Some of us may wonder, “What kind of influence can I have for God if I’m not working in the Church?” And the answer is, “quite a significant one.” BAM and the Great Command BAM is a unique approach to spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth, as the Lord...
Some of us may wonder, “What kind of influence can I have for God if I’m not working in the Church?” And the answer is, “quite a significant one.” B4T and the Great Command B4T is a unique approach to spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth, as the Lord...
Something that I have been reflecting on more recently is the increasingly apparent move of God that is now, and will be, coming through the marketplace rather than only in the church. While this does not take away from the vital nature of the church, it does increase...
And at The Stone Table, we define BAM this way: Business as mission is the intentional integration of business and ministry to create a sustainable, missional presence of the kingdom of God in a particular community. Across the globe, all kinds of marketplace work is being embraced as a Great Commission opportunity to take the Gospel to every ethnos. We have missionary entrepreneurs that are starting sustainable farms, tourism companies, CrossFit gyms, and coffee shops in areas devoid of Gospel witness. We have gig economy workers like graphic designers and book editors that are moving their base of operations to strategic missions’ outposts. We have take-a-job missionaries that are partnering with local church planting teams and are embedding in local corporations that are moving them to unreached parts of the world. We have business owners that are franchising their models to missionary teams that could take the Gospel into places that traditional missionaries cannot go. And missionary investors are underwriting the risky startup costs of these strategic BAM projects through grant and investment dollars. And they’re embracing this multiple bottom-line definition of success and Great Commission returns.
So, what is the Great Commission? Do you know? The Great Commission is Jesus’ last instructions to his disciples as he ascended into heaven. These instructions weren’t just for professional pastors and missionaries. Jesus’ words were aimed at all of us who call him “Lord,” including those of us with marketplace jobs. Look at Matthew 28:19. It says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” It says “go,” to move out, to train up followers of all nations. And the Greek word here is actually ethnos. It’s ethnos or a people joined by similar customs or culture. We can better translate this word, not as geo-political nation states, but as people groups. And Jesus said to go make disciples of all of them. But the Joshua Project estimates there as many as 7,400 unreached people groups in the world today. These 7,400 people groups total 3.1 billion people or 42% of the global population. And for many of these people, were not just talking about a general disinterest in Christianity, we’re talking no access to the Gospel. If you are born into this 42%, there is a good chance that you will live and die without ever as much as meeting a Christian let alone hearing the life-giving message of Jesus. And this should disturb all of us. See, if you belong to Jesus, the Great Commission belongs to you.
Many times throughout the Gospel, Jesus presents to us the challenge & encouragement to keep our eyes on the things that matter – the things that will last for eternity. Paul also continues this teaching throughout the epistles in the New Testament, keeping...
I began reading through Isaiah this morning and came across a unique passage in chapter three where the LORD condemns a group of women for being outwardly flashy, seeking to draw attention, and displaying their wealth overtly while inwardly they were corrupt &...
Workism is a common topic here at The Stone Table because of its prevalence both across the US and throughout much of the Western world. Workism can be presented in many ways, often as one seeking a sense of self-worth or value from their work, but it can also be a...
Workism, a common new “religion” in the US and other Western cultures, has ridden the waves of secularism and taken a spotlight in the past few years within the global West. Workism promotes a sense of valuing oneself based on production and finding oneself rooted...
That’s why two recent Barna surveys on global missions and evangelism really shocked and troubled me. Maybe you saw these. According to Barna, over half of all churchgoers, 51%, are completely unfamiliar with the concept of the Great Commission. But I think even more disturbing, they found almost half of practicing Christian millennials believe that evangelism is wrong. And perhaps these responses reflect a rejection of some historical missions’ missteps that were rooted more in western colonialism than the gospels full redemptive work. Perhaps, but I fear something worse. I fear God’s people may actually be losing God’s heart for the nations. I fear we’ve turned the Great Commission into more of a great suggestion. If we really love people, won’t we move heaven and earth to tell them how their sins can be forgiven, how they can find union with their heavenly father, and how they can function in the fullness of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. The answer is yes, and we passionately believe that mobilizing entrepreneurship, business, and the marketplace is a vital part of that Great Commission calling.
As I look back at old photos, I realize the true value in life lies in the relationships we cherish. Take a moment to appreciate the people who have made a difference in your life. "You know, when I take time to contemplate the most valuable things that I own,...
Are you tired of feeling like you have to do it all on your own? Learn how dependence on God can lead to true strength and success. "If you're like me, you probably hate that feeling of being in over your head. You know, in whatever sphere of life— in...
"Hey leaders, let's deal with our insecurities. Marketplace skills are missionary skills; we all deal with insecurities—all of us. Those nagging little voices that whisper, "You're not enough"—this, of course, is completely true. On our own, you and I are not nearly...