What do chickens, computers, handicraft items, and steel parts have in common? These are all business-based ministry (BBM) ventures which are engaging people with the Gospel.

SIM has a long and wonderful history in pioneer church planting through medical work, education and community development, and remains committed to them. However, we are in a new era of missions and SIM is keen to explore the strategic potential of new forms of Gospel ministry. Sports ministry is one example; business-related activities are another. We are convinced some people and communities can be more readily engaged through business than via more traditional means.

Experience shows that a BBM can serve and bless a community in many ways, enabling Christians to live out the Gospel, effectively sharing Jesus Christ on a day-to-day basis among those with whom they work. Moreover, as the examples below demonstrate, BBM opens many new avenues for people (including early retirees) with business and professional skills to become involved in cross-cultural mission, often working alongside qualified national colleagues.

When one is involved in BBM, it means that a legitimate business is operating for the purpose of maintaining an effective Gospel witness in an area. Often times this allows a Christian to live in an area and relate to those they might not be able to otherwise. BBM is not a "cover" or "method of being secretive." Christians operate businesses to be able to minister to the needs of a community and to openly live out and proclaim the Gospel.

Being involved in a BBM, one must consider strategic values and practices for effective church planting efforts. First, the business needs to be respectable. The company needs to be real and not a fake, otherwise respect would be lost. The business must be respected within the community it serves. A respectable company and the role one plays within the company are foundational in the effectiveness of the BBM, as the Gospel is lived out among non-believers.

Second, the role of one’s work within the BBM must give access to the community being engaged. It is vital that every day, through word and deed, there are opportunities to bring the kingdom of God to others. By doing so, the business and ministry go hand in hand. Someone who is involved in a BBM engages those in the workplace intentionally and naturally as they work together.

Third, the business should be a blessing to the community. BBM is a strategy to alleviate poverty, to offer employment opportunities, and to earn income to re-invest in the local community. By providing steady jobs, a community will be helped in many ways. For example, employees are financially enabled to educate their children and receive proper medical care. The business can also give back to the community in various ways as it shares its resources both in terms of finances and people. BBM is a strategic way to serve a community.

Fourth, BBM provides an essential example to new believers. It models to believers that evangelism and church planting can take place as one integrates daily living with ministry. Believers will discover that ministry should be a natural outflow of their relationship with Jesus, and it doesn’t have to be separate from their regular work.

As previously mentioned, chickens, computers, handicraft items and steel parts are current BBM ventures that are having an eternal impact in the communities where they are based. These examples are strategic businesses which are seeking to change lives through Jesus Christ.

Chicken farm

There is a national church-planting team operating a small-scale chicken farm. The chickens they raise are typically healthier than other chicken farms in the area, so the chicken farmers are asking for advice on how to raise healthier chickens. This BBM is a blessing to the community by training other chicken farmers in better methods of raising chickens. It is giving the national team credibility in the area and opportunities to interact with Muslims daily as they reach out to their neighbors with the love of Jesus. This small business also generates the funds needed for a church planter to live in this city to minister to Muslims. The church planters on this team are trained in evangelism and church planting, using BBM as their approach to the community.

Computer company

A computer software development company, started several years ago, is a legitimate business which is providing job opportunities and generating income that is put back into the community. This BBM provides the Christian employees tremendous opportunities to freely share Christ and to live out the Gospel. In an area where there are only a few small churches, people are having an opportunity to hear for the first time about Jesus.

Handicraft businesses

Both an expatriate and a national, in two separate Muslim-dominated locations, are running very successful handicraft businesses. Not only are these businesses providing employment, they are also providing daily access to those unengaged with the Gospel, and people are coming to faith in Jesus. In one location, after many years of faithful and dedicated service, entire families are coming to faith in Christ. God is using the businesses to have an eternal impact on the community.

Steel business

One national team has just started a new work making steel parts to export. The team leader says it’s a "dream come true" to have a viable business right in the heart of the Muslim area where ministering to the needs of Muslims will be a daily occurrence.

Please pray for these businesses to bring many people to faith in Jesus. Please pray that these are not just "businesses" which operate in strategic locations, but that each of them will have an eternal impact in the lives of those who are being engaged with the Gospel.

Each of these, and other BBMs, takes a tremendous amount of dedication, effort and time. It is exciting to see God at work in such ventures. Business-based ministry is a strategic way of reaching the unengaged with the kingdom of God through the love of Christ.