First International Business as Mission (iBAM) Course Completed: A Great Success!
Mark & Michael, the course Directors, share their perspective on the first Introduction to Business As Mission (iBAM) Course, run in Chiang Mai, Thailand from January to March 2008. After many years of concept development, this course was delivered confidently by the lecturers, business coaches and course staff.What an incredible 6 weeks. The teachers were excellent, bringing profound truth from the word of God and teaching us about the realities of doing Business As Mission. We experienced an important tension in our classroom, which is a tension faced by most Business As Mission practitioners. We need to make our businesses profitable, but our obedience to go to the nations with the whole gospel, takes us to places where business is very different and profitability takes a lot longer to achieve; AND, we also look to achieve additional goals to our profitability, seeing transformation of lives, the hungry fed, the unemployed trained and in meaningful employment to name a few. I am simplifying, but the fact is that on the ground there are many challenges to overcome. It was a privilege to see some of that first hand while on the field trips to China, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Northern Thailand. These trips were a catalyst for deeper understanding about the facts and reality of doing business cross culturally, done to see the Kingdom of God where it is not.
The business coaching and workshops were essential to this course. Business planning, marketing, and financial management workshops were delivered by our resident business coaches. Their availability and commitment to work one on one with participants as well as their great insight and wisdom helped many in their business planning and ‘next steps’ process. Each participant’s personal development was also clearly highlighted as essential in preparation for running a successful BAM project. We can not underestimate the impact of good leadership, personal discipline and a vibrant relationship with God in achieving success in life and business.
As Course Directors, we have been greatly encouraged in the establishment of the course, and will continue to run this course in the future. We are excited to develop and improve the iBAM course so that it becomes an excellent first step towards becoming a Business As Mission practitioner. I hope you have enjoyed hearing the stoires on the Business as Mission Network site. To hear more stories about the course and from participants, please go to http://www.businessasmission.com/. The next IBAM Course will be in Chiang Mai, Thailand from 24th January to March 7th 2009. Application forms are available from the Business As Mission Resource Centre, please email bamtraining@oval.com or download from http://www.businessasmission.com/.
Labels: IBAM, International Business as Mission, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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Business as Mission Training- Optimizing Impact
Initial feedback revealed that John was the No 1 speaker in the International Business as Mission Course. John is a seasoned business entrepreneur working on the cutting edge of the Business as Mission movement and spoke from the perspective of a potential investor into Business as Mission businesses. His topics stirred up passionate discussion and questions in the classroom. Participants were challenged to be radical with God in their BAM ventures seeking to enter areas of the world that are not defined as "investor friendly" but "potentially unfavorable or risky". For those called to business and expanding God's kingdom, what holds us back from embracing and asking if God may have called us to go to these places? He spoke dynamically, challenging the participants calling and willingness to sacrifice and be obedient.Hear from participant Ruth Smith who has a vision to meet Christian educational needs and physical needs for women and children in Malaysia. This is how John's teaching impacted her:
What some businesses would kill for we could be killed for. With that as an introduction, John explained how his name and business began coming up in Google searches after being "outed" as a Business as Mission operation in a closed country in Asia.The result was detrimental to the company & shy; and the Christian entrepreneurs.The company's website was taken down, and all the Christian managers changed their contact information. Throughout John¹s lectures, the class was frequently reminded about the need for security when doing business as mission in countries whose governments are the opposed to Christianity.
What some businesses would kill for we could be killed for. With that as an introduction, John explained how his name and business began coming up in Google searches after being "outed" as a Business as Mission operation in a closed country in Asia.The result was detrimental to the company & shy; and the Christian entrepreneurs.The company's website was taken down, and all the Christian managers changed their contact information. Throughout John¹s lectures, the class was frequently reminded about the need for security when doing business as mission in countries whose governments are the opposed to Christianity.
John is now the CEO of a venture capital company. His company's vision includes building long-term relationship with BAM companies operating in Africa and the Muslim world.
