“So you’re really staying!” was our friend's reaction with a noticeable sense of relief and excitement. Our conversation came after living in Japan for five years, enrolling our children in Japanese school, and learning the language. We assumed surely after those steps, we had communicated to our friends a desire to be invested in their culture and lives. But there was something missing as they waited for an abrupt and unexpected departure. We realized there is something about working with a college club that had kept us from being viewed as committed members of society and life in Japan. However, we noticed an instant change while sharing our vision to start a business in Japan. It communicated our commitment to relationships and opened opportunities for our friends to participate. This friend in particular excitedly shared her own ideas and expressed desire to serve and help us. We believe that part of her reaction was her new ability to understand what we are doing vocationally, which also allowed us to move forward relationally. As we have prayed over making the transition from "traditional missions" as full-time campus ministers to missional entrepreneurs (by pursuing a direct-trade coffee roaster and shop next to the university), we have felt like we are in a process of aligning what we believe with what we are doing. Many of the ways God had been opening doors for us fell outside of our assigned ministry as collegiate staff, which gave our lives a slightly fractured feeling. The lack of alignment pushed us to explore the idea of an organic and incarnational ministry that goes to where people naturally reside contrary to an invitational ministry that calls students into a club outside of their day-to-day life. As business owners, we believe that we will be able to be a better living witness of the gospel as contributing members of the community than as peripheral oddities with a job frequently misunderstood by the majority of the Japanese population. We believe that the whole of life can be sacred – whether roasting coffee, changing diapers, or working as a salaryman – and is a misunderstanding of the Gospel to only view time directly tied to Bible study and church as valuable. There is a great temptation to consider the remaining time as something simply to be survived or in competition with what “really matters.” We hope to be change agents to what it means to be Christ’s followers in Japan by entering the business world and roasting, brewing, and selling coffee to the glory of God. – Bryan and Jamie GEN Desk Commentary –
How do we better incarnate the gospel in the setting God has us now? Please share your thoughts or comments below.
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In environments distrustful of business receiving the blessings of community leaders becomes paramount. While it is always a benefit in establishing any mission-planting to receive the blessings of key leaders, where business is viewed as suspect, sharing your vision, your intentions to bless, and the promise to treat the people of this location with dignity, respect and justice can actually be used to bring community leaders on-board quicker than in other situations. However, one of the things that these leaders will be interested in knowing is how long do you plan to stay and what will you leave (enough large corporations from nations across the world have entered local environments and after a short period of time left, leaving everything from environmental chaos to workers who are physically broken and unable to return to their previous vocations). Part of what you must share is a promise to stay within the region beyond the first difficulties. In business-averse environments the willingness to incur early-stage business losses is important if the people are to ever again welcome a business to their setting or see it beyond a launching phase. Of course there are always limitations – we are running a genuine business, not a charity – but building in plans for how long you can suffer financial losses is important, and it is important to clarify that with local leaders.
Finally, and this is true for all missionaries, but for business enterprise missionaries even more so, your lifestyle is something that will be closely watched. In much of Latin America the wealth has remained in the hands of the few for generations, and these people who own much of the commerce-generating activities, live at level far above that of their workers and consumers. While this is less-true in other-parts of the world, the general rule is that business people live in great wealth while those who are the back-bone of the wealth production suffer. Living as close to the level of the community, your workers, and consumers is essential in communicating that your for-profit enterprise is a different thing than that which they may have seen before. And so are you. Before you can even have the chance to begin to operate, begin to incarnate the Gospel the enterprise God has called and empowered you to do, the environment where you plant your business can make or break your ability to not just be financially viable, but to incarnate more than just the gospel of western business imperialism of “greed is good.” Around the world, from the middle of New York City to the side alleyways of Addis Ababa, businesses operate and bring goods and services to people who need and want their products. But strangely, across the globe, the perspective of the business person is not one of a great servant to society. In fact, in many parts of the world surveys show that businessmen are viewed as greedy, unconcerned about workers and customers, and sadly, in much of the world – corrupt. This of course is nothing new – the scriptures give us warnings about accurate scales and the containers for measuring the dry materials and liquids (Leviticus 19:36, Proverbs 11:1;16:11;20:23, Hos 12:7, Amos 8:5, Mic 6:11). From the beginning of time, those who are at the heart of economic activity have often been viewed as exploitative rather than bearers of goodness, righteousness, and hope. Even in large parts of the formerly Christianized West, Christians themselves see the pursuit of wealth as going against the intentions of God. The view is that profit comes from some way of gaming the system, and thus signals the damaging of one of the parties. It can, perversely, make in the