bcmatson

The personal weblog of Bradley C. Matson.

Thursday, February 28, 2008   BAM Network Updates

From the Business as Mission Network:

International Business as Mission Training Members Return from a Week in China

Personal reflection from Charles who spent a week in China understanding Chinese business culture with the International Business as Mission Training Course. The team tells says "He is a big fan of the BAM network and has it set as his home page" ...

Over the last four weeks I've been engaged in the Introduction to Business as Mission Course in Thailand. My course learning began with an overview of Business as Mission as a mindset and movement. Through the sessions that followed I have been equipped in the following areas: prayer in business,kingdom business planning, setting up accountability systems, and countless other skills one would need to pursue a calling to do business as mission in a cross cultural setting.


Last week I had the opportunity to travel to China on one of the course field trips to learn and experience Business as Mission on the ground.Through this trip four course-mates and I soaked up the Chinese culture as we met with Chinese business people, interviewed BAM practitioners, and learned the realities of doing kingdom business where unique challenges exist.

The business as mission insight I gleaned from this exposure trip was invaluable, but what stuck me most were the hearts and souls of the people of China. Whenever entering a new culture I try to adopt a mindset that prepares me for how different the new culture will be. I am always, however,pleasantly shocked at how many similarities can be found in a new and foreign culture.

The "thumbprint" of God was visible throughout the city. From building names with kingdom significance to Chinese businessmen who operate with Biblical principles having never read the Bible, it was evident that this was a place and people created by God, for his glory and in His image.

Having been apart of this course and field trip, I now have a better framework for Business as Mission, a new heart for China and an invigorated passion for using the gifting of business to draw out the kingdom of God in His people for His glory.


International Business as Mission Training Members Return from Cambodia

Personal reflection from Alena--participant in IBAM course who attended the Cambodia field trip. She has started an outdoor adventure business and is committed to bringing social, spiritual and economic transformation for the Kingdom through her business.

Having returned from my field trip in Cambodia I realize that business in my understanding is really about distributing wealth, demonstrating goodness,revealing the goodness and glory of God to every level of our society. One of the businesses we visited in Cambodia showed very clearly that we reveal the Creator in the quality of our work, just as the Creator has revealed Himself in the quality of His work. People get changed and societies transformed by realizing and applying this in real life situations and issues.

Saturday, February 23, 2008   BAM Initiative


Just posted some info on a new business as mission initiative. Looking for passionate people to join the team as we research possibilities.
Business as Mission Initiative Page

Thursday, February 21, 2008   BAM Course Articles

Here are some BAM Course Articles from BusinessAsMissionNetwork.com:

Training the Next Generation: Business as Mission Course Starts in Thailand with Mats Tunehag

22 Future and Present Business as Mission Leaders Arrive in Thailand and Start their Training

It was in fall 2005 when I was pushing hard to get our small company going, that I observed an increase of well-intended and passionate missionaries called to Business as Mission ("BAM") arriving in our Central Asian field location. My family and I had been serving on the field for the past 8 years and we started a few businesses because we saw how much transformation business can bring. The problem was, that even though some of our fellow workers came with significant business and cross-cultural expertise--which they were planning to capitalize on--almost all of them had very unrealistic expectations of how to use their expertise in a pioneering situation. I found that often they came with so much ambition and vision but underestimated the enormity of the challenge to start a business in a cross-cultural context.


Training the Next Generation: A Reflection from a Participant in the Business as Mission Training Course

From the Business as Mission Network to the YWAM Training In Thailand

The Business as Mission Network has quickly become the place for people to learn about opportunities to get involved. A few months ago someone visited the site and learned about the business as mission training course in Thailand. Here's a reflection from Evan after the first week in the training course in Thailand:

Youth With a Mission's Introduction to Business as Mission course was not in my plans. However, I found myself listening to the Father laugh more in regards to my plans rather than I seeing His hand move in the direction I had hoped. After the first week of lectures and gaining the knowledge that I have uncovered through the lives and testimonies of my classmates in this course, I am eternally grateful for God's sense of humor in the direction and plans he has for my life.

My story as a BAMer has taken a very logical course that was often beyond my comprehension throughout the journey. While studying business management in college, my wife and I helped plan, open, and manage a full-scale coffeehouse that doubled as a platform for relational evangelism to take place. As I continued my studies in business at the postgraduate level, I often felt frustrated and felt my heart was moving further from business activities and closer to "fulltime ministry" by being involved in missions work. I remember thinking, "God I don't know why I am getting my MBA, because I want to serve you full timein missions and not in the workplace". At that time, I had no idea how God was preparing me for full time ministry through my work and educational experience in business.

First I had to come to a place where I could see my daily work as ministry by breaking down the mental wall that compartmentalized work apart from ministry. This week's teaching by Mats Tunehag (Week 1 Topic: Intro to BAM) and Bill Rigden (Topic: Role of prayer in BAM) have only confirmed the calling that God has placed on my life to use business as an inspired way to transform, bless, and prepare a way for His kingdom to dwell among men.