John's company not only looks to invest capital, but helps find the right mentoring for the business. He defines capital to include more than money. In fact, he identifies five kinds of capital that BAM organizations require, only one of which is financial. The other four are:
- Human - especially the kind of people who are obedient to the Lord that says, "Here I am, send me."
- Intellectual - the gifts and talents of the people who are part of the business.
- Spiritual - the Holy Spirit leadership that helps BAM companies successfully wage the spiritual warfare in the countries they operate.
- Social - the network a company creates my success is directly related to your success through win-win partnerships and associations.
In addition to this broad definition of capital, John also has a broad definition of the bottom line of a BAM business. Such a business, has a quadruple bottom line that seeks transformation of the social, spiritual,environmental and financial landscapes.
John did not minimize for us the challenges of achieving the quadruple bottom line in a BAM project. It may take 3 (or more frequently 5) years to achieve a profit, but the social and spiritual transformations may take many years. The challenges are formidable. BAM practitioners operate in across-cultural setting, deal with corruption, and face many other issues. He emphasized that BAMers need to commit for the long term to achieve the transformation of the society they hope to realize.
Labels: Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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Week Five ... Getting down to the Business of Business
The International Business as Mission field trips brought a new, much needed flavor to the course. The students came back ready to dive into practical applications of Business as Mission after seeing it in action. Business as Mission theories and vision were transformed into action plans. This reality brought a new dimension and feel to the classroom. Under leadership of Ken Elliot, seasoned business coach, students spent focused time hammering out their personal business plans. Ken delivered workshops on the nuts and bolts of business (financial management, sales/marketing,detailed business planning process).Ken has spent the last 7 years doing Business as Mission in Bangladesh and serving as an international Business as Mission consultant to mission organizations and field practitioners. He shed light on the complexities of business start up in one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
Ken's IBAM Experience: The highlights of the last two weeks for me have been the privilege and opportunity to spend quality time with like minded people. In preparing for this time, it was with the expectation that I would be delivering workshops and spending the time here in the form of training and mentoring.
While these have certainly been components of my time with the IBAM participants,the added bonus of it being in a learning and growing environment has been a huge encouragement to me.To see the incredible potential that God has brought together and gathered here in Thailand for 6 weeks was awesome! God is moving and I believe reclaiming the market place is part of His agenda. Being part of a group from many different parts of the globe gathered together to listen, learn and share was so encouraging for me. Having been involved in the area of BAM and sustainable small business development training among the poor for many years it was good to not only share from my experience but to be refreshed and encouraged by the experience of others, and to see the potential of many starting out on their journey with God through business as mission. I look forward to continuing involvement with some of the participants in the course to see Gods plans unfolding in their lives.
Labels: International Business as Mission, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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International Business as Mission Training Members Return from a Week in Thailand
Personal reflection from Dr. Kashale from W. Africa--participant in the International Business as Mission (IBAM) Course who visited businesses in N. Thailand established to provide dignity and opportunities for people from underprivileged background.It is amazing to realize that within three short weeks we managed to build a sort of family within this course. I am feeling a kind of pain to see the family scattered throughout Asia for the field trips. Really I was not expecting such a feeling at this point.
The first company we visited PC is a technology company providing service sand software in the following areas: data entry, processing, publishing and training. The owner grew up in Asia as an MK and returned home to start his own company in software design for 20+ years. God called him back to Thailand--his first love. One of the most important things we learned from our visit to PC was how key relationship, language and understanding the culture is when you are trying to do BAM. After only 1.5 years, PC is doing surprisingly well and competitive. PC employs a handful of college-educated Thais (minority background rescued from unemployment because of racial discrimination). His employees with a little encouragement have been an amazing fit for his business. PC also provides strategic services to churches and NGO’s that are partnering with them in this initiative . The lesson I personally learned from PC: relationship and sovereign gift (a kind of predestination) is unavoidable if one is to succeed in any kingdom enterprise.
