BBL Forum Changes its Name to Convene
BBL Forum, a nationwide organization for Christian CEOs and business owners, has changed its name to Convene as it positions itself for continued growth. Founded in 1996 Convene is a peer group organization for business leaders that uses a Biblical worldview to solve business and personal issues.Convene groups have 12 to 15 members who are CEOs, Presidents, and Business Owners from diverse industries and backgrounds. Convene gives Christian business owners a strictly confidential setting to learn best business practices, share common challenges in growing their companies, and increase their success as leaders. Headquartered in Placentia, CA, Convene continues to add new groups and new members across the country. For more information go to http://www.convenenow.com/ or call 714-577-8382.
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Video Spotlight: Building Islands of Integrity
By Integra Ventures - Get a rapid-fire overview of what Integra is all about. This fast-paced five-minute summary of our ministries will help you understand the big picture of what business as mission is all about. You’ll understand the strategy that’s behind the program. This video is also available on DVD to help you explain to your church what business as mission is all about. Click here to watch the video. Labels: Integra Ventures, Video and Media, Video Stories of Business as Mission
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Turning business expertise into second half significance – without abandoning either
by Lloyd Reeb. Click here to read the full article. You don’t have to abandon your corporate experience and expertise to add meaning and purpose to the second half of your life. As we’ve watched the markets drop and the economy unwind, it’s forced many to take a more focused look at our remaining years. What will our legacy be?Using your corporate experience and expertise – rather than abandoning it.
Ken Williams was the vice president of corporate development at the Fluor Corporation. That title meant he had responsibility for private structured financing across the globe as well as all the merger and acquisition activity. It was during this busy and pressure-packed time of his life when he first began to wonder how to give his second half more meaning. His success in the VP role made him a strong candidate to take the CFO role at Fluor, and as an interim step he was asked if he wanted to take a CFO position of one of the business groups. Ken was looking for more significance and impact in the next season of his life, but wasn’t even sure if his first half skills were transferable into his second half dream to change the world. In the back of his mind he was also wondering if he was going crazy or having some sort of midlife crisis. Many of his peers could only dream of enjoying the success he had experienced.
“A friend told me about Halftime, and the web site (http://www.halftime.org/). I needed some affirmation that there were others like me with this same desire deep in their heart. That I’m not a nut job. If you’ve been working your whole career on a certain path, you’ve gone to school for it, etc. and now all of a sudden you’re thinking about just pushing all that aside and doing something different.
“At a Halftime Institute gathering I came across two different kinds of people - one was a group of people just like me who were struggling through what they are supposed do next, and another group who had sort of already figured it out to a certain extent. It was helpful to meet people at both ends of that spectrum, and people in between. If anything, I came home from that event convinced I wasn’t going off my rocker, and secondly that I should really explore this and pray about it a heck of a lot to figure out exactly what I was supposed to be doing.
“I’ve met some people who have sold everything and decided to just jump on a plane and go do volunteer work for awhile. I’ve met other people who have demonstrated what I thought made a heck of a lot more sense, which was putting the skills they had developed in the first half to work for something more meaningful. I didn’t even know how that would be possible.”
In September 2008 Ken left Fluor and joined World Vision as their new CFO. He’s discovered his expertise makes a direct contribution to an organization with a $2.5 billion annual budget and almost 30,000 staff. He gets to work with people that share a passion around justice and compassion, but he recognizes that his role is behind the scenes supporting those who are out on the front lines in poor countries doing the hands on work.
In September 2008 Ken left Fluor and joined World Vision as their new CFO. He’s discovered his expertise makes a direct contribution to an organization with a $2.5 billion annual budget and almost 30,000 staff. He gets to work with people that share a passion around justice and compassion, but he recognizes that his role is behind the scenes supporting those who are out on the front lines in poor countries doing the hands on work.
“Somebody does have to keep the organization on the right path. From a risk perspective it’s two and a half billion dollars. There are people who would like to take this organization down simply because they’ll get some sort of journalism award for writing an article that shows we’ve mishandled money. Somebody has to protect the financial integrity of an organization like this because others can’t be paying attention to these things when they’re sitting there with a starving child in front of them.”
“It is pretty cool to think that even a dweeb like me working behind the scenes, making sure the numbers make sense, can be used to change the world. I think developing perspectives about the numbers so that our president can see the levers that are in front of him that’s he’s never seen before because they’ve never the kind of financial statements that we are trained to do in corporate, and they’ve never had this level of ability to do financial planning and analysis.”
“I stand back and am awed by the people that are called to the do the hard work in the poor countries in which we work. I can’t do what they do, but I can use the gifts I’ve been given to do what I can. I am good with finances. Millions of World Vision child sponsors invest $35 a month to sponsor a poor child. That’s $420 a year. So if through better financial control we can save $400 with just one activity (and obviously we target significantly bigger savings) than just think about the numbers of children that are impacted by that.
“When you start thinking about those kinds of figures it will motivate you. You figure out a way to make it happen.”
Labels: Bob Buford, Halftime, Lloyd Reeb
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OPEN Network Conferences Come to Pennsylvania + Oregon
This year marks the 10th year of the OPEN Network. Led by Patrick Lai, they currently have about 200 tentmakers from around the 10/40 Window involved. They are expanding in a variety of ways which is leading us to have two OPEN Trade Fairs.The objective of these Trade Fairs is to connect business people in hands on ways with businesses in the OPEN Network for coaching and whatever purposes God may have for both those in the States and those overseas. They also wish to train American business people in the needs of workers overseas.
The dates are November 19-21, 2009 in York, PA and Feb 4-6, 2010 in Portland OR.
Labels: Events and Conferences, OPEN Network, Patrick Lai
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The Church and Business: Working Together in God's plan of Redemption via Kingdom Business
by John E Mulford, Ph D (Origninally published in VOICE for All Nations, a publication of Church For All Nations). Click here to read the full article on the Kingdom Business Blog. Most people don’t have a full appreciation of the church and of business, much less an appreciation of how they should work together to accomplish God’s plan to redeem mankind and the earth. Instead, they see them as oil and water—they don’t mix.
