New Venture Lab: Equipping Christian Entrepreneurs

Question

I am a financial advisor and I recently met two "men" at the airport who turned out to be living together in a gay lifestyle.  I started a conversation with them and we ended up talking for several hours both in the terminal and on the flight.  The topic of our conversation was primarily centered around the Christian view of homosexuality and why Scripture spoke so strongly against this sin. I do not feel that I pulled any punches and laid out the gospel to them.  At the end of the conversation, they were interested in finding out more about the investment opportunities through my firm.  From a business standpoint, they are prime prospects with many friends and business contacts in my market area.  My question is how to navigate the issue of working with -- and seeking to further -- the financial interests of those with a worldview with which you do not agree, in this instance a homosexual "couple".

Answer

In terms of your question, I tend to think about it this way: you are providing a service and whether that service is cleaning pools or providing financial advice, you should be willing to serve anyone in order to provide a witness to the lost, reform our world and take dominion of our world.  If we retreat and decide to only serve like-minded believers, our sphere of influence is severely limited (as well as our ability to provide financially due to the much smaller potential client base.)  And because we are all sinners, your services could potentially enable or further the sins of believers, as well as the lost.  I'm not sure it would be feasible for us as believers -- yet sinful service providers -- to try to ascertain the hearts and intentions of all of our clients to figure out if our services will be used for good or for ill.  Who knows, but that your continued service to this particular "couple" might be the means by which the Holy Spirit convicts them and calls them out of their sinful lifestyle?  On the other hand, if you find that you just cannot bring yourself to serve them because of their sinful and potentially disgusting demeanor and actions during your meetings, then you have no obligation to continue to serve them and you should flee their sinful presence. I just wouldn't recommend limiting your potential witness (and your potential client base) before the fact.