Posts Tagged ‘Business’

Our Sacred Duty (adapted from the U.S. Navy SEAL Code)

Saturday, September 19th, 2009

My loyalty to God is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Christians, always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my calling, placing the welfare of others before my own.

I serve with honor on and off the congregation’s property. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.

We expect to lead and be led. Where Scripture is silent, I will take charge, lead my fellow believers, and accomplish the mission that our Lord commanded. I lead by example in all situations.

I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Lord expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time, on the account that it is my Lord advancing through me. I am His humble slave. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish the mission. I am never out of the fight because the Lord is and has been in me since my baptism.

We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The eternal lives of others and the success of the mission depend on our total dependence on our Lord and Savior — my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail are a gift from Him. My training is never complete, I will continue in His Word, always.

We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of His combat power to bear in order to achieve His mission and the goals established by through His Word. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required, yet guided by the very principles I serve to defend.

Brave, broken sinners have fought and died and are with Him enjoying His heavenly banquet. They built the proud tradition and reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of the Church steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail. This I do so intend with the help of God.

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Investing and Creating Wealth as Ministry

Monday, October 20th, 2008

All that we have and all that we are has come from God. He has blessed us with money and possessions, and he has given each of us specific talents and abilities. We have been called to be good stewards – to use our money, our time and our abilities as best we can to benefit God’s kingdom.

Giving tithes and offerings demonstrates our obedience to God, and the recognition that all we have has come from him. Why is it then, if we are happy to faithfully give our time and money,  that so many Christians seem to have an issue when it comes to discussing wealth creation.

There are at least two distinct lines of thought ;  one promoted by many of the big name TV evangelists who promote the “prosperity” and “name it and claim it” teachings,  and the other viewpoint of many of the conservative Christians  who push the opinion that seeking wealth is ungodly.

Unfortunately both of these viewpoints seem to run contrary to the Word, and to Jesus’ teachings about stewardship.

The “prosperity” teachers promote the idea that whatever you give to God, he will return to you many times over. Although this is close to the teaching of stewardship, which says that you should seek to multiply whatever God gives you, so that you can give him more back in return. It has been distorted, in as much as the actual motivation behind giving promoted by the prosperity teachers is self based (if I give more, God will give me more) instead of focusing on Christ. There is a huge difference between giving to get more, and working to increase your means so that you can give more to further the works of the kingdom.

Some now try to imply that if you are not prosperous, then your walk with the Lord must be lacking in some area, and others at the other end of the spectrum are always making condemning statements about the evils of being rich.

We need to really look at what the Word says, and the examples that Jesus gave.

I firmly believe that the enemy wants to deter us from aiming to invest and make our wealth grow, as he does not want us to be successful. He doesn’t want us making lots of money that we can use for the Lord’s work. He doesn’t want us to be able to fund mission outreaches or to feed the poor or to fund Christian satellite TV channels.

Some Christians seem to have the misconception that being wealthy is evil and being poor is holy. There is nothing holy about being poor. God doesn’t want his children to be in poverty. A rich person has far more power at their disposal to be able to help where financial assistance is needed than a poor person.

At the same time though we need to make sure that our motivation for creating wealth is to “get so we can give” as opposed to the prosperity teachers notion that we should “give so we can get”. As long as we do not idolize money, and retain the truth that all we have has come from God anyway, then there is no need to feel any guilt about how much money we make.

There are many examples in the Bible that show God’s desire to bless his faithful followers with wealth:

(Gen 39:2) “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.”

(Deut 29:9) “Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do”.

(2 Ch 26:5) “And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper”.

and 1 Kings 3:13 “And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days”.

God loves to bless his children, especially if we in return are happy to bless others. Therefore there is absolutely nothing wrong with setting goals to be good stewards and create wealth to give back to our Creator. In fact, as stewards of the resources God has given us, it is actually our responsibility to aim at increasing what we have.

We should be seeking to be successful for God. To genuinely set goals for investing both our money and time into the kingdom of God. The best way to increase your monetary wealth is not to go asking the boss for a pay rise, but rather to start a regular investment program. More important still, is to learn how to invest wisely and not be wasteful with our resources.

Before you can start investing you need to make some money available. One of the most effective methods it to use the 10/10/80 Plan. 10% of your income to God, 10% for investing and live off the remaining 80% of your income. This may take a little time to adjust to, but when you consider the long terms results that you will achieve once you start investing, you will find that it is extremely worthwhile.

You will have all heard the expression that “The second million is always easier than the first”. This is absolutely true. Compound interest has the greatest power to create wealth, and the more that is invested the quicker your wealth will grow.

In mathematical terms 72 divided by Compound Interest Rate of Return = Years for Money to Double in Value.

Therefore if you have an investment growing at 10% compound interest, it will double in value in 7.2 years (quadruple in 14.4 years and be worth eight times as much in 21.6 years). If it is growing at 12% it will double in 6 years.

John D Rockefeller who was once one of America’s richest men said that “Compound Interest is the Eighth Wonder of the World”.

Einstein once said, “The most powerful concept or principle in the world that I am aware of is that of compound interest”.

When deciding on the best areas to invest in, it is worth taking into consideration the fact that over 90% of the world’s millionaires have made their money through property.

