INTERNS. BLESSING? OR BURDEN?

Internships, Interns. Do the words make you cringe? What thoughts does having an intern conjure up? “Baby sitting?” “Sloppy work?” These are just two of the many reasons B4Ters don’t like having interns. Yet having an intern can be a big help in building your business.

When I was still running our business and leading a team, people who were working in other regions would often ask, “How come you always seem to have so many people working with you?” The answer – interns. Throughout the years we had a steady stream of young people coming through our business and city. And often it was these interns who came back long-term. So, what are the keys to getting interns to return, and seeing them bring a blessing and not a burden to you and your work? There are two.

1. Understand that an internship is first and foremost a training program. When we invest in people, they see it and they feel it. It's true, training and mentoring a college intern requires time and effort; much more time and effort than someone with work experience. It is likely you will need to invest time up front to help the intern develop the skills that are useful in your business. In mentoring them you’ll need to anticipate the questions they will encounter and it’s wise to have someone who is assigned to oversee their work. I found on the average it would require an hour of my time each morning to keep the intern working and productive throughout the day. 
   
   Interns need guidance. In the beginning the first one or two interns required possibly 2 to 4 hours of guidance a day. Yes, that’s a big investment. But once I developed a structured training and evaluation process and trained others to oversee them, the amount of time involved training and supervising subsequent interns, became less and less, because I used that same process for every intern after that. In addition to their job, the process included where they lived, the Bible passages they studied, plus how to build relationships so as to learn some language and the culture outside of work. Making these inroads encouraged each intern to see there’s a future for them with our business and among our people group. It made them feel a part of the business and our community. And most importantly the intern experienced our commitment to investing in their life and work.
   
2. Secondly, every one of us has a project or three that we’d like to get done, but just don’t have the time to do it. The project or job we’d like done may require only 20-30 hours of our time, but with all that’s happening who has that time to spare? Interns are perfect for such projects. Yes, they’ll take an hour a day of your time; and yes it will take them twice or even three times as long to do the job than if you did it yourself. However, think about this. If it would take you 20 hours to do the project and an intern 40 hours, it may seem like a bad investment of your time. Yet if you invest one hour each work day with an intern over the course of two weeks, that’s 10 hours. If the intern is working on the project 6 hours a day during that time, that’s roughly 60 hours. Sixty hours is more than enough time for the intern to complete the project, saving you 10 hours. In addition, the intern gains valuable work experience, is exposed to B4T, forms a bond with you and your staff, and returns home having an honest sense of accomplishing something of value to the business. 

Interns need well defined goals and there should be measurable outcomes for the intern to complete, which you will learn to do as you work with the intern. If you need help with setting up a process for interns, OPEN has people who are available to assist you.

For example, here’s a recent email from JP working in SE Asia.

I am just now completing a Nexus B4T internship with Steven who I met at the B4TExpo. Steven will now head back to the U.S. to work with us as a sales person. He was with us about seven weeks and it has been beyond what I was praying for! Amazing how deep he was able to connect with our team and also the support he has been to our business during his time here. I talked to my wife yesterday about how now I realize the impact (spiritual and business) a high-quality intern can have. I wanted to pass along this positive input!

Needing some help? Consider trying an intern this summer. 

For more information contact Michelle(at)NexusB4T.com

MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES

Your employees are the face, hands and feet of your business. They are the ones your customers interact with. As B4Ters we want to enable co-workers to excel, help them discover their own wisdom, engage themselves entirely in their work, and accept responsibility for the work they do. Train your people well and they will work well. Learn their career aspirations and help them accomplish what they aspire to do. Jesus says, “Whatever you wish men would do to you, do so to them.” (Matthew 7:12) 

As leaders, we are to serve. Employees who are well trained and held in esteem will return such godly leadership by working hard for you.

Our co-workers and/or employees are also the first line of witness to the goodness and reality of the Lord in our lives. We need to walk and work in the Spirit every moment we are at work. The following are some helpful comments from OPEN workers about how they keep their employees motivated and His light shining before all men at work.

• Recognize employees in your staff meeting for work they have done well. Constantly be on the lookout for chances to praise your people’s work
  
• Try to involve employees in your thinking and making plans related to the business. Not only will they know the local market better, including suppliers and customers, they will also strengthen the marketing of the business’s goods and services.
  
• Learn what the employees really value and provide that. In some locales the workers desire opportunities for personal growth, while in others they want respect, promotions, responsibility, and often more money.
  
• Give employees a chance to develop new skills that enhance their worth in their current position, and prepare them for future advancement inside or outside the company.
  
• Be relational. It may not be possible to hang out with employees, but celebrate their birthdays and personal holidays; get to know at least the names of their family members. Ask about their lives, their joys, and their struggles. Pray with them.
  
• Thank people for their efforts. This simple tool is often underused. Reward people with notes or little gifts of encouragement. Make sure the feedback is specific and frequent.
  
• Maintain a transparent culture in your business. Discuss company information with employees regarding future plans and strategies, new products, and the department’s and employees’ role in the overall plan. Involve employees in decision making, especially those decisions that affect them.

Which one will you do this week?

ARE YOU TOO BUSY?

The following was found in my notes from 1988. The Author is Unknown, I checked online.



Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep the Christians from going to church.  We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship experience in Christ.


Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to their churches; let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can't gain that relationship with Jesus Christ.


This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection through-out their day!"


"How shall we do this?" shouted his angels. "Keep them busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow.  Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles.  Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their home will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"


Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice.  Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive.  To keep the TV, internet, iPhone’s and their laptops going constantly at home and at work. See to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."


