With sales of just under 1 million dollars so far this year, Bajalia Trading Company is on the leading edge of a rapidly growing area of business and non-profit cooperation: social entrepreneurialism. At the heart of this movement is a mission to alleviate poverty and suffering. The passion for this mission is fueled by the conviction that releasing the latent talents within the people of these cultures will set in motion a sustainable economic and social development model.
The idea of “social entrepreneurship” has struck a responsive cord. It combines the
passion of a social mission with an image of business-like discipline, innovation, and
determination. It calls corporations to compassionate capitalism. The time is certainly ripe for entrepreneurial approaches to social problems. Many governmental
and philanthropic efforts have fallen far short of our expectations. Major social sector institutions are often viewed as inefficient, ineffective, and unresponsive. Social entrepreneurs are needed to develop new models for a new century.
"What business entrepreneurs are to the economy, social entrepreneurs are to social change. They are the driven, creative individuals who question the status quo, exploit new opportunities, refuse to give up,and remake the world for the better" says David Bornstein, Author How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas
Alleviating world plagues like poverty and the exploitation of women and children is no small endeavor. Lasting solutions will require cooperation and involvement from various sectors of society. In addition to relief provided for the suffering, lasting change will only come as the poor are able to put their latent talents to work building self-dignity, and ultimately a sustainable economy and society. What the poor want is not aid, but jobs – real jobs, not subsidized ones. This is the dignity and self-reliance they deserve.
Debbie Farah founded the Bajalia Trading Company in 2003 as a non-profit fair trade organization that partners with entrepreneurs and artisans in impoverished countries to stimulate economic growth in those regions. Debbie is a first generation Palestinian-American, who speaks both Arabic and English. She brings to
Bajalia extensive cross cultural experience as well as over 20 years
experience in in advertising, design, banking and business roles for major fortune 500 companies including: Bloomingdales, Richs, Neiman Marcus, Horchow, Macy’s and Marshall Fields, Dell Computers, Ford, Coca- Cola Turner Broadcasting and Southwestern Bell, to name a few.
In five short years Debbie has assembled a multi-cultural team and:
• Has identified & trained thousands of artisans from 18 of the most impoverished countries;
• Has built an international network of people and organizations that allow Bajalia to go beyond fair-trade and to serve the artisans and the communities where they live;
• Has established Bajalia as a US market-leader in designing products, training the artisans to produce these products and then marketing them profitably to the US and European market;
• Has created a proven a social-entrepreneurial business model that is profitable and improves the artisans quality of life;
• Has brought Bajalia to the point of ready for scale;
• Has attracted and developed clients interested in kinder capitalism;
• Has combined various networks of strategic partnerships wholesaling as a global force.
Field partners share their stories of how their work has been impacted by Bajalia :
“If You Build It, They Will Come” says our China Project Manager,"Last month, we received our biggest order ever for our jewelry products. The order was so large I was hesitant on accepting the order as I was doubtful if we could meet the deadlines for the deliveries. But this is because I forget that we serve a God who sees all, knows all and is in control of the universe at all times. Discussing it with my team-mates and our girls, we decided that we will meet the order even if we have to go knocking on doors at the brothels to invite girls to help us finish the order. In the last weeks upon acceptance of the order, we have had ladies of the night just showing up asking to join our work. The number of girls in our shelters has tripled. "
"My Mother needs help" is what I heard from one of our producer groups in India. They started out with one family. This family was left to fend for themselves as their father was embarrassed to have had 5 daughters and no sons. He left to find another wife, and left the women to fend for themselves. The eldest daughter 15 or so was persistent in asking to be trained to do anything. " My mother needs help" she kept saying. Her mother was too depressed to get out of bed, as the shame had her paralyzed. She and her sisters started by beading the inside of the journal bookmarks, but now has started a jewelry line. That family has now trained five other women to work with them and have plans to train ten more within the three months. The most exciting part is that an order from Bajalia is making this growth possible." India project manager
“ Bajalia has brought us needed orders which help us employ more workers, and bless them through our work. Orders and profits are like oxygen to us, sustaining our organization so that we can be a light in our community. Their design talents bring fresh ideas into our product line and help us keep up with the latest trends. Their understanding of consumer's needs and wants is valuable to producers that sometimes are too focused on the local community needs and out of touch with US consumers.
Bajalia are real pioneers in social entrepreneurship / kingdom business and have a powerful vision for how to transform communities, one factory at a time.” Leather Factory in China
Drawing upon over 20 years of business, marketing and design experience for major retailers, Debbie Farah and her team begin by understanding the US consumer’s desires and then they work with skilled artisans from among the world’s poorest peoples to bring their products to market. “But there is so much more to do. We have to turn producer groups down weekly as our staff is growing but not at the pace needed, to follow up on the many opportunities coming our way” says Debbie Farah, CEO.
Bajalia is looking for as many sales opportunities this November and December as possible to reach the Million Dollar mark. Support Bajalia’s work through a sale of beautiful products made by beautiful people. Order Corporate Gifts, and help move as much merchandise as possible before 2008 comes to a close by shopping on www.bajalia.com or contacting Loriwanner@bajalia.com to ask about hosting opportunities.