God will give you the wisdom to decide on the best strategies for your situation if you put in the time and effort to learn as much as you can and seek his direction. It is wise to also seek professional advice, as rules and regulations and tax effectiveness will vary between nations.

I believe God wants to start shifting the wealth of this world into the hands of Christians, who can plant it back into his kingdom.

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Business with an “End Game”

Saturday, May 31st, 2008

The Scriptures say, “Without revelation (or vision) people cast off restraint.” (Proverbs 29:18.) Vision may be defined as “a perceived worthy result.” It is something far off or future in nature that draws us on toward it, an “end game.”

For Christians, our end game is, or should be, to hear Jesus say, “Well done good and faithful servant!” Truly there can be no higher or better result of our lives than to hear those words. When our eye is clear, and our “end game” clearly in mind, it, in and of itself “restrains” us. It helps us focus on what Stephen Covey calls “First Things” as in “Keep First Things First.” First things are those that feed those things most important to us and help us accomplish our vision. They are strategies and tactics that support us and help us remain focused amid the noise and distractions that the world, the flesh, and the devil throw in our path.

Our end game is eternal, not to be realized in this life, but in eternal life with our Lord Jesus. He will be our judge and our effectiveness will be judged by His standards alone. Without “restraint” or focus distraction will cause diffusion of our efforts and diminution of our fruitfulness. Loss of focus will ultimately result in our eternal loss. So, what’s your vision? Is your business a means to an end, and is that end eternal? What “restrains” you?

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God’s Evangelism Program

Thursday, April 17th, 2008

The Workplace as a Mission Field
When we think about evangelism in the workplace we must look at Jesus as our ultimate role model.  There are several things we learn about Jesus’ methods of speaking into the lives of those He came in contact with.  Jesus used the workplace as the setting to reach many people.  Consider this: where do the majority of people spend the majority of their time interacting with the majority of the lost world?  The only place that fits that description is the workplace.

Consider that of Jesus’ 132 public appearances in the New Testament, 122 were in the workplace.  Of the 52 parables Jesus told, 45 had a workplace context.  Furthermore, Jesus spent His adult life working as a carpenter before He went into a preaching ministry.  This is one of the more interesting observations about the life of Jesus.  He did not begin His “public preaching” ministry until he spent His adult life serving mankind as a simple carpenter in His earthly father’s small business.  If Jesus spent those ten to fifteen years in a workplace job, and only three years in public ministry, what does that say about the importance of work?  God uses work to accomplish many things in the lives of His followers.

One thing we notice about the method of Jesus in speaking to those in the workplace was that He dealt with each person in a unique and personal way.  There were no formulas.  Today the church often seeks to develop the latest and greatest evangelism program to present the gospel and gain a conversion.  Jesus went beyond these methods.

Gospel of Salvation versus Gospel of the Kingdom
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’” (Matthew 6:9-10).

Although there are situations where “tactics” might work well, Jesus modeled an approach that dealt with the whole person, not just salvation.  The church has often preached the “Gospel of Salvation” instead of the “Gospel of the Kingdom.”  What is the difference?  Well, in the New Testament you find Jesus speaking to people about the Gospel of the Kingdom many more times than the Gospel of Salvation.  The Gospel of the Kingdom is mentioned 66 times in the New Testament.  Jesus saw that people not only needed salvation, but they also needed to experience God in every aspect of their lives.  This is the Gospel of the Kingdom.  If God’s plan was only about salvation, we would all go to heaven immediately after receiving salvation.

In Jesus’ ministry, it was often a healing that brought someone to faith.  Or an encounter with a demon.  Or a struggle with an ungodly lifestyle.  All of these issues dealt with life and the kingdom of darkness.  Dealing with these issues often led to a commitment to Jesus.  That’s why He brought the Kingdom of God to these people.

When a person understands who he or she is in Christ and is motivated to love Christ and serve Him, evangelism is a natural byproduct of the relationship.  Jesus modeled this when He answered the disciples’ question regarding the greatest commandment.  “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40).

The bottom line priority for every believer is to love God and to love others.  Evangelism is the fruit of a love relationship with God and love towards others.  So often we try to motivate people to evangelize out of guilt, shame, or duty.  This usually yields little fruit that does not last.  I am not saying that tools are not appropriate to use when sharing the gospel.  I am only saying that everything proceeds from the heart.  In order for a believer to bear fruit (of which evangelism is but one part), he or she must have a transformed life that will yield fruit from obedience motivated by love for the Father.

The question for you and me is, “How can God use men and women in the workplace-like ourselves-to impact our workplace, communities, cities, and even nations?”  Let me assure you, God wants to demonstrate His love and power in your workplace.  Then you will experience God’s evangelism program.

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Your Work is Sacred

Tuesday, April 1st, 2008

Whatever job you do, it is a holy calling, a sacred calling, a responsibility given to you by God to serve Him there. Too often we think of our work, if we are not working specifically for the church, as being secular, second-class, having nothing to do with true spirituality, and little to do with being a faithful Christian. You can think of all the incorrect expressions we use to mark this division between the sacred and the secular: we speak of people who are in “full-time ministry” as if only they are “full-time Christians.”

We have a heritage in many churches which devalues ordinary work and sees it having little importance in the Kingdom of God. Why is that? Partly because there has been a retreat by Christians from the general culture: “The world is so worldly,” we say, “so what really matters to God is what we do in the church.” We can tend to fill up our lives with lots of meetings so we will feel more spiritual, as if it is those meetings that are spiritual. This is a very serious misunderstanding of what Scripture teaches.

