Business as (Un)usual

Business as Usual = Work and ministry are separate.

Business as Unusual = Work and ministry united.

Mission

What is our mission as a people?

Revelation 18:1 AV 1873

1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

Going to read big section of the last chapter in COL. Let’s unpack it:

At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy, and truth. COL 415.3

Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, “Behold your God.” The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. COL 415.5

Mission = Reveal God’s Character

Means

How are we to do this? Only through writing and preaching?

The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them. COL 415.5

The light of the Sun of Righteousness is to shine forth in good works—in words of truth and deeds of holiness. COL 416.1

It’s not enough to simply share the truth with words.

Our mission of revealing the character of God was the same mission that Jesus had.

God revealed His character in Christ’s literal body 2,000 years ago, and He wants to reveal His character through Christ’s spiritual body—the Church—today!

Notice how he accomplished this, as described in the next part of COL:

Christ, the outshining of the Father's glory, came to the world as its light. He came to represent God to men… COL 416.2

This was the work He commissioned His disciples to do. “Ye are the light of the world,” He said. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14, 16. COL 416.2

Revelation 14:7 AV 1873

7 saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him…

This is the work which the prophet Isaiah describes when he says, “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.” Isaiah 58:7, 8. COL 417.1

Thus, in the night of spiritual darkness God's glory is to shine forth through His church in lifting up the bowed down and comforting those that mourn. COL 417.2

All around us are heard the wails of a world's sorrow. On every hand are the needy and distressed. It is ours to aid in relieving and softening life's hardships and misery. COL 417.3

Practical work will have far more effect than mere sermonizing. We are to give food to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and shelter to the homeless. And we are called to do more than this. The wants of the soul, only the love of Christ can satisfy. If Christ is abiding in us, our hearts will be full of divine sympathy. The sealed fountains of earnest, Christlike love will be unsealed. COL 417.4

Mission = Reveal God’s Character

Means = Practical Ministry

Method

Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.” MH 143.3

Mingle

Minister

Win Confidence

Bring them to Jesus

There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. Accompanied by  the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit. MH 143.4

Mission = Reveal God’s Character

Means = Practical Ministry

Method = Christ’s Method

It is not the duty of ministers to single-handedly finish the work—that is the job of the Church.

And it is not enough for them to be the only ones dedicating their time to ministry.

How many of you wish you had the opportunity to do full-time ministry?

What’s holding you back?

Time, finances, etc.

How much time to you have to dedicate to ministry?

[TIME ALLOCATION CHART]

Instead of working for the world for 8 hours/day, and only working for God on the weekends, I suggest we work for God 8+ hours/day AND on the weekends!

How can we do this?

Business as Mission

[CROSSROADS IMAGE]

[PHILOSOPHY ROUTE / PRAYER / DOORS]

[HERO + BIBLE BRICKS]

[HYVE + STUDYING BUSINESS AS MISSION]

By starting my business, I’m able to share nuggets of truth with thousands of people.

“You have felt that business is business, religion is religion, but I tell you that these cannot be divorced… You are not to put asunder that which God has joined—business and religion.” 19MR 17.1

“Religion and business are not two separate things; they are one.” COL 349.3

Creating businesses that do work to help spread the Gospel and relieve the suffering of those around us is a very powerful and efficient way to spread the last message of mercy.

Benefits of starting mission-driven businesses:

Self-Sustaining

Scalable

Character Forming

Provide Freedom (Economic, Spiritual, and Time)

Mission = Reveal God’s Character

Means = Practical Ministry

Method = Christ’s Method

Modern Expression = Business

Examples of Business as Ministry

I want to inspire you all to consider different ways you can use your unique skills to start businesses to help relieve the suffering of mankind and spread the Gospel.

Let’s look at some examples of how this worked practically:

Early Church in the Food Business

Acts 6:2–8 NASB95

2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. 6 And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

What was the result of this method?

Acts 6:2–8 NASB95

7 The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

Waldensian Retailers

“To have made known the object of their mission would have ensured its defeat; therefore they carefully concealed their real character. Every minister possessed a knowledge of some trade or profession, and the missionaries prosecuted their work under cover of a secular calling. Usually they chose that of merchant or peddler. ‘They carried silks, jewelry, and other articles, at that time not easily purchasable save at distant marts; and they were welcomed as merchants where they would have been spurned as missionaries.’—Wylie, b. 1, ch. 7.” GC 71.1

Adventist Entrepreneurs

William Miller had a farming business.

[PIC OF MILLER AND FARM]

Joshua Himes had an advertising company and became the marketing genius behind the early Advent movement.

[PIC FROM MOVIE]

Uriah Smith invented a prosthetic leg.

[PIC OF SMITH AND PATENTS]

James White started publishing companies.

[PIC OF JAMES WHITE AND BOOKS]

John Kellogg revolutionized the American breakfast and invented much of the gym equipment still used today.

