Missional Business - is that impossible?

Work has been on my mind a lot recently, both with what it means and is about and also with what’s happening day to day. I’ve been writing about theology but am reminded that “theology” is not such a great word for some (can I have a better word please?). I find myself caught in an interesting place - other bloggers I respect have a passion for organic, creative and dynamic missional relationship type living and object (rightly) to the “corporatisation” of the church. So does that I mean I have to have a disconnect between my life in business and my life outside of work - clearly not! And yet look at the language that is acceptable in each zone:

Work

- focus, purpose, authority, structure, measurement, accountability, process

Non Work

- creative, intentional, dynamic, inspirational, missional, community, relational,

I’m not arguing for the work culture to take over the church. Neither am I arguing that the work words are wrong, many of them bring a lot of helpful aspects to daily living. However, my heart longs for a job that includes the non work words too. I want to have an integrated life, not a sacred/secular split. However, I find that in Scotland, often it is not only that the sacred can’t be spoken to in a work context, it’s also that the secular can’t be spoken to in a non work context.

 I have read a lot of missional living in the last year (Mak’s missional manifesto I thought was very helpful) and also about chasing lions and occasionally hear of volunteering roles for “web strategy” and think about green grass and other sides. I watch as others see that quitting is the way of chasing the lion in their own situation.

The challenge for me is how to bring it all together. I don’t believe that I should be working full time for a Christian organisation (unless it’s that web strategy job lol) - I can’t see how this would fit with the experience I’ve had in business to date, which surely must have had a purpose other than financing giving? (Plus also, I like my 5 days a week of work, rather than 6 - why is it we get our pastors and staff to work 52 days more a year than we ask of ourselves? Do they get paid proportionately for that?) I also can’t see how the current job allows for working issues of justice and community and restoration into it (but if you can, let me know!)

And I wonder if the way to bring it together is through companies like this, or this. So my ramblings below on “theology of business” is just me trying to work through what a restored business environment would look like. How can business be a force for good? Surely it must be more than having a token corporate and social responsibility programme?

I’m working in my mind of a 3 stage business:

Stage 1 - a series of local, community based, relational businesses with Jesus values

Stage 2 - taking the cashflow from stage 1 into a fund, and investing that into microfinance etc until the cash is needed for stage 3

Stage 3 - funding people to live missionally in the poorer neighbourhoods, and to facilitate the restoration of people who are suffering.

It’s no excuse to do this from a distance, so it would involve commitment, and engagement with people. Relationships would be formed all the way through.

I call this a “zero profit” corporation, as it gives all its profits away to stage 3. It’s not a “not for profit”, as it is for profit. But the profits are to serve a higher purpose than just dividends.

Do you too find the sacred/secular split still exists in the language we use?

Can you live missionally completely in the workplace you are in? What challenges do you face?