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08 Sep 2010
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Indepth
SECTION
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Tentmaking
Briefs |
Empowering Tentmakers to
Reach the World |
 Why
believe in Business as Mission?
The Business as Mission (BAM) movement has become
a fast growing flower in God's garden. But not all rapidly
growing seedlings will last for a long time. |
So what will happen to the Business as Mission companies? Will
we still talk about BAM 50 years from now?
Of course only God knows what the future will look like
and his foolishness is wiser than the wisdom of the humans (1
Cor 1.) Still it is possible to say something about the
strengths and weaknesses of the BAM-strategy.
BAM strengths
Let us look at the strengths first. Here are a number of reasons
why Business as Mission is a very relevant strategy for bringing
the gospel to the ends of the earth:
1. Business people are welcomed everywhere.
Nearly all countries will give visas to clever business people
who will contribute to building up their society. In several of
the countries where the Gospel is least known, there is a great
need for business entrepreneurs who can bring about the creation
of new workplaces. According to estimates from the World Bank,
2.6 billion people today have to survive on less than $2 per
day. 1.4 billion people have an income lower than $1.25 per day.
Within the next 20 years, two billion people will be born in
societies where there are few churches and few jobs. It was
God's intention that everyone should work. If we have no job to
go to and our skills are not in demand in society, we will very
easily lose our dignity.
God rejoices when business people use their skills and help
people to get their dignity back.
2. Business people are welcomed in all layers of society.
A man who served as a missionary in an African country for more
than a decade, decided to start an import-export business when
he moved to a new place. Now he is testifying how all doors
opened for him after he started his business.
3. God has always used business people to bring the gospel
forward.
The Bible tells us that all but the apostles had to leave
Jerusalem due to the persecution after the killing of Stephen
(Acts 7). Many of those who left were craftsmen and women. The
book of Acts tells us that those who were scattered planted new
churches in the places where they settled. Gary Goodhew, a
retired Anglican bishop, has concluded that «in the earliest
history of the Christian mission the saving news of Christ was
often carried to new places by those who were seeking to do
business.»
4. Business leaders are people of influence.
Some years ago a tentmaker went to Greenland to run a shipping
business. The business soon became the biggest tax payer in the
local community. Because of his contribution to the society, the
tentmaker was able to connect on a personal level with the
municipal leaders.
BAM challenges
There are also some common reasons why some Business as Mission
companies fail.
1. The founders/leaders don't know how to run a company.
Some Christians have seen the BAM-model as an entry strategy to
countries that do not issue visas to missionaries. Without any
business skills, the people involved try to set up a viable
company. However, due to lack of knowledge on how to run a
company, the business fails.
2. Stigma of business
Related to the first problem is the attitude that business work
is not real work for God. Some people think that as soon as
they've managed to register a business they can use as a visa
platform, they'll spend as little time as possible running the
business, and as much time as possible on evangelism. Anyone
thinking like this will probably not succeed in his or her
business. The attitude will also often discredit the name of
Jesus. When the authorities see that the persons involved are
not doing the job they promised, they conclude that Christians
are people who do not keep their word.
3. Hostile authorities are becoming more aware of the BAM
model
It is not only the Christian business people who know about the
BAM way of working. Authorities in countries that are hostile
towards the Gospel also have up to date knowledge about BAM. In
many places they keep track of what the business managers are
doing. This causes problems both to the businesses and to the
local believers who are getting involved.
Conclusion
The BAM companies come in all shapes and sizes. Within the BAM
family you find everything from one person companies making very
little money to multi-national businesses with profits of
millions of dollars. Together the BAM companies form a colorful
flower. Let's pray for God to raise up good BAM leaders and
models so this movement now and in the future will have maximum
impact for God's kingdom.
 God
moving into the neighborhood
From time to time The
Message is just brilliant in the way it has
paraphrased some of the texts in the Bible. John 1:14
(MSG) says:
"The Word became flesh and blood and
moved into the neighborhood."
Anyone who is involved in tentmaking will from time to time be
asked what tentmaking is all about. The simple answer is this:
It is all about God moving into
the neighborhood. By sending Christian professionals to work in
other countries and places, God's kingdom is established in new
neighborhoods all over the world.
A few years ago Barna research surveyed why people come to
Christ. According to their statistics most people become
believers because they have a close relationship to someone who
knows Jesus.
Workplaces and neighborhoods are wonderful places for making
contacts with new people. These relationships are creating
highways along which the Gospel can travel.
Unfortunately other surveys show that many believers often spend
most of their time hanging out with other people who are already
followers of Jesus. In this way great opportunities for sharing
the Gospel are lost.
One married couple once decided to make changes in their lives
in order to build friendships with more people who didn't know
Christ. They promised each other that they would make sure that
50 per cent of the people who came to their home would be those
who had no faith in Jesus. The decision caused huge changes.
First they had to stop inviting their Christian friends. And
then they had to befriend people who had little or no knowledge
about Jesus.
In the US many non-profit organizations are writing
"End of the Year"
appeals asking people to support their ministry. Global
Opportunities would like to give you a "Beginning
of the Year" appeal as you are reading
this.
First, we will challenge you to write down the names of
friends with whom you have regular contact. As you look at the
list, ask yourself if you should befriend more people who do not
know Jesus Christ in order to introduce them to him.
Second, we would like you to look at the map below
showing where in the world the Gospel
is least known. We ask you to prayerfully consider if there are
any new places God is asking you to go so that he will be able
to move through you into some new neighborhoods.
Steinar Opheim
Director - TENT
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Global Opportunities
www.globalopps.org
(239) 243-0881 |
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E-mail us at
insights@globalopps.org with
your answers and
comments.
We would love to hear from you.
Feel free to call 239.243.0881 if you would like to speak
with us personally.
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