Andy Stanley - Significance of your work is not found in the details of your job
“What you do is not as important as how you do it. The significance of your work is not found in the details of your job. The significance of your work is found in your willingness to put your heart into your work.”
- Andy Stanley
Labels: Andy Stanley, Quotable
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Should I stay or should I go?
By Tom Horvath - Chairman, Berkeley Court Advisers - "But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you."Genesis 6:18 As I approach two successful decades of being in the corporate world, I am faced with a decision. Should I stay or should I go? These days, it is a decision that most people will face several times during their career.
In my personal situation, I feel led to leave what I have known—working for a company—and launch my own firm. I have prayed for doors to open, and they have opened. I have prayed for doors to close, and they have closed. Short of finding a letter from God dropped down from heaven (I’m still looking for it!), I’m typing my resignation letter this weekend.
I am thankful to have peace in this leap of faith that I am taking. My decision is not based on wanting more—more money, more power, more success—but on wanting more of God. I want to know Him more, trust Him more, love Him more and experience Him more in a powerful way.
I thought I was doing pretty well with all of this (and feeling pretty spiritual about it, too), but then reality hit. Yesterday, I was updating a friend about my impending decisions when my usually confident voice began to quiver and my dry eyes filled with tears.
I thought I was doing pretty well with all of this (and feeling pretty spiritual about it, too), but then reality hit. Yesterday, I was updating a friend about my impending decisions when my usually confident voice began to quiver and my dry eyes filled with tears.
I told my friend, “You know, I trust God completely with my life, but I don’t trust Him with my family. Personally, I will walk wherever He leads, but taking my family there is another matter. I still feel that I need to have everything figured out so that I can take care of them and protect them.”
When God spoke to Noah, Noah’s family was part of the message. As I read through the account, I discovered something interesting: In Genesis 6:18, God promised that He would establish a covenant with Noah, but it wasn’t until Genesis 9:9—after Noah’s obedience to build an ark, gather his family in the wooden boat, and spend 40 days and nights in the smelly thing—that God finally told Noah and his family what the covenant was.
Noah heard, Noah obeyed, and God blessed him. So who am I to want the order reversed?
Point to Ponder
What is it about God’s faithfulness that we don’t think is good enough for us?
Questions to Consider
2. Is your walk of faith a solo journey, or do you let people walk with you?
3. How do you see God’s faithfulness in your life today? Are you striving to be obedient to His will in all things?
From Devotional Ventures, © 2007 by Corey CleekPublished by Regal Books. Used by permission. Allrights reserved.
Labels: Corey Cleek, Devotional, Devotional Ventures, Tom Horvath
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Building a Business in China from Scratch at the Age of 25
Interview with Ben B. of the Silk Road Leather Company - Ben's company sent him to China at age 25 to start a leather goods factory from scratch. The goal was to use this company as a base for building God's kingdom in their community. Six years later and with lots of help from neighbors and friends, the company is producing millions of dollars worth of leather goods every year, and making a positive impact in local lives. Check out this interview with Ben...Due to the sensitive nature of this company's work, this article uses pseudonyms.
Q: What does the phrase “God’s kingdom” mean to you?
Jesus talks about this many times in the Gospels. He seemed to want us to be focused on this kingdom, which the apostle Paul referred to as the "unseen", and do our best not to get caught up in the "temporary" things around us. We are told to seek first his kingdom. Our goal is to proactively seek new ways to do kingdom-oriented work throughout the day, whether that be selling, writing e-mails, manufacturing, talking to a colleague, spending time with family, or doing after-hours "ministry projects". Whatever we do, we want to make sure it's kingdom-oriented.
Q: What did you study at University?
Q: What did you study at University?
I studied computer science at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.
Q: What was your first job out of University, and how did you make that decision?
Q: What was your first job out of University, and how did you make that decision?
After finishing college, I ended up moving to London and getting a job doing computer programming working on projects for the UK government. After spending my senior year and a few months job searching, I just couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to do: computer work, "full-time ministry", be an artist? But advice from a wise and respected elder was, "Go use your computer degree and figure out how to depend on God to be a computer programmer." That didn't make any sense to me at the time, but over the next two years of computer programming, I learned some of what he meant. For example, I needed to depend on Him in order to get along with annoying colleagues, to serve my demanding boss well, and to do my work with integrity.
Q: Why did the owners of the Silk Road Leather Company decide to start a China factory six years ago?
Q: Why did the owners of the Silk Road Leather Company decide to start a China factory six years ago?
The owners were introduced to the concept of using your business to do ministry work overseas by a friend. They had already been importing from Asia for 15 years, but had never considered starting a manufacturing plant. But this idea struck a chord with them, and they realized that owning their own factory would mean they never again have to worry about whether their products are being made in a dodgy Asian sweatshop. Not only did it make sense from a Kingdom perspective of wanting to bless their employees and community, but the business opportunities seemed good as well: shorten turnaround time, improve cash flow, reduce quality issues, improve communication... Slowly but surely, they decided to embark on the endeavor.
Q: In what daily ways do you see God's kingdom unfolding in the office?
Q: In what daily ways do you see God's kingdom unfolding in the office?