Christians wearing their “church” hats often see business as worldly, even sinful. Seeing business perhaps beyond redemption, they want to save people out of business rather than get their hands dirty in business. Christians in business often see the church as, at best, irrelevant to the issues they face, and, at worst, attacking them for participating in a sinful occupation. By sowing this confusion and distrust, Satan has disabled one of the most powerful redemptive tools God has given man—business.
Business has been central to God’s plan for man and the earth from the beginning. God’s creation mandate was for man to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gen 1:28) When God created man in His image, he gave man all of the attributes needed to discover how the world works, to develop technology to make products and services, and to create organizations to deliver those life-improving products and services to a growing population.
Man’s fall into sin greatly distorted his image and introduced significant obstacles into the creation mandate. In Gen 3:17, God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.” Although God renewed his covenant with Noah after the flood, saying, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.” (Gen 9:1), the work is made much messier by the tentacles of sin and the wiles of Satan.
But God had a plan to redeem the mess. He reconciled man to himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the end, when Christ returns, he will usher in a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21). In the meantime, he is spreading the gospel to the whole world. Those who receive it are reborn and begin a process of transformation into the image of Christ. As they are transformed personally they extend God’s kingdom on earth, transforming others as they live the whole gospel among them.
Kingdom business people are ideally positioned to be engines of transformation that can change a nation from one of self-centered individuals to one of other-centered people who love God and each other.
Someone might say, “I thought the church was the engine that transforms society.” But who is the church? It is the body of believers, many of whom spend most of their time in the marketplace, where they are to be salt and light. So when the church is operating as it should, much of the transformation it brings will happen through business. Read the rest of the article on the Regent Website
Labels: Church, Editorials, John Mulford, Regent Center for Entrepreneurship, Sacred and Secular Divide
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Quotable - We apologize for past actions of asking for money without getting your heart"
"We have realized that for too long we have focused on the "professional" mission agencies and churches to get the job done. We now want to release the other 95% of the Body of Christ to join us. In that effort, we want to warmly invite leaders from the Workplace, including the Market Place ministries, BAM (Business as Mission), Business Leaders, and the everyday workplace believer. We are not doing this primarily to get your financial support but your involvement on the front lines. We apologize for our past actions of asking for money without getting your heart and hands in coordination with us first."
Open Letter Signed by: Mark Anderson - President GPN/call2all, Loren Cunningham - Founder, Youth With A Mission and Steve Douglas - President Campus Crusade for Christ
Labels: Campus Crusade for Christ, Quotable, YWAM
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My Business My Mission Now Available at Amazon
My Business, My Mission tells the story of a movement that is changing the lives of tens of thousands of people in the most impoverished nations on earth. It is also transforming businesspeople in the northern and southern hemispheres by exposing them to a revolutionary paradigm: the idea that God has called them into mission through business.Through the work of a remarkable organization called Partners Worldwide, North American businesspeople and entrepreneurs in developing countries are joining together to fight poverty. Their mission is simple: to expand their businesses, create wealth, and provide jobs for the poor in Christ’s name.
"Many successful marketplace leaders reach Halftime and discover that their business provides the platform they need for their second half calling. This book is packed with examples and insights into global partnership opportunities using your business background."
-Bob Bufordfounder of Leadership Network and author of Halftime
In the coming weeks we will be featuring a few excerpts from the book. In the meantume, be sure to read what other are saying about My Business, My Mission and purchase your copy today at http://www.mybusiness-mymission.com/.
Labels: Books and Articles, Partners Worldwide
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Can a Pastor Help You Succeed at Work?
By Dr. Gerald Chester - "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. —Ecclesiastes 4:12" NIV When Henry Ford was building his automobile empire, he hired a lot people and in the process learned more than he wanted to know about the nature of people. In his own words, all he wanted to do was to “hire a pair of hands.” Instead, he got the whole person—their view of God, their values, their agendas, their family issues, their financial problems, etc.
Because of the complexity of human nature, organizations are embracing the idea of a corporate chaplain. The purpose is to help people with personal problems that interfere with their work. The corporate chaplain model is growing in popularity and clearly has value. But is this chaplaincy model—focused on personal problems—the only role for a spiritual leader in today’s workplace?
To consider that the chaplaincy model may be insufficient for the real needs of organizations, one must believe that God values the workplace. The common paradigm of Christianity today, however, minimizes the value of physical reality; hence, few believe that God values work. Many Christians believe that God only cares about our souls and that work is simply a means to an end—a way to make money.
To dispel this common thinking, please remember that God, a spirit being (John 4:24), created the physical universe. He then declared His physical creation to be very good (Genesis 1:31) and created man to rule it (Genesis 1:26–28)—hardly the words and actions of a Creator who is disinterested in His creation.
I think the Scriptures are clear that God values His creation; therefore, so should we. This means that work in the tangible world is important and should be accomplished with excellence.
To work with excellence requires alignment with God’s rules for work. Remember God created everything including the rules for organizations and working in the physical world. So if you want to have success in God’s universe, you must follow his rules.
One of the key realities of God’s universe is that work is the outworking in the physical realm of underlying spiritual reality. For example, a great worker seeks to serve others because he or she feels the call of God to perform the work. If a worker does not feel the call of God to perform the work, then the other possible motives are ego, personal agendas, or money—none of which will produce good fruit. For work to be done well, the worker must have sound spiritual reality in his own life to produce sound physical work.
Given that work is rooted in spiritual reality, we must be diligent to understand and apply spiritual truth holistically, which means that every area of our lives must be guided by God’s truth. Maximizing our potential to rule God’s creation in the workplace begins by studying and applying the Word of God. We therefore need spiritual coaches to teach, train, and guide us in the truth that we need to succeed in the workplace.
