Richard Branson's Latest Venture: Entrepreneurs can help with global problems
We hear it in so many different places... Sunday morning services, at work, in a book or here on this website. What you will hear is that encouragement to "live it" and not just talk about it.That's what I love to much about connecting with entrepreneurs of Business as Mission companies. These guys are out there practicing what has been preached.
Recently I read an article in about Richard Branson, Virgin's founder as he talked about why fellow entrepreneurs are uniquely suited to help fight problems such as poverty, AIDS, and climate change. Here's an example of a guy who recognizes the power of entrepreneurs to solve big problems. To read the full article click on the link below.
"Making a Difference: The very essence of an entrepreneur; competitive, flamboyant, and always ready to take a risk, Branson was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1999 for his "services to entrepreneurship." Now he is hoping to help spearhead a movement to use entrepreneurship to alleviate a number of global problems.
Last week, business leaders celebrated record highs on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones industrial average rising nearly 300 points (see BusinessWeek.com, 7/20/07, "Dow 14,000"). While consumption and profits are growing, far less enviable statistics are also escalating: A staggering half the planet lives on less than $2 per day. Some one billion people lack access to clean water. In Africa alone, 40 billion working hours are lost each year to time spent carrying water long distances. A quarter of a billion people live in overcrowded urban squatter settlements without adequate shelter. And, tragically, 16,000 people die every day from preventable, treatable diseases like AIDS, TB, and malaria.
Every time I travel to Africa, I am impressed by the tremendous entrepreneurial spirit of its people. But I am also saddened by the destructiveness of poverty and health crises like AIDS. It's not unusual in a place like South Africa to see hundreds of signs for funeral services in townships and rural areas in the place of the signs for small businesses that were once a symbol of hope for a future free from poverty.
There are many efforts underway aimed at solving these global issues. But we must do more, and I believe that as entrepreneurs we have a unique role to play. Having spent the last 30 years launching businesses in everything from music to airlines, financial services to health clubs, telecommunications to commercial space travel, I'm a firm believer in the power of entrepreneurship to transform the global marketplace. As entrepreneurs, we are trained to spot possibilities where others see only obstacles and to never mind the bollocks driven by bureaucracy and red tape.
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God is my CEO :: Larry Julian
Many business leaders struggle with the dilemma of being successful and living a life with purpose. Often, their personal beliefs seem to conflict with the bottom-line demands of today's business world. God is My CEO offers a practical and inspirational source of guidance for achieving a meaningful and accomplished life.God is My CEO details the experiences of highly successful business leaders who have managed to create impressive bottom-line results while upholding God's principles, including: Horst Schulze (CEO- The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company), Ken Melrose (Chairman and CEO- The Toro Company), Robert O. Naegele, Jr., (Former Chairman and Co-owner - Rollerblade), Al Quie (Former Governor State of Minnesota), C. William Pollard (Chairman and CEO- The ServiceMaster Company)
To read a full outline of the book chapters and excerpts of the book for the official website, click here.
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The Church in the Workplace :: Peter Wagner
"There's a gap between the once-a-week church and the church in the workplace. Creating Harmony between these two powerful forces allows believers in both realms to fulfill their God-given mandates.God's people make up the Church every day, not just on Sunday. On the other six days, we transform into the "extended church." Wagner's comprehensive volume shows Christians how to expand their vision and live out their faith both on the clock and in the pews.
Jesus ministered in the marketplace. So should we. But the culture won't be transformed unless it happens through us. The Church in the Workplace is a comprehensive guide to workplace transformation and will help you understand your call to service, to sense that God stands ready to anoint your work.
All Christians, no matter the task or employer, can grasp God's authority and power when they see their job as a holy invitation to claim souls for the Kingdom." For more information click here.