"Fill their coffee tables with magazines and newspapers.  Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.


Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines so their husbands will believe that external beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives.  That will fragment those families quickly!"


"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders.  Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy!


And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions. Go ahead, let them be involved in soul-winning; but crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus.


Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause. It will work!  It will work!"


It was quite a convention.  The evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get more and more busy and more and more rushed, going here and there.


I guess the question is: Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge!
Does "busy" mean:  B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?




As I’ve said many times, there’s no such thing as a balanced life. Jesus was one of the most unbalanced people I’ve studied. The hours He worked, the miles He walked, the thousands He healed, spoke to and touched. The sermons He preached, the parables He told, the all-night prayer meetings, the 40 days of fasting, the demons He fought off.  Balance? If you seek a balanced life, do not go in to B4T work. But in the midst of all He did, Jesus was never rushed. He was always in control of His time.


And that’s how you know when you are too busy; it’s when you lose control of your time that you know you are too busy.  So.  Are you too busy?


And let me ask again. Has the devil been successful at his scheme?

GOD IS SUPREME

I'll be honest with you. Sometimes it's a real pain to embrace the diversity in our movement. Working with strong personalities, bridging denominational differences, mission backgrounds and juggling various agendas is demanding.  I often hear a cacophony of voices pulling me in what sometimes feels like different directions:

“We need to make prayer a greater priority!”
“There’s not enough emphasis on business!”
“Why aren't we spending more time in worship?”
“Shouldn’t there be more emphasis on language learning?”
“Where is the power of Spirit in all this?”
“We don't spend enough time on best practices!”


But lately the Spirit has been showing me a more positive aspect to our diversity.  What is the unifying theme or ultimate value behind all of our desires? The ultimate value is our desire to see God glorified in all things. Truly we yearn for the supremacy of God working in us and through us.


What do I mean by the supremacy of God in all things? To value the supremacy of God in all things means that we seek a God-centered way of thinking, living, working and witnessing that exalts His magnificence and surrenders our flesh to His lordship. When I begin to exalt His magnificence, something happens in my heart. My self-centered focus, my burdens, my anxieties melt away. I feel secure. I feel loved. I feel rest.  My soul is fortified, my vision renewed. I am ready to fight the good fight of faith. This in turn moves me to greater surrender – because I long more of Him. Desiring the supremacy of God in all things glorifies God, satisfies my soul, and motivates me to serve Him.

I experience His supremacy when I acknowledge my dependence on Him through prayer. I experience His supremacy when I delight in integrating His glory in my work. I experience His supremacy when I walk in the Spirit and drink from the rivers of living water. I experience His supremacy when I submit to His will for the people and in sharing His will in their language.  

I am humbled and strengthened as I reflect on this ultimate value. I am humbled because I realize that I need a full dose of each of these things. No one person, no one strategy has it all. The supremacy of God is most fully manifested as we pray, worship, walk in the Spirit and abide in His Word. We need each of these emphases.


At the same time, I am strengthened because nothing moves me more deeply than exalting His magnificence and surrendering to His lordship. I feel like Mary this Christmas: “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” Luke 1:47-48


May we all exalt the Lord in this season.

KEEP PLOWING

An OPEN worker writes,

This past week I was doing a quarterly review with one of our designers and one of the things he said to me was, “Boss, you need to be meaner to me, even if it’s just a little bit.” I said to him, “I don’t understand?” He went on to explain that there are no other bosses in Pakistan who treat employees the way we do and he’s worried that if he ever left, he wouldn’t be ready to work for such an obstinate boss.  This led us into an hour-long conversation on why because of what God has done in me I could never be a "mean" boss and how God Himself is a loving, kind, and compassionate God who isn’t out to get you, or use you, but rather looking for a personal relationship with you.  

This is excellent plowing. 

The key to opening ears is hearing Jesus’ words. The key to opening hearts is seeing Jesus life. Ears are truly opened through the eyes. People need to see Jesus first, then they will listen.
The Apostle John puts it this way, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Be patient, be steadfast in plowing into peoples’ lives.  Live out your faith. Hearts who see the difference will become eager to hear about Christ who is that difference.

The Ideal Painting

This blog is contributed by an OPEN worker, serving in the Arab world.

The painting above, is the result of a marketing survey, which asked people “What would be included in an ideal painting?”  The most popular answers were; George Washington, deer, mountains, trees, a family, and clouds, so the artist created the above image. 

The idea was to show that sometimes marketing surveys ask tons of questions in such a way that they can’t possibly understand their customers’ needs from the answers they receive. It’s funny how many things could be in an ideal painting, yet when all of them are put together it makes for a goofy picture, one that nobody would really purchase to hang over their mantle.

Sometimes we try too hard. We try too hard to be something or someone, we are not. At times we try to know a certain subject or understand something new, when that’s not who God intends us to be. Yet when we try too hard, especially of our own devices, we end up looking like this hodge-podge painting that attempts to be jack-of-all-trades but master of none.

This story has many implications. For business, we must know our customers, our market niche. We can’t chase every opportunity that comes along to make money. We need to know our target market. We should focus on what we do best and leave other services or products for other companies.  We need to know what our customers want and give them that. We don’t need to sell George Washington, deer, clouds, mountains, families, etc.

When it comes to relationships with others, we need to know who we are. What is your identity? How do you view yourself?  Is your identity found in what you do (your job) or is it found in being known by the Most High?  Godliness requires we understand who we are in view of a holy, loving God. We will not be effective in reaching the unreached if we can’t even figure out who we are.  If our friends value George Washington and shouldn’t try to become George Washington to please them. And if we think that the speaker at a conference is terrific, like the mountains/deer/family/grass, that doesn’t mean we need to become like the mountains/deer/ family/grass to be like him. Each of us is designed uniquely by God with gifts given by Him that we use to present back to Him for His glory (Psalm 139 is a beautiful picture of this).

