The name Sam Walton is well respected in the business world. And for good reason; he is a true American success story. I recently toured the original Wal-Mart location and museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, and was inspired by the rate of growth and expansion of this company.

Walton opened his first store in 1962 on a promise of low prices and great service. He had an idea that he knew would work, and within five years, he had opened 27 stores and made $12 million in sales. By 1972, he had nearly doubled the number of stores to 51, and increased his sales over sixfold to $78 million. This amazing rate of growth and scale continued year after year, and today the company has over 11,000 stores in 27 countries, hiring 2.3 million associates and bringing in nearly $1 trillion in sales.

Sure, Walton’s tale of success is a great story on its own. And the path he took is inspiring. But when you dig deeper, there are 10 principles of business he lived by. How can they help ministers be better leaders? Let’s look.

With every successful organization, there are timeless truths.

1. Commit to your business. You may not think of ministry as a business, but maybe you should. Paul told his young protégé in 2 Timothy 4:5 to “do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

Do the work. What is your work in the ministry?

Whatever it is, believe in it more than anything else. If you love your work, you’ll be out there every day trying to do it to the best of your ability. Soon, everybody around will catch the passion from you like a fever. Hard work is contagious. So, start with this: In one sentence, what is your business?

2. Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners. For Sam Walton, that meant a monetary exchange. But for us, it could simply mean honor and respect. Of course, you will have paid staff you must take care of, but it shouldn’t just be a paycheck you provide. When you honor and respect your associates, they will in turn treat you like a partner, and together you will all perform beyond your wildest expectations.

So, who are your associates? Who are the key volunteers and staff members who are helping you reach the summit of your vision? And how can you share praise or show them generosity?

3. Motivate your partners. Money and ownership alone aren’t enough. Set high goals, encourage competition, and then keep score. Don’t become too predictable. But put it to your staff and volunteers to improve continually in what they do.

What goals are you leading your team toward? Be specific in articulating them. And then help them set and meet individual goals as well. When they have something to work toward, the work today is that much better.

4. Communicate everything you possibly can to your partners. Constantly communicate your vision to your people. The more they know, the more they’ll understand. The more they understand, the more they’ll care. Once they care, there’s no stopping them.

Rate your communication systems on a scale from 1 to 10. What can you do right now to improve how you communicate? How can you help your people become better listeners? And where can you close the communication gap so that everyone who needs to know does know?

5. Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite take the place of well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re free and worth a fortune. Always be on the lookout for ways to acknowledge a job well done.

What system of recognition do you have in place right now? If you don’t have one, get one! How can you better show appreciation to your associates? One simple way is to ask every department head to give you the name of a volunteer who went above and beyond that week. Then, send that person a special note of thanks.

6. Celebrate successes. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Loosen up, and everybody around you will loosen up. Have fun and show some enthusiasm! As the leader, you will set the pace. If you want your staff to be loose, it starts with you.

How can you create a culture of celebration and fun on your team? What are the big mile markers that should signal a celebration? Easter and Christmas are the big ones, sure. But make a list of special dates and milestones that let you celebrate.

7. Listen to everyone in your company. To push responsibility down in your organization, and to force good ideas to bubble up within it, you must listen to what your associates are trying to tell you. This may be easier said than done, though. Some may not be talking to you because they’re afraid to express their feelings. So, figure out ways to get them talking, and let them know you prize their input.

Make a list of the people you need to start listening to. Consider having a monthly roundtable discussion with your most trusted staff. Open plenty of pathways for communication so that people can tell you what’s going on.

8. Exceed your customers’ expectations. You may not think your church has customers, but you do have guests, visitors, attendees — whatever word you prefer to use. In the business world, they call them customers. As customers, give them what they want, and a little bit more. Make good on all your mistakes, and don’t make excuses. Apologize where appropriate, and stand behind everything you do.

Sam Walton is famous for implementing the “10-Foot Rule.” That means that any time an employee — or staff member — comes within 10 feet of a customer, he or she should ask how that person is doing and whether they need help. I’ve seen this lived out in successful churches. Believe me, it makes a huge difference!

So, how are you improving customer service at your church? How do you train it, monitor it and communicate expectations for it of your staff? 

9. Control your expenses. You can make mistakes and still recover if you run an efficient operation. Or you can be brilliant and still go out of business if you’re too inefficient.

What are your top five dream initiatives? These are things you would accomplish if only you had the resources. Next, figure out how to do just one of those things this year. It may mean tightening your belt in another area, but in the long run, it can be advantageous to every ministry area.

10. Swim upstream. Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everybody else is doing it one way, there’s a good chance you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction.

What’s one idea that doesn’t make sense in some contexts that might work in your unique setting? It’s not the job of another church’s leader to pastor your church. So, take the initiative and do things a little bit differently! Don’t be afraid to experiment, because if you never fail, you may not be trying hard enough.

These principles are great for starting and running a business. But with every successful organization, there are timeless truths. Let the Holy Spirit lead you as you do the work He has called you to do.