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Transform the World: Biblical Vision and Purpose for Business :: Nordstrom and Starr
In this book Swarr and Nordstrom aim to tear down the wall between “business” and “missions” (secular and sacred), and show in practical, step-by-step ways how to accomplish this by making business an opportunity to share Christ and fulfill the Great Commission. The case is based on both Scripture and practical considerations. The balance of the book examines a variety of issues inherent in this integration, including creating versus accumulating wealth, entrepreneurship and ways to share the gospel as a businessperson abroad. The tone is zealous, which may attract some readers and repel others.For more information check out the description on the Inter Varsity press website.
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The Entrepreneur's Creed: The Principles & Passions of 20 Successful Entrepreneurs :: Merrill Oster
The Business as Mission movement is reliant upon the entrepreneurial drive of business leaders around the world. While not an overt 'Business as Mission' book, the stories in this book can be an encouragement and inspiration that fusing faith and business together is possible."At a time when people are looking for spiritual meaning and purpose in their work, stories of people with depth and balance in their lives who have overcome remarkable obstacles yet achieved remarkable success are more inspirational than ever. Authors Oster and Hamell tell twenty such inspirational stories outlining these entrepreneurs' commitment to God, genuine love of people, willingness to take risks and ability to learn and adapt to change.
Here's a few examples: The son of an Italian immigrant who won an unprecedented four NBA Executive of the Year awards ... One of only a handful of "triple aces" in WW II, who returned from a POW camp to start a business he would later sell for $139 million."
To read more stories included in the book, visit the website on Amazon.
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Annointed for Business :: Ed Silvoso
Here's an exerpt from the publisher ... "The notion that labor for profit and worship of God are now, and always have been, worlds apart, is patently false. The Early Church founders were mostly community leaders and highly successful business people. The writing of the Gospels was entrusted to Luke, a medical doctor; Matthew, a retired tax collector; Mark, the manager of a family trust; and John, a food supplier. Lydia was "a dealer in purple cloth." Dorcas was a clothes designer.In this expanded version of the best-selling Anointed for Business, Ed Silvoso focuses on the heart of our cities, which is the marketplace. Yet the perceived wall between commercial pursuit and service to God continues to be a barrier to advancing His kingdom. Silvoso shows Christians how to knock down that wall-and participate in an unparalleled marketplace transformation. Only then can we see God's kingdom invade every corner of our world. Readers will appreciate Silvoso's passionate call to men and women in the workplace to rise to their God-appointed positions. The included study guide will enable the reader to put these revolutionary concepts into action through reflection and discussion questions, implementation worksheets, and space for personal journaling."
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The Gods of Business :: Todd Albertson
Just released last Monday, this book brings a bigger sense of scope to the idea of Business and Mission in globalized world. It is intended to help business people who are dealing with people from different cultures around the world and who likely have different religious faiths than they hold themselves.Albertson, a Christian, analyzes in plain language the world's major religions—Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Secular Postmodernism, Shintoism, and Sikhism—and how their spiritual traditions impact business ethics.
According to Todd his next book, Doing Business the Christian Way: A Practitioner's Guide, will be published in 2008. More information about The Gods of Business is available at http://www.thegodsofbusiness.com/. Here is an excerpt from CHAPTER 1: THE DILEMMA PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR
Prince Henry the Navigator (1394–1460 C.E.) was the son of King Joãoof Portugal. Henry organized and financed many sea expeditions. His most famous were in search of a sea route to the rich spice trade of the Indies and along the way to explore the west coast of Africa.
Prince Henry encountered much difficulty in persuading his captains to sail beyond Cape Bojador in the southern Sahara. They believed the legend that only the "Green Sea of Darkness" existed beyond this point. They thought the sun was so close to the Earth that a person's skin would turn black. The sea boiled. Ships would catch on fire. Hidden monsters lurked, waiting to smash the ships and eat their crews!
On the first attempt Henry sent his ships with orders to keep close to the coast line. A couple of weeks after they left, they returned to Portugal. Their captains told the prince they could not find a sea route to India because they had come to the "end of the world." Henry sent out thirteen more ships, and each one came back with the same story. From our armchair in history it is easy to see how askew that worldview was. It depended on prejudices that few thought about or were willing to change in the face of evidence.
