“Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.”
(Matthew 25:20)
The kingdom of God needs financial stewards who are not working for the salary they get, but for the impact their stewardship has in the Kingdom now and for eternity.
One of the dilemmas accountants face is finding work that has a direct impact, this is due to the nature of their work as well as the mission of the organisations they work for – apart from their responsibility to manage funds. Though I have worked for awesome organisations with great missions – making great impact in the world, the tendency to get lost in figures, policies and procedures, and not paying much attention to the real mission of the organisation cannot be denied.
My Journey as an Accountant
Before I joined CBN SA, I felt the Holy Spirit calling me to make a more meaningful use of my skills. At the time, I was working for an NGO with an awesome cause, but not a Kingdom-oriented one. I got into a space where I started realising that my job as an accountant must have purpose for eternity, more than just for the transformation it does on earth – as important as that is. As a child of God, I believe whatever I do, should be translated into advancing the kingdom of God. I felt it was time to invest my experience and skills into the Kingdom, if I must continue to work as an accountant.
Though I was and still am a missionary and a minister of the Word in the local church, I still wanted my day job to be part of my spiritual assignment and not just a job. So, for a year and six months, I had no peace in my heart as the Holy Spirit highlighted the fact that I must make the choice of serving the Kingdom with my skills. I said this prayer during this season of unrest: “Lord, if I must work, then let me work in an organisation that has a mission to get the Gospel out there so that men and women can be saved”.
Accounting in Full-Time Ministry!
Within a week or two of saying this prayer, I saw a post by CBN South Africa looking for a Finance Manager to join their team. I was particularly drawn to a statement in the offer that required the candidate to subscribe to the mission of CBN. I was intrigued to find out what the mission was, so, I did some research. I had goosebumps when I found out that the mission was to “prepare the nations for the coming of Jesus Christ“. This was the green light that the Lord had been serious about the promptings I had in my spirit for a long time. Long story short, I applied for the job and by the working of the Lord, I was appointed as the Finance and HR Manager of CBN South Africa.
Finding God in My Role
In my role as the Finance Manager of CBN South Africa, I’m not just responsible for the financial health of the organisation, I am responsible for ensuring that the Kingdom-purpose of CBN South Africa is fulfilled through my financial management and accountability input . Therefore, the work of evangelising to the nations and preparing them for the coming of the Lord Jesus is my assignment through Kingdom financial stewardship. My perspective has changed; the figures that once frustrated me, now have purpose.
I have the privilege of being the manager of heavenly funds and ensuring that they are used for God’s mission and managed with integrity, compliance accuracy, etc, to the glory of the Lord.
Encouragement for Your Career Journey
Therefore, one thing I believe is that no matter what academic qualifications, skills or experience you have achieved in life, it can be converted into Kingdom work. That’s what happened for me and my job at CBN.
My why is to ensure that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, through CBN South Africa, reaches the nations through the vehicle of proper financial accountability, sustainability, management and compliance. I see my job beyond figures, I see my job as something tangible – men and women coming to Jesus, children thought to know Jesus from a tender age, people set free from addictions as they watch the testimonies of others through our productions and media ministry. And importantly, working in a Kingdom environment has nurtured my relationship with God and, together with my mission work, has inspired me to write a women’s devotional – this is not something I ever imagined I would do as an accountant!
I am Enih Sone, I am championing, inspiring, and enhancing a productive environment of kingdom financial and human resource administration and accountability, in all accuracy, transparency, integrity, sustainability, and growth through spiritual support, excellent financial systems and compliance with statutory financial and labour regulations.
My prayer for you is that wherever you are, you will seek God’s purpose in your role. If it is to stay in a secular role, then ask Him what He wants you to do within your role. If it is to move on, trust His guiding and prompting as you seek our your next step. But remember, no matter where you are or what you do, your why in Christ is your purpose. You don’t need to be in ministry to be living out your why.
Please read the full text in Matthew 24:14-30.*