The rhythm this morning is quite slow, quite African. I am used to it, I feel comfortable. Running on western style time is not a challenge either.We Africans from big cities we are no longer totally in our tradition, we are somewhere in the middle, that gives us a flexibility which has been very helpful during this course. We are here at the Chamber of Commerce doing some research to learn more about the regions we are visiting. One of our speakers, Glenn White, delivered a week’s teaching and walked us through how to use the Kingdom Assessment Tool (KAT). The KAT provides a framework for helping us strategically research about the social, spiritual and economic environment. This exercise is helpful and real. You really get to know better a country by using this tool. Tonight we are visiting a restaurant that provides quality western style food. If one is fed up with Thai food this is the place to go. Financially the business is healthy: providing jobs for Thai, an opportunity for the employee where they are empowered in many ways‹education, leadership, management of money etc.
Now we are off to the mountains in Fg to see a fish farm business and other projects run by New Sunrises Ltd. This is going to be our home for three days. The vision of New Sunrises is to create a kingdom context where people can realize that God has drawn near to men. Man shall not look for God(classical approach) because God is here looking for us. This is the foundation upon which New Sunrises philosophy is based. The life on this fish farm is different from our hotel. One of the big differences is the cold bucket shower. The test is tough for everyone but more for the westerners than for us non-westerners. Very brave these people.Today we visited the girls hostel and the boy’s home they operate. These facilities accommodate vulnerable children exposed to prostitution and human trafficking. I like meeting the real people. The countryside makes you encounter them. Poverty is still an issue in Thailand but the situation is much better than in Africa. Here wealth is distributed better--paved roads everywhere, decent housing and good transport system.Back in Fg at the guesthouse, we have a big meal. Potatoes are specially cooked for brother Vincent who has so longed for this occasion.Tomorrow we return to the hotel, we are home. Strange how people can get used to things they did not know before. You learn to appreciate happiness only when you lose it! The other teams are now arriving this next day. I bet I will be sad when we finish the course in March. I shall learn to grab more efficiently happiness. Carpe diem!
Labels: Recruitment and Job Opportunities, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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International Business as Mission Training Members Return from Indonesia
Personal reflection from Will attending the International Business as Mission (IBAM) course field trip to Indonesia along with 7 other participants. Read how he was impacted by what he experience there:In Indonesia, we visited a wide variety of different businesses that are responding dynamically to the local needs in this region of the world. Poverty and lack of basic infrastructure is overwhelming. The businesses we looked at ranged from handicrafts to Internet cafe to a construction business. Daniel, the entrepreneur who started them, has worked in this area of Indonesia for nearly 20 years. He and his wife moved their family to what seemed like the end of the world because God called them to be pioneer sin a difficult often, hostile environment. Through business and economic development, he saw that he could help bring life into this area of Indonesia. The businesses, micro-credit and training programs they started have been a life-line, reaching to many in need.
From his 20 years experience of living and working in Indonesia, other organizations that are just now starting up in the area are turning to Daniel for his wisdom, experience and knowledge of the area and culture. God has given him this favor and further opportunity to influence and consult with organizations that are catching the vision and need to bring economic development and sustainability here. It was exciting to see that the immediate team he has trained are now Believers.They have amazing character and passion for the Lord, which in turn is motivating them to press into new areas of development and business in the area. This type of growth is exponential in that they are taking opportunities to share their faith with their colleagues, friends and family. An exciting movement is now underway because of the faithful obedience of one man.
Personally, one of the lessons from this course that has been highlighted for me practically during the field trip is the value of finding locals,training them and releasing them in their gifts. This is exactly the model that Daniel has followed and it is working well. He has committed to Indonesia for the long-term and is just now seeing some of these fruits of his labor. I think we have yet to see the full extend of what God wants to do in this area of the world and it will continue to show more over time.