The English word "worldview" comes from the German word weltanschauung, which means a "look onto the world." The term originally was used to refer to a common concept of reality shared by a particular group of people who were generally bound by culture or ethnicity. The word has been expanded over time to reflect how an individual views the world and interacts within it.
On the fourteenth voyage commissioned by Prince Henry, the ship was blown off course, and the crew could no longer see the African coastline. The captain pointed his ship's bow east and a few days later came upon Africa again, surprised that his ship had somehow bypassed the Green Sea of Darkness.
But a few years later the captain re-discovered his worst fear. He had announced a sea route to India. Now as he sailed south along the Spanish Sahara, he came to a major rock shoal. On the approach the water became shallower and shallower. Strange currents began to develop. The captain and crew were positive that the end of the world they had missed earlier was now about to destroy them.
Undoubtedly that is how they felt. The limits of their ability to discover had nothing to do with their bravery or their goodness, nor was it charted on any accurate map of the world. Rather, the limits were mapped unconsciously by what they had subjectively envisioned—their worldview.
Why is worldview important in business? Because people of faith will approach all of their endeavors with grains of objective truth.Whatever those grains may be, they are going to be washed, sieved and filtered through subjective and unconscious ways of comprehending,acting and explaining. Some grains will be overlooked, forgotten or thrown away as inconvenient. Hence, like the Portuguese sailors of Prince Henry's day, the modern business person's religious worldview provides a mental map of how to conduct business.
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Tentmaking: Business as Missions :: Patrick Lai
Having been given the opportunity to get to know Patrick and his wife I highly respect the work that they have been doing for over 20 years. In the midst of juggling so many different plates he was able to write the book Tentmaking: Business as Missions.As one reader wrote at Amazon.com, "What makes this book even stronger is that it's based not just on the author's formidable experience, but also upon his research among 450 tentmakers laboring in the 10/40 Window. The focus is on what has been proven to be effective in tentmaking, as supported by Lai's experience and research - and yet pragmatism never takes a back seat to the yearning to see God's kingdom spread as people around the world come to know Jesus. This book is at once inspirational, practical, and Biblical.
Chapters deal with such issues as tentmaking vs. "traditional" missions, types of tentmaking, preparing to be a tentmaker, evangelism and church planting, the tentmaker's personal life, women and tentmaking, the tentmaker and his children, the tentmaker and his home base, tentmaking tensions and conflicts, and more. Appendices provide checklists and outlines for team guidelines, questions short-term workers should ask, church planting phases, and questions to ask before joining a missions organization team. This book is a tremendous resource. If you are (or want to be) a tentmaker, then I encourage you to spend the money and take the time to study this volume." For more information click here.
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Business as a Calling :: Michael Novak
Michael Novak, the 1994 winner of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, wrote this book over 10 years ago. As a college textbook, an inspirational reading, and a fundamental part of the Business and Faith conversation and inspired several other reading. Here's the review from Publishers Weekly."In straight forward language, Novak sets out to refute the popular conception that business leaders are materialistic and rapacious, asserting that "business not only creates social connections, lifts its participants out of poverty, and builds the foundation of democracy, but also can and must be morally uplifting." His central conceit is that, like the work of priests and ministers, the labors of businessmen and -women are often animated by a sense of calling.
Novak cites a 1990 poll that found that after military officers, "more people in business attended church every week than any other elite." While it remains to be proven that the morals espoused in church or temple can and do hold sway on the battlefields of market competition, Novak's meditations should cause those who believe "enlightened capitalism" to be an oxymoron to think twice. For more information click here.
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Kingdom Companies: How 24 Executives Around the Globe Serve Jesus Christ Through Their Business
"Today, many Christian business owners and workplace leaders around the world see their companies as "Kingdom Companies." They are operating their businesses along the lines of Biblical principles, spreading Gospel of Jesus Christ, and advancing the Kingdom of God into the workplace. A number of stories of companies in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America have been brought together in the book "Kingdom Companies."In each chapter, the authors consciously sought to answer the question, "What does this CEO -- and the company -- actually do to promote the Kingdom of God and the Gospel.