When Paul said that he became all things to all people in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, he had the prerequisite mastered first. He said that he was free from all. We are not free if we are trying still to be cool – to please men. (Galatians 1:10) We are not free if we are trying to impress our boss or our parents or our co-workers. Paul was already free from all that. He became all things to all people, so that he might save some. He was already others-focused when he decided to become a servant to all. (1 Corinthians 9:19)

So instead of trying to be like the ideal painting, which is an example of both a bad marketing survey and a botched attempt to create something beautiful, let’s be first servants of the Most High God. After we understand who we are in Him, we will be free to become servants to our neighbors, friends, co-workers, bosses, etc. so that we might save some.

JUSTICE

The following is contributed by a tentmaker, working in the Middle East.

I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. 
Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. 
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? – Amos 5:21-25

There are aspects of every culture and every age that bear resemblance of God’s intention for the people, although usually with some tainting by sin. There are also many aspects that are so twisted by sin they must be called out, overhauled and restored. This is the basis for contextualization. We contextualize the Good News because there are good things we can latch onto and proclaim to the people that our God is like _____ or He loves ______ just like they do. But there are things that God will judge in each culture too. Paul was masterful at finding the positives in a culture so that he could build a bridge to what needed to be redeemed.

Try convincing someone of anything while criticizing everything about them, and you will quickly have a door slammed in your face. Let this give you some hope if you feel like there is nothing left in today’s increasingly globalized culture that reflects the glory of God. One thing that is great and notable is the emphasis on social justice in business. For instance, if you are using child labor or treating your employees poorly, the media will find out and you will be out of business soon or at least your reputation will be dragged through the mud. In prior ages, this wasn’t even possible. Yet, as usual, even the good in a culture is tainted by sin.

The focus on social justice in today’s age regarding workers’ rights, etc. often exists as a PR stunt to increase profits. Even when it doesn’t, it often exists to move forward a certain agenda such as gay/transgender “rights” that are fundamentally at odds with the way He has called us to live. I don’t wish to indict all businesses here, because there are obviously some where the leadership truly cares about those in their community and wants to do whatever they can to help. As believers, we have a real opportunity here. Look at Amos 5:21-25 and see what the LORD hated in Israel’s dealings. He hated their festivals and songs, their so-called “worship.” He asked them if they had given sacrifices when they were in the desert for 40 years. The obvious answer is “no,” but He wanted them to realize that He doesn’t need their sacrifices; yet He desires obedience and true worship from the hearts. He tells them that they should let justice roll down like water and righteousness like a flowing stream. This would please Him.

We serve a God of justice. He hates greed, dishonesty, extortion, and all forms of social injustice done in the world of business. Let’s make our B4T businesses flow justice and righteousness like a rushing river, not for the side benefit of a profit increase or for our reputation in the world, but so that we would have a positive impact on the way the world functions – that our employees, our co-workers, would get to work in a place where they are treated with dignity and respect, that they would get a glimpse of a restored and redeemed world where things work as God originally intended them to. This is our version of justice. May our employees’ eyes be opened through our love and generosity, so that they may see and savor the beauty of the living God and what He has done for us through Jesus.

WHY ISN’T JESUS’ ASSIGNMENT DONE?

The following is submitted by Brad Buser of Radius. Radius trains cross-cultural workers in the skills needed to start healthy, viable and reproducing churches in the least areas of the world. For more info see radiusinternational.org. 

The church of Jesus Christ has been sending thousands of workers and putting hundreds of millions of dollars each year towards ‘missions’.  During the last 30 years alone with the amount of workers that have landed in various countries, the question must be asked… “Why haven’t we completed our task of seeing churches planted in every ‘tongue, tribe, and nation’?”
 
To oversimplify here would be unfair… and there are exceptions.  The issue of missionary turnover and lack of success IS complex, but there are some common threads that continue to hamper efforts, hurt potential career missionaries, and dampen the focus and zeal of sending churches.  When young couples that could have ‘changed the world’ come home broken or discouraged, it is difficult for local churches to send the next family into the fray.

So what are some of the current reasons we’re not making the progress we should?
 


1.      Unrealistic expectations for families.  The sacrifices and hardships that wives and children will endure must be acknowledged and prepared for!  Family issues top any list when actual reasons for missionary turnover are tallied.
 


2.      Workers are not ready for the extreme discipline of culture and language acquisition.  Some gospel workers go to the field not even knowing phonetics and phonemics.  How are they supposed to hear and mimic fine differentiations in sounds?  How can they avoid being seen, AND HEARD, as outsiders?  Some learn phonetics but have never mastered it in a live situation where they must start from scratch and go through the pain of being seen as a ‘slow awkward outsider’ for months.
 


3.      Many workers have a deep-seated sense they are NOT connecting with the people they are living among; they rightly wonder if the sacrifices they are enduring have a point to them.
 


4.      Vague goals - “I want to minister in Mongolia”, “Make disciples in Syria”, or even “I want to plant a church in northern India” are not enough to guide the worker through the many complex choices ahead of them. The long-term missionary lost in his business efforts who occasionally has religious discussions is becoming common.
 


5.      Social Media/Internet… which provides a haven for the lonely, frustrated, bored missionary. This hidden cause is quietly allowing missionaries to ‘live’ overseas, without fully BEING in the country they live. (Often times families and supporters are complicit as they ask the missionary to ‘regularly connect’ with them; not realizing how much of a day is spent anticipating that small Skype session.)