Perhaps another reason for our low opinion of work is that we think that only evangelism, only preaching the Gospel, only teaching the Word is of real importance in the Kingdom of God — everything else is secondary. And I am sure you have heard sermons and Bible studies in which you have basically been made to feel that if you were really dedicated to God, you would immediately apply to be missionary or go to seminary and start training for the ministry. But that simply is not Biblical. God does call people to be in the office of public ministry — He’s called me to do that. But He has equally called people to be in other work and to honor Him, whatever their occupation.

What is it that gives our work value to God? Is it simply that when we work, we earn money so that we can give a tithe to support the ministry of the Word? Is that alone what gives our work value? No. It is true that we are called to support the ministry of the Word; Scripture says so quite clearly. but that is not what ultimately gives our work value.

Is it that in our workplaces we have the opportunity to be evangelists, to share the Gospel with the people we work alongside? Is that what gives our work value? No. While we do pray that God will give opportunities to share His truth because people need to hear it, that is not what primarily gives our work value.

Is it simply that we have to work to earn money to support ourselves so that we can get on with the “real work” of being active in our churches — that what we do in our workplaces is not very important, but what we really do that’s important is when we are at our church, when we teach Sunday School, or when we lead a Bible study? Is that what gives our work value? That is not true either.

What is it, then, that gives our work value? It is simply that God Himself declares it to be important, that God desires our service in the whole of our lives, and that we are to present everything to Him in order to serve Him. Paul says this so strongly in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all you heart, as working for the Lord, not for men….” “Whatever you do,” Paul tells us that it is the Lord Christ you are serving. God has declared our work to have value. It doesn’t need some other means outside itself. God’s Word gives it value.

Secondly, our work has value because we are to offer it to the Lord. Your work and my work is to be holy. That means we are to set it apart so that we may honor God in what we do. It is not the job itself that is holy, it is offering it to God as service. I may preach the Gospel in a way that is totally unholy, and you may be a person engaged in business in a way that is completely holy. It is a question of whether you dedicate your work to God and whether you serve God righteously in what you do that makes your work holy.

The implications of work being a service to the Lord are many. Two prominent implications relate to both integrity and interpersonal relationships.

Regarding integrity, Scripture calls us to such a high standard in the workplace because we are working for the Lord. When I go to my place of work, my first thought should not be, “What does my boss think of me?” — though I should certainly desire to please my boss. My first thought should be that I am called to work, serving God with integrity. It is important that we please those for whom we work, but we are going to have a much more important accounting to give one day. Christ Himself will ask us how we worked. Were you faithful? Did you work hard? Are you someone who just worked to please other people or did you work with genuine righteousness? That is the challenge to all of us in our work, and in every area of our lives.

Serving in the workplace as unto the Lord also has implications upon our interpersonal relationships. As we serve the Lord, how we treat people should be reflective of the God we serve. Paul tells us that if we have people over us, we are to treat them with respect and honor even if they don’t deserve it. That is very difficult. Many people work for those who are very demanding, who create all kinds of unreasonable burdens, who never say “thank you,” who do not show appreciation, who take people for granted. Scripture tells us that even if we are in such situations, we are to continue to work hard, to work respectfully, and to give honor. Of course there are times when the Christian has to draw lines. If I am asked to do something which is against the Word of God, I have to obey God first. But I must still show respect. Sometimes it may be necessary to say, “Stop treating me like a doormat,” but we must continue to work hard and respectfully. We have to pray for wisdom to know when it is right to do that. But generally speaking, we are called to be faithful, submissive, and respectful even in difficult situations.

We are also to treat those under us in a way that pleases God. He will judge us for the way we treat people. Jesus says in Matthew 20:25-28, “… whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served , but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Christ is to be our example. If you are in a place of authority and have people who work for you, you are to be their servant. Christ is the Lord of the Universe, but He became a servant. He served those who were under His authority. He served you and me, even by dying for us. He serves us every day by caring for us and all of our struggles and our needs, and being our Friend, Counselor, and Comforter. And we are called to be like Him. We are called to be servants of Christ, as well as being servants of others. What you should be asking every day in your place of work is “How may I serve those above me, under me, around me? How may I look to their needs? How may I become their friend, support, helper?”

We need to get God’s mind about matters in the workplace. Often times on Sunday people feel like everything they have done during the rest of the week really does not matter. The Bible says we are to worship God in everything, and what we do on Sunday morning when we come to praise Him with our lips is simply bringing the whole of our week to declare His praises together as His people. There should be no distinction between our work week and our Sunday service — all of it is the worship of God, and all of it is to be holy. We need to honor that conviction in the way we commend people. We should praise God for people in business who are righteous in what they do and who serve God in their places of work, or praise God for teachers who teach well, or praise God for lawyers who care for widows and orphans.

That is the challenge of God’s Word to us. As we consider that our work is to be done as unto the Lord, let us be shining lights of integrity, dedication, humility, service, and love.

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Leveraging Your Vocation for the Sake of the Gospel

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

1. We can make much of God in our secular job through the fellowship that we enjoy with him throughout the day in all our work.