Jonathan Shibley is one of the thought leaders in the Business as Mission Movement. As Vice President of Global Advance his primary focus is directing the marketplace missions program for equipping business leaders in developing nations.
Recently Jonathan and his father David co-wrote the book Marketplace Memos. The book is a powerful collection of 40 short devotionals specifically geared towards the business community. It focuses specifically on topics like: Harnessing Your Competitive Advantage, Healthy Partnerships, Rich Advice and others.
Our video production team went to China a few years ago to capture the story of Bill Job and his company. It's exciting to see such a powerful story of a business meeting the needs of people in their local community and making a difference where they are. Over 2,000 people have joined the Business as Mission Magazine since we last highlighted it and its time to revisit it. If you want to download it and use it in a presentation or share it with friends, click here.
Author, scholar, and missions strategist Tetsunao (“Ted”) Yamamori has been named president/CEO of a revitalized WorldServe Ministries, starting November 1. WorldServe is focusing its future ministry efforts on helping the vulnerable and needy—particularly in China and Cuba—to attain transformational development, both spiritually and physically.
Yamamori is well suited to the task. He was international director of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and today is the movement’s senior advisor. President emeritus of Food for the Hungry International, Yamamori is a senior fellow at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture of the University of Southern California and adjunct professor of holistic mission at Asbury Theological Seminary.
“Ted Yamamori brings a wealth of experience to this new challenge,” notes Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries. “But more than that, he brings his passion for the lost and real-world wisdom. I expect WorldServe to reach new heights of effectiveness under Ted’s leadership.” WorldServe plans to work even more closely than before with indigenous ministry partners. Yamamori, 70, says WorldServe, which in years past has focused on serving persecuted Christians, is well situated to carry out its new mission.
“The ministry has been involved in several countries through its distribution of Bibles, Christian literature, disaster relief, church planting, and ministerial training,” Yamamori says. “But WorldServe has decided to narrow its focus to China and Cuba, where it has had particularly meaningful and successful ministries.”
Ben Homan, president of Food for the Hungry, says Yamamori “has again responded to God's call to extend His love around the world. Food for the Hungry gives thanks that God has raised up this Christian statesman for WorldServe.”
Born and raised in Japan, Yamamori earned a Ph.D. in sociology of religion from Duke University. He was visiting professor of ethnology at the Central University for Nationalities in Beijing, from 1998-2003.
Yamamori has written or edited two dozen books, including Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement (University of California Press, 2007), Holistic Entrepreneurs in China: A Handbook on the World Trade Organization and New Opportunities for Christians (William Carey, 2002), and Witnesses to Power: Stories of God’s Quiet Work in a Changing China (Paternoster, 2000).
WorldServe has two offices in North America: 5795 Genesis Court, Frisco, TX 75034,USA; 1301 Johnston Road, White Rock, British Columbia V4B3Z3, Canada.
For more information, call Ken Leggatt at 1-800-414-7788 or 1-604-531-3955.
Using business as a vehicle for missions and ministry is not new. The apostle Paul, for example, was a full time leather worker during much of his missionary career. A study of his letters reveals that working was more than a way to support himself; it was a central part of his missionary strategy. Preaching the gospel for free added credibility to his message and served as a model for his converts to follow (see 1 Cor. 9:12-18). Similarly, centuries ago, Christian monks integrated work and ministry by tilling fields, clearing forests and building roads, while also tending to the sick, the orphaned and the imprisoned, protecting the poor, and teaching the children. As villages and towns sprang up around the monasteries, the communities were transformed as they incorporated many of these same social concerns. And even as recently as the nineteenth century, many early Protestants integrated business and other secular occupations into their mission strategies.
That tradition continues today in myriad Christian owned and operated companies around the globe. These “Great Commission Companies,” as they have been called, are income-producing businesses created to have a second (but primary) bottom line: to glorify God by promoting the growth of local churches in the least evangelized, least developed areas of the world. Based on our five year study of for-profit companies with this missional purpose – and conversations with literally hundreds of kingdom professionals working within this context – we discovered not only some fascinating case studies (chronicled in our book), but also some best practices that characterize those who have successfully pursued this dual bottom line. We suggest six steps for those who wish to start a Great Commission Company of their own:
1. Evaluate the business opportunity 2. Evaluate the missions opportunity 3. Assemble a management team 4. Build an advisory network 5. Develop a business plan 6. Develop a Great Commission plan
It might not be a case study in Business as Mission, but it was nonetheless fascinating to watch Scott Pelley interview Greg Carr, the driving force behind the revitalization of the national wildlife park and the local economy.
I wasn't able to fact check all the details, but it was encouraging was to hear Greg share about his openhandedness about the project and the desire for the local community to really take ownership and use it as a chance to create a brighter future. Click on the link below to watch the 60 minutes story: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4546597n
The purpose of this note is to share observations, reflections and lessons learned as we visit and interact with different Business as Mission (BAM) practitioners. We hope this sharing will spark your imagination, intercession and action to grow in wisdom and understanding and love and good deeds.