If you are called to the workplace, this means that you need pastors and teachers who can equip you with God’s rules for the workplace. Spiritual leaders also should help you discern and fulfill the business plan of your organization (see James 4:13–17). Spiritual leaders may also be investors in your organization.
Therefore, to enjoy success in the physical world, we must have a solid spiritual foundation in our lives, which comes through godly spiritual leaders, who not only watch over our souls, but also help us fulfill the purposes of God in our work lives. The strength of great workers comes from sound theology at work in them. This happens through the threefold cord concept ( Ecclesiastes 4:12), which is the worker, spiritual leaders, and the Holy Spirit working syncretistically to fulfill the will of God.
Here is your business tip. Submit to godly pastors and teachers who are committed to holistic Christianity. Furthermore, seek to help everyone in your sphere of influence to develop healthy relationships with wise, godly men and/or women who can provide spiritual oversight and accountability based on a holistic paradigm of Christianity. When relationships are in place and functioning in a healthy way, people can grow and mature enabling them to realize their potential and deliver great results. This is the only way to have lasting success and excellence in the workplace.
To read more from Dr. Gerald Chester, visit http://www.strategieswork.com/.
Labels: Editorials, Gerald Chester, Sacred and Secular Divide
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Finding Business as Mission in the Book of Genesis
By Matt Larsen - A friend here in Dallas, Matt Larsen, recently wrote a post about the Biblical basis of work found in Genesis. You can read more about Matt and his wife Lauren here."Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground ... The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." - Moses in Genesis 2.5 and 2.15. A couple observations:
There are no plants or shrubs on the ground yet. Moses gives two reasons why this is so. First, the LORD God had not sent rain. This is His part of the process. Second, the LORD God has no created a man to work the ground yet. This, in a roundabout way, is our part of the process (different order than Genesis 1; i.e. humans before vegetation). If we are honest with this text, what we see here is that the LORD God intends to create man to cooperate with him in creation. God will bring about plants and shrubs on the ground, and the means by which he will do it is through sending water and creating a human to work the ground. We are called to cooperate with God in creating and shaping this world, through our work. (NB - I do not mean that we create in the same sense that God creates. We are a part of creation called to cooperate with God in the continuing creation process)
Moses tells us that the reason that the LORD God placed the man in the garden was two-fold: to work and to maintain. Think about that: the garden, free from the disease of sin, required work and maintain. This seems to imply that it was not all that it could be yet (in need of work) and had the potential to fall into disarray (in need of maintenance).
Does this blow your mind a little? I think most of us never thought of the garden of Eden that way. But, if you allow the words of Moses to speak for themselves, this is what the text seems to be saying.Work is not a part of the present sinful world. Work is part of what it means to be human. God created humans to be workers. What's more, G0d gifted us with the privilege of partnering with Him in the creation and shaping of His good creation.
What an honor! Every person was created to work. That's why we all eventually get tired of being on vacation. That's why I heard a couple people from MERGE say to me, "Yeah, my Christmas break was good, but I actually ready to get back to work/class." And really, we all know this anyway. Remember how good it feels to know that you nailed that assignment your boss or teacher gave you? You and I both like to work hard and accomplish something worthwhile. Sin often thwarts our efforts ("Cursed is the ground because of you ... It will produce thorns and thistles for you" - Genesis 3.17), but, nevertheless, we need to work.
You were created by God to work. What's more, you were created to accomplish a special task. What did God create you to do? What work did God purpose you to do? Are you doing that? We need to learn to see our work, not as necessary part of a sinful, broken world, but as part of what it means to be a human. We need to learn to creatively express ourselves through our work, just as God did in His.
For most of you, you're probably reading this at work (even if your work entails mothering a child), I hope that this post serves as an inspiration to your work day. Go be Genesis 2 people! Co-partner with God in creating and shaping His good creation! Figure out how your job plays a part in that! Focus on the goodness of your job (i.e. how does your job benefit the human race?)Go be a worker! Go be a human!
Labels: Bible, Genesis, Matt Larsen, Sacred and Secular Divide
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One Business That Is Getting It Right - Cards from Africa—“Beautiful Cards, Better Lives”
by Janet T. Jamieson and Philip D. Jamieson - Located in Rwanda, Cards from Africa is a Business as Mission enterprise that was started in 2004 by British expatriate Chris Page. The company employs youth who have been orphaned, many of whom work to support their younger siblings. Cards from Africa produces handmade greeting cards featuringunique, indigenous designs.
Page writes: I started Cards from Africa . . . with a Rwandan artist called Gabi Dusabe. Both of us desired to use our different gifts and abilities to be a blessing to orphaned youth responsible for their younger brothers and sisters. We got paper that offices were throwing out and burning, and we re-pulped it, and turned it into our own hand-made paper.
Paying wages that are two to four times higher than the local average, the company believes that the solution to the severe poverty in Rwanda is through sustainable business development. Cards from Africa placed second in the 2006 BBC World Challenge, a global competition that seeks to recognize innovative, responsible, and sustainable business development. The company Web site notes:
Today, over 90% of the country is dependent on subsistence farming and pressure on the land is extreme. The vast majority of the population struggles to scratch out a meager existence and is often not able to afford the education necessary to improve their situation. Rwanda’s dependence on foreign aid, an amount higher than its business earnings, is equally unsustainable. A country’s inability to choose its own path of development is neither dignifying nor just.
Page believes that business is the only long-term solution to the poverty of Rwanda. He writes the following about the role of business in Rwanda:
Poverty is oppressing. I’ve met people in Rwanda who have lost relatives because of a sickness like malaria that could have been prevented with just a few dollars worth of medicine. Helping to reduce poverty is a very practical demonstration of God’s love, and creating sustainable businesses . . . [is] the way forward for Rwanda to lose the shackles of poverty.
In addition to making employment available to the marginalized, the company also provides holistic care for each employee.
Page writes, “We teach them for up to an hour every morning. Sometimes from the Bible, especially on very needed topics like forgiveness, peace and reconciliation, and sometimes on subjects like AIDS, malaria, sex education, etc.”
