Beyond the Balance Sheet: How Elisha McFarlin is Merging Missions and Accounting

Elisha McFarlin, a CPA with a heart for global missions, is redefining what it means to be a Christian business leader. His journey from traditional public accounting to launching Everstead Accounting is a testament to how faith can guide career paths in unexpected and profoundly impactful ways.

Elisha's professional life began in public accounting, auditing nonprofits, banks, and small businesses. While rewarding, he knew it wasn't his forever path. The seed for a different future was planted early in his relationship with his wife, who felt a calling to live overseas. This calling, initially a surprise to Elisha, became a shared prayer and a guiding force throughout their college years and early marriage.

The couple, both University of Memphis graduates, intentionally sought mission opportunities that would allow their daughter to grow up in that environment from a young age. Their search led them to Naomi's Village in Kenya, an organization housing 100 orphans and educating 500 students. Naomi's Village needed an accountant with a Western understanding of finance – a role Elisha was uniquely prepared for.

What seemed like a serendipitous connection was, in Elisha's words, a "total God thing." During college, he had gained a year of experience leading an outsourced accounting team for a nonprofit in Uganda. This seemingly random experience perfectly aligned with Naomi's Village's need for someone familiar with East African contexts. This confirmed for Elisha and his wife that their move was divinely orchestrated.

With the mission clear, the next step was financial preparation. Elisha launched Everstead Accounting, his own bookkeeping firm, in December. His vision for Everstead is ambitious: "to become the largest accounting firm directly benefiting international missions by sharing time and money." His mission is equally impactful: "to help leaders obtain financial clarity to improve communities around the world."

Elisha's faith is not just a backdrop to his business; it's the very foundation. He integrates prayer, vision, and core values rooted in his faith into every aspect of his work. He actively seeks to merge missions and business, with a long-term goal of hiring a team that can work fewer hours, allowing them time for their own service and ministry.

His current work-life balance reflects this commitment. He works odd hours to accommodate family time, recognizing the biblical principle of caring for one's family first. This flexibility, made possible by remote work, allows him to be present for his wife and daughter, a blessing he deeply values.

For other Christian business leaders, Elisha offers two profound pieces of advice. First, he champions the Bible as the ultimate business book, full of wisdom that extends beyond explicit financial verses to encompass culture and personal conduct. Second, he encourages leaders to challenge their self-imposed limitations. He shares his own experience of initially believing he'd have to put his career on hold for missions, only to discover that God's plan was far grander, merging his professional skills directly with his calling.

Elisha McFarlin's journey with Everstead Accounting is a powerful illustration of how God can open doors and connect seemingly disparate experiences to fulfill a greater purpose. His story inspires us to pray not for our own ideas, but for God's ideas, trusting that when we put our 'yes' on the table, He will create opportunities beyond our wildest imagination.