To briefly summarize this week's lectures, I would say that despite one’s starting place in business as missions--whether a highly experienced, trained businessperson or someone with a heart for missions--one must truly understand the impact of the sacred and secular divide in our thinking. It whispers in our heads, constantly trying to affect the way we process and under-spiritualize God¹s call on our life. Primarily one must realize the debilitating effects of such a mentality on the church at large and the hardships it will create for those trying to use their gifts to minister full time in the business world. Business can be used for the ultimate glory of God.

One of greatest struggles that I have felt and seen in my classmates this week has been trying to understand the practical manifestations of a BAM project due to its wide spectrum of application around the world. My initial conclusion on matter is that BAM application is truly a matter of the heart and God gives us the creativity to step out in faith with Him. BAM projects will not appear the same in one region as the next or from one-person to the next and so begins the journey.


Evan Kubicek

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Continue reading 'Training the Next Generation: A Reflection from a Participant in the Business as Mission Training Course'

An Incredible Adventure- From Africa to the Business as Mission Training in Thailand

One of the young adults participating in the YWAM Business as Mission Training Course is already planning to take what he learns back to Africa.

I was praying for three years asking God to cross my path with an organization or program that could help me take the next step in business as missions. He was showing me how business could bring transformation to my country.

My background in business is that I sell fish in local villages and I studied in a World Wide Trade course for one year. I felt compelled to find out what was happening in BAM around the world and get plugged into this movement. So, I started researching on the Internet and came across the Lausanne Forum where I found an advertisement for the Introduction to Business as Mission course. I wrote to the director of the course immediately and was told that the applications weren't ready yet. So I waited with perseverance for him to send me one in the summer.

During this time my excitement for this course was building and God was giving more vision for what he wanted to do in my country through BAM. When I applied for the course, I thought I would be under qualified for acceptance on the course. When I heard the news that I was accepted, I felt so blessed. Obtaining a visa to attend the course in Thailand was a miracle for me. The Thai government doesn't release visas to Africans very easily and I needed a year non-immigrant visa. The nearest Thai embassy was in Nigeria and it took me 1 week to travel there by road from Camaroon. I went by car because could not afford the flight to go to the embassy. During some of the journey we had to push the car for up to 2 km at a time because the roads were inaccessible to drive.

Week Three… A look Inside the Classroom of the Business as Mission Training

Thanks for checking in again this week for the update from the Business as Mission course in Thailand. It’s exciting to share with you how the events are unfolding here in Asia. It’s been another fantastic week of learning practically how BAM can be used to further the kingdom of God in this world. The students had 3 packed days of lectures, coaching sessions and working together in business development groups before the field trip teams left for a week in Indonesia, China, Cambodia or N. Thailand. The participants were assigned to the field trip that was best suited for their interests—manufacturing, textiles, micro-credit, micro-franchising, import/export, muslim-environment etc. Next week you can check back in to read an excerpt from each field trip team and how it impacted their understanding of BAM.

Our keynote speaker this week was North American entrepreneur Neil K. who has been working in Chinese business for the past 15 years. He is an amazing pioneer of the BAM movement and shared from his wealth of knowledge and personal experiences. Although he is western, he came and spoke to us from an Asian perspective this week, addressing issues of corruption, bribery, role of family, learning culture and language. Because he was very “asian” in his approach this week, we were all challenged to think outside the boxes we automatically filter everything through. He was able to take us to a deeper level of understanding, preparing us for the challenges we will face when going to another culture…we must learn to think how they think and let values and principles inside us be lived out as an example to those we are working with. He also talked about the beauty of finding the thumbprint of God in each culture of the world.


Friday, February 08, 2008   Next Week

Starting at the end of next week I will be in a "closed country" for about a week. During this time I will temporarily stop most if not all communications. If you need to communicate with me please do so prior to this time or wait until I resume communications once I return to Thailand.

peace

  10/40 Window


The 10/40 window is often talked about in mission circles. It refers to the portion of the globe between 10 and 40 degrees off the equator. This portion of the globe is one of the most poverty stricken and least evangelized portions of the planet. Most missionary effort should be concentrated to this area to bring about spiritual and economic transformation.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008   Prayer Request Update


Current Prayer Requests:
-Continual prayer regarding communication issues, specifically internet and computer issues for course participants.
-Health issues for some participants, I'm good now.
-Prayer for clarity of calling for what I'm to do post-Thailand.
-Prayer regarding personal business issues, wisdom.

Thanks.
*my hotel room.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008   Last Saturday


I'm the one in green.

Sunday, February 03, 2008   Saturday

Saturday a few of us signed up for a day long excursion that started at 8am.

First we went to the elephant camp where we fed some elephant, watched an elephant show, watched an elephant paint, rode some mule carts, went for an elephant ride, did a raft ride, and met some local tribe people.

Next we went to a snake and monkey camp where we saw a snake show with people dancing around poisonous snakes, and then a monkey show with monkeys dancing, counting, gathering coconuts and swimming.

We finished the day with some sushi and a roti. It was a great fun filled day and the weather was beautiful.

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