Business as Mission (BAM) Journey is a program of immersion and observation. Participants are language and culture students. We then meet weekly to go through foundational Book passages and recent and relevant books on BAM. We discuss the theory in the books and then bi-weekly go out and visit BAM practitioners and businesses. We get to see, ask questions, observe and get a taste of the real challenge of making it work in this world - and then come back and discuss what we've seen. This note then relfects the case studies we write up after our visits. Our vision is that through this process our Father might raise up the next generation of entrepreneurs to set up profitable, sustaianbly and transformational businesses among the least-reached.
Sector: Manufacturing of exterior household product. Market: 100% export, all to parent company in US who does distribution to regional retail stores Structure: Wholly foreign-owned for-profit manufacturing enterprise, providing manufacturing for previously existing US company. Sister company registered in more business-friendly location helps with administrative work. CEO and most decision-making still done in US home office.
Champion: Expat who majored in political science during college where he also studied the country’s language for 2 years with the intention of going there to teach and other heart reasons. He initially worked as an English teacher for 12 years previous. Started company after a connection with like-minded American company with desire to begin operations in country. With no previous business experience, he in cooperation with a businessman from his home country, started the business in spring 2006.
Business formation: Like-minded owner who start company has been running several companies and had been interested in having operations in country. Due to increased opportunities for community involvement and legitimacy, current GM decided to quit English-teaching job to begin operations outside US. With the help of experienced entrepreneurs doing an on-the-ground survey, they realized the GM’s location was in a place that specializes in a craft that would compliment their operations very well. The last two years have had this one expat as GM and between 4 and 20 employees, depending upon production line being in use or not.
Vision: A sister company established in more business friendly location desires to start like-minded companies with vision of being a positive influence in their communities. This company specifically is interested in sharing their beliefs with anyone with whom they engage.
Story: During a visit to the US, after working in the company as a teacher, a like-minded businessman encouraged him to think about opening a business. A family friend, and GM of several successful companies, approached him with the idea of expanding his operations overseas. 2 years ago the equipment was shipped overseas and business operations commenced. Lessons learned:
Make sure you get what you’re getting before accepting a large order of faulty products.
The amount of time and effort put into the product preparation and logistics of setting up a business.
Hiring like-minded employees for key positions of plant manager, administrative assistant, etc. This helps greatly in continuing on the vision as well as understanding local language and culture.
Establish values of honesty, fairness, and quality from the founding of the company. But be ready for mistakes to happen, confront them and move on.
Identify your company as Christian from the start. There’s no need to broadcast it, but don’t hide it either.
Future plans: The next year anticipates growing sales from the home office and re-employing workers to continue production (currently idle) The long-term plans are somewhat uncertain. The desire is to grow the business and find someone else to manage the operations. The current GM is planning on moving back to his home country in just over a year.
Results: Facilitates a core of like-minded employees to have a venue to meet for fellowship Seeing one employee come to faith and many other opportunities to share the truth with employees/clients/government officials Ability to make 150 units per day at full capacity.
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15
John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and Bill Gates are known to have made billions of dollars as captains of their industries and have given billions of dollars in philanthropic contributions to society through the creation of several foundations. Whatever their motivation was, they are known to have contributed significant amounts of wealth to society and are still contributing today. Very few individuals will ever contribute more money to society than these men. To my knowledge, none of them claim to be Christians except for John D. Rockefeller, a devout Baptist who tithed to his local church since his very first paycheck.
As great philanthropists as these men have been to society, their business practices are not to be envied; they built their wealth by employing shrewd, manipulative, morally questionable, and sometimes illegal, business tactics. Their goals were to build wealth by any means as long as they later gave back to society. If they stood before God's judgment and recited their good works before God as a basis for eternal rewards and favor, God's response would be He did not need their money but their lives; the money did not belong to them in the first place but to God; they were mere stewards of His money.
Some of you know how addicted my wife and I have been to travel and taking the last few years to invest our lives into ministries like our Church, Bluefish TV, RightNow and the Business as Mission Network. You may also know that we are expecting the arrival of our first, a baby boy named Tristan Dean Forman.
Well, this morning we learned that Tristan tends to take a little bit after his daddy. Following his dad's habit of getting an early start on the workweek, he surprised us with Sharee's water breaking this morning around 2:30 AM.
After a quick throwing of things in the car we we're off to Dallas Presbyterian Hospital. We've been camping out here in a room in the labor and delivery wing and they say that we're about 8/10ths of the way towards the real kickoff of this party.
To all the friends that we woke up this morning at 2:30 AM in Texas, Florida, Indiana and Michigan our son promises that he isn't sorry and that he's just excited to meet you all.
After more than a few scares of very premature delivery, 4 weeks in the hospital and a total of 5 1/2 weeks on bed rest we're ready. We're almost 36 weeks along, a month early but so far everything is looking good. We're very thankful for the past 6 weeks.
Hopefully by sometime this afternoon we'll have a healthy little boy. A soon to be father excited beyond belief ... Justin
When Khumi Morare came to the Living Hope Health Care Centre in 2006, she was critically ill from the HIV virus. Alone in Cape Town, she had no one to turn to for herself and her twin babies. Slowly but surely she was nursed back to health but faced a bleak future with no job and no income. Once she heard that a sewing class run by Evangeline Ministries had started at Living Hope, she enrolled in what was the first class. As she became stronger she proved to be a fast learner and her children were all the motivation she needed. Unable to care for them, they were placed in foster care and Khumi was determined to get them back.