Cards from Africa is also committed to helping employees develop transferable business skills, as
Page explains: The business aims to employ at least one person whose job will be to help our staff start up their own businesses. Why? Ultimately, because we don’t want our staff to become dependent on Cards from Africa. So much so, we’ve told all non-management staff that they will only work at Cards from Africa for four years, and during those four years we will teach them as much as we can about God, themselves, others, financial management, how they can start up their own business, health, etc., and then it’s up to them to implement what they learn. We view Cards from Africa as a stepping-stone to a better life, not a crutch.
When asked in what ways he has seen lives changed by Cards from Africa, Page replies,
“We’ve seen lives change holistically. Their physical needs, and those of their siblings, have been met, they’re growing emotionally and spiritually, and they have hope and a purpose.” Page believes that God longs for “an emerging generation of Christians who realize God is calling them into business. I look forward to the day when Christian business people in Rwanda will serve as an example to the rest of the continent because they put God and His purposes first, second and third in their business.”
Excerpted with permission from Ministry and Money: A Practical Guide for Pastors by Janet T. Jamieson and Philip D. Jamieson, published in June 2009 by Westminster John Knox Press. Visit Cokesbury.com for more information or to purchase.
Labels: Cards from Africa, Chris Page, Interview, Janet Jamieson
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Business as a Calling from God, like a Church
CEO Painpoints Videos by Convene - The life of a Christian CEO or Business Owner is filled with a myriad of challenges, often leaving us believing we're alone in the struggle.Convene (formerly BBL) has captured some great 1-2 minute videos of real CEO's sharing how the community of other Christian business men and women has helped them integrate business and ministry.
Click below to hear from some members about common struggles you’re sure to recognize and the ways ConveneTM has made a significant difference.
http://www.convenenow.com/stories/painpoints?id=83
Labels: Convene, Video and Media, Video Stories of Business as Mission
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God Means Business!
By Bob Kuhlman - When it comes to busness as mission, the phrase “God means business” has a double meaning. If you’re a believer, you know that God doesn’t mess around. He means business. And for Integra, since the concept of “business,” as in the good old entrepreneurial spirit of starting a company to make a profit, is at the heart of what we do as a Christian mission organization, we say that “God means business” in another way.Not long ago I spoke at Wheaton College, a Christian school in the Chicago area, along with Mats Tunehag, a businessman and missionary from Sweden. Mats (pronounced “Motts”) and I outlined the vision and strategy for the growing movement known as Business as Missions (BAM). We talked about its scriptural bases and history, and offered advice from our own personal experiences on how this cutting edge strategy could be used by the next generation of missionaries to reach places where the Gospel has never gone before, especially some of those countries we think of as “closed” to mission work.
I was gratified to see the students “get it” as we talked about the biblical alignment of BAM and evangelism. It’s really nothing more than living out your life as a believer in front of non-Christians, making such a compelling impression on them through your honesty and excellence in the business arena, that they naturally inquire what makes you “different” from others. Let me share with you the principles we challenged these students with about BAM:
BAM is rooted in Scripture and history
God is the original entrepreneur. Ever since creation, God’s people have been using business as missions for His glory. In Eden, the Lord instructed Adam and Eve to “till the garden;” Abraham was a successful businessman; the honorable woman in Proverbs 31 was a businesswoman; even Jesus worked in a family business for many years. God has given us minds and creativity to reflect His own. He has given us countless examples of people serving in business with a holy purpose and passion.
BAM is being a follower of Jesus
Jesus, our perfect teacher and model, has commanded that we focus our energy on serving those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick and in prison. Just look at Matthew 25. Unemployment—and underemployment—is a major cause of this litany of human suffering around the world. Helping the struggling start businesses makes serving poor in the name of Christ real. Needs are met and people get back on their feet. It allows us to live out our faith in Jesus and serve as his hands and feet to those in need. Entrepreneurs have a special opportunity to serve in the marketplace, and do business “as unto the Lord.”
BAM is a relevant response to human needs
The poorest regions of the world have unemployment rates of 30 to 80 percent. Among other problems, high unemployment leads to an increase in human trafficking and prostitution. As horrific as they may be, Christians cannot turn a blind eye to these unspeakable evils in our day. Both those who traffic and those who are victims in this evil circle of human misery need better alternatives. Businesses are desperately needed to improve the economy, provide jobs, and ultimately to find long-term, effective solutions to such devastating social problems. Ultimately, many in the poorest areas have great spiritual needs as well. They’ve never even heard the name of Jesus before! Using Business as Missions is an extraordinary way to demonstrate the love of God among the lost and afflicted. People are suffering and we have been given the resources to reach out and change their lives—for now and for eternity!
You may think that BAM is simply a business activity or a job creation scheme. But in fact, Business as Missions is about creating stable and profitable businesses while passionately building the Kingdom of God and seeing the spiritual transformation of people and society. The economic and social changes are byproducts that also bring glory to God!
BAM has an eternal impact for the Kingdom of God
Today, Integra thrives in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia! We pray that we will bring hope where there is despair, compassion where there is cruelty, and love where there is hate. As we provide jobs and business opportunities, our desire is to see lives change for the better. With God’s love and compassion and by His command, we are reaching out to those less fortunate. One day, the King will say, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).
Bob Kuhlman is the president of Integra Ventures, a Business as Mission organization that provides training and loans for aspiring entrepreneurs in Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. More than 70 staff work in Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Russia, providing business training seminars, one-on-one mentoring, and counsel on marketing, sales, inventory management, and finance.
Labels: Bob Kuhlman, Editorials, Integra Ventures
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Is Your Work Sacred or Secular?
By Alex Brubaker - Managing Director, Brubaker Consulting"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
I Peter 4:10
faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
I Peter 4:10
As the son of life-long missionaries, I have always felt the tension between the sacred and the secular. I felt this tension most when I was about to graduate from an Ivy League university with highest honors in finance and engineering, and I readied myself to enter the marketplace.