For me, it's mostly the way I interact with people. I want to see the people around me as God's children, not as barriers between myself and the task I want to accomplish. I want to treat them as I would want to be treated. I seek opportunities to train them--build them up--and help them learn eternal skills. For example, serving is something that we will be doing in heaven, and we get to practice every day in our Customer Service department. God's universe is very orderly, and I think that will be a valuable skill that we can use if we get to manage cities in God's kingdom (Luke 19:17). The more we can be practicing these eternal skills during our work day, the more our time will be used effectively for the kingdom.
Q: What specific, personal actions do you take at work to facilitate growth of God’s Kingdom here in the company?
Q: What specific, personal actions do you take at work to facilitate growth of God’s Kingdom here in the company?
I've come to view my job much like that of a church pastor. Our company's community doesn't just include our 60 employees, but also their families, our neighbors, our suppliers, our customers, and more. I can't try to minister to these thousands of people alone, but like a pastor, I must shepherd the flock that I'm responsible for and motivate them towards building God's kingdom in this community. I can't try to do all the work myself. I must help set the vision, communicate the goals, and empower them with proper training and tools to make sure they're working in the right direction. I must be a good role model, lest I undermine what I'm saying. It's a difficult balance to keep the company going (profits are like oxygen to a company) and also to not get overly focused on the "temporary" things around us. But that is the great challenge and opportunity that we have before us!
Q: Can you please share a specific story about the "kingdom of God" unfolding here at the Silk Road Leather Company?
Q: Can you please share a specific story about the "kingdom of God" unfolding here at the Silk Road Leather Company?
One time we had a summer intern, from the United States, and I challenged this young lady to try to discover what our ministry was and find a way to proactively join in and make a contribution during her short stay. She discovered that teamwork, unity, and interpersonal relationships were a key part of our ministry, so she drew upon an idea from her past work experience: organizing a potluck dinner for employees. Since the Olympics were about to start in China that year, she decided to do an Olympic-themed potluck dinner. Even though she didn't speak Chinese, she succeeded in communicating with our Chinese staff to organize this event. In the end, it was an Olympic themed sporting competition--including hoola hoops, limbo, and more--and not a potluck dinner. But it was a great team building exercise, and really blessed our employees’ relationships. It is when we have healthy relationships within the company that people are willing to go out of their way to love and serve each other, which is core to our kingdom-oriented goals. I was so proud of that intern's creative contribution.
Labels: Case Studies
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Texas Building Company's 225 Employees Impact Lives Around the World
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit down with Tod Bush of Red Dot (http://www.reddot100x.com/) and hear the fascinating story of a healthy, profitable and growing business in Texas that is multiplying their impact 100 times over by making a difference with their 225 employees, in their community and around the world. Here's their story, in their own words. By Toni Garrard Clay- About five years ago, the president of Red Dot Building Systems took hold of an idea. As the head of the family-owned metal building and manufacturing company with offices in Athens, Tyler, and Richardson, Texas, Ted Bush knew he helmed a good company, a strong company. What he wanted, though, was to foster an environment where greatness was possible, where employees could not only prosper, but also flourish, where the impact of their success could be felt not only locally, but also globally.
Lee Bush, Ted's father and Red Dot chairman, recalled encouraging his son during that time to write a long-term mission statement. "I said, ‘Write a mission statement that will share your vision of what you want people 100 years from now to know about this company.' "He and others worked on it and ended up with a statement saying, essentially, ‘Our purpose is to please God by turning our success into lasting significance - and we want the entire family of Red Dot to be part of that.'
From that vision, a program called Red Dot 100X was born. The multi-faceted program utilizes Red Dot's financial successes to fund humanitarian outreach projects at home and abroad. The core idea behind Red Dot 100X is to show the love of Jesus Christ to others in a compassionate and meaningful way and in the process help people - both aid recipients and employees alike - reach their full potential. The program operates at three levels:
1) Doing Good - As Red Dot employees become aware of immediate needs in Athens and the surrounding community, designated funds are used to empower employees to help "our neighbors in crisis." Everyone at Red Dot is encouraged to look for ways the company can help make a difference in peoples' lives.
100X also periodically organizes company wide outreach events designed to allow those in the Red Dot family to collectively help people in need in the local community. Transform Saturday volunteer work days, Thanksgiving food drives, and adopting families during the Christmas holidays are examples of ways 100X mobilizes its employees to help impact the lives of their local neighbors.
2) Offering Hope - Christmas gift catalog - Every year before Christmas, Red Dot partners with a humanitarian aid organization that has a long track record of caring for and giving hope to the orphaned and oppressed children of the world - Samaritan's Purse. Every Red Dot employee is given the Samaritan's Purse humanitarian aid gift catalog and a designated allowance to be spent on gift options designed to "offer hope" to a child or family living in poverty. After employees and their families experience the fun of choosing gifts for children in need, Red Dot orders and pays for these gifts through Samaritan's Purse.
Marriage enrichment retreats - Red Dot believes hope is crucial for marriages as well so it is committed to providing opportunities for its employees and their spouses to find encouragement in and hope for their marriages through its 100X marriage enrichment retreats. These weekends focus on God's design for marriage in a fun, non-threatening environment.
3) Transforming Lives
Described as "big projects making a big difference in a big way," Transforming Lives is the arm of 100X that provides financial support for large international projects. In most of these cases, Red Dot employees are directly involved in executing or promoting those projects as part of a mission team.