Labels: Business as Mission Impact Story, Recruitment and Job Opportunities, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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International Business as Mission Training Members Return from Cambodia
Personal reflection from Alena--participant in IBAM course who attended the Cambodia field trip. She has started an outdoor adventure business and is committed to bringing social, spiritual and economic transformation for the Kingdom through her business.Having returned from my field trip in Cambodia I realize that business in my understanding is really about distributing wealth, demonstrating goodness,revealing the goodness and glory of God to every level of our society. One of the businesses we visited in Cambodia showed very clearly that we reveal the Creator in the quality of our work, just as the Creator has revealed Himself in the quality of His work. People get changed and societies transformed by realizing and applying this in real life situations and issues.
It is required of us that we think creatively in this issue, and find new keys of understanding from the scriptures. Our lives are stretched while working out how to handle the different tensions in the business world. In my experience, it requires strength and endurance to do this. Yet through this the power of God can flow and produce productivity, success and social change.
Taking part in the IBAM course helps me to put my finger on these issues and helps me to integrate these important values and principles into my business. By having a business that organizes outdoor activities in the north of Norway, I aim to bring forth social change and growth in the community. Empowering and training locals in different life management areas such as responsibility, leadership and decision-making do this. Before It ended to think that it is all about the transportation of God from one place to another, while it is more about the identification of a God who is already there. I am glad to be able to see and observe this today, through the field trip and being here in Thailand.
Labels: 20 and 30 Somethings, Recruitment and Job Opportunities, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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International Business as Mission Training Members Return from a Week in China
Personal reflection from Charles who spent a week in China understanding Chinese business culture with the International Business as Mission Training Course. The team tells says "He is a big fan of the BAM network and has it set as his home page" ...Over the last four weeks I've been engaged in the Introduction to Business as Mission Course in Thailand. My course learning began with an overview of Business as Mission as a mindset and movement. Through the sessions that followed I have been equipped in the following areas: prayer in business,kingdom business planning, setting up accountability systems, and countless other skills one would need to pursue a calling to do business as mission in a cross cultural setting.
Last week I had the opportunity to travel to China on one of the course field trips to learn and experience Business as Mission on the ground.Through this trip four course-mates and I soaked up the Chinese culture as we met with Chinese business people, interviewed BAM practitioners, and learned the realities of doing kingdom business where unique challenges exist.
The business as mission insight I gleaned from this exposure trip was invaluable, but what stuck me most were the hearts and souls of the people of China. Whenever entering a new culture I try to adopt a mindset that prepares me for how different the new culture will be. I am always, however,pleasantly shocked at how many similarities can be found in a new and foreign culture.
The "thumbprint" of God was visible throughout the city. From building names with kingdom significance to Chinese businessmen who operate with Biblical principles having never read the Bible, it was evident that this was a place and people created by God, for his glory and in His image.
Having been apart of this course and field trip, I now have a better framework for Business as Mission, a new heart for China and an invigorated passion for using the gifting of business to draw out the kingdom of God in His people for His glory.
Labels: 20 and 30 Somethings, Recruitment and Job Opportunities, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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From Missions to Business as Mission - Impact Story from Thailand
After already being involved in missions through an organization called Youth With a Mission my wife and I had business on our minds because we saw the potential transformation it could bring in developing countries. I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering and my wife has a background in real estate. During our time in missions, we stumbled upon this movement of Business as Mission and heard about the Introduction to Business as Mission course. For the many years we have been working for YWAM we have been engaging in ministry under the leadership of our base leader. This past Fall, we were approached by our base to explore economic sustainability projects as a viable opportunity to see real transformation in a society. We have been in various missional outreaches to many nations, but are still witnessing challenges when it comes to actual sustained discipleship within the nations of the world. As we stumbled across this course a few months ago we saw the Lord was leading, and so it has proved.We know that the Lord has given us principles to live within this world, and business is one arena that all people touch. Unfortunately many live without guidance of God in financial and trade areas and out of this we see much poverty and despair. We are to seek His kingdom first and participate in that here on earth, so what does that mean? How do we live out these Kingdom principles in such a way as to touch lives? How can we engage this world with the Kingdom of Heaven? How can we really disciple the nations? These questions, and more, are at the core of this training in the introductory course.