Here I was, a follower of Jesus, feeling conflicted about using a first-rate education in the business world. What's redeeming about a job in the marketplace if the ultimate objective is only an increased stock price or a better profit margin? I asked myself. Would Jesus become a management consultant or investment banker?
Over the years, I have come to realize that I was operating under a paradigm that segmented all earthly activities into two distinct categories - the sacred and the secular - and that these categories did not overlap. In this paradigm, working in the marketplace most certainly belonged to the latter category.
It was this same kind of thinking that elevated working in the ministry over working in the marketplace in my own mind (and in the minds of many Christians). Indeed, some believers dissolve the tension between the sacred and the secular by simply becoming pastors or missionaries. I almost did just that. But there is another way to address this tension.
God gives each of us different gifts, passions and callings, and for some of us, these gifts are in the realm of business. If our calling is to advance God's kingdom through business, then that is our highest calling.
Whatever our calling from God - whether in the marketplace or in the Church - our calling is noble and sacred, and the old paradigms fall away. In fact, the sacred and the secular overlap and coexist. Personally, I have found a greater integration of my work (the so-called "secular") and faith (the "sacred") with the realization that I can minister in the marketplace through my business. All aspects of my life, including my work in business are ministry when they further God's purposes.
I have also come to realize that doing business can be a spiritual activity that has redeeming and sacred value, thereby resolving the age-old tension within Christianity. We need not feel conflicted when we seek to serve God through our work. The marketplace is as legitimate a venue as any other for serving others to the glory of God, and doing so makes our very work a sacred act.
Here I was, a follower of Jesus, feeling conflicted about using a first-rate education in the business world. What's redeeming about a job in the marketplace if the ultimate objective is only an increased stock price or a better profit margin? I asked myself. Would Jesus become a management consultant or investment banker?
Over the years, I have come to realize that I was operating under a paradigm that segmented all earthly activities into two distinct categories - the sacred and the secular - and that these categories did not overlap. In this paradigm, working in the marketplace most certainly belonged to the latter category.
It was this same kind of thinking that elevated working in the ministry over working in the marketplace in my own mind (and in the minds of many Christians). Indeed, some believers dissolve the tension between the sacred and the secular by simply becoming pastors or missionaries. I almost did just that. But there is another way to address this tension.
God gives each of us different gifts, passions and callings, and for some of us, these gifts are in the realm of business. If our calling is to advance God's kingdom through business, then that is our highest calling.
Whatever our calling from God - whether in the marketplace or in the Church - our calling is noble and sacred, and the old paradigms fall away. In fact, the sacred and the secular overlap and coexist. Personally, I have found a greater integration of my work (the so-called "secular") and faith (the "sacred") with the realization that I can minister in the marketplace through my business. All aspects of my life, including my work in business are ministry when they further God's purposes.
I have also come to realize that doing business can be a spiritual activity that has redeeming and sacred value, thereby resolving the age-old tension within Christianity. We need not feel conflicted when we seek to serve God through our work. The marketplace is as legitimate a venue as any other for serving others to the glory of God, and doing so makes our very work a sacred act.
Point to Ponder
All work that honors God and fulfills His calling is sacred,
including serving others through business.
Questions to Consider...
All work that honors God and fulfills His calling is sacred,
including serving others through business.
Questions to Consider...
- What are the redeeming aspects of your work? What makes your work sacred?
- How can your business activity, or your job, be considered a spiritual activity? Do you truly believe that business can be a spiritual activity that has redeeming value?
- Do you ever feel the tension between work and your ministry or your calling from God? Could it be that these things are bound together?
This is an excerpt of Devotional Ventures: 60 Inspiring Devotions by Business Professionals for Business Professionals. Corey Cleek, the author and editor is a friend of the Business as Mission Network and has given us the ability to share some of them with you. Used with permission, all rights reserved.
Labels: Alex Brubaker, Brubaker Consulting, Corey Cleek, Devotional, Devotional Ventures
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What will be your legacy for business as mission?
By Kent Humphreys - (Genesis 50:24 / Matthew 25:14-30) When your life is over, what sort of legacy do you want to leave? Will those left behind have seen Jesus in your life? Will your family members have been impacted by your walk with Christ? Will those in your sphere of influence, particularly those involved closely with you in the marketplace; have been encouraged to know Christ because of your investment in their lives? Will your legacy only be buildings, or achievements, or organizations, leaving an inheritance or even financial contributions, or will it be souls transformed by Christ for eternity?I recently read an excellent book “Giving Back”. It encourages us to use our experiences and resources to impact our communities. Even in the midst of building a business, you need to have a balance to your life. I believe that it starts with your family, involvement in a local church, and using your expertise to impact your community. You will not always be an executive, or business owner, or CEO. We need to use those same skills to serve others outside the walls of our business.
Several months ago I was with a small group of extremely talented CEO’s. This group was special in that each CEO was also involved in a vital non-profit ministry that was impacting many people. The major focus of most of these organizations was bringing Christ and biblical principles to others around the U.S. and the world. However, to a person, most of these leaders were not comfortable or progressing in ministering to their own employees in their business. They were successful in business, generously supporting their own and other ministries, but not maximizing their ministry right where they were. Wherever God has placed us in our family, our business or workplace, and our community is a good place to start if we really want to be used by God to impact others.
Many workplace ministries will serve you and help you to bring Christ to your world. They will equip you to leave a spiritual legacy every workday. I encourage you to minister outside your workplace. Years ago I started speaking, writing, and ministering to widows, however, my primary legacy will be to my family and co-workers. It starts where we are. A physician friend travels overseas for five weeks every year in the poorest countries of Africa, but here in the U.S. he models Christ daily in surgery and in the office.
As you consider your spiritual legacy, why not also use your experiences from your career in a ministry outside of your company?
*Lead a group of younger leaders in a workplace ministry or church small group.
*Become a mentor to a young business leader in your city.
*Travel overseas as an ambassador for Christ while on business or pleasure.
*Mentor a student at a nearby college or university.
