“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…” – Psalm 46:1-3
The Divine Foundation of Crisis Management
In the unpredictable world of business, crisis is not a matter of if, but when. Recent studies reveal that only 67.9% of new businesses survive their first two years, dropping to 49.2% after five years[1]. With the crisis management services market valued at $97.53 billion in 2025, it’s clear that businesses worldwide are investing heavily in crisis preparedness. Yet for Christian business owners and professionals, there exists a foundation far more solid than any earthly strategy – God Himself.
When crisis strikes our businesses, our natural response is often panic, fear, and even despair. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated this reality starkly, with 43% of small businesses temporarily closing and employment declining by 40%[1]. However, as followers of Christ, we have access to a different response, one rooted in the unchanging character of God who declares Himself our refuge and strength.
The word “refuge” in Hebrew conveys the image of a fortress, a place of safety where we can retreat and find protection. “Strength” speaks to God’s power working in and through us during our weakest moments. When David penned these words in Psalm 46, he wasn’t writing from a place of ease but from the midst of turbulent times. His declaration that “we will not fear” wasn’t because circumstances were favorable, but because God’s presence made all the difference.
Finding Peace in the Storm
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27
In our modern business context, peace often feels elusive during crisis. Market volatility, supply chain disruptions, financial pressures, and staffing challenges can create a perfect storm of anxiety. Yet Jesus offers us a peace that transcends these temporal concerns, a peace that the world cannot give or take away.
This divine peace is not the absence of problems but the presence of God in the midst of them. When we anchor our hearts in Christ during business crises, we discover that His peace becomes our operational foundation. Research shows that only 49% of surveyed US companies have formal crisis communication plans[1], but Christian business owners have access to something far more powerful – direct communication with the God who controls all outcomes.
The peace Jesus offers enables us to make sound decisions when others are paralyzed by fear. It allows us to lead with confidence when uncertainty seems overwhelming. Most importantly, it reminds us that our ultimate security is not in our business success but in our relationship with the One who holds our future. This peace is not dependent on our circumstances but on God’s unchanging nature and His promises to us as His children.
“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” – Psalm 107:28-30
This passage beautifully illustrates God’s power to bring calm to chaotic situations[4]. Just as He stilled the physical storm for the sailors, He can still the storms in our businesses and our hearts. The transformation from raging waves to whispered calm is a picture of how God’s intervention can change our circumstances and, more importantly, our perspective on them. The psalmist emphasizes that God is not distant or indifferent to our suffering, but rather, He is intimately involved and attentive to the prayers of His people.
Three Faith-Based Crisis Management Strategies
Strategy 1: God is Our Refuge and Strength – We Are Safe
The foundation of Christian crisis management begins with establishing our security in God’s unchanging nature rather than in market conditions or business performance. This strategy involves daily surrender and divine dependency, recognizing that our ultimate safety comes not from our business acumen or financial reserves, but from our relationship with the Almighty God.
When we make God our refuge, we acknowledge that He is our fortress, our safe haven during times of trouble. This means approaching each business day with the understanding that our security is not dependent on market fluctuations, competitor actions, or even our own abilities. Instead, our security is rooted in the unchanging character of God who promises to be our refuge and strength. This perspective transforms how we handle pressure, make decisions, and lead our teams during difficult seasons.
The practical implementation of this strategy involves beginning each workday with prayer, surrendering the day’s challenges to God rather than trying to manage them through human strength alone. It means making decisions based on biblical principles rather than fear-driven reactions, seeking God’s wisdom through His Word regularly, and creating accountability with other Christian business leaders who can pray with us and provide godly counsel. This strategy also includes documenting God’s faithfulness during previous challenges to build confidence for current ones, creating a record of His provision that can encourage us during future difficulties.
Strategy 2: God Gives Us Peace – We Are Not Troubled or Afraid
Crisis anxiety is common in the business world, but divine peace is available to every believer. This strategy focuses on accessing and maintaining God’s supernatural peace during turbulent times, allowing us to operate from a place of calm confidence rather than frantic worry.