Jesus told us to clothe the naked and to feed the poor. How do most people take care of these things in their own lives? They have jobs. We need to step out in faith and create opportunities for others to have sustainability in their lives, where the naked are clothed and the poor are fed and glory is given to God.
Wil & Abbey Brillinger
http://www.brillinger.org/
Labels: Recruitment and Job Opportunities, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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Week Three… A look Inside the Classroom of the Business as Mission Training
Thanks for checking in again this week for the update from the Business as Mission course in Thailand. It’s exciting to share with you how the events are unfolding here in Asia. It’s been another fantastic week of learning practically how BAM can be used to further the kingdom of God in this world. The students had 3 packed days of lectures, coaching sessions and working together in business development groups before the field trip teams left for a week in Indonesia, China, Cambodia or N. Thailand. The participants were assigned to the field trip that was best suited for their interests—manufacturing, textiles, micro-credit, micro-franchising, import/export, muslim-environment etc. Next week you can check back in to read an excerpt from each field trip team and how it impacted their understanding of BAM.Our keynote speaker this week was North American entrepreneur Neil K. who has been working in Chinese business for the past 15 years. He is an amazing pioneer of the BAM movement and shared from his wealth of knowledge and personal experiences. Although he is western, he came and spoke to us from an Asian perspective this week, addressing issues of corruption, bribery, role of family, learning culture and language. Because he was very “asian” in his approach this week, we were all challenged to think outside the boxes we automatically filter everything through. He was able to take us to a deeper level of understanding, preparing us for the challenges we will face when going to another culture…we must learn to think how they think and let values and principles inside us be lived out as an example to those we are working with. He also talked about the beauty of finding the thumbprint of God in each culture of the world.
Here’s a bit of his story and a summary of what he shared with us this week:
Neil has a history of business and entrepreneurial gifting in his family as his father and grandfather were all in business. When he felt a call to go to China as a missionary, his first response was to go by engaging in “classic” missionary work. When he went, his worldview could not grasp that God could use his business gifting to advance the kingdom. The longer he was there, his Chinese friends saw his entrepreneurial gift and kept drawing it out of him, encouraging him to use it to create jobs in China…to be a blessing! Through this, God began to heal his understanding of business--created for God’s glory. The theme of the week was this: although God called him to use the tool of business in China, his heart as a follower of Christ is always missional—asking the question, how can he use what God has given him to advance the Kingdom of God?
Neil said that one of the most difficult things he learned in China was that in order to succeed, he must willing give up his ethnocentric thinking and learn from the Chinese way. Learning the Mandarin language was a big part of this process. While learning the language, God was constantly humbling him because he was brought to the level of a child. This forced him to learn from them, asking questions so he could learn from them how to be a blessing as opposed to forcing his ideas on them. Practically, he gave us a list of 10 common pitfalls he’s seen in his experience of people trying to do BAM in a cross-cultural context and an operations manual for doing business in China.
Neil’s teaching this week was delivered “asian style” and included a dynamic mix of biblical principles, first-hand BAM experience/words of wisdom, stories and cultural training! The most impressive of all was Neil’s commitment to live out his passion for God through word and deed—it was evident in everything he did this week and left an impact on us all. Needless to say after listening to Neil share his passion for the Chinese people, the China team was excited to go on their field trip!
Labels: Recruitment and Job Opportunities, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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An Incredible Adventure- From Africa to the Business as Mission Training in Thailand
One of the young adults participating in the YWAM Business as Mission Training Course is already planning to take what he learns back to Africa. I was praying for three years asking God to cross my path with an organization or program that could help me take the next step in business as missions. He was showing me how business could bring transformation to my country.
My background in business is that I sell fish in local villages and I studied in a World Wide Trade course for one year. I felt compelled to find out what was happening in BAM around the world and get plugged into this movement. So, I started researching on the Internet and came across the Lausanne Forum where I found an advertisement for the Introduction to Business as Mission course. I wrote to the director of the course immediately and was told that the applications weren't ready yet. So I waited with perseverance for him to send me one in the summer.