6.      ‘Diaspora’ work now draws many missionaries to stay right here in the USA!  Such re-labeling masks a significant shift in missionary allocations happening in some agencies.  Churches in Iowa end up funding missionaries working in Minneapolis while churches in Minneapolis fund missionaries going to India (or to a college campus right back in Iowa!).  When Paul and Barnabas were commissioned and sent out in Acts 13 they did not head off to Jerusalem. Of course, other ethnic groups were present in Jerusalem… but there was also a church in the area.



Obviously, each of these areas has many nuances and complexities to them, but these 6 issues are the main components of what is hindering progress towards planting actual churches among those language groups still without the gospel.


What hindrances do you see to finishing Jesus’ assignment of reaching every people, language, nation and tribe for His glory?

NO MAGIC FORMULA

I was talking to an experienced field worker (not a B4Ter) recently. During our conversation, he mentioned a couple of times his “targets” in reference to the people he was ministering. And as we talked, it became clear to me that he had a formula to win people to Jesus, and his objective was just that, to win “targets” to Christ. The local people were the object, and his purpose was to win those “targets”. As he shared, I realized that the more people he talked with in a day, the prouder he seemed to be of himself and his strategy. When I asked him about his results over the years, he admitted that there was not much to show for his efforts, but he felt good in the Lord as he was faithfully sowing the good seed on hard ground. When I shared the idea of plowing into people’s lives, like most people I talk with, he readily agreed and then refocused on his own strategy.

How wonderful would it be, while we discover far-away planets, to rediscover the needs of the people orbiting around us. Love, plowing His love into people’s lives, requires some creativity on our part. There is no magic formula. Language fluency, and establishing deep relationships, which working in business creates for us, are key, but they are only a start. 

Realize that good intentions and conventional strategies, so often used to appease our conscience, are not enough. We know this, but do we truly practice it? Mission work is not about us, it’s about Jesus. May we remember that those around us are not a statistic or a target. The target has a face. The statistic is always a real presence, a person in need. Yet we must work to earn respect and trust, person by person, one by one. 

The story of the Good Samaritan is the story of today’s humanity. People's paths are riddled with suffering. Yet our focus is often on our own needs first, or on the many things we desire; instead of the people around us. And often there is this habit by people who call themselves Christian, of not taking care of those we see wounded around us. In so doing are we not like the priest and the Levite?... Leaving people behind, or even communities of people on the side of the road? 

Remember, the Good Samaritan not only rescued the wounded Jew, but paid for his treatment and lodging. Mother Teresa said: “One cannot love, unless it is at their own expense.” In business terms, that’s skin in the game. Language learning, long work hours, children deprived of the benefits of growing up at home. It is arduous work. There’s no magic formula. 

Paul in old age writes his disciple Timothy, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Keep fighting. Keep running. He is worthy. 

B4T & BALANCE (PART II)

When you are first starting your job overseas or your business, you may need to abandon any idea of balance. That’s a serious statement that warrants strong consideration before moving into the B4T world. You will need to get family, friends, loved ones and especially your leaders on board with your full-court push and be prepared for some backlash at the drive you’ll need to settle into your job or to get your business going.

In starting out, the work-life balance you achieve may be more like 90/10, than 50/50. Know your own contentment level. Strive to understand what that balance is for you personally and be prepared to make the commitment to act upon your decision. As you settle into your job, that balance will change and you’ll be able to invest more time in things and with people away from the office. It’s important to recognize that the fulcrum of balance will be a sliding point on the bar of life.

Sometimes the decisions revolving around balancing the various areas of life and work will be easy, other times they’ll be more difficult. The important thing is that you know yourself. It’s essential to have ways in place to relieve some of the internal pressure you place on yourself. The B4T path is one of constantly assessing and reassessing what are the best long-term decisions you can make at each moment in time.

Regardless of how much your B4T life requires you to devote to your work, knowing your position in Christ and finding meaning in your days is what will ultimately contribute to the best work-life balance. This is why the advice to, “do what you have a passion for,” is so incredibly important.
Each of us is different. So, balance will be different for each of us. A former mentor used to tell me with a smile, “You know what balance is? Balance is where I am at.” To help you manage the work-life balance debate, tune out the opinions of others and start checking in with what the Lord is saying to you. Ultimately, it’s up to you to figure out what balance works best for your own situation, but if you need some help finding that equilibrium point, there are others who have gone before you who can help. Find a mentor or attend a Huddle to gain perspective (you can contact us directly for both of these). Understand that every person is different and just because some people are exhausted having to work 50 hours a week does not mean everybody is. The key is to find the Lord’s equilibrium for His will for you.

When you are walking with God in His will, He will give you a love for your work and a passion for the people you work with—His joy for what you’re doing every day. To achieve balance, keep Jesus front and center in all areas of your life and work, then intertwine Him into your passions and your profession. Realize, everyone is different, so get comfortable with the balance point that works personally for you.

The things that others typically compartmentalize into the “life” box (family, exercise, vacation, leisure activities) are essential to our work too. They serve as a means to recharge and reset our mental and physical health and productivity. So, no more worrying about the work-life balance myth. Stop treating your personal life as something you have to make time for and your work life as something you have to apologize for. By His grace and for His glory we are B4Ters. And what God made us to be and what He’s given us to do transcends both.

THE VALUE OF COACHING

The following is written by one of our coaches. At 60 years of age, he and his wife moved to the Middle East where he coaches B4T businesses around the Arab world. 