In this way we fellowship with God, listening to him through his Word and thanking him and praising him and calling on him for all we need. It is an honor to God if you stay in your secular job ‘with God’ in this way. This is not a wasted life. God delights in being trusted and enjoyed. It shows his value.

2. We make much of Christ in our secular work by the joyful, trusting, God-exalting design of our creativity and industry.

The essence of our work as humans must be that it is done in conscious reliance on God’s power, and in conscious quest of God’s pattern of excellence, and in deliberate aim to reflect God’s glory.

3. We make much of Christ in our secular work when it confirms and enhances the portrait of Christ’s glory that people hear in the spoken Gospel.

This is by having such high standards of excellence and such integrity and such manifest goodwill that we put no obstacles in the way of the Gospel but rather call attention to the all-satisfying beauty of Christ. When we adorn the Gospel with our work, we are not wasting our lives.

4. We make much of Christ in our secular work by earning money to keep us from depending on others, while focusing on the helpfulness of our work rather than financial rewards.

Christ has lifted the curse of work. He has replaced anxious toil with trust in God’s promise to supply our needs (Philippians 4:19) and has thus awakened in us a different passion in our work. We turn with joy to the call of Jesus: Seek the kingdom of God first and his righteousness, and the food that perishes will be added to you. So don’t labor for the food that perishes. Labor to love people and honor God. Think of new ways that your work can bless people. Stop thinking mainly of profitability, and think mainly of how helpful your product or service can become.

Jesus calls us to be aliens and exiles in the world. Not by taking us out of the world, but by changing, at the root, how we view the world and how we do our work in it. If we simply work to earn a living-if we labor for the bread that perishes-we will waste our lives. But if we labor with the sweet assurance that God will supply all our needs-that Christ died to purchase every undeserved blessing-then all our labor will be a labor of love and a boasting only in the cross.

We make much of Christ in our secular work by earning money with the desire to use our money to make others glad in God.

Our secular work can become a great God-exalting blessing to the world if we aim to take the earnings we don’t need for ourselves (and we need far less than we think) and meet the needs of others in the name of Jesus.

6. We make much of Christ in our secular work by treating the web of relationships it creates as a gift of God to be loved by sharing the Gospel and by practical deeds of help.

God   has woven you into the fabric of others’ lives so that you will tell them the Gospel. Without this, all our adorning behavior may lack the one thing that could make it live-giving. The Christian’s calling includes making his or her mouth a fountain of life. ‘The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life’ (Proverbs 10:11). The link with eternal life is faith in Jesus Christ. No nice feelings about you as a good employee will save anyone. People must know the Gospel, which is the power of God unto eternal life (Romans 1:16).

If you work like the world, you will waste your life, no matter how rich you get. But if your work creates a web of redemptive relationships and becomes an adornment for the Gospel of the glory of Christ, your satisfaction will last forever and God will be exalted in your joy.

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An Apology for Economic Development

Monday, March 10th, 2008

Of the very few references in Jesus’ teachings to a Day of Judgment, surely the most notable is described in Matthew 25: 31ff.  In that scene, the sheep (the righteous) are separated from the goats (the sinful) and God explains his judgment with the well-known commendation of the righteous: “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat . . . thirsty and you gave me something to drink . . . a stranger and you welcomed me . . . naked and you clothed me . . . sick and you cared for me . . . in prison and you visited me.”  The sinful were condemned for neglecting these acts.  Certainly the most striking point is that eternal judgment hinges how we behave toward those who exist at the margins of society, those generally described as “the poor.”

Someone might protest that this necessitates “works righteousness,” but John ascribes our involvement or neglect to its foundation: one’s love for God: “Whoever has earthly goods and sees his brother in need but doesn’t have compassion on him, how can the love of God be in him?”  My children, let us love, not just in word, but in deed and in truth.”  I John 3:17-18

Unlike the practice of sharing within the Jerusalem church described in Acts 2 or the collection for the church in Jerusalem (e.g., I Corinthians 16), there are simply no models of economic development programs in scripture.  Likewise, there are no specific models of medical mission efforts, but we understand how, teamed with an evangelistic focus, they fulfill the second-greatest commission to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

An aspect of most biblical models of Christian economic assistance is the focus on distribution (or allocation) rather than production.  It is the role of an economic system to allocate resources among producers and consumers in order to accomplish the goals of the society.  A system of distribution that ignores its effect on production may end up producing more people in need, or at least people who appear to be in need.  Even Christian relief ministries face the dilemma posed by the requirement to be good stewards of God’s resources on one hand while observing Jesus’ command to “give to whoever asks you” (Matt. 5:42) on the other.

There are numerous explicit and implied encouragements to industriousness and diligent work (e.g., the virtuous woman, the example of the ant, the parable of the talents), but none of these carries the weight of a “commission” to go and teach the gospel to unbelievers.  In addition, business and money lending suffer from a poor reputation.  Some people will sincerely question whether the church ought to be engaged in the business of consulting and money lending.

Christian mission efforts have characteristically emphasized evangelistic efforts to the exclusion of social or economic programs.  The reasons for this are several:

With limited resources including money, personnel, and time, efforts have focused on what is considered by evangelicals to be the foremost task of the Christian church-to seek and save the lost.  Given limited resources, funds diverted to economic programs reduce funds available for more direct evangelistic efforts.