The African animal tote print bags were her way to do that. By the time she left the Health Care Centre she was able to show the social worker she earned enough to take care of her boy and girl. She purchased and furnished a shack and with help from friends began her new life with her kids. Because of her determination, discipline and dependability, Khumi supervises the making of these bags. The sewing class and the tote bags gave Khumi hope where before she had none.
Having attended Living Way's entrepreneurial training course, Khumi has been empowered to be the distributor in the bag making business. Through a process of micro-loans, Khumi and seven other graduates of the sewing classes formed their own micro-businesses. These businesses operate on a weekly cycle – buying material from Khumi and selling finished products back to her. Each week, the men and women grow their business money and are able to develop capital for future jobs. Sewing any products that the community wants, these men and women are independent.
Amazingly, Khumi has paid back her R6000 ($750) loan in eight weeks. In fact, all seamstresses' micro-loans have been paid back and several more seamstresses have joined the program. We give God glory for the work he has done in bringing Khumi on this journey of hope.
Living Way is a not-for profit organization working to economically empower people from under-resourced communities in Cape Town, South Africa. Part of the Fish Hoek Baptist Church Community Trust, it is a member of the Living Hope family of organizations. Together their aim is to spread the good news of Jesus Christ in a life-changing way and to encourage people to follow him. Living Way’s role in this is to create opportunities for people to earn their way out of poverty through savings clubs, job creation, developing entrepreneurs and various training.
For more information on Living Way and to see some of Khumi’s products, please access www.livingway.co.za.
Its a lot of fun to develop partnerships with other ministries that embody the idea of combining business and ministry. The Global CEO Network, YWAM's International Business as Mission Training, The C12 Group and Partners Worldwide have been featured ministry sponsors and now we'd like to welcome a new group, the BBL Forum. Here's a quick description from their website, "BBL Forum is a dynamic organization exclusively for Christian CEO’s, company presidents, and business owners that delivers cutting edge business advice from a Christian world view that honors God, challenges and transforms you with peer accountability, and is phenomenally profitable to your bottom line." You can learn more and check them out at http://www.bblforum.com/.
The event season is in full swing. Partners Worldwide and Fellowship of Companies for Christ (FCCI) just wrapped up their annual eventS and next week the Global CEO Network and Baylor University step up to the plate. Here's the update list of upcoming events. If you've got some frequent flyer miles left to cash in, now would be a good time to book your last minute flights and make plans to attend.
I have worked globally on specific Business as Mission (BAM) issues and applications over the past ten plus years, I have witnessed great strides and consistency gained with regards to the definition and acceptance of BAM. However, there are a few things that still stand out as major needs to further the cause of the BAM movement globally. Among them is a greater depth and investment in training.
Some crucial issues pertaining to training are: Vision impartation, Concept clarification, Practical implications, Business applications and Mentoring.
These are important issues for three major constituencies in the BAM Movement: Businesses, Churches and Mission Agencies.
The 6-week Introduction to Business As Mission Course, running from 24th January to 7th March, 2009 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, provides training in the above areas and is closely linked to various key movers and shakers in the BAM Movement globally.
The BAM Resource Team, which will soon relocate to Thailand from the UK, has been one of the pioneers of the global BAM movement. They have also served professionally and strategically as a catalyst and a facilitator of the growing BAM movement, including the Lausanne context. It is a continuous joy to work with them and I strongly believe that the BAM training they provide will be another important contribution to the BAM movement.
Your support and help to spread the word and find key players who are ready to attend the course and further pioneer Business As Mission is essential.
NEXT DATES: The Business as Mission Team will be offering the 6-week training iBAM course next year, from 24th January to 7th March, 2009 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. If you would like to recommend someone or encourage someone to look into participating, or have any questions in general about the iBAM training, please contact us at bamtraining@oval.com.
One of the most challenging aspects of Business as Mission (BAM) has to be the difficulty in ascertaining what constitutes a successful BAM company. BAM companies have the double-edged challenge of trying to create a thriving business that is economically viable and at the same time make an impact for the Kingdom of God. What indicators therefore, should be utilised to measure success? How should success be defined? If success is understood too narrowly BAM companies could be limited in their growth and development and similarly if too broadly, companies that achieve little for either the Kingdom or economically could be perpetuated that perhaps should cease.
Peter Shaukat, CEO of a global investment fund for BAM enterprise in the Arab world and Asia, shared his thoughts on the subject at this year’s Introduction to Business as Mission Course (IBAM). He outlined the need for a biblical perspective on success as a whole and explored some bottom-line success principles for BAM companies, together with guidelines for setting realistic goals and targets. A Christian Understanding of Success
Aiming to understand success from a biblical perspective will go a long way in assisting BAM practitioners strive towards healthy and holistic goals. The pursuit of success must not be an end in itself, even though it may be a godly ambition. Shaukat reminds Christians that success is always fleeting and its appearance is variable. Ultimately he suggests that success in an individual’s life is due to a combination of faithfulness and fruitfulness and is about becoming Christ-like. With this premise as our basic understanding of success how does this translate into business terms? Shaukat suggests that as we practice business, attributes such as creativity, justice, mercy, humility, and redemption should all be evident. Imitating the qualities of God should be the Christian way of doing business. How does this understanding therefore impact upon how we measure success within BAM?