First published in Germany and Switzerland, this book was an immediate bestseller and has been re-printed in English. As you read about these "Kingdom Companies" you will be encouraged and inspired by how company leaders are making the LORD the center of their lives and companies, and how they are operating effectively and profitably in the business and professional world while standing firm for Jesus Christ." For more information visit the faith and work resources web store by clicking here.
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Doing God's Business :: Paul Stevens
"Christians have likely been struggling with the place of business in the life of faith ever since Paul’s days as a tentmaker. Just how do the spheres of private devotion and public business intersect in a meaningful way?Paul Stevens has been exploring this question since his earliest working days in his father’s steel business. His Doing God’s Business tells how readers can find lasting and satisfying meaning for marketplace involvement in the light of the Christian faith and tradition. Stevens explores the potential of business as a location for practicing everyday spiritual disciplines and as a source of creativity and deeper relationship with God."
Click here to read the excerpt of the first chapter, "What Business Is God In?"
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Business for the Glory of God :: Wayne Grudem
Among many other things, summer is a time for trips and vacations. I've always found these to be times to recharge and refresh the batteries. Usually that takes place with a good book in hand. With that thought in mind we're going to spend the next few weeks looking at some of the top books in business as mission. Most will be books that we haven't yet covered on the site.Leading off the list is Business for the Glory of God by Wayne Grudem. Here's the expert from the publisher.
"Can business activity in itself be morally good and pleasing to God? Sometimes business can seem so shady—manipulating the “bottom line,” deceiving the consumer, or gaining promotions because of whom you know.
But Wayne Grudem introduces a novel concept: business itself glorifies God when it is conducted in a way that imitates God’s character and creation. He shows that all aspects of business, including ownership, profit, money, competition, and borrowing and lending, glorify God because they are reflective of God’s nature. Though Grudem isn’t naïve about the easy ways these activities can be perverted and used as a means to sin, he knows that Christians can be about the business of business.
This biblically based book is a thoughtful guide to imitating God during interactions with customers, coworkers, employees, and other businesses. See how your business, and your life in business, can be dedicated to God’s glory."
“A thoughtful review of the purpose and meaning of business and a fresh way to look at honoring and glorifying God in doing business.”—C. William Pollard Chairman Emeritus, The Service Master Company
“Helpful, easy-to-understand grounding for business leadership.”—James Fellowes CEO, Fellowes, Inc.
“What remarkable insight!”—Stephen Happel, Ph.D.Professor of Economics, Arizona State University
“What a great reminder that your business life can be a critical part of how you serve God and impact lives for eternity!”—Dave Browne former CEO, LensCrafters; current CEO, Family Christian Stores
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Africans to Bono: 'For God's sake please stop!' :: Jennifer Brea
"We can fight malaria by distributing free mosquito nets, which may cost $10-$60 each by the time you get them down often impassable dirt roads. Or ... we can train locals how to operate a business spraying homes with an insecticide that will keep them mosquito-free for six months at about $2 a family.We can spend billions importing medication, or you can invest in local farms that grow the Artemisinin, a Chinese herb with potent anti-malarial properties, and the factories that process it.
Jennifer Brea from the America Magazine recently looked at what a growing number of Africans had to say about the plight of their continent. Controversial? Maybe. Challenging? Absolutely.
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"From WW II to a Life of Integrating Business+Faith" by Wyn Fountain
Those who have read my autobiography may recall that when I returned from World War II, I sought the Lord as to whether I should train for the Baptist Ministry or continue my training as an accountant.His clear answer was to continue my training as an accountant. 62 years later I know that decision was right for me. But I was surprised at the time that I had such a peace about it because in those days business was regarded as a secular occupation and it had never occurred to me that God would turn down anyone that offered himself for “ministry” in the local church, “the Lord’s work”.
I recall one of my friends smiling when I made some remark about a Christian businessman. His response was, “Isn’t that a contradiction in terms?”
