CPMs

During a recent trip through Central Asia one team asked us to share about some B4T church planting movements to encourage their hearts as they are embarking on their own B4T journey.  We were excited to share with them about two CPMs happening in two different continents involving OPEN workers.  As we were sharing, we realized there are some common threads between these two movements.  We would like to share those with you here and hope that you will take these to the Lord, asking how He may be speaking to you about the work in your own location:

1. When we asked both OPEN businesses how the movements got started, their answer was “We don’t know. It was all God!”
2. Both businesses have been in operation over 8 years.
3. The expats working in both businesses have excellent language and cultural understanding of the people.
4. Their solid business identity allows the workers to be transparent about their past and present relationship with Jesus, which emboldens them to faithfully and unapologetically model and speak out about their love for Jesus.
5. Both businesses have a strategic prayer group praying for their area and the people group.  One prayer group was spearheaded by the B4T team, while the other team did not participate in the strategic prayer group at all. In case you are wondering; the two prayer groups are from two different theological backgrounds and their approaches to prayer are very different.

The team’s conclusion from our discussion was that when we live among the people in integrity and with transparency that makes sense to the local community, we are free to be authentic, bold and conspicuous in how we live out our faith in Jesus. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:2; Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.  On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.”

PS.  For those following Ronnie’s story from last week please see
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2013/12/20/ac-intv-widow-forgives-after-husband-killed-in-libya.cnn.html

PATRICK LAI and his family have worked in SE Asia for over 37 years. His experience in doing business with Jesus has brought him to understand the meaning of work and worship in the marketplace. He started 14 businesses in four countries, six of which are still operating. Patrick and his wife, May, mentor and coach businesspeople working where there are few or no Christians. Check out Patrick’s latest book, Workship, now available in paperback and e-book.