Related to this is the deeper question of whether Christians ought to be very concerned about physical welfare. Jesus’ ministry did not seem to emphasize physical wellbeing, including economic hardship or political oppression.  Instead, he encouraged followers to depend on God’s loving care for their physical needs, and charged that the real problems in life are not physical but spiritual ones.

Third, given this background, the physical world will pass away while the soul is immortal.  Why, then, should resources be expended on saving the body, which will eventually die, when they could be used to save the eternal soul?  As evidence of this perspective, many are likely aware of economic relief efforts (including church benevolence programs) that have been pitched on the basis of ultimate evangelistic potential.  Others of us are aware of programs that have been justified or questioned on whether they produced evangelistic opportunities or conversions.

There are a number of potential problems that could result from offering business counseling or financing services, particularly in making grants or loans.  First, how are the funds to be allocated?  If loans are made available first to Christians, it could provide perverse  incentive to convert.  Assuming the lending process would involve an analysis of the borrower and the proposed investment, there would likely be some proposals that are rejected, resulting in hard feelings that might become obstacles to evangelistic efforts.

The intertwining of commercial and personal (and in this case, spiritual) relationships creates problems in our own society, where the nature of commercial relationships (e.g., borrower and lender, buyer and seller) is better understood.  In regard to loans, we recognize that the typical borrower/lender relationship is characterized by some degree of conflict.  That conflict could compromise the congeniality of the relationship between missionaries and locals that could undermine the spiritual aims of the mission.  Recognizing this danger, and wishing to focus on spiritual relationships rather than commercial ones, some organizations choose to provide grants rather than loans.  Even so, assuming individuals must qualify for the grants, some will certainly fail to qualify and there will be disappointment.

Many Christians are uncomfortable with capitalism.  They appreciate the benefits, but wonder at what cost these benefits are obtained.  They are concerned about a system which, as they see it, is fueled by greed and which thrives by creating desires for products that people really don’t need.  A critique of capitalism is beyond the scope of this paper, but it is sufficient here to say that the thinking Christian cannot simply regard capitalism as “God’s system,” nor ignore its success in producing benefits.  It is a system that responds to the desires of the market, and its results will reflect the sanctity or sinfulness of the market participants.  Capitalism is, like each of us, in need of redemption.  The challenges to advocating this controversial system are one aspect of the dilemma of accepting the task of economic as well as spiritual mission.

Aside from the specific concerns about capitalism, some Christians are concerned about exporting American consumerist culture and “defiling” native economic arrangements that are attractive in social terms yet not conducive to economic progress. How will the missionaries handle native customs or taboos that are socially beneficial in some respects but which may retard or prevent economic development?  Two examples may be helpful.  One African tribe follows the custom of drawing lots each year to determine which plot of tribal land each family will farm for their own purposes.  The system is very fair since each family has an equal chance of obtaining the most productive land.  However, this system fails to recognize that the system discourages anyone from looking to the long-term good of the land.  Why would a farmer  let a plot lie fallow for a year or spend money to enrich that plot if the benefits were to go to whomever by chance farmed that land the following year?  Another example comes from Latin culture, which places a high priority on the closeness and support of the family.  An accompanying feature, however, is suspicion of those outside the family.  The closeness of Latino family ties tends to work against the development of strong relationships in the larger community, including business relationships.

Although not appreciated by many, free enterprise does not thrive in an environment of heavy-handed government intervention, trade protectionism, and low regard for work or private property rights, among other things.  For extensive economic development to occur via free markets, stable political systems are necessary.  However, even within difficult circumstances, economic mission initiatives are creating what one organization calls “islands of integrity.”  In these areas, sound Christian-based business principles are being taught and implemented and families are being extracted from poverty one by one.

While there is no explicit scriptural example of economic missions, there are a number of principles that apply.  Mountain Movers is committed to being biblical as we help people out of love, and to respect the native culture.

In justifying economic initiatives, the arguments most compelling to me come from the Golden Rule and the Protestant Reformation.  The Golden Rule compels me to desire for others those things that I rightly desire for myself.  That is, I personally desire the benefits of a thriving economy with its higher standard of living.  I therefore wish them for others.  Second, a holistic view of God’s reign as reflected in Reformation theology is that there is no realm of life outside God’s oversight.  All of life is sacred, including commercial activities.  As such, all activities should be conducted as if done in the service of God.  A view of God’s work consistent with this realization does not allow stark lines between evangelistic efforts, economic relief efforts, and economic development efforts.  They are all done to the glory of God in order to bring people to come to know Him and to serve him.

In a practical light, combining personal and commercial relationships, particularly through micro-loan programs, does propose hazards.  Great care must be taken that evangelistic efforts are not undermined by hard feelings related to economic initiatives.  One solution would be to have the economic programs administered by an organization separate from the mission, or to separate duties so that those making the grant or loan decisions are not the same as those doing the primary evangelistic work.

Despite the “dog-eat-dog” reputation of commercial relationships under capitalism, close consideration  reveals that success in free markets requires a great deal of concern for the needs of customers, suppliers, employees, and so on, since all associations are voluntary.

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Business Ministires Using your Training and Skills in the Global Marketplace

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

Business Ministries

Use your training and skills in the global marketplace!

Business professionals represent a growing number of committed Christians who realize they can use their expertise to do bi-vocational mission in countries where it is difficult or impossible to obtain a missionary visa or where this opens the door to share the gospel with a specific group of people. Some use their business skills to help strengthen local churches and communities.

