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Weekly Newsletter: Why Should We Embrace Business as Mission?
A few years ago, I was visiting a team of missionary friends on a small island dominated by Islam. After years of laboring in this dry soil, the team was finally starting to see Gospel fruit. In fact, while I was there, I had the joy of witnessing the baptism of the first known indigenous follower of Jesus! The picture of this divine moment hangs on the wall behind my desk because I never want to forget it.
It’s a miracle whenever anyone comes to faith in Jesus. But this baptism was unique. This man was introduced to Jesus…through a business.
They don’t allow traditional missionaries in this particular part of the world. You can’t get a religious workers visa. There are no bible colleges for missionary teachers on the island. But there is a huge market for tourism. And so a group of missionary entrepreneurs started a business to help the locals get jobs in this highly coveted industry. Through the business, they’re meeting a market need, adding genuine value to the community, providing local jobs, and creating a channel for the kind of renewable relationships that the Gospel moves on.
This is just one of the reasons we believe so strongly in business as mission. We have seen it at work!
When we stop thinking of everyday work as a “secular” endeavor, when we refuse to see the marketplace as synonymous with greed and materialism, when we embrace acts of commerce as an opportunity to honor God and love our neighbor, business truly becomes a Great Commission opportunity.
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This week on the podcast we dive into a passionate discussion about business as mission (BAM). This conversation is at the core of who we are at The Stone Table. I hope you’ll listen, subscribe, rate, and share it with others. That means a lot to us.
The Missional Marketplace Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Anchor, and most other podcast platforms!
THIS WEEK ON THE WEBSITE:
PODCAST: Your Work and the Mission of God in the World
VIDEO: The Greatest Injustice in the World
ARTICLE: Dependency as a Cure for Workism
Accelerating the Great Commission through the Marketplace,
Erik Cooper | The Stone Table
AVAILABLE NOW! The Missional Marketplace Podcast! Available on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and most other podcast platforms!
Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Missional Marketplace: Finding Your Everyday Work in God’s Eternal Plan in your choice of print, e-book, or audiobook by clicking here!
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Erik Cooper
After starting his career in the business world, Erik spent 12 years in full-time ministry, both on staff at a large suburban church and as a church planter in a downtown urban context. In addition to his role at The Stone Table, he also serves as the Vice President of Community Reinvestment Foundation, a nonprofit real estate company that provides high-quality affordable housing all over Indiana while investing its profits into missions through The Stone Table.
