In the book Missions Disrupted: From Professional Missionaries to Missional Professionals I feature 27 stories of missional businesses which have come to some level of success in all four aspects of the Quadruple Bottom Line (QBL). These are:
- Profitable and sustainable
- Job Creating business model
- Disciple-making goal
- Stewardship of all of creation
However, the book has several micro-stories which were not “features,” but these hidden gems have a reason for their obscurity. One of those BAM stories in a nutshell is on page 66.
Recently, a woman who had been an intern in my office in Pennsylvania many years ago, wrote to me from her home in a large country in East Asia. She and her husband are now employed in an engineering firm in the country. I had asked her to comment on how their lives and business have resulted in disciples of Jesus, even though the country is antagonistic to the Christian faith.*
She spoke of how they live as people of integrity, invest in the lives of employees, and seek excellence in all they do. This has resulted in many of the workers becoming interested in sharing their personal lives with them in a deep way, opening up to them about issues of personal crisis, depression, and marital struggles. In addition to “on the job” relationships, it has been important for them to get involved with community programs, have their children attend local schools, and help start a new business in the city. While there have been times of discouragement, there have also been several people come to faith and be discipled. There is now a community of believers.
- Because I realized the company was clearly profitable and employing over one hundred local people and clearly stewards of human and natural resources, I wanted to understand the one area that is the most difficult to quantify in a measurable way – spiritual results.
Larry W. Sharp, BAM Support Specialist, IBEC Ventures
Larry.Sharp@ibecventures.com
Image Credits: https://hc.edu/center-for-christianity-in-business/2023/06/08/the-quadruple-bottom-line/