Billions of people, more than three quarters of them in Asia, still haven’t heard of Jesus but we encounter restricted access to some of these countries and many people in these lands see Christianity as a western religion and one to be actively resisted. These situations call for creative approaches to mission.

Professional skills have been tools for mission ever since the apostle Paul used his business of tent-making to support his evangelistic ministry and to win access to the marketplaces of the cities he visited. You can take the gospel to the world by working in a local company or running a business. Like Paul and thousands of others who have lived the gospel as expatriate workers through the centuries, MMI sees this as a logical way of doing mission. Of course, in order to serve effectively you will also need to have suitable ministry skills.

A Christian who works for a computer company in Asia said, “Doing business as mission gives me acceptance in the community where I choose to live. Rather than causing suspicion, when I tell people that I am here to work they understand and accept me as a normal part of their community. They are grateful because our computer company is providing jobs for people in their city.”

“The company where I work has fifteen people working with it, and only two of them know Jesus. Every day I go to work, I have the chance to display my faith by the way I live, and to share the gospel with them when appropriate. It has been rewarding to see my co-workers ask questions about following Jesus.”

What skills are needed?

Mission opportunities abound for people with typical marketable skills in areas such as engineering, agriculture, music, community development, business, hospitality management, medicine, education, agriculture, computer science, teaching English. In fact, almost any professional skill can be used in world mission.

How will I be supported?

Most people who are using business as a base for ministry are financially supported by friends and churches in their home countries, while others receive their entire income from the company for which they work, with no financial support from home. Others, such as early retirees, may be able to serve as self-funded volunteers. There is a lot of scope for creativity. All you need is a willingness to live cross-culturally and a heart to share the Gospel with others.

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Partnership Business Plan training by Wayne Hamit

Thursday, January 10th, 2008

PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS PLAN

Preface

Most successful partnerships require solid personal relationships based on trust. Relationships take time and are difficult to reduce to objective criteria. We know these tools are transactional in nature. They will never be able to replace the need for real relationships that form partnerships: a firm handshake and a clear look in the eye.

What they can do is help people to bridge their intentions to action and connect their performance to effective results. The tools will not replace building, but simply facilitate it. They will be a means to tee up opportunities.

We would really appreciate your feedback on these tools. Please call us with your suggestions at 214-435-0753.

Mountain Movers International

PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS PLAN

You are enthusiastic about an idea for a new ministry venture, or you want to expand a great one that you already started. You think that it has excellent market prospects and fits well with your skills, experience, personal values, and aspirations.

What is your entry strategy, and your tangible vision for growth? What are the significant risks and problems in launching or growing the venture? What is your marketing plan? What are its future financing and cash flow requirements? What are your expected results and return on investment?

Can you articulate answers to these questions, show evidence for your conclusions, and put them in writing?

A business plan is a written document that articulates the social problem to be solved, what the opportunity conditions are, why the opportunity exists, the entry and growth strategy required to seize it, and why you and your team have got what it takes to execute the plan. It is the blueprint you will need to actually launch and build your ministry.

If you plan to seek outside venture capital, a business plan is a must. It is more than a financing device. It is invaluable in identifying prospective partners, defining roles, and gaining their commitment.

The MMI business plan is designed to be completed by the ministry’s executive director, one or two board members, perhaps a financial partner, and the lead national whenever possible, with the help of a trained facilitator. It will require several days of research to complete. When completed, it will range from 15 to 25 pages in length.

Executive Summary

The principle focus of the executive summary is to articulate the social problem to be solved, the opportunity conditions, why they exist, who will execute the opportunity and why they are capable of doing so, and how the ministry will gain entry and rapid market penetration.

The executive summary should be prepared last; however, it will be the first thing about you and your ministry venture a prospective investor will read. It should be an appealing, convincing, and succinct document. It must be compelling.

On two pages or less, summarize the highlights from each of the following sections.

The Problem: Summarize the unacceptable condition in the community that needs a solution.

The Solution: Summarize your ministry’s mission and goals and the programs and services your ministry will provide to address the problem.

The Opportunity: Summarize the opportunity, why it is compelling, and your entry strategy: how you plan to gain rapid market acceptance.

The Results Expected: Summarize the changes in people’s lives that you expect as a result of this initiative.

The Management: Summarize the relevant experience and significant accomplishments of the leaders of this venture, and define the roles of all partners.

The Economics: Summarize the financial requirements of the venture, timetable for financial viability, and plans for long-term sustainability.

The Problem

A problem is a condition in the community that is unacceptable and needs a solution. A problem statement characterizes this condition in the form of documented determination of the nature and extent of the problem within the targeted community.

A problem statement provides the necessary context for the proposed venture. It establishes a foundation for assessing the potential impact of a social venture. It answers the question: “Why?”

On two pages or less, address the following questions in a compelling narrative. Utilize charts or graphs where necessary.

What social problem are you trying to solve?

What is the specific problem that you are trying to solve?

What is the specific nature and extent of this problem?

ڤ What is the specific need people are experiencing?

ڤ What aspect of this need will your program be addressing?

ڤ Or, what aspect has your program been addressing?

Who is affected by this problem and where do they live?

ڤ What group of people is experiencing the need?

ڤ Describe this target population and its common traits (age, ethnicity,

gender, etc.)

