Faith and Risk: Lessons for Kingdom Entrepreneurs
Jesus walking on water by Julius von Schneefuß
Behind every faith-driven business there is a hidden curriculum — a slow, deliberate forming of the founder’s heart. Toby Hughes and Paul Taylor have walked that path through prophetic promises, impossible deadlines, uncomfortable obedience, and the strange kindness of God in the middle of deep uncertainty.
Wonderborn is the creative studio Toby and Paul have spent the last eight years building — a kids-and-family media company committed to producing joyful, imaginative, values-rich content that can stand in the mainstream marketplace. From animations to immersive experiences, Wonderborn exists to help children rediscover wonder and goodness in a world saturated with noise.
Last night we met as a community for a burger and a pint to hear about how to live by faith, trust and total dependence on God whilst avoiding folly.
These 12 lessons capture the wisdom forged not in conference rooms but in the dark, anxious hours when God asks you to trust Him more than your spreadsheets.
1. Obedience Is the New Definition of Success
“We’ve learned the lesson that obedience is success How do we define success by whether we’ve done what God’s asked us to do?”
Three or four years ago Paul and Toby were still chasing the metrics every founder chases — revenue, valuation, market share. Then came the eighth cash crunch and a Christmas Eve miracle, the nights staring at empty bank accounts while a prophetic word about “future success” rang in their ears. Somewhere along the way the scoreboard changed. Success stopped being “Did we hit the numbers?” and became “Did we obey today?” If the answer was yes, they slept well. Everything else was bonus.
1 Samuel 15:22 — “To obey is better than sacrifice.”
2. Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
“If it’s never uncomfortable, we’re probably doing something we can achieve in our own strength.”
They’ve now survived eight seasons where the money was due, the investors disappeared, and the lawyers were on speed-dial. By the eighth time, the fear had worn off — it just became Tuesday. Growth didn’t come from the victories. It came from the constant hum of uncertainty and utter dependency on God.
James 1:2–4 — “Consider it pure joy… because the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 — “My power is made perfect in weakness.”
3. Jesus Walked on Water… But Most of the Time He Got in the Boat
“Jesus walked on water, but most of the time he used the boat… I’ve seen people who’ve ended up in the water underneath it.”
They’ve met founders who jumped into the ocean because “God told them,” when He actually hadn’t. The discernment question they now ask is painfully simple: “Are we stepping out because God said ‘Come,’ or because we’re bored and craving a miracle?” Sometimes the most faith-filled move is the un-dramatic one: staying in the boat.
John 10:27 — “My sheep listen to my voice.”
4. Ruthless Business Logic + Ruthless Dependence on God
“Lord, if we don’t see you move by this date, we’re booking the call with the lawyers.”
Toby and Paul forecast cash to the hour. They document everything. They give God deadlines — politely. One Christmas Eve they were in a tight spot. The money arrived at 7 p.m. Another time they had the insolvency call set for Monday. Money landed that Friday at 7 p.m. They refuse to choose between spreadsheets and the Spirit. The Kingdom advances on both.
Proverbs 16:9 — “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
5. If the Door Doesn’t Open Easily, Stop Kicking It
“Three or four years ago we would have kicked the door in. Now we give it a push. If it doesn’t swing open easily, that’s fine — we move on… We’ve realised the Kingdom of God is not hustle culture.”
They once treated resistance as an invitation to fight. Now they give the door a gentle shove. If it stays shut, they walk on — without drama or self-importance. This shift has saved them huge amounts of time, money, and emotional energy — and opened far better doors they’d have missed while battering down the wrong ones.
Revelation 3:7 — “What he opens, no one can shut; and what he shuts, no one can open.”
Proverbs 3:5–6 — “He will make your paths straight.”
6. Hold Prophetic Words Lightly — Especially the Timing
“Hold the word, but don’t put a time frame on it.”
A trusted friend, mentor and man of God once described a future breakthrough… the same week their bank balance sat at £400. They felt squeezed trying to force God’s promise into their own timeline. The take-away: Believe the destination. Release the schedule. Some words are for tomorrow. Some for your grandchildren.
Habakkuk 2:3 — “Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1 — “To everything there is a season.”
7. Go Slow Enough for Your Heart to Be Changed
“There’s no point the people of Israel getting to the Promised Land early if their hearts are still in the wrong place.”
The world worships speed. God often slows things down deliberately. They’ve had to shrink staff, pause launches, and work unpaid — not because the vision was wrong, but because their hearts weren’t ready for the weight of it. God changes the founder before He enlarges the business.
Psalm 51:10 — “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
8. Wisdom Lives Between the Extremes
“Proverbs says both “Don’t answer a fool” and “Do answer a fool.” Wisdom is knowing which day it is.”
Faith-driven business is full of paradoxes: Mercy vs accountability. Belief vs prudence. Risk vs restraint. There’s no formula for these tensions. Only a long walk with God.
James 1:5 — “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.”
9. When Do You Show Mercy and When Do You Enforce the Contract?
“Legal entities committed themselves to contracts and delivery schedules — they need to be held accountable.”
One way of looking at this is: lavish grace on the individual. Hold the company to the contract. This has meant chasing late payments from Christians, releasing beloved staff, and ending partnerships that were relationally warm but commercially disastrous. Grace does not mean naivety.
Micah 6:8 — “Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.”
Matthew 10:16 — “Be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves.”
10. The Tension You Feel Is Usually Where God Is Forming You
“God, what are you trying to teach us in this moment? What are you trying to show us about our hearts?”
Their old prayer: “Fix this crisis.” Their new prayer: “Form us through this crisis.” Every near-bankruptcy, every investor who ghosted, every painful delay has become part of a curriculum in surrender, humility, and trust. The business isn’t the goal. It’s the classroom.
Romans 5:3–4 — “Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Philippians 1:6 — “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
11. Identity Check: Could You Give It Away for £1?
“We’ll sell you the whole thing for a pound if it advances the Kingdom more in your hands.”
Once the business becomes “my legacy, my platform,” it turns into an idol. Three times they’ve tried to give Wonderborn away. Three times the email or call “mysteriously” never landed. They see that as God saying: “Not yet.” But the willingness to release it keeps them free.
Matthew 16:24–25 — “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it.”
12. Grit + Surrender
“We’ve never deliberately jumped off a cliff to make God catch us. We’ve always tried to build the best bridge we could… and then discovered halfway across that the middle section was missing — and God became the bridge.”
Founders bring the grit. God brings the provision. The sweet spot is ferocious work with open hands: “I’ll fight for this, Lord — but only if You say so.”
If you’re in the middle of your own missing-bridge moment, breathe. Living by faith as an entrepreneur will stretch you, expose you, humble you, and—if you let it—transform you. These lessons remind us that God is present not just in the miracles but in the spreadsheets, the delays, the disappointments, and the daily grind. Keep walking. The One who called you is still writing the story.
Proverbs 21:31 — “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”