*Be involved in a team of workplace leaders from your city of to lead an entire city in transformation.
Those of us leading workplace ministries need to develop Legacy Leader programs in order to use the valuable resources that God has given us. You could have lunch with your pastor and give him some ideas how you could involve the retiring marketplace leaders in your church. For those of you “cutting back”, you need to consider options to enlarge your influence and increase your legacy. So, ask God in which new areas He would have you to begin to try and experiment. Look at your gifts and experiences and environment, and start right where you are!
Kent is the longtime leader of Fellowship of Companies for Christ International, a great group that is looking to connect business and ministry together. I encourage you to check out their website by clicking here.
Labels: 20 and 30 Somethings, Kent Humphreys, Training the Next Generation
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What can you do with one week of vacation time? 16 Business as Mission Opportunities
Global Advance offers several great ways to use one week of your vacation time. They can help you get off the sidelines and into the game of using your business experience to help others see the love of Christ.They harnesses businessmen and women's experience to lead one week business seminars overseas. Their goal is to equip and coach local businessmen and women around the world to lead succesful businesseses in a way that glorifies God. Below is a list of some upcoming opportunities. To get involved, email Kevin Pate (kpate@globaladvance.org).
Upcoming 2009 Marketplace Conferences
Bujumbura, Burundi - May 11-12
This year, the Burundi Marketplace Business Leadership Conference will be conducted at the same time as a Frontline Shepherds Conference (FLSC). By joining this team, you may also have the unique opportunity to participate in the FLSC, as well as address the high-level government officials who most likely will attend this conference.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - May 28-30 (*TEAM FULL*)
Last year, Global Advance sponsored and helped coordinate the first gathering of Christian Vietnamese entrepreneurs and professionals in Ho Chi Minh. Vietnam is a nation ripe for the harvest, yet still very closed to traditional missions. The Vietnamese people are hungry for spiritual truth and business skills that will inevitably encourage growth and prosperity in their nation.
N’Djamena, Chad - June 15-16
N’Djamena is not only the capital of Chad, but it is also the largest city in the country. The people of this region are hungry for business knowledge and spiritual strength to help promote economic development in N’Djamena. This conference will be led by our West African Director Hal Rahman.
Accra, Ghana - July 27-28 and Kumasi, Ghana - July 30-31
One of the few English speaking nations of West Africa, Ghana is being positioned to be a major future economy of Africa. This is a prime season to rise up Godly men and women in the business sector who will greatly impact Ghana and the entire continent!
Davao City, Philippines - August 19-20 (*TEAM NEAR FULL*)
This will be the second Marketplace Business Leadership Conference after a very successful first year. Be a part of influencing Filipino Christian business leaders who are connected to all of SE Asia and discover Davao’s breathtaking beaches and famous coral reef.
Bujumbura, Burundi - May 11-12
This year, the Burundi Marketplace Business Leadership Conference will be conducted at the same time as a Frontline Shepherds Conference (FLSC). By joining this team, you may also have the unique opportunity to participate in the FLSC, as well as address the high-level government officials who most likely will attend this conference.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - May 28-30 (*TEAM FULL*)
Last year, Global Advance sponsored and helped coordinate the first gathering of Christian Vietnamese entrepreneurs and professionals in Ho Chi Minh. Vietnam is a nation ripe for the harvest, yet still very closed to traditional missions. The Vietnamese people are hungry for spiritual truth and business skills that will inevitably encourage growth and prosperity in their nation.
N’Djamena, Chad - June 15-16
N’Djamena is not only the capital of Chad, but it is also the largest city in the country. The people of this region are hungry for business knowledge and spiritual strength to help promote economic development in N’Djamena. This conference will be led by our West African Director Hal Rahman.
Accra, Ghana - July 27-28 and Kumasi, Ghana - July 30-31
One of the few English speaking nations of West Africa, Ghana is being positioned to be a major future economy of Africa. This is a prime season to rise up Godly men and women in the business sector who will greatly impact Ghana and the entire continent!
Davao City, Philippines - August 19-20 (*TEAM NEAR FULL*)
This will be the second Marketplace Business Leadership Conference after a very successful first year. Be a part of influencing Filipino Christian business leaders who are connected to all of SE Asia and discover Davao’s breathtaking beaches and famous coral reef.
Kampala & Fort Portal, Uganda - August 24-26
Global Advance will host a 1 day Marketplace Business Leadership Conference in Kampala on August 24th, followed by a Marketplace Business Conference in Fort Portal, August 25-26. We are also expecting 3,000 pastors to come from all over the Western half of Uganda for a Frontline Shepherds Conference (FLSC) in Fort Portal, August 25-27. By joining this team, you will have the unique opportunity to be a part of this nation-changing event.
Lima, Peru - September 17-19
Incredible momentum is growing among Christian business men and women in Lima as a result of the past two Global Advance sponsored Business Leadership Events! Global Advance is teaming up with a strong church network to inspire Peruvian marketplace leaders. Equipping hundreds of Peruvian business leaders with Biblical and business principles will be an exceptional experience you will never forget!
Cancun, Mexico - October 23-24 (*TEAM NEAR FULL*)
The president (mayor) of Cancun has welcomed Global Advance into the Yucatan area to make an extraordinary impression on the Mexican business leaders by providing them with business ethics and principles. These resources and tools will help fight the corruption in their nation. Beyond experiencing the beauty of the region, we invite you to be a part of what God is doing in the marketplace to help bring restoration and transformation to Mexico.
Chandigarh, India - November 6-7
This is the economic center of far north India, as well as the epicenter of the most unreached people groups in the world. Last year, Global Advance hosted the inaugural Marketplace Impact Conference of this area. This event has produced enormous fruit, including the planting of a new church for professionals. Join us in Chandigarh to experience this life-changing event!
Freetown, Sierra Leone - November 6-7
After years of civil war, the people of Sierra Leone are courageously trying to rebuild the nation. This region is rich with diamonds and other natural resources. God’s people in the marketplace have a desire to learn how to steward the resources of their nation for Kingdom purposes. We invite you to join this team and encourage entrepreneurs and professionals in this developing economy.