Under the Transforming Lives portion of the 100X program, Red Dot, in partnership with Buckner International, has sent more than 100 employees over the past four years to locations across the globe: Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Russia, Romania, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Many of these one or two week trips - funded entirely by Red Dot at no loss to an employee's vacation time - involve working in orphanages in an over-the-top way. In addition to members of the team investing a great deal of time and emotion to shower their love on orphaned children, trips involve acts such as renovating a laundry facility and dorm rooms, installing state-of-the-art playground systems, tiling floors, funding the construction of transitional homes for orphans who would otherwise be "graduated" to the streets, orchestrating celebratory "You are Special" carnivals, giving Christmas gifts, providing funds to build schools and baby homes, and more.
"I believe this company is on to something great," wrote Detailing Manager Steve Jay, who traveled to Kenya on one of the first 100X trips. "I feel at the end of our careers, we'll look back at all of the work we've done and point to the mission trips and everything else the 100X program is doing as the most important things we have done in our jobs." Jay's feelings are echoed over and over again by Red Dot employees who experience these trips. Management has committed that everyone who wishes to go will eventually be sent.
"It's tremendously important to use our success to significantly impact the lives of others in a lasting way," said Red Dot 100X Director Tod Bush. "Our employees are the reason Red Dot is successful, so they should be directly involved in helping children and families in need around the world."Tod Bush has directed the 100X program for over two years with part of his duties being organizing and leading the international mission trips as well as finding projects Red Dot can fund that will make a real difference in the life of a child in need. He came to the position after 14 years as an assistant district attorney for Dallas County - serving the last 10 as a prosecutor representing Child Protective Services. He said the experience prepared him to understand some of the issues abused and neglected children face in the countries Red Dot teams visit. "It has also helped me be better at handling some of the despair I encounter in the orphanages," he said.That battle against despair is something each member of a trip must grapple with to some degree or another. The irony, of course, is that however wrenching an experience may be, the individual always brings back emotionally more than was given away. "Those blessed to serve on a mission trip witness a lasting commitment to changing lives," wrote Director of Project Management Roy Clay, who in 2007 worked with a Red Dot team in the slums of Ethiopia replacing leaking tin roofs on the primitive homes of foster parents. "Our lives are also changed. Forever."
Red Dot President Ted Bush said the 100X program has fostered a company-wide motivation to succeed. "We celebrate our successes in a much more complete way because of it," he said. "It's created a family atmosphere within Red Dot and a sense of urgency that we have to be successful because hurting and disadvantaged people in this world - individuals who don't even know who we are - are going to be helped as a result."
In addition to out-of-country travel opportunities, many Red Dot employees volunteer to take part in a "Transform Saturday" volunteer work day every year to help area families in need with projects such as installing a fire escape at a women's shelter, painting homes of the elderly, installing a wheelchair ramp for a disable homeowner, and improving drainage and repairing a retaining wall for a terminally ill man.
Tod Bush said there are three ways in which Red Dot uses its financial success. "We certainly believe it's important to prosper our employees. We want to prosper them not only financially, but also in parenting, in their marriages, and in their spiritual lives," he said. "We also will reinvest our profits in order to grow our company. Lastly, we invest funds back into the 100X program and look for opportunities to change lives."
Ted Bush succinctly adds: "As Red Dot prospers, so do our employees, so do our neighbors, so do others around the world. We really do consider it a privilege to be able to multiply what we're given - and then give it back."
"Other seed fell on good soil. It came up and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a 100X." Mark 4:8
To read more about Red Dot, visit their website http://www.reddot100x.com/.
Labels: 100X, Red Dot Building Systems, Ted Bush, Tod Bush
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10 Values of a Kingdom Company
By Keny Humphreys - Our values are standards by which basic business choices and decisions are made. They are revealed in the context of personal relationships (example: Buyer to Supplier, Service Person to Store Manager, Manager to Employee, etc.). The integrity of a firm’s structure is dependent upon its values. These values should be evidenced by our behavior to each other and to those outside our firm. The sum of all of our behavior, which reveals our values, represents our “corporate culture”. We do not possess our values as a company in order to succeed; rather, we believe we will succeed because of our values.The following values represent the substance of our firm’s foundation. They exemplify our spirit, the very essence of that which we consider worthwhile, important, and significant. We will treasure and prize these values by our words, thoughts, actions, and even our motives. We will build our company on what they represent.
1. TRUSTWORTHY WITH INTEGRITY
We will be reliable, dependable, and can be counted on to keep promises. “We will do
what we say we will do” within the promised time frame.
2. WORTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL
We will practice the “Golden Rule” in decision-making. We will respect human life, dignity, and rights of each including the consideration of their health, safety and work environment. We will seek to give positive affirmation and recognition. We are in business for “people” (employees, customers, vendors), not for our own wealth, power, prestige, or ego.
3. FAMILY AND STABILITY IN RELATIONSHIPS
The family is the foundation unit of every society. We will respect women as wives, men as husband, and singles. The family has a higher priority than the firm and its profitability; therefore, we will seek to build it up, not tear it down.
4. HONEST AND TRUTHFUL COMMUNICATION
We will strive to be genuine, open, and aboveboard in all relationships. We will
honestly and accurately report the facts.
5. RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS AS A PART OF A TEAM
For the use of our time, talents, and company resources. Each of us will accept individual accountability for how we carry out our responsibilities. We, as a company, will aim to motivate each other by praise rather than criticism so as to create an atmosphere of productivity and freedom to admit individual mistakes in order to accomplish our team goals.
6. BALANCE OF WORK/REST
Vacations and breaks will be encouraged so that proper rest, recreation, and reflection
will maximize the long-term effectiveness and productivity of the individual and the
entire team. We believe in working hard, but not necessarily in working unproductive
long hours just for the sake of appearance.
7. REWARDING PRODUCTIVITY
In every way possible (example: praise, monetary, promotion, awards, benefits, etc.),
we will seek to reward industriousness, innovation, initiative, prudence, and discipline.
Our focus is to develop our full potential, the natural results of which is reaping the
rewards of our labor.
8. EVERYONE IS ACCOUNTABLE TO AUTHORITY
Any enterprise must have structure and organization. Every person is accountable to
a higher authority.
9. SERVANT LEADERS
Within every organization there are many managers, but few leaders. Effective
leaders will be servants who have attracted a following because of their passion,
vision, integrity, and love for their people. We will make every effort to develop this
kind of leader.
10. STEWARDSHIP
We will strive to use wisely and prudently the resources with which we have been
entrusted.
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: Editorials, Kent Humphreys, Values
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OPEN Network Conferences Come to Pennsylvania + Oregon
Do you desire to use your business skills in reaching the unreached? Would you like to be actively involved in helping transform a remote area of the world? “Do you believe there should be new ways of doing mission?”Are you frustrated with missionaries who pretend to do business? Or are failing at it? Are you willing to share your work expertise via email coaching? Are you seeking to export your goods or services overseas? Or import goods or services?
If you answered YES to any of the above questions, then you need to participate in the OPEN Expo November 19-21, 2009. The Expo is sponsored by the OPEN Network. OPEN is a network of 200+ tentmakers and BAMers working in various businesses throughout the 10/40 Window to reach the unreached. OPEN has 6 objectives in hosting this Expo:
1. Link business people with overseas workers & teams who desire coaching.
2. Model how business leads to transforming Muslim and Hindu communities.
3. Establish a VC fund for start-ups among the unreached.
4. Explore new models of doing mission.
5. Promote internship opportunities.
6. Training for coaching those doing BAM (business as mission) cross-culturally.
The presenters are overseas workers who have established businesses among Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus that are employing locals, turning a profit, and winning people to Jesus. For more information go to http://www.openexpousa.com/ For the password contact Laura at (14laura14@gmail.com).
Labels: Events and Conferences, OPEN Network, Patrick Lai
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Workplace Leaders Forum in Dallas with Bill Job of Mexia International
Last week I had the chance to get lunch with Bill Peel. Bill's an author and has been on a mission for many years to break down the divide between business and ministry. Bill along with several other business leaders are planning a get together at one of the key churches in Dallas. Bill Job will be speaking at the gathering. Below is a quick writeup from their website and above is a 3 minute video we filmed overseas about Bill's story.
Can I have a profitable business and serve God at the same time? Does my work and business have anything to do with God's Kingdom?
Bill Job is the founder and CEO of Meixia International, one of the first solely foreign-owned businesses in China. Hear Bill share how including God in your business can be a distinct business advantage. More business leaders are finding that faith and the values that come with it can not only have a positive impact on the bottom line but can improve people's lives as well.
Bill has won numerous awards including Employer of the Year in the city of Xiamen several years running and was recognized by The Wall Street Journal as a leader in his industry and "pioneer business spirit and innovative artist." Bill has also incubated several successful businesses including Barrington Group's manufacturing facility in China run by Dallasite Ben Briggs. Many companies need to consider global strategies to remain competitive! Learn how God is using globalization to spread his Kingdom through companies who are part of groups like the Global CEO Network. Also learn how you can leverage Bill's experience to impact multiple bottom lines for your company. View a video about Meixia and Bill Job below. Where & When- Fellowship Hall, Park Cities Presbyterian Church Sept 29th, Noon to 1:30. Register now
Labels: Barrington, Bill Job, Mexia International
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The Ethics of Outsourcing Meets Business as Mission
By Virginia Thomas of Olive Technology - Globalization has created tough decisions for business and ministry leaders. In a down economy, should we be sending jobs overseas? What are the long term effects of outsourcing? How does offshoring affect the Business as Mission movement, and how can it be used for God’s glory?It is 7:30 AM, and Vasantha Koorpad climbs into a rickshaw on the crowded street in Hyderabad, India. As the driver dodges scooters, cars, bicycles and buffalo, Vasantha answers her cell phone. It’s her boss, calling from America in the evening his time, asking her input on a potential software development project.
Vasantha is on her way to work at Olive Technology, a Great Commission Company based in Hyderabad. Over 11 years ago, Vasantha stepped into Olive’s doors for the first time as a junior programmer trainee. As the years passed, she grew in skill and experience, and earned both respect and responsibility. Now she is a project manager, and has overseen projects for myriad industries, as well as churches and para-church ministries.
Vasantha, a Christian, sees her faith integrate with her work daily.
“My words and actions should give a message to the people around that I’m Christ’s child. I’m interested in leading our people by example and serving our clients,” she said.