This peace is fundamentally different from worldly peace, which depends on favorable circumstances. Jesus specifically contrasts His peace with what the world offers. The world’s peace is temporary and conditional, based on the absence of problems. Christ’s peace, however, is permanent and unconditional, based on His presence with us regardless of our circumstances. This peace enables clear thinking, compassionate leadership, and strategic decision-making even in the darkest hours.
The practical implementation of this strategy involves establishing prayer rhythms throughout the business day, not just during crises but as a regular practice that keeps us connected to God’s peace. It means creating physical spaces for spiritual reflection in our workplace, implementing team prayer meetings especially during challenging seasons, and practicing gratitude by regularly acknowledging God’s provisions in our business. This strategy also includes developing the discipline of “taking thoughts captive” by replacing anxious thoughts with God’s promises, meditating on Scripture that speaks to God’s faithfulness, and maintaining fellowship with other believers who can provide encouragement and accountability.
Strategy 3: God is in Control – He is All-Powerful and We Can Trust Him
Recognizing God’s ultimate authority over all circumstances allows business owners to operate with confidence and hope during crisis. This strategy involves viewing challenges as opportunities for God to demonstrate His power and trusting His sovereignty even when we cannot see the complete picture.
This strategy requires faith that sees beyond immediate circumstances to God’s greater purposes. It means trusting His timing for resolution and His wisdom in the process, even when the path forward seems unclear. When we truly believe that God is in control, we can face business challenges with courage because we know that our ultimate destiny is in His hands, not in market forces or human decisions.
The practical implementation of this strategy involves developing crisis management plans that include spiritual disciplines and divine consultation, maintaining transparency with stakeholders about our reliance on God’s guidance, and looking for opportunities to serve others during our own crisis while trusting God’s provision. It means seeking counsel from mature Christian leaders who can provide biblical perspective, documenting and celebrating God’s faithfulness through difficult seasons, and viewing setbacks as setups for God’s greater purposes in our lives and businesses.
A Testimony of Faith in Crisis: Stanley Tam’s Surrendered Success
Stanley Tam’s story stands as one of the most powerful testimonies of faith-based crisis management in Christian business history. In 1936, Stanley launched United States Plastic Corporation in Lima, Ohio, with just thirty-seven dollars[1]. However, his business soon faced a devastating crisis as he found himself on the brink of bankruptcy and complete failure. In his darkest hour, Stanley made a decision that would transform not only his business but also impact millions of lives worldwide.
Facing what seemed like certain failure, Stanley turned to God in complete surrender. He recalled, “I started the business in 1936, and I soon went broke. I was so discouraged. Then the Lord spoke to me: ‘Turn it over to me; I’ll make it succeed.'” This was more than just a prayer – it was a radical act of faith that embodied the very principles we’ve discussed. Stanley found his refuge and strength in God during his moment of greatest business vulnerability. Rather than allowing fear and despair to drive his decisions, he chose to trust in God’s control over his circumstances.
The transformation was remarkable. From the moment Stanley surrendered control and made God his refuge and strength, the business began to flourish. Stanley never experienced another year of loss. The company grew into a multi-million dollar enterprise, producing more than 30,000 products and serving over 85,000 customers. But God wasn’t finished with Stanley’s journey of faith in crisis management. In 1955, during a ministry meeting in South America, God spoke to Stanley again, asking him to give his entire business to Kingdom work. After struggling with this call, Stanley and his wife Juanita gave 100 percent of their business to God, meaning all profits would go to spreading the Gospel[2].
Through this complete surrender in crisis, Stanley’s business became a channel for God’s provision and peace. The company has cumulatively contributed over $150 million to God’s Kingdom, supporting ministry work in forty-two countries[2]. Thousands of people have come to Christ through the ministries funded by Stanley’s business. When people questioned why he was “giving it all away,” Stanley would respond, “I am putting it in the bank account in Heaven”[2]. Stanley’s testimony demonstrates that when we make God our refuge and strength during crisis, He not only provides peace that transcends understanding but also uses our surrender for His greater purposes.