Shortly after going into business on my own, I went with one of my church friends to hear Norman Grubb tell the story of Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade; living “by faith” and seeing God move in providing their needs. A little later I went with another of my church friends to hear Joy Ridderhof tell a similar story of Gospel Recordings. Both of these men were very impressed with these stories, but both commented that you couldn’t live like that in business.
There are many still that would agree with them. So after 60 years, what conclusion have I come to as a result of my own experience?
My attitude toward business has evolved through the following stages:
- Business is a secular occupation; Local church activity is “The Lord’s work”.
- Business can be involved in “mission” when the profits provide funds for the real Lord’s work, the local church etc.
- Business can have value in “mission” when it provides work for new converts, particularly in countries where there is persecution.
- Business as “tent Making” can have value in “mission” when it allows some missionaries to support themselves whilst they do the “real Lord’s work”.
- Business is the vehicle of distribution of the wealth that the creator has provided for us in creation. Therefore it must be important to God.
- The essence of business is contract, involving offer and acceptance. Everybody is in business. We all offer our services or goods for reward or profit, except the unemployed or disabled in which case someone else’s income from business, in the form of taxes, is made available. Even pastors and missionaries offer their services, which are accepted for reward.
- Creativity is the essential element of business. We are made “In the likeness of God”, creative. He commissioned mankind to “take Dominion” and exercise that creativity in our role as stewards of creation. The amazing progress of mankind has been achieved through that creativity. God’s intention was that we should recognise our creativity as his gift to be employed to his glory.
- Because of that, the most important area in which we exercise our spirituality is, or should be, in life and work, 24X7, not in the local church. The function of the local church is to encourage the members to recognise that their work is a spiritual offering. (Romans 12:1) But very few churches, in my experience, are interested in the daily occupation of their members and that is why they are regarded by many thousands of believers as irrelevant.
- In Business we are involved in “mission” daily as we are in contact with the world around us, through staff, suppliers, customers and community. We are the bible that the world reads. Our work provides a daily opportunity of demonstrating the love of the father by example, first, and then by word of mouth, as the opportunity is afforded. If there is no example, words don’t work. What we are is more powerful than what we say. Doctrinal teaching is important, but it needs to be fleshed out in behaviour where people can see us, not only in the precincts of our local assembly.
- Some are called to go overseas, but we don’t have to go, to be a “missionary”. We are all involved in “mission” daily, through our work.
- Business makes the world go around. Without profit, either through trading goods and services or through wages, there are no funds for running churches, hospitals, schools etc. etc. etc. Anything that is so basic to the existence and progress of mankind must be of tremendous importance in the Kingdom of god. IN HIS ECONOMY NOTHING IS SECULAR.
- Creativity is also exercised in our recreational activities, but only if we or someone else has created profit in some form of business that allows us to take time off for recreation. In impoverished areas people work seven days a week. In order to free people from such poverty, business in the form of “Micro Enterprises” is the spearhead of “ Mission”, whereby the impoverished are helped to exercise their creativity and to be their own welfare providers. Need we limit business to “Micro”? Why not “macro”?
A recent book, “Global Inc.”, declares that of the 100 largest economies in the world, 53 of them are corporations. Whilst governments may have the power of legislation, all governments depend on the taxes extracted from the wealth created by businesses. Most of those 53 corporations are global; no one government controls them.
Guess who holds the real global power. The United Nations is a toothless tiger, by comparison. The poor of this world are in the hands of corporations, more than the United Nations. If commerce is such a formidable means of control shouldn’t we as believers recognise it as a valid target of “mission”. Some will say that global commerce is the “Kingdom of this World”.
So what? Didn’t Jesus tell us that the gates of hell would not be able to prevail against his church? The question arises, how can local churches embrace these concepts?
One means is to encourage small groups where people can talk about their jobs and businesses face to face, when prayer and bible study becomes life related. The local church then becomes relevant. Some of the most effective small groups are not related to any one local church and are flexible enough to address issues that can rarely be introduced in a church context. They are not bound by form or programme. They do not exist for the accumulation of bible knowledge but for the application of biblical knowledge in real life.