Twenty-Four hours ago there was a bombing, the city my wife and I currently call home, as well as a nearby industrial city. A number of Christians were killed as well as Muslim's attempting to subdue the attacker. Since I arrived, over 150 people have been killed by extremists and well over 20 Muslim security personnel attempting to create a safe environment for all of us. Just as with our police in the U.S., I am thankful for these men and women who are standing up for their fellow citizens. 

You might ask why are we here, why did we walk away from incredible friends, a home, community, family and meaningful work to come here? The answer to that question, asked by our Arab friends as well, is simply we listened to what God wanted from us and we obeyed. 

My wife was called to work with children in an International School, owned by Muslims, the school does all of their teaching in English. She is paid a good local wage in this country with a per capita income of $3600 per year. God brought her to this point in her life to use the skills she used back home, overseas. She will gladly say this is the best teaching year she has ever had. 

She is having a significant impact on the students, the parents and the staff, both professionally and in her efforts to breakdown barriers. The removal of distrust between our cultures is key. Letting them get to know her/us, is critical. When I walked with her to school today, her 7 year-old students hugged her and me, thankful to see us. It was amazing, rewarding.  

Similarly, I was called to work with small businesses just like I did in the U.S. I travel around the Arab world consulting with B4T business owners. Where the owners are diligently working, we are seeing real transformation. Last week I spoke to one that I have worked with for a year who reported: In the last week work has been oozing out of our ears and we are now facing this “good” problem. My partner and I are addressing this by moving to a larger commercial space - which we have found. We should double our workforce by summer, too. 

I work with companies that are creating jobs and transforming lives in their sphere of influence. They are bringing hope and love to these wonderful people who seriously are struggling with problems that are very difficult for Westerners to understand, let alone cope with. Additionally, I am a mentor to young men and women – frankly, it has been a wonderful experience. 

My wife and I are thankful to serve in this region. We are not going to solve all the problems here, but we are pleased to have shared our lives with the people we have met. It has sincerely been an honor and a privilege. 

Please pray that the churches here reach out to the Muslim casualties' families and honor them for their sacrifice. 

If you would like to learn more or to find out ways to help in addition to prayer, write services@NexusB4T.com. I know of opportunities for business interns, for engineers, teachers, and others, as well as other ways to help. 

Do you have a job skill? Have you ever dreamed of serving the Lord in an unreached area? There a young business people who could likely learn from you. Do contact us if you’d like to know more about how you may be involved.

MENTORING

The following was contributed by a young man (millennial) I work closely with. 

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. – 1 Peter 5:1-3

Peter wrote his first letter, likely in the mid-60s, to the elect who were dispersed all over modern day Turkey. To the elders of these churches he spoke briefly concerning how to lead. In the modern world, we tend to swing wildly to the other side on any issue when a problem is seen in an “old way” of doing things. Where leadership used to be domineering and authoritarian, younger people today tend to feel that “leadership light” or even no leader at all is a better option. You see this in the title of books that speak of leaderless organizations and how effective and efficient they are (until several years down the road when the media exposes all the flaws in this line of thinking time and again).
The Holy Spirit, through Peter, had a different mindset on the issue. He told the elders of all these churches not to abdicate their responsibility to lead, but in “exercising oversight” lead willingly, as God would have any leader do. In leading, we should willingly lay our lives down for those who follow so that they see the example of Christ set before them. Secondly, because the example of Christ is one of sacrifice, we must not lead for shameful gain. Watching self-serving leaders decimate companies and organizations has caused a great deal of backlash in public and private circles alike, and is one of the main reasons the western world has swung to the “other side” (i.e. leadership with very limited authority or none at all). Those of us who lead must lead with our priorities already set. We don’t need fame, money, or other perks. Set your mind to Christ, so that in your hearts you honor Christ the Lord as holy (1 Peter 3:15a). With pure motives, you will be able to lead with a clean conscience. Lastly, Peter calls leaders not to dominate those under their charges, but to lead by example. This is the big key for young leaders today. What older leaders often fail to understand is that while millennials and other young people often appear to disrespect authority, they actually desperately want a good example to follow but haven’t felt they have found one worthy of following. Leading by example is key for those who have no real need to submit to someone. The church has always been run in such a way that believers willingly submit to elders placed over them within a given church body. If you are older, I would encourage you to be open to mentoring young people. If you are younger and just getting started, I encourage you to learn to willingly submit to someone older and wiser, so you can gain wisdom from their life experiences. Mentoring is crucial for our growth. We all need Pauls in our lives, who take us under their wing; we all need Timothys in our lives, who we can pour ourselves into and reproduce another generation of disciples. To this end our offices and places of work will be filled with people who have been invested in and who name Christ as their Lord and Savior. Lead well, for you have much to share.

Remember, if no one is following you, you are not leading.

STUCK? IT'S LIKELY YOUR OWN FAULT

A B4Ter in the Arab world wrote to RPH, one of our coaches and copied me.  Here is his email.

RPH, this is outstanding. I haven't really considered the potential of having a great overseas system of coaching for B4T teams like mine before. I just assumed that untrained unexperienced entrepreneurs like myself will continue to be launched into frontier countries and have to rely on a patchwork of semi-committed business coaches who really just answer our specific questions, but don't have the capacity to be a thorough business coach. 

Your observations about the personal challenges of simply living overseas also resonated with me, and again, I haven't had much hope that there are any solutions for these problems. I really liked your comments and ideas about trying to strengthen team commitment. 

I think your perspective is unique as a seasoned businessman who is living overseas. Most of the B4T policies are being created by non-business people who have never lead a viable business. Not meaning to throw stones at them, but your insights are unique and could be helpful for every organization trying to support B4T efforts. 