Bottom-Line Success Principles
Shaukat asserts that BAM requires a paradigm shift in our thinking about success. Success is so often aligned with positive statistics alone that it can be difficult to see beyond tangible, physical results that can be quantifiably measured. However, success in BAM cannot just be about measuring up to your own goals at the outset or quantifiable outcomes. Shaukat instead outlines that BAM must always be working towards biblical holistic transformation and that ultimately four bottom lines are significant. (Mats Tunehag first outlined these bottom lines as being: financial, social, environmental, and spiritual in his work ‘Business as Mission’.1) Significant progress should be being made towards each of these bottom lines; for example, measurable outcomes of commercial returns may take a long time to realise and the exact spiritual impact of a company may never be directly known. So it is not immediate quantifiable results that are important but obvious progress towards each of the bottom line principles. For example, with regards to business success in a commercial sense, BAM companies must have the potential to be sustainable so employment can be provided and poverty decreased. Similarly with social success the company must positively impact the social, humanitarian, or environmental framework of the community. Finally the BAM enterprise should specifically engage people in the appropriate demonstration and proclamation of the message of Jesus Christ. It is this intentional demonstration and proclamation of a biblical world-view that sets successful BAM enterprise apart from otherwise “successful” business in a purely “normal” sense.
Realistic Goal Setting
In attempting to set effective and realistic goals for a BAM company Shaukat suggests there are four ingredients that will assist BAM practitioners. He argues that an intimate walk with God, a multi-disciplinary skill set, cross-cultural preparation, and life in community with spiritual and commercial accountability, will all help ensure that appropriate and realistic targets are set. He reiterates that individual integrity, good stewardship, and a healthy sense of responsibility to contribute to the social and economic development of a community will all help towards a BAM company being successful. Of course none of these things can possibly guarantee success. Such characteristics, experience and accountability can only point towards a healthy direction.
There is no doubt that success in BAM will always be a huge challenge. With so many desired outcomes which often compete and impact on each other, the effective management of such tension will be a constant battle that must be engaged and wrestled with. Success in BAM may ultimately rest in balancing such tension, and in Shaukat’s words, lead to the most “optimal” outcome.
NEXT DATES: The iBAM Course will run in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from 24th January to 7th March 2009. For more information and an application pack please visit www.businessasmission.com/pages/thecourse or send an email to bamtraining@oval.com.The iBAM Course will be delivered by experienced BAM practitioners, seasoned business professionals, lecturers and training specialists. The vision for this training is to prepare and launch individuals and teams into successful business as mission initiatives. The training will be run in Chiang Mai, Thailand, due to its central location in proximity to established business as mission initiatives A key element of the course is a weeklong field trip, where participants visit business as mission companies working out the reality of building the Kingdom of God in business.
Here at Regent Center for Entrepreneurship (RCE) we have embarked on a Great Adventure we are inviting all of our Founders, Friends, and Regent Alumni to join with us!
This Great Adventure is the heart of Kingdom Business – transforming lives and nations through business – beginning on the continent of Africa!
Dale Neill, President of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), has invited Dr. John Mulford and the RCE Team to partner in a Great Commission venture. We’ll be creating Business Development Centers in the nations of Burundi, Rwanda, Benin, and Liberia, in association with the ICCC Global Trade Center based in Jerusalem.
John Mulford, ICCC Rwanda Member, Dale NeillDale and Dr. John Mulford, RCE Director and former Dean of Regent’s Graduate School of Business, traveled to Africa in August to lay the groundwork for what we are calling "The Africa Project": establishing Business Development Centers that will create profitable and sustainable SME’s that we believe will create jobs and a groundswell of Kingdom impact, beginning in January with the nation of Burundi – one of the poorest nations on planet Earth.
The Presidents of these four nations are Christians who have asked ICCC and Regent University to partner together to train emerging entrepreneurs in each of their respective nations. The goal? To establish thousands of businesses that we believe will not only lead to the transformation of these nations through business, but which will provide access to the other 53 nations of Africa. We begin in January 2009 in the nation of Burundi, intent on training entrepreneurs to plan and launch 1,000 small to medium-sized businesses over the next 5 years. In April of 2009, we start a 15-week course that will take the first group of Burundi students through the process of identifying a business idea, learning the functional areas of starting a business, and then provide coaching through the start-up and launch phase.
At the TV station of Liberat Hatungimana, VP of ICCC Burundi and businessmanAs you know, Africa has been the recipient of foreign aid for decades – a continent rich in natural resources that has benefitted little from foreign aid. Our purpose is to use ‘trade,’ not ‘aid,’ to literally transform these nations as well as the entire continent – teaching people to fish, ‘to feed them for a lifetime,’ not just a day.
