A Business as Mission Crisis: How Can We Pray?

by Larry Sharp

During these days of uncertainty due to the worldwide coronavirus, business startups are hurting, and many of them will fail due to the outbreak of COVID-19. This is particularly true of BAM startup businesses, which are affected in many ways.

Just today as I write this, I received an appeal from a Freedom Business in India to encourage others to buy their product on-line. I also received a note from a person who works as an HR-disciple making person in a business in Cambodia. She is losing her visa and needs to return to the USA within 30-days due to new regulations connected to the virus.

Here are some ways to PRAY based on what we know right now:

1. For wisdom for business owners who have very little margin or capacity for downsizing and will ultimately need to make hard decisions.

2. For the poor who desperately need the jobs that BAM companies are providing, and now face job loss.

3. For innovative means of providing capital. Some of the ways may include increased donations or short-term low-interest loans to BAM businesses.

4. For God’s people in the west who have expertise and can provide a helpline; that they will make themselves available and know where their help can be best applied.

5. For innovators and inventors to have their creative juices unleashed to develop solutions which will help BAM businesses in this difficult time.

6. For leaders connected to many BAM/B4t businesses who are right now considering options for how to help – RN, PL, CS, MT, JP, RB and others.

7. That all believers will respond toward the most vulnerable in ways similar to how Christians responded in other pandemics. Check out this link.

Mats Tunehag has also adapted St. Patrick’s prayer to use during this time, either as a BAM company leader or to pray for others in the BAM community.

READER SUBMITTED PRAYER IDEAS:

We asked you to share ideas for how to pray for BAM during the crisis, here are some of the additional ideas shared:

That we should focus on God and come closer to Him.
Ask God to provide guidance and wisdom to scale through this period. Only such wisdom from above can help us all.
Pray for His help to overcome the situation and strength to arise after this crisis is over.
For bravery and courage; for boldness to make hard calls.
Pray for God to deal with pride and for humility to surface; for strength to resist temptation as boredom or depression settles in; for us to count the cost of following the Lord.
Grace to be much more compassionate and caring. For more compassionate businesses to be born through Covid-19.
For hope, and opportunities to share their hope with others.
Pray that they would find a new rhythm and for insights to reimagine product lines and services.
Pray for unity in the Body to join together in an Acts 2 mindset for collaborations and sharing time, talent, and treasure. For less fear or protective mindsets and more willingness to build trusted partnership founded on the Body under the Head.

READ MORE FROM MATS TUNEHAG >> The Coronavirus Pandemic and BAM: Seven Things We Can Do

This post has been adapted from an article on the IBEC Ventures Blog, with kind permission of Larry Sharp. Updated with Reader submitted prayer ideas on 17 April 2020.

Larry Sharp is the Founder and current Director of Strategic Training and Partnerships of a Business for Transformation (BAM, B4t) consulting firm, International Business and Education Consultants (www.ibecventures.com). Larry served 21 years in Brazil and then 20 years as Crossworld VP of Operations and as Vice President of Business Partnerships. He is currently a VP Emeritus and consultant with Crossworld. Since 2007 he has devoted energies toward Business as Mission (BAM) and currently is a consultant on BAM and education themes. Larry travels within North America speaking and teaching in conferences, colleges and churches on themes related to Business As Mission (BAM, B4t) and missions. His travels abroad relate to BAM, crisis preparation and management, and team building.