How do we view business and faith in North America? Do they have competing agendas or do they fulfill God’s purpose together? In Burundi, there is a delicate relationship between business leaders and church leaders. Both sides have felt the sting of harmful experiences and fabricated stereotypes. Both sides approach one another with caution. As a result, there is a standoff. Expectations and motives are viewed through the lens of skepticism. Which side will change and prove to be a trustworthy partner? There is a movement in Bujumbura to bring the two sides together through biblical understanding, reconciliation, and vision. This relationship is receiving fresh air.
As part of this movement, 8 small business dreamers participated in a development course focused on Kingdom business. Some of these participants were already doing business and some were looking to cultivate an idea. The 9-week course (licensed through Sinapis) covered topics such as discover your calling, know your customer, understand the market, manage your finances, and ethics. Each week the participants discussed these business topics along with related scriptures. In Burundi, an open discussion in this setting is viewed cautiously for fear someone will steal your idea. Property rights and trademarks are a missing component of this business environment and it is difficult to enforce your rights for your ideas. At first, the conversation was guarded, but after a few weeks the discussion was more active. Participants learned to trust their peers, to engage in feedback and share their experiences. Many of them commented the interaction with their peers was the best part of the course.
We want to see more business leaders encouraged in their gifting. We want to continue to offer courses that will bring leaders together to learn from one anther in Kingdom business.
- Pray for these business leaders as they grow their business and live out the teachings of the Bible.
- Pray for church leaders as they embrace the giftings of business leaders and how to impact the Kingdom.
- Pray for future opportunities to further this budding relationship between business and faith.
For more on this topic, I enjoyed the book “Why Business Matters to God” by Jeff Van Duzer. Van Duzer describes the purpose of Kingdom business,
“Business must concern itself with redemptive as well as creative work.”
“The purpose is still to serve in two key respects: 1) to serve the community by providing goods and services that will enable the community to flourish, and 2) to serve employees by providing them with opportunities to express at least a portion of their God-given identity through meaningful and creative work.”
So I’ll sink my hands down into the soil
Plant seeds for bread and for wine…I was not born to labor in vain. (Andy Squyres, Labor in Vain.)
Good stuff happening in the fields of Burundi! Holy Father, your will, your pleasure in Burundi, heaven manifested!