Wyn Fountain is located in New Zealand. You can read more about him by visiting his site http://www.saltshaker.org.nz.
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Connecting Faith and Life with the Next Generation :: Marc McCartney
Last week our Rightnow Team celebrated another year of connecting twenty and thirty somethings to opportunities to fuse faith+life. This year our team, led by Felicity Tinker met over 6,000 people at events and through our website, http://www.rightnow.org/. Through personal phone calls and emails they've had the opportunity to coach and connect over 650 people to hands on opportunities to fuse faith and life together.On top of that, we had the opportunity to celebrate the departure of two of our own - Michelle Fong and Michaela Anderson. It sounds funny to "celebrate" the departure of someone from our team, but we didn't celebrate because we were glad to get rid of them, we celebrated because of where they are going.
Michaela takes off on Tuesday to fly to a location in the Middle East where she will be working for a missions organization this summer. This is the first step for her to full time work overseas. Michelle heads home to San Fran for a few weeks and then begins her process of moving overseas to work in Southeast Asia.
How cool is that? I love what Michaela & Michelle are doing. They are living whole-hearted for Christ. They are an inspiration to me because they are showing the world how much they trust in Jesus. Both girls are in their 20's and are very bright. They could be doing any number of things with their lives and making a nice living doing so. But they are choosing this. I'm sure they have people in their lives that think they are crazy. Maybe they are crazy? Maybe Abraham was crazy? And Joseph, Joshua, Jonathan, Josiah (J theme going strong) - maybe they were crazy too? I don't know, but I do know that they were faithful. And that is worth celebrating!
Marc McCartney is the Director of Events for the Rightnow Campaign. You can read more about connecting faith and life at his blog http://faithpluslife.blogspot.com.
Labels: Business as Mission News and Notes, Recruitment and Job Opportunities
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Top 10 Business as Mission Job Opportunities- July 07
The number of job opportunities with kingdom companies continues to increase. Here's a look at the top 10 positions business as mission companies are looking to fill as of the first week of July.- Business as Mission Training Course
- 2 HR Managers Needed in Central Asia
- IT Project Manager for Indian Based Company
- Client Support for a Christian IT Company
- Sales Team Director in China
- Work with a Christian Publisher here in the United States
- IT Application Developer and Accountant Needed to work in Stateside Office
- Full Time Tour Manager for Morning Star Tours (mikele@morningstartours.com)
- Director of Spiritual Integration for Hope International, a micro enterprise organization
- Marketing Manager with the Jesus Institute
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Transforming China :: A Journal on Starting a New Company
Starting a business is a daunting task. Starting a business in China can be a journey filled with adventure. In the same style as the "India or Bust" blog that was featured a few months ago a new blog, Transforming China has been launched by the Globe Serve Network. Through the eyes of one of their interns, this blog provides a glimpse into the process of formulating bringing a kingdom company to China. While things are still in the “brainstorming and planning” phase the site brings an interesting perspective to the challenges, opportunities and adventure of starting a business as mission company. This is a great read for any 20 and 30 something that is looking to make theory a reality.
For more information check out the site at http://blogs.globeservebusiness.com/china/
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Business = Poverty's Long Term Solution by Chris Page
What is poverty? Let's take a look at some statistics: About 50% of the world’s population lives on less than the equivalent of $2 a day. That represents a staggering number of over 2.8 billion people. Of these, about half live on less than $1 a day. In addition to poverty, there are the devastating effects of disease that plague the poorest nations like Rwanda.At the end of 2002, an estimated 42 million people around the world were living with HIV / AIDS, of which over 30 million of these people live in Sub Saharan Africa. Last year more than 3 million people died from malaria and tuberculosis combined. There is a tragic correlation between poverty, disease and unemployment. These statistics are made worse by the knowledge that the richest 20% of the world’s population own approximately 80% of the world’s wealth.
