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The word ‘retire’ is an interesting word requiring context for a clear understanding.  I know someone who retired at age 52 (but began another career); military personnel can retire after twenty years; I am eighty and am considered ‘retired’ but still working. Common definitions state phrases like “leaving one’s job and ceasing to work’ or […]

This article by IBEC board member and author of THE STEWARD INVESTOR, Don Simmons, applies to those in leadership of Business as Mission businesses, and to any business. Larry W. Sharp, BAM Support Specialist, IBEC Ventures Larry.Sharp@ibecventures.com Have you ever felt like life—or the stock market—is cutting away at everything you’ve built? Lately, financial headlines

It is good sometimes to think about the most basic of things.  Ideas like ‘why am I here?’ and ‘why am I doing this?’  We who are devoting our time and talent to business, especially Business as Mission, need to remind ourselves why we are doing it. I graduated from business school in 1969, one

I hear the word “entrepreneur” a lot these days, as America is increasingly referred to as an entrepreneurial economy.  However, the word is used with numerous nuances which begs the need to define exactly what one means with its use. It is often confused with words like creativity, invention, innovation, or disruption. Here, I want

Are you unsure or intimidated about teaching about BAM in your small group or church class? How about using videos which provide a case study or questions for discussion?   Here is a way to help your small group or family understand Business as Mission (BAM) using videos to start a conversation. What is BAM? * 

What do the following have in common: Nutella, Ferrero Roche, poverty, Oregon, agronomy, Turkey, unreached people, and Business as Mission? When I was a child growing up in northern Canada, each Christmas my dad would buy a gigantic bag of nuts still in the shell.  Part of our Christmas tradition was cracking open the shells

Most of the world just celebrated Labor Day on May 1,  which is often called May Day. It is considered to be the workers day and it reminded me to think again of what the Bible says about work. Larry W. Sharp, BAM Support Specialist, IBEC Ventures Larry.Sharp@ibecventures.com ************* What does the Bible say about

I just got off the phone with one of the “Greats’ of the BAM world.  I have been privileged to know him and work on projects with him for twenty years.  It got me to thinking, “I know a lot of the BAM greats and I learned a lot from them.  Why don’t I share

“We may have found the single most searing, clarifying, helpful, world-altering fact… What the whole world wants is a good job.”1 It seems that everywhere one looks these days there is world stress, conflict and humanitarian crisis.  The International Rescue Committee (IRC) lists Sudan, the Middle East and Myanmar as the top three crisis we

Many BAM companies work in areas of the world unsympathetic to our Christian faith.  Many have never heard the “Good News” of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. ITJ is a software company in south Asia.  Jason and Mike started the company about 20 years ago and have experienced steady growth in creating custom software