Good planning is an essential component of any successful endeavor. From family vacations to your investment portfolio, the old adage reigns true– if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
One of the #1 mistakes aspiring entrepreneurs make is confusing a good idea for a business plan. To prosper for the long-haul, there are essential components your business must include.
Scripture emphasizes the importance of planning as well. Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Habakkuk 2:2 instructs, “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.”
The message is clear: without a vision, we can’t run to the places, people, and purposes that God has for our lives. We can get lost, stagnant, and stray from the mission.
Though these Bible verses refer to prophecy, they also provide a lot of wisdom for how to catalyze business, nonprofit, and/or ministry ideas. Without a business plan, you’re going to have a hard time running toward your mission! A business plan clears the path so that you can run without hindrance and have a clear understanding of what success looks like for you and your organization.
This blog will show you how to create a Christian business plan by explaining the 9 main components of the Business Model Generation Canvas.

(Download Your Free Business Model Canvas Here)
Components That Cost Money
– Key Partners
You don’t have to run your business alone (and you shouldn’t.) Key partners are the people, distributors, and suppliers that enable your business to function. The Holy Spirit brings connection. Pray for God to highlight divine connections in your industry.
– Key Activities
What activities does your business do on a daily basis? Key activities are everything your business needs to function. Be mindful of how much these activities cost, too.
– Key Resources
What resources does your business need to function? This includes everything from employees to office supplies.
– Cost Structure
Write down every cost that your business must incur in order to function effectively. What costs can be controlled or minimized, and which expenses are fixed?
What You Offer
– Unique Value Proposition
What value does your business bring to the marketplace? What problem are you solving? Your unique value proposition is a 1-2 sentence explanation of how your product or service solves a problem that your competition is not addressing.
Components That Make Money
– Customer Relationships
This portion of your business plan expresses the ideal relationship you want to have with your customers and how you will attain it.
– Channels
Your channels are how you deliver your product or service to your customer segments. Without good channels, your product or service won’t be able to get from point A (you) to point B (your customer.) Clear and efficient channels do a lot to minimize customer frustration (and, therefore, a lot to maximize customer retention!)
– Revenue Streams
Revenue streams are the secret sauce to your business plan. Without revenue streams, you do not have a business. These are all the ways that your business makes money (hint: there should be more than one.) Ask God to highlight the resources you have at your disposal. Pray for creative ways to create new revenue streams under your current brand. Think: subscriptions, products, events, courses, etc.
– Customer Segments
Your customer segments are the people who will purchase your product or service. Don’t be afraid to get specific and narrow down your target audience. The more precise your customer segments are, the easier it will be to market your product or service.

To learn how to create a Christian business plan in extensive detail, check out the following video: Run With Vision: How to Create a Christian Business Plan. You will learn how to fill out every section of the Business Model Generation Canvas as it pertains to your unique business idea!