Is outsourcing unethical in a down economy?
As the US economy struggles to tread water, questions loom in the minds of American businesspeople and ministry leaders. Those who provide Vasantha and her team with the majority of their projects are forced to choose how to best steward their resources in a down economy. When organizations cut costs by outsourcing, they can help the organization survive and thus protect the jobs of the rest of the workers. However, tough questions are raised in board rooms across the nation as decisions like this are made. Is it wrong to outsource projects to companies in foreign nations when the domestic economy is in a slump? Are they hurting their own economy by outsourcing offshore?
Some experts say no.
“To the extent that we’re helping India grow, we are also creating new jobs here in the US because they’re going to be buying US-produced goods,” said Dr. Steve Rundle, Professor of Economics at Biola University and author of Economic Justice in a Flat World. “There are industries in our country that are shrinking because of globalization, but also industries that are benefitting—and those jobs actually tend to be better paying. In the long run, everyone benefits from allowing products and services to be exchanged internationally.”
Most economics textbooks reference the theory of comparative advantage, developed by David Ricardo at the turn of the 19th century. Simply stated, nations benefit from free trade when they focus on producing the goods and services they can develop more easily and cost-effectively than other nations. Wise nations purchase the goods and services difficult for them to produce from nations who can sell them for less.
Thomas Siems, a senior economist and policy advisor in the Research Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said in a 2003 article, “International trade generates higher overall output by redirecting jobs to those who create the most added value—that is, to those who maximizetheir productive abilities. Put simply, the benefits of free trade can be summarized as: ‘Do what you do best. Trade for the rest.’”
Short term trials, long term benefits
While the economy benefits in the long run, outsourcing can still strike fear for workers in danger of having their jobs sent offshore.
“There is always displacement of American workers and of American supplier-firms and distributor-firms in the short term,” said Dr. J. David Richardson, Professor of Economics and International Relations at Syracuse University. “But workers who upgrade their skills, and suppliers and distributors who narrow their focus to core competencies and upgrade them find their displacement brief, and their new activities more remunerative and stable than their old.”
Economist/journalist/author Thomas Friedman not only agrees with Richardson, but strongly encourages Americans to focus on the education and innovation necessary for success in the global marketplace. Outsourcing provides the opportunity for highly-skilled workers to focus on higher-skilled and better-paying tasks than they could have before. Skilled workers as whole have more to gain than they do to lose when it comes to outsourcing. Those in danger, however, are low-skilled workers who choose not to grow and upgrade their skill sets.
“…while protectionism would be counter-productive, a policy of free trade, while necessary, is not enough by itself,” Friedman said in his highly-publicized book, The World is Flat. “It must be accompanied by a focused domestic strategy aimed at upgrading the education of every American, so that he or she will be able to compete for the new jobs in the flat world.
Who is my neighbor?
While some economists say that in the end, everyone benefits from outsourcing, the question still looms for Christians about the ethics of outsourcing in the short term. What about those low-skilled nationals? Is there a moral obligation to employ those who hold the same passport you do? Do you owe your fellow citizens more loyalty than non-citizens, and to what degree?
Dr. Richardson sees two possible answers.
Dr. Richardson sees two possible answers.
“If your answer is ‘No, none,’ as many Christians claim, using ‘Who-is-my-neighbor?’ reasoning from Jesus, then there isn’t much of an ethical issue,” Dr. Richardson said. “If your answer is ‘yes, and to a modest degree,’ using citizens-as-family style or Galatians style (‘especially to the household of faith’) or buy-local style reasoning, then the ethical issue is the trade-off between loyalty to ‘your people’ and charity toward the poorest.”
Dr. Rundle, who teaches Business as Mission classes at Biola, has recently visited BAM companies in Thailand, Romania, Moldova, China and India for his upcoming book, the second edition of Great Commission Companies. Dr. Rundle is keenly aware of the ministry potential of outsourcing.
“As Christians, as foreigners of this world, sojourners, this world is not our home and neither is the United States. We need to think more globally in terms of our business and ministry outreach,” he said. “We have advantages here [in the United States]. We don’t want to ignore unemployment and say it’s not important, but on the other hand, where are people most needy?
It still comes down to [places like] India, and you can create four or five jobs in India for the price of one here. So you can see the benefit, and I don’t think God shows preference. I don’t think he is more concerned about American employees than he is about Indian employees. It’s tough though,” Dr. Rundle said. “We’re very nationalistic by nature, but I don’t think God is nationalistic.”
It still comes down to [places like] India, and you can create four or five jobs in India for the price of one here. So you can see the benefit, and I don’t think God shows preference. I don’t think he is more concerned about American employees than he is about Indian employees. It’s tough though,” Dr. Rundle said. “We’re very nationalistic by nature, but I don’t think God is nationalistic.”
Ron Fleming, CIO of Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society,) has outsourced a number of Web development projects to Olive Technology. Like Dr. Rundle, his faith causes him to look beyond the bounds of nationalism.
“I love my country, but the answer is the kingdom of God takes precedence,” Fleming said.
BAM opportunities in a flat world
Fleming stated that if the prices were equal, he would contract an international BAM company over a secular domestic company. While cost was a factor in his decisions, so was choosing an organization that would utilize their resources to do missions work. He selected Olive because of the multiple bottom lines of the company: financial, spiritual and social.