ڤ What is the geographical location of the target population?

What information exists that identifies this is a problem?

ڤ What information indicates that this condition is experienced by the target

population?

ڤ Summarize demographic data, news reports, research and any studies

that supports your conclusions.

How robust and durable is this problem?

ڤ What evidence exists that this problem is strong, vigorous, and likely to

continue?

ڤ What factors are contributing to its growth?

The Solution

A solution is an answer to a problem. It addresses all of the components of a problem, taking advantage of available opportunities and diffusing difficult obstacles. It works. And produces measurable results that show that it works.

An effective social venture is one that delivers the right solution to a well-defined social problem in an efficient manner. This type of venture provides a social investor with the greatest return on his or her investment.

On four pages or less, address the following questions in a compelling narrative. Utilize charts or graphs where necessary.

What is the solution to the problem?

ڤ What social strategies will work in solving the problem?

What evidence exists that this solution works?

ڤ What information exists that confirms that this solution strategy works?

ڤ Summarize demographic data, news reports, research, expert testimony,

and any studies that support your conclusions.

Why does this solution work?

ڤ What are the underlying reasons why this solution produces positive

results in solving the problem?

What is the mission of your organization?

ڤ What is the mission of your organization?

ڤ How does it relate to the problem and solution?

What are the goals of your program?

ڤ What are the big ambitions of your program?

ڤ What long-range benefits do you want to provide to your community?

ڤ Define the proposed effect, the identified need, and target population for

each goal.

What programs or services do you propose that will address the problem?

ڤ What is the service?

ڤ Who will provide the service?

ڤ Where is the service delivered?

ڤ When is the service delivered?

ڤ How is the service delivered?

The Opportunity

An opportunity is defined as a “favorable juncture of circumstances.” In the context of planning for a new ministry venture, or expanding an existing one, an opportunity is defined by a convergence of market conditions to which a ministry is ideally positioned to respond.

An opportunity analysis addresses the issue of venture viability by examining market conditions, prospective customers, and potential competition. It helps a prospective investor answer the questions:

“Is now the right time?” and “Is this ministry positioned to respond?”

On three pages or less, address the following questions in a compelling narrative. Utilize charts or graphs where necessary.

Who are your primary and secondary customers?

ڤ Segment the market and define your target markets. Primary customers

are those whose lives will be changed through your work. Secondary

customers are those individuals and groups who must be satisfied in order

for the ministry to achieve results. They may include donors, churches,

volunteers, etc.

What do these customers value?

ڤ What does the customer value?

ڤ What are the wants, needs, and aspirations of each of these customer

groups?

ڤ What is your basis for these assumptions? (Cite any market research,

demographic data, or studies that support these claims.)

What is the size of the market?

ڤ How many potential customers are there in each segment of the market?

ڤ What is your basis for these numbers?

How will the market change in the future?

ڤ How will the characteristics, needs, wants, and aspirations of customers

likely change in the future?

ڤ What factors will drive these changes?

ڤ What growth, if any, is projected?

What is your market niche and rationale?

ڤ What needs, wants, and aspirations of your customers are you best

positioned to address?

ڤ Who else is providing similar services to these customers?

ڤ What services are they providing?

ڤ What differentiates your programs and services from theirs?

ڤ What makes your service unique and desirable?

What unique opportunities does your ministry have to address the

problem?

ڤ What unique opportunities for market leadership does your ministry have?

ڤ Does a gap in services currently exist?

ڤ Are you uniquely positioned to provide these services?

Results Expected

The results of a ministry are always measured outside of the organization in terms of changed lives and changed conditions. These changes can be measured in terms of people’s behavior, circumstances, health, hopes, competency, and capacity.

Expected results should reflect intended progress and achievement in both qualitative and quantitative terms. Qualitative measures address the depth and breadth of change within its particular context. Quantitative measures use definitive standards and tell an objective story. In both cases, expected results should be stated in concrete, realistic, measurable, and time-related terms.

On two pages or less, address the following questions in a compelling narrative. Utilize charts or graphs where necessary.

How do you currently define results? How successful are you?

ڤ What does your ministry currently appraise and judge?

ڤ How does it measure results?

ڤ What results are currently being achieved?

What are the outcome objectives of your program?

ڤ What results is your program trying to achieve in the next three years?

ڤ What, how much, and when is change expected?

ڤ What effect do you expect to produce on the clients?

ڤ Are these effects realistic? measurable? concrete? assignable?

How will you measure these expected outcomes?

ڤ What methods will be used to assess outcomes?

ڤ What information will be collected and analyzed?

ڤ What will it cost?

ڤ Will the information be viewed as credible, accurate, and useful to

someone?

What will the return on investment be for the marketplace partner?

ڤ What is the cost of producing the expected changes in a single customer’s

life? (Divide the total cost of the venture by the total number of clients

affected.)

The Strategic Approach

Strategy converts a ministry’s mission and objectives into performance. It is an action-oriented plan that provides a prospective investor with a solid understanding of “how” you intend to maximize your market opportunity and achieve your intended results.

A good ministry strategy includes sound marketing, program development, and operations plans. It includes performance related timelines and benchmarks. It is the basis for defining the conditions for an agreement with a marketplace partner.

On five pages or less, address the following questions in a compelling narrative. Utilize charts or graphs where necessary.