Regent’s theme is ‘Christian leadership to change the world,’ and we believe The Africa Project is an amazing opportunity given us by God to make a difference by going in with resources and depositing an entrepreneurial spirit that will help lift these nations from poverty and civil war to be a blessing to other nations – even Israel (more on that aspect later). God has placed Christians in top leadership positions in these four nations – leading their countries at a time of literally rebuilding their nations from nothing – and we have this window of opportunity to actually transform lives and nations through business as never before.
In order to capture this opportunity we need your help!
Time, Treasure, and Talent – these are the resources God has given you, and it is our desire to channel your gifts and resources through The Africa Project.
RCE needs to raise $200,000 by December 31st, 2008 in order to get on the ground in January. We are asking everyone we know to participate in at least 1 of these areas. When was the last time you had a chance to partner in the transformation of 4 nations that has the prospect of transforming an entire continent?
Tom Stansbury, RCE Entrepreneur in Residence, teaching in UkraineI just returned from Ukraine where I served in a Kingdom Business venture. For the past 3 months I was a Strategic Business Consultant with one of the largest financial institutions in the nation, helping to create a nationally-branded company in the real estate sector. Over the course of the past year, RCE has launched a business development center in Ternopil, Ukraine – there we have taught Biblical Entrepreneurship and now have emerging entrepreneurs in the process of writing business plans; we will be holding a Business Plan Competition in November of this year.
This experience has given us ‘on the ground’ competencies in launching Business Development Centers we hope can be replicated around the world. ICCC is in over 100 nations, and we believe The Africa Project will not only impact the continent, but also provide a Kingdom business replication model that can be launched world-wide.
As we embark on this Great Adventure, the RCE Team is inviting each and every person who reads this to partner with us in this huge Kingdom Business effort – because if all of us join together with what God is doing on the earth today, we can impact an entire nation – even an entire continent, if we do it ‘AS ONE’ (remember Gladiator?).
RCE Blog: www.kingdomentrepreneur.blogspot.com I will be keeping you posted on developments each week through our blog, as we take this step of faith. Be in prayer, as the week of September 29th I am in Atlanta meeting with Os Hillman from Marketplaceleaders.org, along with Dale Neill, regarding The Africa Project. Later in the week I will be attending the Board of Governor’s Meeting in Chicago for Opportunity International as well.
Next week, on October 8th, we will be holding an RCE Executive Roundtable at Regent University where Dr. Mulford and I will be laying out more details of this incredible opportunity – you are invited, so please join us!
Last year we followed the journey of a few interns as they got more involved in Business as Mission. We shared their observations, reflections and lessons learned as they visited and interact with different Business as Mission (BAM) practitioners. We share the program directors hope that this sharing will spark your imagination and encourage you to get involved in the idea of combining business and ministry. Here's the start of their second edition!
Updates- Apologies for the gap in sending out these notes (the last case study was sent out May!). Our first year's BAM Journey participants have returned to North America. One is now gaining practical work experience managing a store for her parent's business. And the other is reporting back on his year while we liaise and try to develop a working BAM internship for him in-country. A new BAM Journey team is coming together for Fall '08! Thus far we have 2 Couples and 2 Singles. We're still waiting for all the dust to settle with people moving over here, a new baby arriving and adoption paper work on another to be finalized. Hopefully by the end of this month we are settled in and started into our program.
BAM Journey is a program of immersion and observation. All the participants are language and culture students. We then meet weekly to go through foundational Book passages and recent and relevant books on BAM. We discuss the theory in the books and then bi-weekly go out and visit BAM practitioners and businesses. We get to see, ask questions, observe and get a taste of the real challenge of making it work in this world - and then come back and discuss what we've seen. This note then reflects the case studies we write up after our visits. Our vision is that through this process our Father might raise up the next generation of entrepreneurs to set up profitable, sustainably and transformational businesses among the least-reached. Capitalization- It is possible to have a strong vision, fantastic business concept, strong market demand, qualified and unified project team... and the project never starts or fails. Right now I am in the midst of such a situation and a good colleague just had to resign from a similar situation all for the same reason - under capitalization. With daily headlines from the US showing political candidates raising tens of millions each month (donations) and most recently Coke offering $2.5 billion to purchase a $350 million juice company, the money is out there! But the word from those seeking to raise funds for these small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) is that venture capitalists are not looking at projects this small nor like-minded I'm learning that raising $1 million is perhaps harder than raising $50 million. Apparently the research, financial and legal fees are not significantly different - so the economies of scale prefer the larger amounts. So what does that mean for those of us trying to start-up SMEs?
Under capitalization affects the project from start to finish. At start-up it hampers being able to hire the best people, undermines leverage in negotiating, affects supply chain management, paying suppliers... all the way through. It complicates what already is a difficult process. These are not pie-in-the-sky businesses! These are market-pulled, soundly thought through by seasoned business people of faith, led by those who are qualified and willing to sacrificially dive in and start them up. The part of the team that seems to be missing is the finance/funding part. And without it, the team is incomplete and the effort… and is in vain? In Ken Eldred's book God is at Work his last chapter is entitled "Outrageous Visions". Here he illustrates the outrageous visions God can do through Kingdom businesses. An inspirational list to pray through! On page 264 he mentions “several large and successful funds that finance Kingdom business start-up and business development efforts”. This need is now. Who will step up and stand in this gap?