However, despite the one trillion US$ given by rich countries in aid to poor countries since 1950, and debt relief on $33 billion of loans, the share of world income of the poorest fifth of the planet’s population has halved in the past 40 years. Or to put it another way, Africa is 25% poorer now than it was 20 years ago.
First of all what is poverty? A dictionary definition of poverty can be defined as having a great lack of money or resources. But what really is poverty?
Having lived in a developed nation, the UK, for 27 years, where the average wage is around $3000 per month, and those who do not have jobs receive money from the government, it is safe to say that no-one is financially poor compared to the majority of people in Rwanda.
But in the UK a significantly higher number of people commit suicide, divorce their husbands / wives, rob each other, have children taking drugs, and are severely depressed, compared to Rwanda. Churches up and down the UK are closing because no-one goes to them anymore – in fact only about 3-4% of the whole population go to church every Sunday, and many of those do not have a personal walk with Jesus. So in many ways other than financial (e.g. morally, emotionally, socially and spiritually) the UK is much poorer than Rwanda.
So when talking about poverty, it is an enormous subject in which hundreds of books have been written. In this article, however, I’m focusing on financial poverty - why are so many people in the world poor and hungry, whilst those in rich countries throw away millions of tons of food because they’ve produced too much and can not sell it? And what does God think about all of this?
Darrow Miller, in his book ‘Discipling Nations’ asks the same question. He says that except for catastrophic events such as war, drought, floods, earthquakes etc., physical poverty doesn’t ‘just happen’. He says it’s the logical result of the way people look at themselves and the world, the stories that they tell to make sense of their world. Physical poverty is rooted in a mindset of poverty, a set of ideas held corporately that produce certain behaviours. These behaviours can be institutionalised into the laws and structures of society. The consequence of these behaviours and structures is poverty.
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, has demonstrated the example of a hard-working man, standing against corruption, and planning ahead with a visionary attitude of what could be if we work at it with all our effort. These three behavioural qualities are new for Rwandan leaders – previous leaders of Rwanda either had the attitude regarding their country of “We are poor. We will always be poor, and there is nothing we can do about it” (which is fatalism). Or “We are poor because others made us poor. They are going to have to solve our problem. We cannot solve our problems.” The majority of Rwandans at the moment still have this attitude, especially about themselves. Some people in the west still have this attitude, but it’s the minority, not the majority.
Miller writes that these two types of thinking is rooted in man’s sin and rebellion against his Creator, who created a world of abundance and blessing. Man’s alienation from God and His principles produces a mindset of poverty that further poisons the mind, spirit and heart. This poverty mentality enslaves people, leaving them unable to even imagine a way of escaping.
Does God want us to live in poverty?
Poverty is both oppressing and enslaving. There is no doubt about that fact. Many of the people I employ at Cards from Africa come from a rural community. All of them have neighbours or relatives who have died because of sickness – often a sickness that could have been prevented by the use of a mosquito net, or the low cost of some medicine, or a better diet etc. Satan comes to lie, steal and destroy, but Jesus comes to bring life, and life in abundance. Being without the resources that we need to sustain life is not how God intended us to live. He created the earth with an abundance of resources for all people.
The Bible is very clear that being poor is not in itself a sin, that God has a special concern for the poor, and that being rich is not necessarily a sign of God’s spiritual favour (despite what many of the ‘prosperity prechers’ say). Jesus warned repeatedly about the spiritual dangers of wealth. Yet God did not create poverty; man did. The problem is usually rooted in mindsets that stop and resist development. The two attitudes mentioned above come from Satan, the ‘father of all lies’.
Jesus quoted from Isaiah when he started his public ministry, by saying “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
The good attitude and example of Rwanda’s President will help (and already is helping) to slowly change the nation of Rwanda. But is it just the job of politicians to do this? No! We as the church have the same responsibility. We’re called to be salt and light. Salt and light make a difference where they’re applied! Are Christians in the world making such a positive difference? Not much yet, but they can do! We can help change this poverty mentality, starting with ourselves. But first we must be convinced that God is the creator of wealth, and acknowledge Him in all our efforts. As followers of Jesus, we must follow his example, and ‘preach good news to the poor, free those that are captive, heal those that are sick, and help release from oppression those that are oppressed.’