My partner and I feel like you're a coach who understands a lot more of the intangibles of B4T, and even being understood in that way goes a long way to decrease our feelings of isolation.

Does this resonate with you?

The wisest man who ever lived wrote; Plans succeed through good counsel; don't go to war without the advice of others. Proverbs 18:22

We are at war.  We need good advice. Our network has nearly twenty coaches who are underutilized. All are experienced business people who have been to 2+ B4T Expos and they have been trained to serve B4Ters.

The model of business people training organizations to coach B4Ters is being tried over and over and it doesn’t work. Mission organizations that wish to keep all their services inside their own walls are going to fail those they serve. The key to success is outsourcing. We all need to recognize where our strengths and weaknesses lay, and then have the humility to seek help where we need it.

Solomon adds, Plans go wrong for lack of advice but many counselors bring success.  Proverbs 15:22

Are you struggling in your job overseas?  There are counselors who wish to bring you success, both with business problems and non-business issues. Just write and ask.

FISHING

The following is contributed by my mentor Jerry.  It’s a great reminder, that wherever we are and whatever we are doing, we can be fishing for men.

The locker room is one of the places I fish for men. This morning was one of those brilliant moments when I heard a stranger say, “I love my job.” Wow, gold! Keep in mind there were a number of others listening. I responded with, “I believe work is worship, but I have a question. Why do you love your job?”

My new friend Johnny let loose with, “I just like every person where I work. I come in every day and delight in working with them. There isn’t one I don’t like.” By this time I was laughing and having fun.

When he said, “I guess everything we do should be worship,” I could almost hear that go into the men dressing in and out.

In stark contrast some time ago I listened to a man loudly disclaim his former church in the same locker room as he released a stream of bitterness into the atmosphere. The cool thing is that I took him to lunch today and dug down into all the hurt and pain he had experienced. An hour later I asked, “So where are you today? Have you forgiven these people…because I remember hearing you broadcast some serious bitterness in the locker room?”

He was quiet for a moment. Reflective. Then to my amazement, he said, “Yes, God is helping me. I want to get my life back.” We left friends.

I love fishing.
  

AN EXAMPLE OF PLOWING

The following is from a B4Ter in Asia, working in a hard place.  His letter encouraged me and with his permission, I share it with you.

The last month has included some rough realities for me, my team and for the business.

There was one week that the plumber had to come 4 times to fix the water heater, fix water leaking from the walls of both my bathrooms, then fix more water leaking on the roof, and re-fix a leak he hadn't plugged correctly.  That same week I also had to have the electrician come several times as he's trying to figure out voltage fluctuations in about half the rooms of the house which has fried a couple of appliances.  Then this past week we've received no gas from the city so we haven't had hot water or gas to cook with.

Worse than that one of my teammates and her roommate were robbed last week (they're fine and just frustrated that they had to get new phones, credit cards, file a police report etc.).

In my business, my two key guys accepted offers from a much larger corporation so I had to scramble to find replacements.  We also have about five outstanding payments that are overdue, as our clients have not paid us, so we need money to meet this month’s payroll.

There are definitely days that it's very frustrating and can feel overwhelming, but I also feel that God has been using all that I've faced to deepen me in ways I'm only sort of understanding.  I felt quite happy last night when I came home and realized I needed to cook dinner on my grill outside for the 9th day in a row.  I was quite content heating multiple kettles of water in my electric kettle to take a shower in the morning.  I was surprised too to see my teammate's response to being robbed. She reflected that it wasn't a fun thing but it's part of God’s assignment for us. Trials and trouble are a part of His training program for us.  We're also promised peace, hope, and even joy when the hard times come.

The reality here isn't changing, but somehow, I'm learning steadfastness and the joy that comes with it (James 1).  I am learning that our enemy hates us being in this country.  It's a country long held in darkness. It's ground the enemy doesn't want to give up and our being here threatens that.  He will do whatever it takes to discourage and dissuade us from being here.  Thankfully by God's grace and in His power, we overcome and there is always hope because He will win. This isn't just an ultimate victory for Christ over the world or this nation, but it is also His winning my own mind and my own heart.  It is also the small victories we see in what we do here and in the people around us.

We have an internet based business. Just this morning we had an issue where all three of the internet connections in our office were down (yes, we have three because it's quite normal for one or maybe two to be offline).  It was frustrating because we couldn't work.  We tried several practical things, resetting routers, calling the internet company but internet only came back when I went into our conference room and simply said God we need internet today and whether it's a coincidental thing or a spiritual issue that's causing this very real technical problem we need you to help us overcome it. When I re-entered the office, the internet was working.  It doesn't always happen this way but I'm learning there is always hope that it will because we have a God who cares.

Something else that happened this month.  I was doing dishes after lunch with one of my employees and he stopped and said he wanted to tell me something.  He went on to tell me that that morning was the first time in his entire life that he'd done the dishes in his home.  He said his grandmother had come into the kitchen and asked him what he was doing (as it's typically a women's job here) and he told her that he's learned that he can serve the family not just by going to his job, but by helping out at home too.  He told her it's how God would want him to do it and he was excited to share that with me because that is what he's learned at our company.

Bless God. The stones and weeds are being removed from the soil. Soon the soil will be ready for God’s seed – His Word.

INCREASE YOUR WORK FORCE

One of the couples we mentor in the Middle East just told me this, and I’ll pass it on as a solid application for us all for this week.