Monrovia, Liberia - November 16-17
Come be a part of this conference in the financial center and capital city of Liberia: Monrovia. Liberia is a nation being rebuilt after years of struggles. Global Advance has an opportunity to pour into marketplace leaders of this nation who will be pivotal to the nation's future blessings and prosperity. This conference will be led by our West African Director Hal Rahman. For more information contact our offices.
Beirut, Lebanon - November 19-21
This year will mark the first Marketplace Business Leaders Conference in Lebanon! Come take part of this historic event and leave your imprint on the Christian businessmen and women who live in this challenging area of the world.
Global Advance will host a 1 day Marketplace Business Leadership Conference in Kampala on August 24th, followed by a Marketplace Business Conference in Fort Portal, August 25-26. We are also expecting 3,000 pastors to come from all over the Western half of Uganda for a Frontline Shepherds Conference (FLSC) in Fort Portal, August 25-27. By joining this team, you will have the unique opportunity to be a part of this nation-changing event.
Lima, Peru - September 17-19
Incredible momentum is growing among Christian business men and women in Lima as a result of the past two Global Advance sponsored Business Leadership Events! Global Advance is teaming up with a strong church network to inspire Peruvian marketplace leaders. Equipping hundreds of Peruvian business leaders with Biblical and business principles will be an exceptional experience you will never forget!
Cancun, Mexico - October 23-24 (*TEAM NEAR FULL*)
The president (mayor) of Cancun has welcomed Global Advance into the Yucatan area to make an extraordinary impression on the Mexican business leaders by providing them with business ethics and principles. These resources and tools will help fight the corruption in their nation. Beyond experiencing the beauty of the region, we invite you to be a part of what God is doing in the marketplace to help bring restoration and transformation to Mexico.
Chandigarh, India - November 6-7
This is the economic center of far north India, as well as the epicenter of the most unreached people groups in the world. Last year, Global Advance hosted the inaugural Marketplace Impact Conference of this area. This event has produced enormous fruit, including the planting of a new church for professionals. Join us in Chandigarh to experience this life-changing event!
Freetown, Sierra Leone - November 6-7
After years of civil war, the people of Sierra Leone are courageously trying to rebuild the nation. This region is rich with diamonds and other natural resources. God’s people in the marketplace have a desire to learn how to steward the resources of their nation for Kingdom purposes. We invite you to join this team and encourage entrepreneurs and professionals in this developing economy.
Monrovia, Liberia - November 16-17
Come be a part of this conference in the financial center and capital city of Liberia: Monrovia. Liberia is a nation being rebuilt after years of struggles. Global Advance has an opportunity to pour into marketplace leaders of this nation who will be pivotal to the nation's future blessings and prosperity. This conference will be led by our West African Director Hal Rahman. For more information contact our offices.
Beirut, Lebanon - November 19-21
This year will mark the first Marketplace Business Leaders Conference in Lebanon! Come take part of this historic event and leave your imprint on the Christian businessmen and women who live in this challenging area of the world.
Santiago, Dominican Republic - November 20-21 (* TEAM NEAR FULL*)
Global Advanced has planted seeds in Dominican Republic that are bearing fruit among business owners and professionals. You can encourage leaders in this wonderful nation to expand the Kingdom of God through the marketplace and you will be blown away by the Dominicans spirit and hospitality.
Hyderabad, India - November TBD
In Hyderabad, you will have a chance to greatly impact Christian marketplace leaders who make up a mere 1% of India’s professional population. As Hyderabad is a booming economic hub of India, join us in rising up Godly men and women in the business arena.
Abidjan, Ivory Coast - December 10-11
Abidjan is the largest city in Ivory Coast and the second largest French speaking city in the world. As Abidjan is considered a high industrial, cultural hub of West Africa, they are in need of your business training and spiritual encouragement. This conference will also be led by our West African Director Hal Rahman.
Global Advanced has planted seeds in Dominican Republic that are bearing fruit among business owners and professionals. You can encourage leaders in this wonderful nation to expand the Kingdom of God through the marketplace and you will be blown away by the Dominicans spirit and hospitality.
Hyderabad, India - November TBD
In Hyderabad, you will have a chance to greatly impact Christian marketplace leaders who make up a mere 1% of India’s professional population. As Hyderabad is a booming economic hub of India, join us in rising up Godly men and women in the business arena.
Abidjan, Ivory Coast - December 10-11
Abidjan is the largest city in Ivory Coast and the second largest French speaking city in the world. As Abidjan is considered a high industrial, cultural hub of West Africa, they are in need of your business training and spiritual encouragement. This conference will also be led by our West African Director Hal Rahman.
To get involved, email Kevin Pate (kpate@globaladvance.org).
Labels: Global Advance, Jonathan Shibley, Kevin Pate, Recruitment and Job Opportunities
Continue reading 'What can you do with one week of vacation time? 16 Business as Mission Opportunities'
Quotable: Knowing is not enough; we must apply
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do."
— Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Labels: Quotable
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Invitation to Pray for Business as Mission Conference
By David Skews - There is an exciting “Business as Mission” event that will be held on 14th-16th August 2009 in the UK.
Mats Tunehag in his recent paper ‘A Global Overview of the Business as Mission Movement: Needs & Gaps’ identified at number 6, Prayer he says this “We must not underestimate the power of and the need for prayer, which is even more critical as we enter into the marketplace with a Kingdom of God invasion strategy. BAMers must have prayer partners who intercede for them, their businesses, their employees, their relationships, and their impact on people and communities ...”
Pray4BaM.org is part of a UK based charity that was set up to support Business as Mission in prayer, finance and marketing. We felt God calling us to organise a Prayer Conference for BaM. Rather than being a time of teaching about BaM, this is to be a Prayer Conference, supported by times of worship and testimony of what God is doing around the world through business. If you are interested in this exciting and challenging movement to spread the kingdom of God then may I encourage you to take this opportunity to seek God’s face and to come and pray with us for BaM.