initial period, the idea of incarnating the Gospel through business a more difficult, a more challenging way to enter into the society as a bearer of the Gospel. Realizing these challenges there is a lot that must be done, beyond the scouting for the establishment of a start-up business in the setting you have chosen. First, it is essential to determine how people in your chosen location view business, profit, and outside organizations in general. Becoming aware of the business/profit related challenges before you is essential in determining whether a business enterprise is the proper venue for incarnating the Gospel. If the calling you have received is to a particular people and place, and they view business and profit-making as deeply troubling, it may make sense to establish a social rather than business enterprise (school, medical facility, etc.). If the call to do business remains clear, regardless of their current feelings and experiences of business, then the next steps are essential. While it is true that there is almost nowhere in the world that would not benefit economically, socially, and spiritually from the planting of a missional business enterprise, realizing the barriers to being perceived as a blessing are vital. Our desire over the next years and even decades are for this community to recognize your business as an expression of the Kingdom of God, and not just another attempt to build our own financial kingdom on the foundation of their community and its people and environment. (Part 2 to come in August) - GEN Desk Author GEN Desk Commentary –
What do you feel needs to happen be part of a business to effectively incarnate the gospel? Who is the perfect missional entrepreneur? Ten years ago, a couple of families formed a team to reach an unreached people group in Asia. They desired to plant themselves long-term creating a business, but had never taken a business course. Currently, this team owns and operates one of the best examples of a missional enterprise around the world. They have a growing heart for Christ, desire to refine their entrepreneur niche, and call to be Kingdom ambassadors amongst an unreached people group. The perfect missional entrepreneur is someone with a passion for Christ, business niche, and people. God is in the business of transforming people. We want those people who God is working in. You may not already be perfectly refined around every edge, but you’re in process. Romans 12:1-2 calls us to offer everything to God, fix our attention on Him, and learn what He desires most. His gospel continues its work throughout our lives and produces the passion for Christ necessary to live each day. Likewise, a business needs passion to succeed. You will need to invest personal sweat and blood. This is going to take your time, money, and energy. So how do you go all-in without doing something you’re passionate about? It just won’t happen, you will get burned out and crash or always feel the tension of not doing what you are called to do. Your business needs to reside in your niche passion. Whether your passion is growing or already matured, work out of your passion! Our earthly business is to make disciples of every nation. We are called to take the gospel message to the ends of the earth. There is no way to accomplish this calling on our own. It is God’s mission and calling that empowers us and gives us passion for people from every nation, tribe, people and language. Who then is the perfect missional entrepreneur? Missional entrepreneurs and teams need to be composed of people with backgrounds in business, engineering, design, technology, adventure, athletics, missions, medical, and more. You could be a recent college grad or a seasoned executive. If God is driving your passions, you’re the perfect person! - GEN Desk Author GEN Desk Commentary –
How is God shaping your passions? In the early 1980s, I was young and zealous. I was deeply committed to Jesus and the Great Commission. I had a Message that every person on earth needed to hear. I was filled with faith and ... naiveté. My goal was to do evangelism, discipleship, and church planting with oppressed people who did not know Jesus. My wife, two toddlers, and I moved into a restricted access nation. The country was closed to traditional missionaries. I needed an identity that was acceptable to the repressive regime so they would give me a visa to live there. I became a businessman and got a work permit. I had an impressive letterhead and business cards. I did not have a real business. I was a ‘tentfaker’. Contrary to the Apostle Paul who actually made tents (Acts 18:1-3), I was a pretender. The charade was doomed to fail from the beginning. The discrepancy between what I told people I was doing (business) and what I was actually doing (ministry) began to burden me. The lack of authenticity and integrity weighed on my conscience. How could I teach Truth and expect others to live by it, when I was being untruthful about my identity and activities? My duplicity also became apparent to the authorities. They asked us to leave the country. The crucible of reality forced me to rethink my theology and my practice. We returned to the States and I re-tooled. I got an MBA in International Business. I also developed a more biblical theology of work. Within three years, we again moved overseas to a different closed country. This time around, I was committed to live out a viable identity in the country. Our business ventures met a real need. We made an authentic contribution to our clients, their families, and their communities. The government loved us. Internally, I was at peace, knowing that I was working and ministering out of integrity and truthfulness. We were also having a positive spiritual impact. By the grace of God, I helped to establish three separate financial institutions that are still operating today. Many of the people we ministered to in the context of those businesses are walking with God and ministering to others 25 years later. I’m thankful that God had mercy on me and transformed me from being a deceiver, albeit well intentioned, to being a bona fide missional entrepreneur. - GEN Desk Author GEN Desk Commentary –
This real-life story illustrates some of the basic principles within GEN:
How do these principles resonate with you as you think about missional enterprise? |
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