Business as Missions
No dichotomy
People in business may sometimes see themselves as not giving back as much as, or not being as spiritual as those serving in NGOs, social enterprises or in Christian ministries. A hierarchy can develop that places pastors, missionaries and para-church workers at the most spiritual end of the spectrum, and business people near the other end.
Thinking like this is dualistic. Does not God have the power to transform people and communities through business as well? The dichotomy between sacred and secular is not Biblical, but this notion has substantially distorted our paradigms on work, business, church and missions. Worse still it de-values and underestimates the gifts and contributions of a large percentage of the Body of Christ.
What Business as Missions is not!
Business as Missions is not tent-making. The Apostle Paul who made tents had a secular job and supported himself financially and at the same time he worked in the ministry. In mission circles, sometimes a business is set up overseas as a special purpose vehicle to offer missionaries a means of entry, to stay and serve in that country This is may be good but as described below, this is not the same as Business as Missions.
A Business as Missions does not see that it has obligations only to family and church. Included with these stakeholders are shareholders, government (eg. to pay taxes), clients, the environment, all employees, and others. The profit made by a Business as Missions is not solely for contribution to missions. Profit has to be made for any business to be viable and sustainable.
Business and work are key means to support our families and to contribute to the development of communities and countries. However, Business as Missions is not just about giving jobs and work to Christians or Christian ministers or simply about alleviating poverty or improving standards of living. Business as Missions actively seek to be means by which God’s kingdom come, and His will be done” even in the marketplace.
Revealing Christ and the wisdom of God
A Business as Missions is in the business of business and missions. It has a real, viable, sustainable and profitable business with a Kingdom of God purpose and perspective.
A Business as Missions must be financially viable, producing goods or services that people are willing to pay for to be sustainable. It has an important role to play to generate wealth and profits. Business as Missions do not view profits as inherently evil, bad or unbiblical. On the contrary, profits are good, desired and beneficial to God and His purposes, as long as the ways and means to obtain them are not oppressive, or involve business activities and values that do no honor Christ.
A Business as Missions “does” business with integrity, creativity, and excellence. In short, it does business with Godly wisdom. By doing so, a Business as Missions manifests the Kingdom of God in the market place.
A Business as Missions seeks to transform people and communities spiritually, economically and socially. When a Business as Missions reveals Christ through its words and works, and practices, a powerful message is sent. The outcome is transformational. The kingdom of God comes.
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