A large group of foundations and high worth individuals at The Gathering’s Annual conference held at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island, Florida heard how they could be strategic in the Business as Mission (BAM) movement. Ken Eldred and Tom Sudyk chaired a panel discussion about the growing BAM movement including examples of business operations in China, India and Eastern Europe. Cornerstone University provided the educational perspective of how the next generations of BAM leaders are being developed through adult graduate programs and alumni involvement.
Foundations expressed frustration in funding requests being “repackaged” as BAM and were particularly interested in having a better understanding of BAM so they could support the movement by making wise grants. They also expressed disappointment that only a few mission agencies were embracing this new strategy seriously – most are still looking at business as only a method of getting a visa and not as a self funding mission strategy way to have a legitimate place to influence employees and community.
Foundations were challenged to ask the following questions in defining BAM:
Is it STRATEGIC in its approach for bringing the Kingdom?
BAM is the intentional pursuit of both “good business” (profitable, ethical, high quality) and “good ministry” (Gospel-centered, culturally relevant, caring for the whole person). These two elements must be the combined focus of the enterprise and not simply a by-product or side benefit.
Is it AUTHENTIC BUSINESS?
The activities and functions performed in the operation of a BAM business must be legitimate and contribute to the success of the business (intending to make a profit). The business does not exist simply to provide access to a region or to support extra-curricular ministry activities.
Does it create MINISTRY opportunities where few exist?
Globalization is bringing us into contact with the poor and oppressed in areas where the gospel has yet to be received. It is within the context of these business interactions that solid relationships are formed between Christians and non-Christians.
Does it MINISTER AND EVANGELIZE?
The BAM business is both the means and the message; it leverages every opportunity to serve spiritual, social, and economic needs, both demonstrating and sharing the power of the Gospel with employees, clients, suppliers, governments an indirectly to families, friends, local communities, and other businesses within the market.
Tom Sudyk and EC Group International sponsors the Global CEO Network to provide support and networking for operators of kingdom companies. The next Global CEO meeting is in Chicago October 22-25, 2008. For more information please visit www.globalceonetwork.org or contact afuller@ecgroup-intl.com.
EC Group International is a Business as Mission company operating in the US and India since 1999. Working exclusively with Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises that recognize the tremendous opportunity to increase their competitiveness through the utilization of global resources in India. EC Group provides offshore IT staffing services to software product companies, customer software development firms, and other companies with growing development needs within their IT departments.
EC Group International also offers consulting services to develop strategies and initiatives to help you create profitable international kingdom businesses with sustainable ministries in hard to reach countries.
As many of you know, I'm a diehard Michigan State Spartan fan. I can't help it, I was brainwashed at an early age by one of the greatest grandfather's anyone could hope for. He worked in the admissions department for years and missed one home football game in something like 30 or 40 years and sold me early on.
It was a good day today watching the Spartans let by running back Javon Ringer run off to something like the 9th victory in the last 12 games against Notre Dame. But enough about football ...
John Mulford of Regent Center for Entrepreneurship emailed a couple of days ago to remind us about the upcoming roundtable in Addison, Texas (Dallas Metro) on Monday, October 27, 2008 in order to introduce people to the work of the Center and to opportunities for partnering with them. The meeting will be held at the Corporate Office of Beckett Interests (address below) from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Jim Beckett has graciously offered to host the event.
Meeting Agenda - 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast and introductions 9:00 – 9:30 a.m. Brief introduction to kingdom business (KB) and business as mission (BAM) 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. Participant experiences and thoughts about KB and BAM 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. Introduction to Regent Center for Entrepreneurship with discussion 10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Break 11:00 a.m. – noon Global Transformation Group: Business Development Center model. Brief description of activities in Ukraine, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Cameroon, Mexico and Guatemala. 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Lunch 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Working groups on components of global transformation model 2:30 – 3:00 p.m. Conclusions & prayer
To learn more about RCE, visit the website: http://www.regententrepreneur.org/. If you know people who might want to participate in this Roundtable please respond so they can send you some materials to help you prepare for the meeting and determine room requirements and confirm numbers for meals. You may e-mail or call Skye Ganbaatar (sganbaatar@regent.edu; 757-226-4502).
Thailand USAID-Bangkok is currently seeking concept papers from qualified non-governmental organizations capable of designing and implementing model projects that will provide support to people with disabilities in Danang and surrounding areas. Programs and activities could include, but are not limited to enhancing earlier intervention for those who are disabled, providing support to existing rehabilitation clinics and services, expanding access of people with disabilities to essential health and education services, initiating or strengthening community based rehabilitation services and support, improving income generation and employment opportunities, strengthening the capacity of local organizations to provide services, improved community-based information around reducing risk exposure, and surveillance and prevention of disability. As of August 15, 2008, the closing date for this announcement is Dec 04, 2008. For more information, click here to visit the USAID site.
This might be different from some of our other conversations but it is nonetheless creative and unique in its ability to combine business and ministry. The recent highlight of The Prison Entrepreneurship Program in Christianity Today deserves some recognition (Here's the link to their website) for its incredible idea and its inspirational leadership. Numerous events along with the Washington Post have also featured the group in a recent article. Here's an excerpt from the article, click to see the whole article at Christianity Today.