What is your marketing plan?

ڤ What is your plan for marketing your services to your primary and

secondary customers?

ڤ What customers will you target for initial intensive selling efforts?

ڤ What features of the program will be emphasized to generate sales?

ڤ How will your services be priced?

ڤ What methods will you use to sell and distribute your services?

What is your program development (or expansion) plan?

ڤ What is your plan for innovating and improving existing programs and

services?

ڤ What programs or services should be abandoned?

ڤ What is the development status of any other new programs?

ڤ How successful have these programs been in the past?

What is your operations plan?

ڤ In what geographic locations will you operate the proposed venture?

ڤ What facilities are involved?

ڤ What improvements will need to be made?

ڤ How will you deliver your new or expanded program?

What is your overall schedule to launch a new initiative or expand one to the next stage?

ڤ What is the timing and interrelationship of the major events necessary to

launch the venture and realize its objectives? This should include all of the

deadlines or milestones critical to the venture’s success including tasks from the marketing, program development, and operations plan.
The Management

The management team is the key to turning a good idea into a successful ministry. Investors look for a committed management team with a proper balance of passion, vision, technical and managerial skills, and experience in doing what is proposed.

It is people, not programs, who make ideas come to life. The success of a ministry venture is dependent on the quality of its leaders and supporting staff and volunteers.

On three pages or less, address the following questions in a compelling narrative.

Who are the key managers of the proposed initiative? What are their various roles?

ڤ What are the names, positions, and exact duties of each key manager?

Include members of the Board of Directors and executive management

team.

What previous successes do they have in this area? What skills and knowledge do they bring?

ڤ Provide a summary of the each key manager’s career highlights.

Include accomplishments that demonstrate his or her ability to perform the

assigned role.

ڤ How long has the management team worked together?

ڤ What successes have they achieved together?

What other staff or volunteers are involved? What are their various roles and responsibilities?

ڤ Include a table that lists staff by title, minimum qualifications, and brief job

descriptions. Also include an organizational chart that diagrams your

program’s staffing structure and star the number of paid and non-paid full-

time staff equivalents (FTE’s) assigned. Include volunteers if they perform a direct service to the program.

What additional expertise is desired for your new or expanded venture?

ڤ What additional expertise, in the form of knowledge or skills, is also

necessary for the venture to succeed?

ڤ Why is this expertise essential for the success of the venture?

What role will the marketplace partner play in providing this expertise?

ڤ What strategic role in the ministry would a marketplace partner play?

ڤ What time and talent would be required for this role?

ڤ What specific responsibilities will the marketplace partner accept that meets his or her expectations and yours (as expressed in the Partnership Agreement).

The Economics

The financial plan is basic to the evaluation of an investment opportunity and should represent the ministry leader’s best estimates of future operations – your best judgment of the results that you believe is realistic and attainable. The purpose of the plan is to indicate the venture’s economic potential and timetable for financial viability.

On three pages or less, address the following questions in a compelling narrative. Attach Pro Forma Income Statements, Pro Forma Balance Sheets, and Cash Flow Projections for the first three years. In the case of an existing ministry seeking expansion capital, income statements and balance sheets for the current and prior two years should be provided in addition to these estimates.

What is your current annual budget? What are your current sources and uses of financial capital?

ڤ What is your current agency budget? Provide a brief summary including

total revenue and expenses for the last three years. Provide this

information in a table form.

ڤ What are the sources of your financial capital?

What is the total cost of this specific initiative? What will the funds be used for?

ڤ How much money will it take to fund the proposed venture until it breaks

even and becomes self-sustaining? Include all costs including initial (or

on-going) program development and capital expenditures.

ڤ What will these funds be used for?

How much has currently been raised? What are the sources of this capital?

ڤ How much of the venture budget has been raised?

ڤ From whom?

ڤ What restrictions have been placed on the use of these funds?

What stake do these donors have in the project?

ڤ What financial investment is the marketplace partner making?

ڤ Specifically, how will the funds be used from the marketplace partner?

How much is still needed? What is your plan for raising the additional capital?

ڤ How much money still needs to be raised?

ڤ What will it be used for?

ڤ What is your plan for raising this additional capital?

What is your financial plan for sustaining the venture long-term?

ڤ What long-term revenue streams will be developed to support the

venture?

ڤ What is your basis for these projections?

ڤ When will the venture break-even?

The Critical Risks

The development of any ministry venture has risks and problems, and the ministry invariably contains some implicit assumptions about them. The discovery of any unstated negative factors by potential investors can undermine the credibility of the venture. Identifying and discussing these risks demonstrates your skills as a manager and heightens the credibility of the proposed venture.

On two pages or less, address the following questions in a compelling narrative.

What changes in the ministry or marketplace may block or retard progress?

ڤ What trends, conditions, or attitudes within the ministry or in the

marketplace could block or retard progress?

ڤ How will you counteract these changes?

What projected revenue streams may be weak?

ڤ What sources of revenue may be soft and why?

ڤ What will you do to counteract a sluggish response from donors?

What projected expenses may be underestimated?

ڤ What projected expenses may be underestimated and why?

ڤ What will you do to control costs and stay within budget?

What delays may effect our expected results?

ڤ What delays in staffing, program development, or marketing may effect

the delivery of services and our expected results?

ڤ What will you do to avoid these delays and stay on schedule?

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