You will find full details on the Pray4BaM website at www.pray4bam.org where you can also register to attend.
Labels: David Skews, Events and Conferences, Great Britain, Pray4BAM, YWAM
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Os Guinness, Henry Blackaby and Kent Humphreys for FCCI Event in Florida Sept 27-Oct 1st
The 30th International Conference by FCCI is an exclusive offering for Christian business owners, chief executive officers, and executives to come together and allow iron to sharpen iron. Proven leaders who have had experience living out their faith will address current challenges in practicing Christ at Work in the marketplace. This year's conference will be located at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, Florida... Sunday, September 27 - Thursday, October 1, 2009FCCI has invested over 30 years in equipping and encouragingChristian business leaders to operate their businesses andconduct their personal lives according to biblical principles inpursuit of Christ's eternal objectives.
Deepen relationships with other people who face some of thesame challenges you face. You'll be encouraged as fresh insights and unique experiences from other business leaders are shared.Breakouts that are relevant and meet your specific needs willbe offered. Whether you are an emerging leader, or legacy leader, you will enjoy the time to form long-term relationships.This conference has it all: in-depth content that you will be able to apply in your sphere of influence, solid people you'll ant to interact with and build lasting friendships with, and enough time built into the schedule to allow you to relax and be refreshed.This year's platform speakers include: Os Guinness, Horst Shulze, Henry Blackaby, Kent Humphreys and Walt Wiley. Check out the full event website on FCCI.org.
Labels: Events and Conferences, FCCI, Kent Humphreys
Continue reading 'Os Guinness, Henry Blackaby and Kent Humphreys for FCCI Event in Florida Sept 27-Oct 1st'
People Getting Connected through the Business as Mission Network
Chris Horst, Human Resources Coordinator for Hope International emailed to say they had two couples sign up for the Dominican Republic Vision Trip in April as a result of one of our posts. One of the big reasons for this site is to connect people to ways to get involved.
HOPE Trips provide an opportunity to learn about microfinance through a firsthand experience of facing poverty, engaging clients, and seeing their businesses so that participants may return home significantly changed and committed to becoming involved in expanding HOPE’s mission.
With that in mind, here's a list of upcoming vision trips with Hope International. Great ways to catch a vision and get involved in what God is doing around the world through microfinance.
- May 14-16 - Dominican Republic
- June 3-6 - Dominican Republic
- June 14-28 - Ukraine Business Camp Cedarville Univ.
- June 18-20 - Dominican Republic
- June 19-28 - Ukraine English Camp, CFC-Florida
- June 19-July 5 - Ukraine English Camp, Ono
- July 8-11 - Dominican Republic
- July 10-19 - Ukraine English Camp, CEFC
- July 31-Aug. 9 - Ukraine English Camp, Calvary Church
- August 6-8 - Dominican Republic
Labels: Chris Horst, Hope International, Video and Media, Vision Trips
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Up to 300 African Women Creating Cosmetics for a Mission
Lynn D. Taubeneck is the manager and CEO of West Africa Shea Butter & Import Co LLC (WASB). While working as a commercial flight instructor here in Dallas, he has also been working in Burkina Faso for over 10 years.Four years ago they established a production facility with the idea of providing jobs and income to change the economy. Despite the recent global crisis posing challenges, the business has at times has employed 300+ women.
WASB has been the only U.S. manufacturing and processing company of unrefined shea butter with facilities in Burkina Faso, West Africa. They do not buy ingredients through secondary sources nor subcontract any of the production of this unique phyto-chemical. Shea Butter is becoming increasingly popular in the natural bodycare and cosmetic industries for good reason. It has been used for centuries in Africa for its moisturizing and healing properties, where it has been used to protect and condition skin which has been damaged by the sun and wind.
Their mission is to produce and provide the highest quality of unrefined shea butter. While working closely with the women of Burkina Faso, they strive to create the purest unrefined shea butter using a combination of time-honored techniques and modern day technology. Through ownership of their facilities in Burkina Faso, they have been able to employ the local population in the harvesting, transportation and manufacturing of shea butter.
In addition, they are committed to help facilitate infrastructure development through schools, assisting local orphanages, secondary and tertiary industries, job creation, and soon, a local clinic. They adhere to fair trade standards -- and provide a better than fair wage for the services performed to produce unrefined shea butter. Each batch of unrefined shea butter is selectively produced, beginning with the quality of the nut to the testing of the final product.
Labels: Case Studies, Lynn Taubeneckd, West Africa Shea Butter
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Joy at Work: Revolutionary Approach to Fun on the Job
Book by Dennis Bakke, review from Peter Han on Amazon - "Bakke was co-founder and eventually CEO of AES, a large energy company which grew to over $8 billion in annual revenue and over 40,000 employees. Bakke's Joy at Work is in part, a CEO memoir, as it chronicles AES's growth, complete with anecdotes about boardroom confrontations, employee relations, and new openings of production facilities. Joy at Work goes beyond the standard business tale, though: Bakke believes in moral values as ends in themselves, as opposed to means towards the end of greater financial return, and he's not afraid to say it.A number of authors in recent years have made the case that companies which embody humanistic values, and which nurture uplifting cultures, come to house happier, more productive employees. "Values" should be embraced, the argument goes, because they lead to better business results. Bakke shuns such thinking. He wants "values" for values' sake--because he believes they are an integral part of the human experience, and one that daily work should incorporate. He argues that financial return is only one good alongside others. As Bakke writes at one point in Joy at Work: "Why should enriching shareholders be more important than producing quality products and selling them to customers at fair prices?"
... Joy at Work provokes questions and warrants a read, if, for no reason other than its impressive string of blurbs from friends of the author: Everyone from President Bill Clinton to Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren vouches for Bakke and his gospel." For more information visit the Joy at Work website.
Labels: Books and Articles, Dennis Bakke
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