While outsourcing will force westerners to make horizontal and vertical job shifts, it also provides a greater impact for influencing individuals in hard-to-reach countries. Improvements in communications make it possible for more interactions and relationships across oceans and national borders. As Dr. Rundle stated in the first edition of Great Commission Companies, globalization does not catch God by surprise.
As Fleming, Rundle, Friedman and others have realized, the change is upon us. Outsourcing and offshoring are here to stay. Globalization, or flattening of the world, brings its share of challenges to the American workforce. Nevertheless, rather than fighting the change, the body of Christ will do well to embrace it. Perhaps a better question than “how can I protect myself from the change?” is “God, how will you be glorified through this change?” As the global economy continues to specialize, we as Christians can devote ourselves to learning and growing or futilely resisting the change occurring around us. We can choose fear, or boldly move forward in faith. Perhaps rather than asking if our jobs are safe, we should ask how we can use the creative abilities God gave to create better jobs for ourselves and others. Perhaps we should ask how ministry can occur through the communication and interactions facilitated by globalization. Perhaps we should ask how we can advance the Kingdom of God in a flattening world.
Labels: Ethics, Off Shore Programming, Olive Technology, Virginia Thomas
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Get Trained for Business as Mission in 3 easy steps?!
By Jo Plummer of Business as Mission Resource Team of Youth With A Mission International- 8 years ago or there abouts I was asked by a business person ‘how can we provide a clear path for business people to get involved in business as mission – to recruit them, equip them and send them out…?’ Just yesterday I was asked by a mission pastor ‘what kind of process do you recommend for mission personnel wanting to get established in business as mission?’The question of how to recruit good candidates and adequately prepare them for the rigors and realities of ‘missional business’ will always be with us.
Perhaps there are as many appropriate paths of preparation as there are people wanting to be prepared. Each of us comes from a unique background and is being led by God through different experiences… However, as true as that is, we can still make some generalisations and offer some good avenues to get people started.
In the process, we can get hung up on debates about who should and shouldn’t do business as mission. The question ‘is it easier to make a business person into a missionary than a missionary into a business person…?’ is intriguing and might generate some heated debate in forums, but stopping there or being satisfied with such generalizations does not take us very far in addressing on-the-ground realities.
Who is available? How can we mobilise more? How can we work in strategic partnerships? These might be more appropriate questions!
As we have developed the Introduction to Business as Mission (iBAM) course over the past 4 years we have sometimes asked ourselves this: If God seems to be leading this or that individual towards missional business – how can we give them the reality check that they need and equip them so that they have the best chance of success?
That is why we have made iBAM training open to people from all backgrounds -potentially a risky strategy! We have found that if we can lay some good foundations and get people dialoguing together, the shared journey of learning can be an even more rewarding experience. Sometimes the old stereotypes apply – the person from a business background who needs a reality check about the cross-cultural issues involved… or the person from a mission agency needing to know which way up to hold a profit and loss statement…. But often they don’t.
We have found it is important treat people as individuals and we leave room in the iBAM Course for ‘tailor made’ input, including one-to-one coaching. We also seek to encourage participants on their personal spiritual journey. As much as business as mission depends sound business know-how, a plan to be profitable and a thorough cultural understanding, it is very much about the spiritual realities of life. We aim to create an environment in which God can bring the revelation that the person really needs at the time… We focus on principles (business and biblical), but also on application and we take time to look inside real-life examples. Through this multi-faceted process, it is always amazing to see just how much the key points of learning and revelation are unique for each individual participant.
We have found it is important treat people as individuals and we leave room in the iBAM Course for ‘tailor made’ input, including one-to-one coaching. We also seek to encourage participants on their personal spiritual journey. As much as business as mission depends sound business know-how, a plan to be profitable and a thorough cultural understanding, it is very much about the spiritual realities of life. We aim to create an environment in which God can bring the revelation that the person really needs at the time… We focus on principles (business and biblical), but also on application and we take time to look inside real-life examples. Through this multi-faceted process, it is always amazing to see just how much the key points of learning and revelation are unique for each individual participant.
Over the years we’ve seen examples of business as mission grow up from opposite ends of the spectrum, with mixed results. On one hand, highly entrepreneurial business people have just gone out and started something – probably most would never have asked themselves what kind of training course they needed first! On the other hand there have been those from a mission agency background who have also dived in for better or worse…. they may or may not have any business experience, but in many cases they are still visionaries and risk takers. They are often strongely motivated because they are already ‘out there’ and they vividly see the needs and circumstances of the communities they are ministering in.
But as God is stirring up his church worldwide and as there is more and more communication about business as mission, there is more and more growth in the middle parts of the spectrum….
…The next generation of young people, perhaps with a business education or some limited experience but who feel they have an equal calling and passion for business and mission and are looking for ways to make sense of that.
… More mature people who sense God moving them into something new and for whom ‘retooling’ and ‘retraining’ are well understood concepts.
…. Those who have spent years working in business or a profession in a niche role and might describe themselves as business people or professionals but not necessarily as entrepreneurs…. Those whose skills and roles are desperately needed in the in kingdom businesses, but who might need a jump-start or a clear connection with an opportunity.
…. Those who have both a business and mission background. They might find themselves in partnership with or even on staff of a mission agency that has incorporated a business as mission strategy… or they might be ‘sent out’ directly by their church.