Helping to reduce poverty is a very practical demonstration of God’s love, and creating sustainable businesses, which include increased agricultural productivity, are the way forward for Rwanda to lose the shackles of poverty.
What I believe one of the things God really wants is to see an emerging generation of Christians start-up and run businesses where they will serve God and their customer first, who will operate their businesses with attitudes of hard work (doing it unto the Lord), integrity and having faith for what could be.
As Wayne Grudem, in his book ‘Business for the glory of God’ says ‘I believe the only long-term solution to world poverty is business. That is because businesses produce goods, and businesses produce jobs. And businesses continue producing goods year after year, and continue providing jobs and paying wages year after year. Therefore if we are ever going to see long-term solutions to world poverty, I believe it will come through starting and maintaining productive, profitable business.’
I’m trusting God to raise up Christians across the world (although I’m biased towards Africa) who will run businesses that will honour Him because they are helping to release the crushing oppression of poverty.
Perhaps God has both given you gifts in the area of business, and is calling you to be a part of lifting people out of poverty by being a job-creator? Go on, be brave, ask Him if this is what He wants for you. He wants to use you to be a blessing to your country whatever you do.
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Continue reading 'Business = Poverty's Long Term Solution by Chris Page'
"A Letter to the Future" by Jonathan Shibley
In the 1800s, missionary David Livingston wrote in journals about his exploits and adventures in Africa. God allowed Livingston to see things in the Spirit that would not even occur in his lifetime. Nevertheless, he had the privilege of setting events into motion by blazing new trails and laying foundations for future generations.In one of Livingston's journals he wrote that if Christian merchants and missionaries would come to Africa, their presence would drive away the slave traders. It is now the year 2007 and I’m in Douala, Cameroon (West Africa). God is giving me, along with a group of about 100 Christian Cameroonian entrepreneurs, visions for the future.
The Kingdom Business Network (KBN) of Cameroon has been meeting and growing in their faith for four years now. They are actively engaged in building businesses, Godly relationships, and both personal and corporate character. Their faith is strong, but their struggles are deep and real. An atmosphere of corruption has tilted the playing field in favor of the ungodly, not the righteous. There are unfavorable interest rates for acquiring capital, broken infrastructure, and numerous headaches involved with every day life in a developing country.
Yet hope is abounding and God is giving victories along the way. Some businesses are prospering. The word of their testimony continues to spur others along. Their vision continues to grow: A vision for God's Kingdom and order to be established in Cameroon. A vision for believers to take places of leadership and influence in business, education, government, and media to pronounce and display God's presence in every facet of culture and society. A vision of pooling money together to create capital for future business.
Someday there will be good roads and railway that will not only connect within the nation but be transcontinental. Someday there will be first-class technology in the form of mass communication, internet, reliable energy, clean water, medicine, and quality housing. The members of KBN are praying for a "national miracle" in Cameroon for massive revival and cultural transformation. They are praying for economic renewal among God's people. They are praying for Godly leaders to be placed in government and other key decision-making positions.
My hope is that someday in the not-so-distant future, someone will read this and find the things I'm writing and dreaming about are a present-day reality. Maybe it will be 50 years. Maybe 100 years or longer. Hopefully it will take far less time. Those of us in the Kingdom-building business understand the concept of future reality. The Kingdoms of the world will become the Kingdoms of our Lord. You can take that to the bank. We have the joy and honor to partner with the King in ushering in this future reality, backed by the wind of His personal zeal. The future is always bright in Jesus.
Jonathan Shibley serves as Vice President of Global Advance and Director of Marketplace Missions. For more information on Global Advance click here.
Labels: Editorials
Continue reading '"A Letter to the Future" by Jonathan Shibley'