During this time my excitement for this course was building and God was giving more vision for what he wanted to do in my country through BAM. When I applied for the course, I thought I would be under qualified for acceptance on the course. When I heard the news that I was accepted, I felt so blessed. Obtaining a visa to attend the course in Thailand was a miracle for me. The Thai government doesn't release visas to Africans very easily and I needed a year non-immigrant visa. The nearest Thai embassy was in Nigeria and it took me 1 week to travel there by road from Camaroon. I went by car because could not afford the flight to go to the embassy. During some of the journey we had to push the car for up to 2 km at a time because the roads were inaccessible to drive.
By the time we arrived at the embassy in Nigeria, I was very tired but what kept motivating me to press forward was I kept hearing the director encouraging me to persevere through the challenges. Whenever I was running down I heard his voice in my head quickening me to continue overcoming the obstacles I was facing. With the assistance of directors of the BAM course, my job was to convince the Thai embassy I needed a visa to travel to Thailand. At the embassy I gave them my paperwork but had to wait a long time there. It looked like they were going to refuse me a visa and then I called the course director in Europe to have him talk to the embassy official who was making a decision on my case. I was also praying a lot throughout this time asking God to open the door for me. After the official talked to the director, the embassy official handed me my 1 year visa! What an amazing miracle that God gave to me. With visa in hand, I traveled by road back to Camaroon and flew out to Thailand to attend this course. By this point I had not been able to raise enough finances to attend the course but felt so strongly that I should go. I still needed the remainder of my course fees and arrived in Thailand without knowing where this was coming from. Two days after my arrival, God provided for these fees in amazing ways. I still don't know where it came from.
My hope for attending this course is that God will change my local way of understanding business and dissolve the plague I have in my understanding about His kingdom and business. In an African mindset, there is split worldview of the sacred/secular. Many Christians are given a high pedestal because they are in church work, which is seen to be more holy than working in regular job. God has called me to begin to change this mindset in my country and use business to bring transformation in society. After returning from this course, I have a vision for three things God is putting in my heart:
1) I want to expand my fish business and use the networking to teach on BAM wherever I go
2) God has also been speaking to me about reaching the pygmies on the border of Cameroon and CAR through business development bringing them out of tribal, subsistence existence
3)I would love to host a BAM training conference for W. Africa and begin to spread these transformational concepts. I want to see BAM flow in W. Africa because God is using it to do great things.
Labels: Recruitment and Job Opportunities, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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Training the Next Generation: A Reflection from a Participant in the Business as Mission Training Course
From the Business as Mission Network to the YWAM Training In ThailandThe Business as Mission Network has quickly become the place for people to learn about opportunities to get involved. A few months ago someone visited the site and learned about the business as mission training course in Thailand. Here's a reflection from Evan after the first week in the training course in Thailand:
Youth With a Mission's Introduction to Business as Mission course was not in my plans. However, I found myself listening to the Father laugh more in regards to my plans rather than I seeing His hand move in the direction I had hoped. After the first week of lectures and gaining the knowledge that I have uncovered through the lives and testimonies of my classmates in this course, I am eternally grateful for God's sense of humor in the direction and plans he has for my life.
My story as a BAMer has taken a very logical course that was often beyond my comprehension throughout the journey. While studying business management in college, my wife and I helped plan, open, and manage a full-scale coffeehouse that doubled as a platform for relational evangelism to take place. As I continued my studies in business at the postgraduate level, I often felt frustrated and felt my heart was moving further from business activities and closer to "fulltime ministry" by being involved in missions work. I remember thinking, "God I don't know why I am getting my MBA, because I want to serve you full timein missions and not in the workplace". At that time, I had no idea how God was preparing me for full time ministry through my work and educational experience in business.
First I had to come to a place where I could see my daily work as ministry by breaking down the mental wall that compartmentalized work apart from ministry. This week's teaching by Mats Tunehag (Week 1 Topic: Intro to BAM) and Bill Rigden (Topic: Role of prayer in BAM) have only confirmed the calling that God has placed on my life to use business as an inspired way to transform, bless, and prepare a way for His kingdom to dwell among men.
