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Pursuing a business degree may be a practical choice for you — something to provide a stable job and a healthy income. And a business education can certainly offer those opportunities.

But studying business at a Christian university does more than just prepare you for a job or a career. It provides a Christ-centered foundation that allows you to grow as a follower of Jesus, think biblically about your calling and honor the Lord with how you conduct yourself in the marketplace.

Here are some reasons you may want to consider pursuing a business degree at a Christian university:

1. It's an opportunity to glorify God through business practices.

Earning a profit is not an ungodly endeavor. In fact, Jesus directly commends it. In the biblical parable of the talents, three servants were given the opportunity to take some of their master's money and steward it. Two invested wisely and got a return for it, and the master praised them and gave them more. The one who didn't make a profit was condemned for his laziness.

Dan Slater, dean of the McAfee School of Business at Union University, said that a truly effective Christian business program equips students to see their careers as ministry.

“Through loving others, standing for truth and leading with integrity, graduates are prepared to make a difference and glorify God, wherever their business journey takes them,” Slater said.

2. It helps you understand the result of stewardship.

The parable of the talents shows that good stewardship is rewarded. We see the same thing in the life of Joseph in the Old Testament. Joseph was a steward, just like many executives today who are responsible for managing the resources of someone else.

Joseph first managed the resources of Potiphar's house, then the resources of a jail and eventually the entire nation of Egypt. He excelled at each of these responsibilities, and his wise stewardship led to even greater responsibility.

At a Christian university, you learn the biblical principle of being faithful, whether you are stewarding a small budget or a company worth billions.

3. You learn to develop appropriate priorities in business.

While the pursuit of profit is certainly crucial in business, it's also important to have clear priorities — and profit cannot be at the top of the list for Christians. The Bible has a lot to say about the pitfalls of loving money. When money becomes your highest goal, it's going to cause some unhealthy dynamics.

Take James 4, for example: “Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit' — yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.” James says, instead, that Christian should clearly understand that their plans will only come about if they are consistent with the Lord's will.

“Seeking God and his kingdom should be far higher on your priority list than doing whatever it takes to make money,” Slater said. “At a Christian university, you'll be taught to unpack and internalize these truths.”

4. You'll develop a godly perspective of employees, customers, and stakeholders.

People have inherent value, not because of what they can do for you, but simply because of who they are — individuals who have been made in the image of God. In business, there's always talk about treating employees well, which is good. But the underlying reason for that is often tied to the return. Happier employees result in lower turnover costs, which increases the bottom line. In other words, people are often seen as a means to an end.

But as Christians, that perspective runs counter to God's design and plan. As Christians in business, we need to treat employees, customers and stakeholders as God's creatures who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect — for no other reason that the fact that God made them.

If doing so produces a side benefit of greater stability among your workforce or customer base, then great. But that can't be the motivating factor. God cares about us not because of what we can produce, but because of who we are.

5. You'll prepare to influence the business world as a light for Christ.

Anytime you're dealing with people, regardless of your profession, you have an opportunity to be a city on a hill — a light that others can see. Your actions and behaviors can point them to Christ, whether you're in a context where you can explicitly talk about your faith or not. Through your decision-making, the way you treat others, your integrity and your character, you are a platform for Christ.

A Christian university will help you cultivate those qualities.

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As you make decisions about where to pursue your business degree, you clearly have many options. But for believers, studying business at a Christian university opens a world of beautiful biblical truths that can transform not just your professional career, but your entire life.

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DID YOU KNOW?

In 2025, Union University opened The Ethos Forum, a 40,000-square-foot facility that houses Union's McAfee School of Business and the computer science and engineering departments in a space that is designed to foster creativity and collaboration.

MORE INFO:

Interested in studying business at Union University's McAfee School of Business? Union offers a variety of options at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Find out more information on programs, faculty and other details at the MSB website.

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