Stanley’s approach embodied all three strategies discussed earlier. He found his security in God rather than business success, he operated from divine peace rather than human anxiety, and he trusted God’s control rather than his own abilities. His business became a living testimony that God is indeed our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Even in his later years, Stanley continued to operate from this foundation of faith, opening a small woodworking shop with a sign that read, “Are you seeking peace in your heart? The answer is in the Bible,” offering free Bibles to visitors[2].
Living the Faith-Driven Response
Crisis management with faith is not about ignoring practical wisdom or sound business principles. Rather, it’s about building these practices on the solid foundation of God’s character and promises. When we combine biblical truth with practical action, we create a crisis response that honors God and serves others effectively.
The faith-driven crisis response includes spiritual preparation through regular prayer and Bible study, strategic planning that incorporates biblical principles, servant leadership that puts people before profits, transparent communication that acknowledges both challenges and God’s faithfulness, and generous stewardship that views resources as God’s provision for His purposes. This approach recognizes that while we are called to be wise stewards and thoughtful leaders, our ultimate trust must be in God rather than in our own abilities or circumstances.
Christian business owners who operate from this foundation find that they can face crises with a different perspective than their secular counterparts. They understand that their businesses are not just economic enterprises but platforms for demonstrating God’s character and advancing His Kingdom. This perspective doesn’t eliminate challenges, but it provides a framework for navigating them with faith, hope, and love.
Embracing the Crisis as God’s Opportunity
Perhaps the most transformative aspect of crisis management with faith is recognizing that what appears to be a setback may actually be God’s setup for greater things. Just as Stanley Tam’s near-bankruptcy became the catalyst for a business that would impact millions of lives, your current crisis may be the very circumstance God uses to demonstrate His power and advance His kingdom.
This perspective requires a fundamental shift in how we view difficulties. Instead of seeing crises as obstacles to overcome, we can view them as opportunities for God to reveal His glory and work through us in ways we never imagined. This doesn’t mean we should be passive or ignore practical steps we need to take, but it does mean we approach our challenges with expectancy, believing that God can work all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
When we embrace this perspective, we find that our response to crisis becomes less about damage control and more about faithful stewardship. We focus less on protecting our reputation and more on reflecting God’s character. We worry less about immediate outcomes and trust more in God’s eternal purposes. This shift in perspective doesn’t eliminate the practical challenges we face, but it provides a foundation of hope that enables us to navigate them with wisdom, courage, and faith.
Moving Forward with Confidence
As Christian business owners and professionals, we have access to resources that the secular world cannot understand or access. Our crisis management strategy begins not with market analysis or financial projections, but with the unchanging promises of God. When we make Him our refuge and strength, we discover that His peace truly does surpass all understanding, and His power is made perfect in our weakness.
The next time crisis threatens your business, remember that you are not alone. The God who stilled the storm with a whisper is the same God who promises to be your refuge and strength. Trust His heart when you cannot see His hand. Find His peace in the midst of chaos. Rest in His control when everything seems out of control. Remember that your security is not in your business performance but in your relationship with the One who holds your future.
In the words of Stanley Tam, who learned to trust God completely through crisis, “I just wanted to be obedient”[2]. This simple but profound response to crisis – obedience rooted in trust – can transform not only your business challenges but your entire approach to leadership and life. When we choose faith over fear, surrender over control, and trust over worry, we discover that God truly is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
The storms of business life will come, but they need not overwhelm us. When we anchor our hearts in Christ, seek His peace in the midst of chaos, and trust His sovereign control over all circumstances, we find that even the most difficult challenges become opportunities to experience God’s faithfulness and demonstrate His character to a watching world. This is the essence of crisis management with faith – finding our ultimate security not in our circumstances but in our God who is our refuge and strength, our peace in the storm, and our hope for the future.
Sources
[1] Eternal Perspective Ministries. “He Turned His Business over to God: Stanley Tam’s Story.” 2021.
[2] Forbes. “Handling Crisis Communications In Churches.” 2024.
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