Last week I heard a teaching on angels and how we should make use of their help.  The speaker said, “God is ready to release angels to assist us and that many are unemployed – they have no job!  I do HR for our B4T business and this past week we had several thefts, something that hasn’t happened in months. So, I prayed and asked God to assign a big angel to watch over the main entrance of our office and another group of angels to watch over the coffee lounge where someone had been stealing food. The next day one of our customers came to our receptionist and apologized because his client had stolen chocolates and other snacks. It doesn’t happen very often that an Arab confesses, apologizes, and pays for a crime he’s not caught doing!

Have you asked God to put His angels work for you?  Maybe it’s time to employ some.

GIVE & TAKE

I am reading the book Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant. The book explains three styles of interpersonal dealing: taking, matching, and giving. Givers are people who give more than they take. Matchers are people who try to give and take proportionally and conditionally. Takers are people who take more than they give. Givers are primarily other-centered. Matchers are other-centered so as to get what they want, meaning I'll help you when I think you’ll help me. Takers are those who are primarily self-centered.

Here's the counter-intuitive part. Grant’s research shows that if we look at the most successful people—the happiest, the most likely to be promoted, etc.—they are generally givers. If we look at the least successful people, they too often tend to be givers. Takers do moderately well, but over time, few people wish to deal with them. Matchers do okay too, but not as well as givers.

Grant explains why being a giver is a good strategy for success, as well as under what conditions giving is a failing strategy. Why do givers succeed? Simply put, people appreciate givers and giving often makes people want to give back. Since givers help others and often put others’ needs as a priority, givers often build (without deliberately trying, which is key) a network of support from others they’ve helped. Want to communicate most effectively? Ask more questions of others than you give answers to. Ask for advice and be aware of how you can help others. Want to bring out the best in people around you? Believe in them by recognizing and appreciating their strengths and contributions. Want to be successful? Don’t think of personal relations as zero-sum games (where others can only win to the degree you lose) but positive sum games (if you win, it doesn’t mean that I lose, but we can all win together).

It sounds obvious, right? But it isn’t. Even when we may be givers in our personal lives, we often become matchers or takers at work. Even if the success of a giving strategy seems intuitive, it is equally intuitive that getting ahead requires receiving as much as, or more than we get. We tend to spend most of our time working on things that will obviously benefit our self and so not spend more time assisting others. But Grant cites a growing body of research showing that giving—under the right conditions—really is the best overall strategy.

In B4T we need to understand the importance of being genuine givers.  In Acts 20:34-35, Paul says:
You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Paul expresses an attitude characterized by generosity and the desire to bless and meet the needs of others. Through his tent-making, Paul not only supported himself but met the needs of his co-workers as well. Clearly, Paul applied “it is more blessed to give than to receive” in his own life and work. Paul not only ministered in the word but also in deeds. Making tents made Paul’s witness holistic as he ministered to the needs of others. Paul also worked because he wanted to help the weak—the people who could not return in kind the help given to them. Paul reinvested his wealth as a witness of God's grace and goodness to those in need.

As a biblical principle, B4T workers must strive to have a holistic approach to our life and work. Doing unto others as we'd have them do unto us (Matthew 7:12) should be a core value of all B4T work. We need to strive to be givers. Our businesses should also be givers too. Giving—blessing others—is a holistic way that not only proclaims God’s good news in word but meets the social needs of the people through our deeds.

How are you demonstrating giving in your own life and work?

ENDURE IN PLOWING

For nearly three months now we’ve been studying Matthew 13, the parable of the sower. This is the last blog on this passage.  If you are new to the blog you may wish to go back to November and reread the thread of the lessons we’ve been discussing. Bottom line: if a farmer expects to reap a harvest, the sower needs to prepare both himself and the soil.

For the message of the Kingdom to germinate and flourish in a person’s mind and heart, preparations must be made. A soil that is not prepared, struggles to receive the seed.  A heart that is not prepared, struggles to receive the Word of God.

Plowing prayer and plowing love in hard ground and hard hearts will test your limits. Farming (sowing) requires endurance. Endurance is a fruit of the Spirit. Understand that in doing B4T our work is not only about reaching people for Christ. The work Jesus has assigned us is also His way of His working within us to develop the fruit of His Spirit. And yes, Jesus is also working through us to impact the lives those around us. He’s working both in us and through us for His glory.

Embrace the need to endure. SO DON’T QUIT!  Your plowing is likely making cracks in the soil. Evidence may be seen in the improvement of the character of those you work with. Maybe some are even becoming better Muslims because of you. That’s ok! Endure in your plowing.

Plowing hard ground is not done in a day. If I may emphasize it again; plowing prayer and plowing love in hard ground and hard hearts will test your limits.  I believe this testing is a big part of our assignment in being overseas – to grow in Christ.

People will not change by being told to change.  People prioritize and believe what they see over what they hear. Therefore people need to see the Gospel, not just hear it. Most of us are working in the hard soil. I believe we’ve all seen deserts in places like China, Egypt, Morocco and California that have been transformed into lush productive farmland. With God’s help, I believe we can do the same spiritually. The key is in how we cultivate the soil.

If you’ve been out there working 3, 4, or 5 years. You are close. The harvest is coming. Endure. Cling to the hope that the harvest is coming. Keep plowing.

Plough in prayer. Plough in loving on-going relationships.  Be with the same hard-hearted people day in and day out—work with them. Does this guarantee a great harvest? No. All this is done to ready the soil to receive the seeds. But if we do our job, as Paul says, God will give the growth.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God makes it grow.  1 Corinthians 3:6

IN TIME A HARVEST WILL BE REAPED

We are studying in Matthew 13, the parable of the sower. We are learning that if he expects to reap a harvest the sower needs to prepare both himself and the soil. 

