Sending Path · Business as Mission · Lesson 3: What Business as Mission Is, and Is Not
This lesson in one sentence: Business as mission is taking a real business to another place, to glorify God and serve people; it is not a fake business, and not just a venue for meeting people.
Timing (about 60 minutes)
- Opening5 min
- Read Together10 min
- Practice Together15 min
- Discussion20 min
- This Week5 min
- Pray for One Another5 min
Opening
Had you heard the term ‘business as mission’ before? What did you think it meant?
Read Together
28Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.
Eph 4:28 · WEB
11and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you, 12that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.
1 Thess 4:11–12 · WEB
2But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
2 Cor 4:2 · WEB
Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Cor 10:31 · WEB
Practice Together
Read out the five situations from the lesson and sort them together: workplace ministry, tentmaking, business as mission, business for mission, charity. Then ask: could any situation count as two at once?
Discussion
- “producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need” (Eph 4:28)—good work, something to give, and the giving: which of the three would you most like to grow in?
- Paul was “not walking in craftiness.” (2 Cor 4:2) Why would a fake business make people disbelieve the gospel we speak?
- Of the five paths, which do you think you are most likely to walk?
This Week
This week, write down which of the five kinds your present work is closest to, or whether it is none of them yet. Then write one sentence: where would you like to take one small step?
Each person says which direction they plan to write down for their ‘one small step’ this week.
Closing
Read 1 Cor 10:31 together, and pray in pairs for each other’s work.
Tips for the leader
- The categories help us see clearly; they are not labels. If someone in the group is doing one of these, do not let them feel theirs is ‘lower’.
- The group does not discuss how to get into any particular country or region, and does not name serving workers or organizations; if someone asks, invite them to talk with their church or an experienced mission agency afterwards.
General principles for leaders
- The leader is not a teacher but someone who walks alongside everyone.
- Give everyone a chance to speak; with someone who talks a lot, you can gently say, ‘Let’s also hear from friends who haven’t spoken yet.’
- Don’t rush to give answers. If someone is silent, wait a few more seconds.
- For a question you can’t answer, you can say, ‘I don’t know either; let’s look it up together,’ and note it down for next time.
- What is said in the group stays in the group.
- At the opening, the leader can give their own answer first, showing that it can be simple and honest.