For us a particular hope and prayer for the coming years is that many, many more training models of all sizes and shapes (from internships, to seminars, to university courses, to.. ?) will be developed to meet the growing need for equipping.
It seems natural to us that the business as mission movement will be lead and propelled by the Christian business community (with hopefully the rest of the ‘body’ in support!). We envisage that more and more specialised support structures, along with churches will provide the equipping and nurturing that is required. Although we, like many mission colleagues, are busy making room for business as mission within our organsiations… We expect that most of the future growth will rightly continue beyond the capacity and borders of traditional models and agencies – so that we really do have the multiplication of workers in the harvest fields that Jesus spoke of.
However, we also hope that the business as mission movement will continue to evolve with strategic partnerships at the core… Where we are moving away from limiting and polarising, towards making more room for each to make their best contribution... Where we can genuinly hold our hands up and say ‘I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow’.
Valuable questions remain for all of us: What are the strategic partnerships that God is leading me/us to that will propel us forward? How can we serve this business as mission movement with what we have in our hand, whilst building capacity for the future? How can we particularly contribute our strengths and experience – and who has the strengths that we lack?
Valuable questions remain for all of us: What are the strategic partnerships that God is leading me/us to that will propel us forward? How can we serve this business as mission movement with what we have in our hand, whilst building capacity for the future? How can we particularly contribute our strengths and experience – and who has the strengths that we lack?
Above all, as we spend time thinking about recruiting, training and deployment, let us keep looking at the ‘grand vista’ before us – the big picture, a prayer: LORD, let your Kingdom come, let your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
The Introduction to Business as Mission Course is a 3 or 5 week training course for those exploring or involved in business as mission – more information about the course can be found at www.businessasmission.com or contact bamtraining@oval.com. iBAM training is facilitated by the YWAM Business as Mission Resource Team in partnership with teachers, coaches and business people. The Business as Mission Resource team was established in 2001 to serve business as mission movement.
The Introduction to Business as Mission Course is a 3 or 5 week training course for those exploring or involved in business as mission – more information about the course can be found at www.businessasmission.com or contact bamtraining@oval.com. iBAM training is facilitated by the YWAM Business as Mission Resource Team in partnership with teachers, coaches and business people. The Business as Mission Resource team was established in 2001 to serve business as mission movement.
Labels: IBAM, International Business as Mission, Josie Plummer, YWAM
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Urbana Hosting Second Business as Mission Track for College Students Dfec 27-31st
Three years ago Intervarsity's Urbana Missions Conference held one of the largest business as mission gatherings in recent years.It looks like three years later, they're bringing it back with another track for students to learn about Business as Mission. Here's the link from their website (http://www.urbana09.org/tracks.business.cfm). Here's some of the scoop from their site ...
"This track will provide an opportunity for students and business professionals to wrestle with the implications of their work in light of the Kingdom of God. The intention is to encourage and challenge future and current business people to live a missional life in their context and to dream of ways to envision business as a vehicle to extend the Kingdom of God."
Labels: Events and Conferences, Intervarsity, Urbana
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Quotable- Little distinction between work, play, labor and leisure
The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both.”
— James A. Michener
Labels: Quotable, Sacred and Secular Divide
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Key Business as Mission Leaders Gathering in Dallas in October
The 12th Global CEO Network meeting will be held in Dallas, TX October 14-16, 2009. The Dallas meeting will be focused on how kingdom values can create a competitive advantage in global business. We will also highlight how kingdom companies have found creative solutions to the difficult economic times. We will be highlighting success stories that have come out of the Global CEO Network events including business deals, ministry efforts, cooperative efforts and more.Please plan to join us in Dallas for what will be an exciting showcase of case studies and networking! The CEO meetings were organized to assist companies who are using their international businesses to have a kingdom impact and to create practical solutions to the business and spiritual issues they face. We believe there are thousands of businessmen who would get involved if they could only see the way. The involvement of these men and women would not only lead to new kingdom companies being created around the world but would also provide critical support to those of us operating kingdom businesses. Speakers at the event will include:
Luke Tatone, the founder of ATK Global Services, he will be speaking about his journey of creating a kingdom company and developing a global customer base within a secular firm. http://www.aktservicesllp.com/AKTCompanies/AKTGlobal
David Gowdey, of the Barrington Group, a producer of high-end corporate gifts including leather products, will speak on creating a production operation in China and how his church family struggles with understanding his China operations as a “ministry”. Notably President Obama was photographed with one of David’s briefcases! http://www.barringtongifts.com/
Bill Job, Meixia International, a China based manufacturing business, will describe how the economic crisis has impacted his walk with God. He will also present how his partnership approach impacts his relationship with his customer. http://www.meixia.com/
Chuck Welden will be describing the fruit that has developed since the March Global CEO Network held in Birmingham, AL. Angela Hough will describe the impact of her ongoing business networking/mentoring in Poland.
We will also be paying a special tribute to Bill Goheen, a group member, BAM contributor and author of the Galtronics Story, who passed away suddenly from cancer on July 28th.