Does plowing (prayer and love) work?  Do 10,000 hours really make a difference? Allow me to demonstrate.

At the OPEN Connect(a meeting for B4Ters held every other year), held this past August, I asked the 190+ OPEN workers, “How many of you who have been working for 1-3 years, at least 20 hours a week in a hard land? Not more than 3 years, but not less than 1 year? Please Stand up.” Roughly 50-60 people stood.

I continued, “Now if you have already had a co-worker say something like,
'Working here is better than any other place I’ve worked,' or
'I really enjoy working with you. Sit down.'” Nearly everyone (95%) sat down.

The first 3 years of plowing is hard. And you cannot expect fruit when plowing. Having co-workers or employees say these things shows the B4Ters have cracked the surface. But their co-workers or employees are not yet ready for the seed. If we plant the seed at this point, I’ll bet you they wind up as seed sown on the stony or thorny ground. When co-workers or employees may these statements, it shows that the B4Ter is doing well, moving in the right direction. People are watching. So keep plowing. BUT DO NOT SOW!

Once the surface is cracked, then up come the stones – the person’s character, the person’s self-image. I don’t know where you work, but some of my employees think nothing about taking home staplers, books, pens, money left on a counter, whatever. “Pay a bribe,” they say, “Why do all that government paperwork?”

We need to teach them integrity, honesty, excellence—and who is the best teacher?  Our words or our actions? Do it. Show them.  Model it. Don’t just talk to them.  And as people grow in their personal integrity, you will see it in their work.  They may not comment, but you will observe it because as human beings become more righteous, their own self-esteem begins to improve too. Their lives begin to be healed. Expect this to occur after you have worked with them somewhere between 2 to 5 years.

Next up are the weeds and thorns. This is the tougher one, because of two things. For one, there’s lots of temptations in this world and each person has different weak points. And two, there’s a lot of pressure from the family, the culture, and history.

By now you’ve been working together for 3 to 7 years. It’s at this stage your co-worker begins to ask you about your faith. Even without your mentioning Jesus directly to them for all those years, they will ask.  They probably will ask for a copy of the Bible too. How can I be so certain?

Again, I asked the OPEN workers at the OPEN Connect, “If you’ve been working 20+ hours/week, in the same business with the roughly the same people for 7 or more years, please stand up.” Exactly 20 people stood. That reflects how young our movement it. I continued, “Now, if you or your team working with you, have seen one or more persons come to faith, who are baptized, who are sticking with the faith—sit down.”  Precisely 18 of the 20 B4Ters sat down. That means 90% are seeing fruit—fruit that lasts.

In time, in specifically 10,000 hours, the soil is softened, the rocks are removed, the weeds are plowed under, and suddenly the soil is ready for the seed.

What’s encouraging for me is that for the past 8 years I’ve been publicly telling people that it seems business after business when it hits the 7-8 year mark is seeing a breakthrough in people coming to faith. And in case you’ve not yet done the math, if we are working with people 48 weeks a year, 30 hours a week, that’s 6 years 10 months – roughly 7 years.

Doing business puts each B4T worker out in the harvest where s/he is constantly, yet naturally required by their life and actions to plow, cultivate, fertilize, water and sow. Yes, in time, 7 years to be precise, a harvest will be reaped.

B4T – THE FINGER OF GOD!

We are studying in Matthew 13, the parable of the sower. We are learning that if he expects to reap a harvest the sower needs to prepare both himself and the soil. We’ve determined that there are two ploughs needed for breaking up hard ground; prayer and love. And one key way to plough love and prayer into people is to invest time with them, 10,000 hours to be exact.

We tell others God has commanded us to go to the ends of the earth to reach all peoples, but then we neglect to do our jobs as sowers. Good farmers sow, but they first plough up the ground before sowing.

In order to plough up a hard heart––to experience God’s love––Muslims, Hindus & Buddhists need to be with people who love God. And the only natural way any of us is going to get enough time with someone who has a hard heart, IS TO WORK WITH THEM.

When a Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist experiences grace, forgiveness & love (day in and day out, week in and week out, month in and month out) they’ve no answer for it. Like the magicians before Moses, they have solutions and answers in the beginning, but over time, they run out of answers and become convinced and exclaim – THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD!

From my own experience and of hundreds of B4T workers as well as traditional missionaries who have shared their stories with me, I’ve learned that the first three to five times people who know nothing of Jesus experience His love, grace, forgiveness, they simply assume we don’t understand the language and culture. And then the next five to 15 times when they realize our language is okay and we grasp the culture, they begin to seriously consider the fact that we are just stupid.  But somewhere between the 20th and 30th times (and that usually takes 6+ years) they connect the dots. They realize for themselves it is Jesus who makes us like we are and it is then that things begin to change in their hearts and minds. This is ploughing deeply.

Often we say to the church back home, “These people are hard,” or “the work is so difficult,” but we keep on sowing. Jesus shouts to the crowds in Matthew 13, LISTEN! PLEASE LISTEN!

If you know that the soil is hard, you don’t keep sowing. You start ploughing!
If the soil is dry – water.
If the soil lacks nutrients— fertilize.
But in reality, what do we do? We keep sowing! And then there’s no harvest and we blame the soil. People with hard hearts close their ears to advice, but open their eyes to example.

A witness is someone who has seen something and then reports it to another. But often our witnessing only involves words. If people are going to grasp the meaning and value of love, they need to see it and experience it. Love is not taught, it is caught.  Love may be a noun in the English language, but it’s a verb in the Bible – an action. Working day in and day out with people enables people to see God’s love at work in our lives and experience the finger of God.