The first commercially produced alternative to meat (“Nuttose” then “Protose”)

[CERIAL, PEANUT BUTTER, VEGGIE MEAT

Ferdinand Stahl started a clinic and 46 missionary schools in Peru.

Dr. Harry Miller established 20 hospitals throughout China.

Ellen White wrote whole books on how to startup various industries and ventures.

Only board EGW was ever on:

The Madison School

Had 50 businesses simultaneously

27 businesses ran only by students

100 bed sanitarium

“Madison Foods” in 48 states

Invented 30 soy products

Dairy farm, brook factory, stores, restaurants, crops, etc.

800-acre farm

Published in NY Times and Reader’s Digest

Started 100’s of institutions worldwide (50 of them within a year of graduating)

Can you see how a lot of these businesses could work together? This was God’s design.

The Rat Race vs. The Beehive

Rate Race = Working for self alone.

Beehive = Working for others with team.

At that time [30 years ago], I dreamed that I saw two beehives, one in San Francisco and one in Oakland. In the hive in Oakland, the bees were diligently at work. Then I looked at the hive in San Francisco, and saw very little being done. The hive in Oakland seemed to be far the more promising. After a time my attention was again called to the hive in San Francisco, and I saw that an entire change had taken place. Great activity was seen among the bees. They were earnestly at work. RH July 5, 1906, par. 19

When I related this dream, it was interpreted to mean that in San Francisco there was a great work to be done. There were among us at that time only a few men to whom we could look for large financial assistance. Believers were few in number, and we needed much courage and much faith to brace us for the work. RH July 5, 1906, par. 20

We prayed much in regard to the necessities of the cause and the meaning of the dream, and resolved to venture out in accordance with the light given. My husband and I decided to sell our property in Battle Creek, that we might use the proceeds in this work. We wrote to our brethren, “Sell everything we have in Battle Creek, and send us the money at once.” This was done, and we helped to build the churches in Oakland and San Francisco. And the Lord revealed to us that although at first the work in San Francisco would move slowly, yet it would make steady advancement, and San Francisco would become a great center. The Lord would inspire men by his Holy Spirit to carry forward the work with faith and courage and perseverance. RH July 5, 1906, par. 21

During the past few years, the “beehive” in San Francisco has been indeed a busy one. Many lines of Christian effort have been carried forward by our brethren and sisters there.

[She then lists out the things the Church had been doing:]

visiting the sick and destitute

finding homes for orphans

finding work for the unemployed

nursing the sick

teaching the truth from house to house

the distribution of literature

classes on healthful living

classes on the care of the sick

teaching children in the basement of a meeting house

maintaining a working men's home

medical mission treatment rooms

a health food store

a vegetarian café

ship mission work

ministers conducted meetings in large halls in the city.

[She concludes this list, saying:]

Thus the warning message was given by many… RH July 5, 1906, par. 24

In God's plan for Israel every family had a home on the land, with sufficient ground for tilling. Thus were provided both the means and the incentive for a useful, industrious, and self-supporting life. And no devising of men has ever improved upon that plan. MH 183.3

Circuit of beneficence in Adventist business ecosystems (secret of Jewish wealth).

What Now?

Turn your job into a mission field.

or

Start a mission oriented business.

It’s never been easier to start a business today with the amount of resources online.

How to Start

[Handout worksheet]

Essence of Entrepreneurism:

Identify Problem

Come up with Creative Solutions

Let’s break it down more

A. Identify the Problem

Q. How do we find the specific problem God is calling us to solve?

A. What breaks your heart or boils your blood?

What’s wrong with the world that you feel personally called to address?

Not sure? Learn. Most documentaries are about people sharing problems they see. They’re crying out for help.

[PICTURES OF PROBLEMS]

ACTION: List out all of the things that come to mind when this question is asked.

Look locally then globally.

B. Identify Your God-Given Talents

(Skills, Passions, Resources)

What are you uniquely good at—or willing to get good at?

What do you love and get excited about?

ACTION: List out all of your unique skills and passions.

C. Match Problems with Skills

ACTION: Now compare your two lists and ask God to show you how you can use your God-given abilities to solve a problem in the world and help relieve the oppressed.

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.”—Frederick Buechner

D. Make a Plan

“Success in any line demands a definite aim.” Ed 262.1

Brainstorm ideas on how to make your vision a reality. Use the internet and AI to get the ball rolling. We have loads of resources as our expense.

E. Test the Plan

Try to solve a real need for one person. And then another. And then another.

Identify Problem

Identify Talents (Skills, Passions, Resources)

Match Talents to Problems

Make a Plan to Solve the Problem with your Talent

Do it!

Luke 19:12–13 ESV

12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas [talents], and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’

Jesus has given you talents, and He said, ‘Do business until I return.’ What business will you do with your talents?

“Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.” —Leo Buscaglia