To briefly summarize this week's lectures, I would say that despite one’s starting place in business as missions--whether a highly experienced, trained businessperson or someone with a heart for missions--one must truly understand the impact of the sacred and secular divide in our thinking. It whispers in our heads, constantly trying to affect the way we process and under-spiritualize God¹s call on our life. Primarily one must realize the debilitating effects of such a mentality on the church at large and the hardships it will create for those trying to use their gifts to minister full time in the business world. Business can be used for the ultimate glory of God.
One of greatest struggles that I have felt and seen in my classmates this week has been trying to understand the practical manifestations of a BAM project due to its wide spectrum of application around the world. My initial conclusion on matter is that BAM application is truly a matter of the heart and God gives us the creativity to step out in faith with Him. BAM projects will not appear the same in one region as the next or from one-person to the next and so begins the journey.
Evan Kubicek
Labels: Mats Tunehag, Recruitment and Job Opportunities, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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Training the Next Generation: Business as Mission Course Starts in Thailand with Mats Tunehag
22 Future and Present Business as Mission Leaders Arrive in Thailand and Start their TrainingIt was in fall 2005 when I was pushing hard to get our small company going, that I observed an increase of well-intended and passionate missionaries called to Business as Mission ("BAM") arriving in our Central Asian field location. My family and I had been serving on the field for the past 8 years and we started a few businesses because we saw how much transformation business can bring. The problem was, that even though some of our fellow workers came with significant business and cross-cultural expertise--which they were planning to capitalize on--almost all of them had very unrealistic expectations of how to use their expertise in a pioneering situation. I found that often they came with so much ambition and vision but underestimated the enormity of the challenge to start a business in a cross-cultural context.
About the same time as I was recognized this need for more equipping of BAMers, I attended a very meaningful BAM workshop in Almaty and the Lord started to put it on my heart to think about increasing the “success quota” of BAM start-ups by teaching “the essentials” to enable BAMers to succeed. My colleagues and I had learned the hard way in our own enterprise on the field and did want others to follow in our footsteps. Although God was speaking to me personally about getting involved in helping equip BAMers by pioneering a course, I didn’t act on this call until we encountered a serious crisis in our family which forced me to hand over my responsibilities in the Central-Asian business and leave the field temporarily.
It is often said that the Lord can bring something good out of crisis - this was certainly the case in my situation. Suddenly I had adequate time on my hands because I was no longer running my businesses and the Lord was clearly insisting that I take steps towards setting up training for potential business entrepreneurs called to a cross-cultural setting. To cut a long story short, it didn’t take much to convince YWAM’s International BAM Resource Team to get all fired up with the idea because they also saw the increasing need. This was about 18 months ago and led to our collaboration together to develop and facilitate the first Introduction to Business as Mission training course now in full swing! There is more to come in 2009.
Today, we’re into the first week of our custom-designed program-Introduction to Business As Mission. World class speaker, Mats Tunehag is facilitating the learning session this week in a packed class room in Chiang Mai,Thailand and we can’t get away from the sense that we are indeed hitting a nerve. Just 3 days in, the feedback we’ve already received confirms to us that God is doing something great. In the coming weeks we will have seasoned practitioners sharing their experiences as well as coaching course participants who have come with a vision to develop their own start-up projects. This week each participant has been interviewed in-depth so that we can customize a learning process for each individual, preparing them with the skills they need to achieve their goals. Many of them have come with God-inspired ideas and vision to bring transformation in this world!
We have a very diverse classroom of students coming from around the globe—Togo, Camaroon, Netherlands, Germany, Central Asia, USA, Malaysia, Korea. You are very welcome to check-in next week, here at the Business as Mission Network and read first-hand experiences from 2 of our students.
Michael Klein
International Business as Missions Resource Team
Labels: Mats Tunehag, Recruitment and Job Opportunities, Training, Training the Next Generation, YWAM
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