Business, Brokenness, and the Gospel: When Work Becomes Witness

I’m sitting on the roof of a hotel in North Africa as I write this, watching the sunrise over a city of millions with only 60–70 known followers of Jesus. 

The call to prayer will sound here in just a few minutes filling the air with one of the most recognizable sounds of Islam. It’s the last few days of Ramadan, so a culture already deeply defined by its religion has an even heightened religious attentiveness right now. 

I tagged along on a trip The Stone Table is hosting for a dozen or so college students from Indiana University. 

One of our deep passions is to help young people headed into the marketplace see how business is being used to make Jesus known among the nations. 

When Business Becomes Mission 

I wish I could share more specifics of what we’ve experienced in just 72 hours here. It’s one of my frustrations with this joyful work we get to be part of. I have to be vague about a lot of details. 

Yesterday, we visited one of the most impressive and effective business as mission (BAM) projects I’ve seen in my years around this type of work. Profitable, professional, serving a real market need here in the community, providing much needed jobs for locals, and clearly and intentionally making disciples among unreached people groups. 

Afterward, we sat with the owners and talked about their work. They told us about the thousands of people they’ve met through the business over the last 5 years, and how one of their key staff just gave his life to Christ after years of wrestling with the gospel, mostly through watching these guys and their families, asking questions, and sensing the Holy Spirit at work in their lives. 

He told us a recent story of having to apologize to one of his team members after allowing his frustration to boil over in a tense conversation. No one with power ever says “I’m sorry, will you forgive me” here in this culture, especially not a man in authority. God turned what this leader initially saw as an embarrassing screw up into a beautiful representation of the grace and humility available through the gospel. It was one of the catalytic moments that brought his team member to faith in Jesus. 

Sometimes the most powerful proclamation of the gospel is not a sermon, but a life that looks different. 

This is powerful stuff. The marketplace helping to bring economic blessing to a community while simultaneously bringing the good news of Jesus. 

They’re not here to “sell” a new ideology. 

They’re not here to coerce and manipulate. 

They’re here to love, serve, and announce the news that Jesus came to save sinners. And they’re doing it through business. 

Different Assignments. Same Calling. 

I sat on this same rooftop late last night listening to this group of college students unpack what they’ve experienced so far. Those few minutes made everything worth it. The marketplace isn’t where you end up going if you’re not “called” into ministry. We’re all in this ministry together. Different assignments. Same calling. 

Your job is not the point. Your obedience is. 

Not all of us will live in another country, although God needs more to literally pick up their lives and go, but all of us are called to worship God, love people, and make disciples of all nations. 

42% of the global population still has little to no access to the Gospel. This task gets finished when we all awaken to our responsibility to it, no matter what sphere of life we work in.