Solving Pioneering Challenges

1. ENTER. Pioneers need creative entry strategies so they can access hard places and remote corners.

2. REMAIN. Pioneers need sustainable residency strategies so they can remain long enough to share the Good News, make disciples, and see faith communities emerge.

3. MODEL. Pioneers should model biblical work values to new believers and emerging communities (see MODELING BIBLICAL WORK VALUES below).

4. DISCIPLE. Pioneers should teach biblical work values so they can transform new believers and emerging faith communities.

Using Business to Pioneer

Pioneering into other countries requires solid identities that allow you to gain residency and answer basic questions such as “What you do you?” and “Why are you here?”

Residency visa options in other countries are changing.

Small business is increasingly attractive for establishing a stable, long-term identity in a pioneering location.

• If you create jobs for locals, you’ll be more welcome.

• If you take jobs from locals, you’ll be less welcome.

Contrasting Business Approaches

Why do many react negatively to the idea of using business to pioneer in hard places?

Perhaps it’s because they’ve seen so many poor examples.

When we advocate in favor of using business to pioneer, it’s important that we advocate against some business models and for other business models.

1. Fake Business is flawed.

Some establish an empty business structure as a ministry platform to gain residency and start discipling, without pursuing a genuine small business that seeks customers, employees, and profitability.

Flaws:

– Authorities can tell from business tax returns if a business lacks income or some employees are working for free.

– Communities can tell by watching if a business lacks customers and employees.

– Fake business models the wrong behaviors to observers and believers.

Conclusion: Profitable business is preferable to fake business.

2. Profitable Secular Business is flawed.

Some establish a profitable secular business that seeks customers, employees, and profitability, without a willingness to risk the business by being openly biblical and without creating opportunities for spiritual conversations. 

Flaws:

– Secular business creates a disconnect between business values and biblical values, reinforcing the “sacred-secular” divide.

– Secular business makes spiritual conversations at work feel awkward.

– Secular business models the wrong behaviors to observers and believers.

Conclusion: Biblical business is preferable to secular business.

3. Profitable Biblical Business is preferable.

Some establish a profitable, biblical business that seeks customers, employees, and profitability, combined with 1) a willingness to risk the business by being biblical and openly spiritual, and 2) a willingness to keep the business small enough to leave time for discipling.

Benefits:

– Profitable business models integrity and authenticity, because a legitimate business has customers, employees, and profits.

– Biblical business makes biblical values and spiritual conversations at work feel natural.

– Profitable biblical business…

• shows that doing good deeds and sharing the Good News can be integrated in a successful business.

• models the right behaviors to observers and believers.
  

As James 2:18 says, “I will show you my faith by my deeds.”

Conclusion: Profitable biblical business is preferable.

Designing a Profitable Biblical Business

SMALL. SIMPLE. PROFITABLE. BIBLICAL.

1. Start SMALL and profitable.

• It should be acceptable for a business to be small as long as it seeks to be profitable.
• “Small and profitable” is an attitude rather than a target size.
• Smaller startups work better in remote locations and unstable situations.
• Smaller startups require less initial funding, which is easier for many to achieve and a simpler model for locals to imitate.
• Therefore… strive to be small and profitable in business before considering ways to grow.

2. Prioritize SIMPLE processes.

• Complicated processes, tasks, forms, and procedures tend to create problems in business.
• Simpler processes are usually less expensive, less likely to lead to mistakes, and easier to teach to others.
• Simplicity in business can be powerful, but it takes intent and effort to achieve it.
• Simpler business is a better model for others to imitate.
• Therefore… strive to be simple in business.

3. Pursue PROFITABLE business.

• Every business should be profitable enough to serve customers, pay employees and owners, pay the bills, and prepare for crises.
• Excess profits should result in generosity toward others, not greed or selfishness for the owners.
• Profitable business has the capacity to be both sustainable (surviving crises and downturns) and generous (blessing the needy in families and communities).
• Profitable business that’s sustainable and generous is a better model for others to imitate.
• Therefore… strive to be profitable in business.

4. Be BIBLICAL in business.

• We need to reclaim a biblical approach to business which will look very different from many examples in the world.
• A business that seeks to be biblical will 1) value work in business, 2) do good deeds through business, and 3) share the Good News through business.
• Biblical business is a better model for others to imitate.
• Therefore… strive to be biblical in business.
• Explore a framework for being biblical in business on the Be Biblical page.

Modeling Biblical Work Values

Believers should exemplify the following biblical work values.

1. Believers should work (2 Thess. 3:6–13; 1 Thess. 4:10–12; Acts 20:33–35; Eph. 4:28).
2. Believers should bless others (Ps. 82:3–4; Matt. 25:31–46; 2 Cor. 9:1–15; James 1:27).
3. Believers should pay taxes (Matt. 22:15–22; Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:20–26; Rom. 13:1, 5–7; 1 Pet. 2:13–17).
4. Believers should tithe (Deut. 14:27–29; Exod. 34:26; Prov. 3:9–10).
5. Believers should apply God’s wisdom at work (Col. 1:9–10; Deut. 4:5–6; Ps. 19:7–14).
6. Believers should share the Good News from work (1 Pet. 3:15–16; Eph. 6:19–20; Col. 4:3–6; Rom. 1:14–17; 2 Cor. 5:16–20).

Pioneers should model these biblical work values.

“Imitate me even as I imitate Christ” is an important biblical principle (1 Cor. 4:16, 11:1; 2 Thess. 3:7–10; 1 Thess. 2:7–12; Acts 20:33–35; 2 Cor. 12:14–16).

If these biblical work values are modeled and taught by pioneers sharing the Good News, they are more likely to be caught by new believers and emerging communities.