David Gowdey, of the Barrington Group, a producer of high-end corporate gifts including leather products, will speak on creating a production operation in China and how his church family struggles with understanding his China operations as a “ministry”. Notably President Obama was photographed with one of David’s briefcases! http://www.barringtongifts.com/
Bill Job, Meixia International, a China based manufacturing business, will describe how the economic crisis has impacted his walk with God. He will also present how his partnership approach impacts his relationship with his customer. http://www.meixia.com/
Chuck Welden will be describing the fruit that has developed since the March Global CEO Network held in Birmingham, AL. Angela Hough will describe the impact of her ongoing business networking/mentoring in Poland.
We will also be paying a special tribute to Bill Goheen, a group member, BAM contributor and author of the Galtronics Story, who passed away suddenly from cancer on July 28th.
If you have never attended a Global CEO Network meeting, or need to be reminded of why you are attending, please plan to participate in the orientation session October 14th from 3:00-4:30 pm. This session answers fundamental questions regarding the business as mission movement and provides perspective on the role that The Global CEO Network plays in moving God's kingdom forward. Please click on this link to download the agenda, which includes the Dallas/Park Cities hotel information.
For more information email Alicia at afuller@ecgroup-intl.com.
Labels: Dallas, Global CEO Network, Tom Sudyk
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Keeping Score In Business as Mission and Microfinance
By Chris Horst - A few weeks ago, my wife and I had the privilege of staying with gracious HOPE supporters at their beautiful home in Breckenridge, Colorado.In addition to enjoying the beauty of the mountains, we also love hanging out with them and their family. Their 8-year old son, Nathan, is a consistent source of entertainment.
During a dinner conversation, Nathan was informing us about his Little League baseball season. He started rattling off the scores of his team’s last few games. His parents quickly interjected, sharing that the league and coaches don’t actually keep track of scores. Nathan retorted. “We all keep score anyway. We always keep score.” I smiled, thinking back to my own youth baseball experience when I did the exact same thing. Sure there were no scoreboards, but every single kid on the diamond knew the score.
Innately, I think, we love to keep score. Why? Because we want to know how we’re doing. It’s more than just caring about winning and losing. We want to have some sort of tangible measure of our performance. Are we succeeding? Are we catching up? How bad is it?
Keeping score answers those questions. In working with the poor, many times it’s easy to justify not keeping score. “We’re helping people…isn’t that enough?” I’m not sure it is. I think we need to keep score. It’s not just about knowing if we’re winning. Even if our results illustrate we’re behind, at least we have a gauge of how we’re doing.
One area which is especially challenging to “keep score” is in measuring HOPE’s spiritual impact. It is fairly straightforward to track client repayment, savings balances, and client retention. It is much more challenging to gauge whether our work is having an impact on the spiritual climate of the communities and families with whom we work.
Despite its challenges, we have made a commitment as an organization to find creative ways to keep score. Just like Nathan’s little league team, each of our players, i.e. our microfinance institutions, have found ways to keep score in the past. But, we have taken it a step forward by building a scoreboard to provide global metrics. This month we have constructed that scoreboard by rolling out comprehensive global metrics to track spiritual impact both at an institutional level (what activities are taking place?) and at an impact level (how effective are these activities?).
We’re keeping score so we can know, beyond speculation and inspiring anecdotes, how many Bibles have been distributed to our clients and how they’re using them. We’re keeping score so we can know if our microfinance programs are partnering with churches and how those partnerships are expanding and enhancing our impact. We’re keeping score so we can know that devotions are being held in our branch offices and that those biblical lessons are being shared in our community banks. We have built a scoreboard so, like Nathan insightfully shared, we can get a clear picture of how we’re doing.
Labels: Chris Horst, Hope International, Microfinance
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Richard Devos, Co-Founder of Amway Challenges Churches and Non-Profits to see Businesspeple as more than Checkwriters
"If you are successful through your talents for business, I challenge you to acton the lessons you will learn in this book. I challenge churches and nonprofitsto see businesspeople as more than check writers and financial advisors and topersonally engage their donors to maximize their business skills beyond their ability to offer financial support. Finally, I would ask everyone with the means tohelp the less fortunate ..."Richard Devos
Co-Founder of Amway in the Foreward of My Business My Mission
Labels: My Business My Mission, Quotable, Richard Devos
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Painted in a Corner - Business as Mission isn't a Choice, its the only option
By Justin Forman - Time. Come to find out the older we get it's really not on our side.As a kid I remeber endless summers with little league baseball, soccer camps, vacations and still enough time left over to tell mom we were bored.
During college I had time for studies, business, ministry, church, small groups, exercise, travel and still leftover time to burn with friends.
As busy as things were there was always room to add some other ministry opportunity on the end of the list.
Fast forward 8 years later. A wonderful wife, 9 month old son, the desire to be a good father and husband, 15 year old house with plenty of projects, a yard always in need of mowing, 70 people on our sales team to lead, a 3 page list of business ideas has claimed every bit of time and then some.
The older we get, the more we recognize that constantly adding things to the list paints us in a corner.
Combining business and ministry is no longer a choice. There's not enough time to keep adding things to the list.
The average person spends 25% or more of their waking hours at work, compared to 1-2% in church activities on Sunday mornings or throughout the week. How can we afford not live missionally and see that time in business as ministry?
What about you? Do you ever feel the pressures of life are forcing you to make some changes? When did you decide to combine business and ministry together?
Labels: Editorials, Sacred and Secular Divide
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