As stated in an earlier post, the first component needed to see the transformation of our communities, villages, cities, regions and nations is discipleship. Without a changed heart, there will be no lasting change.
Alongside discipleship, business is a very important component for transformation. One of the key building blocks of a society is business. If there are no businesses, then there are no jobs, no goods and no tax payers. When there are no tax payers, there is no education, no healthcare and no other social benefits. The old saying goes: “Give someone food on the table, and he will vote for you!” The central theme of many elections is almost always the economy.
Business can be used as a vehicle to further the Kingdom of God. When someone has become a follower of Jesus and starts to love and obey Him, they often need to learn how to use business to provide for their family and to bring economic, social and environmental growth to their community.
Business has the following advantages:
- It develops and models character, integrity, and leadership competencies.
- It can have a social and spiritual impact in the community.
- It affects everyone in the community.
- It opens doors for building relationships (e.g. with customers, employees, suppliers, partners, community, etc.).
- It provides financial resources for the Great Commission.
Besides this, business can also be used as a way to further the gospel and reach the unreached. Groups that have never heard about Jesus can be accessed through business. When a business has been planted, discipleship and church planting can happen. (For a story on how one of our church planters has experienced business as a great tool for Gospel advancement, read Selling soup to reach the unreached.)
If we really want to see lasting change and transformation in a community, village, city, region or country, we should focus on a strategy with discipleship and business planting combined.
