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Business as Missions -- blog
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Focus on Business Success 
As we defined it in our first post, Business as Mission is about real, viable, sustainable and profitable businesses. However, it is a business with a Kingdom of God purpose, perspective and impact. Our desire is that it will lead to transformation of people and societies spiritually, economically and socially – to the greater glory of God.
- Business must be financially sustainable.
- They must produce goods or services that people are willing to pay for.
Sustainability implies that the activity is profitable. Profits are an essential element of all businesses, in all cultures. Without profit the business cannot survive and fulfill its purpose. Accordingly, Business as Mission projects are real business that genuinely exist to generate wealth and profits.
Profits are not inherently evil, bad or unbiblical. In fact, profits are good, desired and beneficial to God and His purposes.
As leaders we assure that profits are generated honestly and in a manner that honors Christ and His gospel.
So, profits are a goal of BAM projects. We must simply keep in mind that creating jobs and earning money is not an end in itself. Work and business are ordained by God. When we can do this in a manner that honors God and increases his Kingdom, we have a very special opportunity.
We desire for God’s will to be done on earth as in heaven, including in the marketplace.
Next time – Jesus’ team knew about business
Blessings,
Larry
| Happy Thanksgiving Day! 11/26/2009 12:24:14 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment 
Phil 1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Blessings to all,
Larry | Elements and Characteristics of Servant Leadership 
Many models for leadership illustrate a top down hierarchy. The positions of power and authority are at the top of the organization.
Servant leadership reverses that thinking. It emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of power. The individual leader is a servant first, making the conscious decision to lead in order to better serve others, not to increase his own power. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.
What do servant leaders do?
- Devote themselves to serving others’ needs
- Focus on understanding and meeting the needs of those they lead
- Develop employees to bring out their best
- Coach and encourage others
- Facilitate personal growth in all who work with them
- Listen deeply
- Build a sense of community in the organization
Servant leaders are effective because the needs of followers are cared for.
This allows members to perform at their best.
Next time – Leaders also Focus on Business Success
Many thanks,
Larry | Servant Leadership 
This style of leadership forces us away from self-serving, domineering leadership. It makes those in charge think harder about how to respect, value and motivate people.
This was the leadership style Christ demonstrated so clearly to his team.
Jn 13:3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
……….
Jn 13:12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
The outcomes from such leadership can be tremendous.
On the next posting we will list elements of servant leadership.
Many thanks and blessings,
Larry | BAM Leadership 
As with any business, leadership is critical to the success of the BAM project.
Selection and development of the leadership team is very important.
Business leadership skills are a prerequisite for those who will assume the leader roles.
The pastor or ministry leader of the church or Christian organization is not the candidate for leading the BAM. Their job responsibilities with the church are critical, and are outlined to a great extent in the Bible. These people can play a role, perhaps as a spiritual advisor and/or board member of the project.
Day-to-day operations of the BAM should be left to the ministry team members with the gifts and experience to succeed in business.
A range of other management skills may become needed for the team, as with any business. These can range from financial expertise to strategic planners, from front line supervisors to visionaries who have key relationships within the community and government entities.
It can be a lot of fun constructing and developing a leadership team that has a Kingdom focus. You can combine classical leadership principles with the concepts presented and modeled by Christ. What a fabulous combination for success.
Next time – servant leadership
Larry | A Workplace of Grace  Let’s continue thinking about what our workplace for a BAM project can look like.
Most people in business have never used or even thought about these two words, “workplace” & “grace,” in the same breath. What we want you to imagine is a work environment like none you have ever known—a workplace where principles from your Christian journey align with your business pursuits.
- Envision with a higher calling in terms of what the workplace can be
- Analyze and ponder your personal responsibility for the spiritual health of your employees
- Strive toward the model lived out by Christ—treating others with grace is our goal.
- Learn what a “workplace of grace” is not. It is not a place without accountability, not a place without keen focus on business... Rather, it is a place where people come together in a spectacular way to achieve superior results.
This can be a place where:
- People truly care about each other
- Masks are not needed—people are authentic with each other
- Judgments are not made about others through filters of anger and blame
- Unhealthy competition between people does not exist
No higher goal in our Christian journey exists than loving people in the manner that God showed us through his grace. Can you imagine how employees could perform given this environment? Who wouldn’t want to work and contribute there?
Next time – leadership in a BAM.
Thank you for your continuing interest in this topic.
Larry | The BAM Workplace – Actual and/or Virtual  The BAM workplace possibilities are interesting. If the BAM project requires a dedicated location, and many do, it can include a Christian environment that is rare in business.
Characteristics can include:
- Daily team meetings for devotional studies
- The Kingdom focus typically results in very high work ethic – people want to contribute to God’s plan
- Combinations of both paid staff and volunteer positions can participate
In comparison, some BAM projects include more of a virtual team. An example would be a business that is producing and sewing certain types of clothing or other goods.
One actual example in India produces items such as facemasks for hospitals and clinics. With this scenario, women who produce the various components for the items can do much of the work in their homes, managing their work schedule around the other demands of family and home keeping.
The workplace and work teams should be composed in a way that will best serve the business objectives of the company, yet also fulfill important elements of the purposes for the BAM, such as:
- Discipling people
- Employing people in a Christian work environment
- Etc.
Give careful consideration to all of these elements of the plan in order to achieve both Kingdom and financial objectives.
Next time – A workplace of grace
Thanks,
Larry | More BAM Examples  Welcome back,
The following are two more actual example of BAM projects:
Place 3 – India
Business – Micro-loan banking
Description – The business addresses the issue of poverty by providing banking assistance to the poorest of the poor. Microfinance gives the poor people an opportunity to work their way out of poverty. A micro-loan of as little as $100 can make the difference between chronic poverty and modest prosperity for a family.
Place 4 – Asia
Business – Business training, including schools that teach English
Description – As this Asian country strives to rise rapidly in the global marketplace, there exists a thirst for two very important bodies of knowledge for the emerging leaders:
- Education in business leadership skills
- Education in English
This BAM has been reaching many people of influence with the Gospel as a consequence of this business focus.
Next time (Monday, Nov. 9, 2009) – what might a BAM workplace be like?
Blessings and thanks for your interest in this important topic,
Larry | Examples of BAM Projects/Companies  Examples of BAM projects/companies – (Some of the examples listed are wonderful works for God in regions of the world where Christians are still being persecuted. In those examples, I will not use the organizations' actual names or the precise locations in order to protect those workers.)
Place 1 – country in the Mideast that has been in war for many decades
Business – Human resources consulting services
Description – Within the cities of this war-torn country, young men are striving to learn how they might become successful in business and somehow rise above the rubble of the war to create opportunities for themselves, their families, and the communities.
This BAM is exciting, as it is providing these potential business leaders with skills that they have had no previous opportunity to learn. Within this context, (teaching business and business values), exist opportunities to share the power of Christ.
Place 2 – Grapevine, TX
Business – GRACE
Description –This non-profit enterprise was established to assist the needy in Grapevine and surrounding communities. Services they provide include food pantries, apartments for families needing shelter, a medical clinic, and much more. Revenue is generated from a combination of donations and business, including a storefront business that sells “like new” clothing and merchandise at very reduced pricing. This provides affordable clothing to families in need, and generates revenue for the other services.
Next time we will look at more examples.
We are traveling to Guatemala this week, so the next posting is planned for Thursday, November 5, 2009.
Many thanks,
Larry | | |
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