

His popular book Purpose Driven Church is now a classic management book; a recommended reading for Bank of America executives and internet business owners alike.

My Internet Business Journey

Almost four years ago, I left my relatively comfortable job in the government to pursue my entrepreneurial dream. Because my passion (purpose) is to help myself become a successful entrepreneur while helping others, I thought network marketing was the right business model for me.

I wanted to build a Christ-centered network marketing team but I had no idea how. No one in my upline could help. At that time, I didn’t know what book to read. But my attention was drawn to Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Church.

What I’ve Learned from The Purpose Driven Church

Although Rick Warren never expected it would be used as a business management guide, there’s so much the internet business world can learn from it.

Nothing precedes purpose, as Rick Warren says. The starting point for every church, or any organization or internet business for that matter, should be the question, “Why do we exist?”

Right from the start, I knew what my purpose in internet business was. That’s why in spite of all the challenges and setbacks I experienced this past four years, I never wavered. Although I’m no longer doing network marketing, my original dream and purpose of helping other entrepreneurs has never changed. Through the help of my internet business mentor, I’m now equipping myself to become an internet business consultant in the future.

Reading Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Church is like reading a typical management or marketing book. For example, there are sections on

“Defining Your Purpose”
“Who is Your Target”
“Knowing Whom You Can Best Reach”, and
“Developing Your Strategy”.

The Chinese Bamboo Tree Internet Business Model

When I left my job, I never expected shifting from employee to entrepreneur would be long and difficult for me. Although the idea of giving up never occurred to me, there were sad moments when I didn’t know where to go. It’s during those times that I would be reminded of the story shared by Rick Warren on Chinese bamboo tree.

The Chinese bamboo tree is an amazing plant. You plant a bamboo sprout in the ground. You water and fertilize for four or five years but it lies dormant. But on the fifth year, things change dramatically. In a six-week period it grows to be a staggering ninety feet tall!

Everyone goes through a so-called learning curve. We may not be seeing any concrete results when we are just starting out in internet business. But we should not be discouraged. If we persevere, in due time and with the help of God, we will reap our reward and accomplish our purpose.