School of Small Business & Mission Course Proposal

Prepared by Mike McLoughlin, YWAM Zambia, July, 1995

COURSE RATIONALE

Why have a course in Small Business & Missions?

The purpose of The School of Small Business and Missions (SSBM) is fivefold:

1. To equip Christians in Business as missionaries to the business world.
2. To train Christians in Missions in business skills to compliment their mission activity
   through tent making businesses.
3. To equip Christians in Business and Missions, who are called as missionaries to a foreign mission field, to evangelize the lost in the business community and disciple nationals in the Christian faith as well as assist them in the development of small business.
4. To equip Christians in Community Development work with methods of small business development that will significantly impact the economic well being of the poor in the communities that they are serving.
5. To equip Christians in Frontier Missions with a platform and means by which to reach the unreached through small business activity in countries with challenging restrictions on regular missionary activity.

How does this course contribute to the overall goals and objectives of YWAM in the evangelizing and discipling of nations?

In evangelizing the nations:

Christians can evangelize nations in, through and by business activity. Christians in business can reach employees, customers, suppliers, and competitors with the gospel if they have a vision of their business activity as a ministry as well as a business. Christians can use business as a platform through which to present the gospel on the foreign mission field. Christians can generate additional income for ministry activity by operating a small business.

Many YWAM missionaries are supporting themselves through tent making businesses, especially in the developing world. However, many of these YWAM missionaries do not have training in the biblical foundation for business nor do they have sound business skills. Also, they may not have an understanding of the nature of what constitutes a "YWAM Business" that adheres to and upholds the foundational values of the mission. The SSBM will equip Christians to use business as a means of reaching others with the gospel. It will also provide a foundation for developing YWAM businesses and training YWAM missionaries in business skills.

In discipling the nations:

Commerce & Business is one of the seven "Mind Molders" that influence the course of nations. The University of the Nations is dedicated to equipping Christians in the seven "Mind Molders" so that they may disciple nations. Society is looking to successful business people for its future leaders who will bring prosperity and increased living standards to countries, therefore, Christians in business can be well positioned to disciple their nation for Jesus Christ. However, for Christian business people to effectively disciple a nation they need a biblical world view that integrates the priority of business profits with a knowledge of the purposes of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all business activity.

President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia is an example of a man dedicated to discipling his nation for Jesus Christ especially in the areas of justice and righteousness. In declaring his country a Christian nation he stated: "On behalf of the nation I have now entered into a covenant with the living God and therefore I want to make the following declaration. I say here today that I submit myself as President to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I likewise submit the government and the entire nation of Zambia to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I further declare that Zambia is a Christian nation, that will seek to be governed by the righteous principles of the word of God. Righteousness and justice must prevail in all levels of authority and we shall see the righteousness of God exalting Zambia. My fellow Zambians let this message reach all civil servants in all government departments. The time of corruption and bribery is over. For too long these wicked practices have been destroying and tearing down the nation. Now the hour has come for our building up. The hour has come for our stability. Proverbs 29:4 declares "Who is greedy for bribes tears down a nation, but by justice a king (or President) gives the country stability." (Declaration made at State House, Lusaka, Zambia, December, 1991)

Statements like this one can only come from political leaders who have a right understanding of the Lordship Jesus Christ. The SSBM will provide just such an understanding for Christians in business.

In reaching unreached people groups:

YWAM is dedicated to reaching the unreached people groups. Loren Cunningham mentions that the after the SAWI tribe was converted to Christianity by the ministry of Don Richardson they became "leaders in commerce among other tribes in their area, with a variety of small businesses." (Winning God's Way, YWAM Publishing, 1988, p. 118)

Missionaries trained in the SSBM can reach the unreached with the gospel by means of small business development. This was also the vision of David Livingstone who once said: "By encouraging the native propensity for trade, the advantages that might be derived in a commercial point of view are incalculable nor should we lose sight of the inestimable blessings it is in our power to bestow upon the unenlightened African, by giving him the light of Christianity. Those two pioneers of civilization -- Christianity and commerce -- should ever be inseparable." (Excerpt from a lecture delivered at Cambridge University, December, 1857.)

COURSE CONTEXT

How does this course fit the current global context?

Small Business as a platform for the Gospel has the potential to reach more people in the world than any other platform. A majority of the world's population survive by means of micro enterprise. The percentage of people earning a living by small business will grow exponentially as the world's population grows.

For example, in Zimbabwe, the population is growing at a higher rate than the economy. It is estimated that the formal sector of the economy can only absorb one third of the estimated number of new people on the job market. Many of the unemployed two thirds end up in the informal sector operating small businesses. Zimbabwe is more industrialized than most developing countries thus making it easier for job growth to occur in the formal sector. Thus, in less industrialized developing countries, the situation is exacerbated. The result is a flourishing of micro enterprise in developing countries especially among young people.