"Catherine Rohr, a private-equity investor, was a long way from Wall Street when she decided to visit a prison in Sugar Land, Texas, four years ago. What she witnessed there changed her life. "I thought I was going on this zoo tour to see these wild caged animals. Instead, I saw many men who were repentant and had their hands up in the air, worshiping God," Rohr, then 26, told CT. "I found it ironic that the closest I ever felt to God was in prison on Easter weekend. I had been so condemning of these men, but I felt that they really knew God."
Rohr spoke with the inmates about how they ended up behind bars, about leading gangs and running drugs, and she quickly decided that prison was a "storehouse of untapped potential." The men she encountered were brimming with business savvy. It was just misdirected.
A month later, Rohr launched the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP), which offers business training from MBA students at elite schools such as Harvard and Wharton—and from some of the 4,000 CEOs in Rohr's Rolodex ..."
From the Bakke Graduate University Website ... "Dr. Neal Johnson is settling into his office and beginning the exciting task of launching BGU’s Business School with two approved and accredited business degrees – a values based MBA and the Master’s in Social and Civic Entrepreneurship (MASCE). With a career extending from academics, to business, to law, to theology and a 3-year mission assignment in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Dr. Johnson brings a wealth of experience to this new enterprise, as well as the following degrees:
– PhD (Fuller Seminary – focused on faith-based business management practices); JD (University of New Mexico – focused on international development), MPA – Public Administration (Univ of Oklahoma), graduate banking degree (SMU) and BA in Political Science
– International Studies (University of Colorado). He is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association’s School of International Banking.
Neal and his wife, Frecia, are embracing their new city with enthusiasm, helped, no doubt, by the recent glorious weather. And we are so pleased to welcome both of them to the BGU family. For the full release, click here."
In November, Christian CEOs and Business Owners will be meeting with their peers at the CEO Summit sponsored by BBL Forum. This year’s conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in Huntington Beach, California on November 6th through November 8th. Here's the scoop from Alan Lowe of BBL ...
"Joining the noted author, entrepreneur and psychologist, Dr. Henry Cloud as keynote speakers will be Alan Barnhart and Emma Morris. Attendees will be challenged, inspired and equipped as they interact with each other and the presenters. There will also be opportunities and activities for fun and recreation. Spouses are invited and encouraged to attend.
Dr. Henry Cloud will be speaking on “Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality” and later will offer insight on “The One-Life Solution: Reclaiming Your Personal Life while Achieving Greater Professional Success.” Alan Barnhart is a successful CEO whose company has achieved 25% Annual Growth for 20 consecutive years. Barnhart will talk about “Profit with a Purpose”. On Saturday, Emma Morris will train on “Successful Change Management” both for the Individual and for Organizations. Emma is a successful consultant who has launched 3 technology companies, and her advice is sought by CEOs who are facing rapid growth and seeking greater success.
If you are interested in learning more about the CEO Summit and how to receive a formal invitation, contact Marc Ottestad or Paul Burke at BBL Forum at 877-236-2236 or visit the website at http://www.bblforum.com/ Admission is by invitation only.Dr. Henry Cloud, the recognized author and speaker will be the keynote speaker at the BBL Forum CEO Summit November 6-8, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa - Huntington Beach, CA."
In any job, its easy lose sight of the bigger goal and get caught up in the routine. When it happens, I think its easy for us to lose sight of the ministry that is found in how we go about the work in the office. On the ride home yesterday I listened to North Point's message series with Andy Stanley called, "Taking Care of Business."
The first message in particular I think was really good. It's not a business as ministry message, but instead helps define the purpose of work and what our attitude about work should be. It's a broad based message that reaches out to anyone with a job -- not just the person with some ability and finances to start their own business.
I would highly recommend it on a morning drive. I think Andy Stanley has a clear way of communicating. For a lot of people, they need to hear this message before the concept of business and ministry can really sink in -- because the business and ministry thing may never work out for them, but that shouldn't negate their ability to see significance in their current job.
"God loves the smell of our sweat. I know that's a strange thought. And please keep using deodorant. But I think it's true. We have a core value at NCC: work like it depends on you and pray like it depends on God. God loves the sound of our voices when we are singing praises to Him. But I also think he loves the smell of our sweat when we are serving Him. Service is how we love God with all of our strength."
For those of you that don’t know, Mark Batterson has been involved with our LeadNow Conferences and is pastor at National Community Church in D.C. I love the way that Mark brings out the how God loves and is glorified in our work. I love how Mark reminds us that God is glorified not just in our work but when we work hard and we give him all our strength.
You guys may also know that Mark's church decided to build a coffee house rather than a church building, since it allowed them to be directly into the community throughout the week. But they didn't stop there, since opening they continue to be recognized as the #1 Coffee House in the Washington DC Metro area in recent citywide rankings.
With sales of just under 1 million dollars so far this year, Bajalia Trading Company is on the leading edge of a rapidly growing area of business and non-profit cooperation: social entrepreneurialism. At the heart of this movement is a mission to alleviate poverty and suffering. The passion for this mission is fueled by the conviction that releasing the latent talents within the people of these cultures will set in motion a sustainable economic and social development model.