People in small business are desperate to receive training and encouragement in their small business activity so as to improve business performance. Missionaries equipped with small business development skills and an understanding of the foundation for true success (a relationship with the living God through his son Jesus Christ) have a wide open opportunity to communicate the gospel in a culturally and economically relevant method via a small business development platform.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

What does the course aim to provide for the student?

The course aims to provide the student with:

• an understanding of God's perspective, purposes and principles in business.
• relevant skills in the development and operation of a small business.
• a missions strategy in the use of small business to reach the lost for Jesus.
• a community development strategy in the use of small business to better the welfare of the poor.

What are some course related ministry goals?

Students attending the course will grow in:

• The knowledge of God.
• Godly character and wisdom.
• Power to effect the nations for Jesus Christ through business activity.

What will the student be able to do after the course?

Depending upon the student's purpose in taking the course, a student should be able to do the following at the end of the course.

• Start and operate a successful small business to the glory of God according to a written business plan.
• Conduct a small business development seminar that will teach Biblical principles in
  operating a business as well as small business management skills.
• Organize and conduct evangelistic meetings for small business people.
• Source, organize and implement a micro enterprise lending, training and development program.

COURSE VALUES

The School of Small Business and Missions will subscribe to the foundational values statement of YWAM. It desires to provide a biblical, Christ centered, innovative, semi-formal, modular, international, cross cultural, appropriately functional preparatory course for equipping Christians for Christian service in, by and through business activity.

COURSE CONTENT & TOPICS

Biblical Basis for Business Activity.
Small Business Organization and Management.
History of Business and Missions.
Current Issues in Micro Enterprise Development.
Developing and Conducting a Small Business Development Seminar.
Strategies in reaching the lost through business activity.
Field studies in small business and micro enterprise development especially in the developing world.

SUGGESTED COURSE DATES

June, July & August, 1997

SUGGESTED COURSE LOCATION

To be announced.

SUGGESTED FIELD LOCATIONS

YWAM bases in developing countries interested in small business activity and ministry. Especially bases currently operating income generating projects.

SOURCES FOR PROPOSAL

• The Foundational Values of Youth With A Mission, Darlene Cunningham, 1990.
• Winning God's Way, Loren Cunningham, YWAM Publishing, 1988.
• Daring to Live on the Edge, Loren Cunningham, YWAM Publishing, 1991.
• The Final Frontier, Edited by Jeff Fountain, Kingsway Publications, 1987.
• The Go Manuel, Compiled by Michelle Drake, YWAM Publishing, 1992.
• University of the Nations Catalog, Academic Years, 1993 to 1995.
• Business 2000, International Business Seminar, Sep., 1993.
• Business Enterprise and the Great Commission, Mike McLoughlin, Course Paper for Regent College Course: Work, Vocation and Ministry, Fall, 1993.
• "Serving God's Purpose in Business," Mike McLoughlin, in Planning A Successful Small Business to the Glory of God, Business Planning Seminar, 1994/95.
• Small Business in the Third World, Malcolm Harper, 1984.
• The Small Business Solution, Mennonite Economic Development Associates.
• "Good Debt," Ken Waters, in Christianity Today, Nov. 8, 1993.
• Micro and Small Scale Enterprises in Zimbabwe, GEMINI Report, 1991.
• An Enterprise development strategy for Zambia, Eric L. Hyman, Robert Strauss, and Richard Crayne, in Development in Practice, Vol. 3, No. 2, June 1993.
• Statement of Core Values, The Christian Enterprise Trust of Zambia, 1995.
• Breaking the Chains Video, Christian Vision, 1992.
• "World History created in Zambia," John Pederson, in The Market Calling, International Christian Chamber of Commerce, No.2, 1994.

SURVEY OF COMMENTS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR COURSE PROPOSAL

The Course Proposal for The School of Small Business and Missions (SSBM) is presented to you with the purpose of soliciting your input, igniting your prayer for the important area of small business and missions and recruiting you to participate in the vision to reach people with the gospel through business. Please pray for God's direction as you answer these questions.

1. After reading the proposal what are your first impressions?



2. How are God's purposes going to be served in a YWAM School of Small Business and Missions?



3. Is the Course Rationale reasonable and realistic?



4. Is the Course Purposes and Content consistent with the YWAM mission, objectives and values?



5. Should YWAM be involved in Small Business as an income generating activity? Is this consistent with trusting God for financial provision?



6. What is a "YWAM Business"? How is it different from a regular business?



7. How will the Course best fit into the context described? What cross cultural strategies should be employed?



8. Are the Course Objectives SMART? (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Limited)


9. What problems do you foresee in accomplishing the Course Objectives? How can these be overcome?