Last Tuesday, me and a partner of mine, Errol, was invited by our client, Pak Andreas, to share about equip ministry to some business at Kelapa Gading. About 15 businessmen were present in that meeting and Errol presented about equip, bicycle (the integration of character and competence) and also new wineskin. Errol was very exciting in this meeting and when he gave a presentation he used two glasses for visual aid that he borrowed from the hotel. 
During the meeting, we had an interesting meeting especially when some of the businessmen are complaining about the Indonesian business environment that is not conducive for them to implement Kingdom Principles in their business.
With our heart, this is the core issue that we so want to touch because even though these people know the word of God, the deep presence of the dichotomy between ministry and business are still strong.
At the end of the meeting, one of the businessmen made a very good statement. He said that even when the senior pastor was introducing to them about the Maximize Manhood Ministry, the majorities of the men said that this ministry will not be possible in the beginning but because they truly asked in prayer, this ministry now has blessed many men. Similar with equip, this ministry may seem impossible, but nothing is impossible for God.
 They also agreed and confirmed me when I say that don’t say to God how big your problem is but say to your problem how big is our God. Even when business environment in Indonesia is a tough world but we believe that our God is much larger than any tough condition. Couples of businessmen are expressing interest to be clients or consultants for the next round of venture. Hallelujah
 

We’re Making Progress..!

Today is a sunny unstructured day. My client, Mr. and Mrs. Seliang, came during lunch time and we decided to have our discussions in the restaurant, where other consultants and clients were also having lunch together.

I’m grateful to have Mr. and Mrs Seliang as my client, as they’re so committed to this venture. I have been learning a lot from them. Mr. Seliang is an entrepreneur/luminary type of person that has lots of great ideas in his mind. Mrs. Seliang is a manager type of person who is good at doing administrative matters. What a great combination!
The couple is currently running embroidery business. In the past they owned 8 restaurants and all of them have been closed. They have been serving the Lord by leading 16 cell groups. Lack of oversight in their business and lack of trained people lead to the decision to close all restaurants.

When walking thru all scorecards that were prepared by the couple and “fine-tuned” by my co-consultant, Donald, we discussed again the new purpose for the business. This venture had opened their eyes to repurpose their business to glorify God with core values of integrity, quality, and family; but we have been struggling to combine the idea into a Purpose Statement.

We also discussed about the directions that this couple had been thinking and praying. Mr. Seliang, who is originally from Menado, is so passionate about restaurant business and had a dream that he and his family would go back to Menado and build a restaurant in his home town. When doing a survey in Menado, Mr. Seliang saw a big opportunity for a new sea food restaurant to grow in Menado. So, one opportunity is selling the existing business and moving to Menado to setup new restaurant. The other is staying in Jakarta and continue running the embroidery business.

God lead us to an idea to build a financial forecast for each opportunity and continue praying for both opportunities. At the end of our discussions, Donald proposed a purpose statement that combined all ideas thrown by the couple. We’re all so happy.. Thank God, we’re making a lot of progress today!!

Ritha Nainggolan, Indonesian Consultant

There is no I HATE MONDAY in this venture! Everyday God will make miracles in the marketplace.  God has shown himself in Pak Bundi’s company where he got a bulk order that is 160 times larger than a previous order that was canceled by his customer last Friday.  When God works, nothing is measurable.  As we also went over Partnering and Profit today, God gave Pak Andreas a new revelation about opening up a new company that will be fully aligned with Kingdom principles.  This is also happening with Pak Giman who God has inspired to stretch out his marketing strategy by helping out those in need of free college tuition!  A sign of convergence between ministry and the business world!

If God owns your company, nothing is impossible for HIM!  All the glory to the LORD!

One of the foundational teachings in Equip is, “God owns your businesses…NOT YOU”

He is CEO and we are simply His Jr. Partners. Jr. Partners, who have been given stewardship over God’s company for a season.

In fact God has a family business and it is the business of transforming peoples lives. As anyone in eastern culture knows (Christianity is at heart an Eastern Faith) fathers expect their children to join the family business. So if that is true, our posture ought not be to go to God and ask Him to put His blessing on our business … no instead it ought to be a posture of humility, perhaps instead asking God, “As my CEO, what do you want me to do with your business today?”

Someday when we enter heaven God will ask, ” Where is the return on MY investment for allowing you to run MY company for 30 years on earth. How did you use MY business to change the lives of people that I gave you to influence for me?” 

Wednesday morning we had a refreshing testimony from a Indonesian CEO that took that training to heart. He shared that Tuesday morning he went to his office and headed for his desk as usual, but this time he closed the door and pulled out his CEO chair and asked Jesus to sit in the chair he routinely occupied daily. He instead went to the other side of the desk and sat in the client chair. “For the first time Tuesday I had a meeting with my CEO and asked Him what I am supposed to do with His company he said,” with emotion across every crease and line in his face.

“I spent almost an hour listening to God. It was the most powerful time.

After finishing my meeting I logged into the internet banking window and was shocked to see that we were at a $200 USD balance in our checking account for the business. We were facing a number of overdue invoices and I felt the pressure greatly and took this back to God.

I said, “God if you are CEO I need you to meet this need so I can maintain integrity with my vendors.” I felt the anxiety melt away and be replaced with trust.”

Later, my wife who handles the accounting called me in a panic, saying we are in trouble the bank account is tapped out. I told her, with a confidence that I have never had before in these kinds of situations, “don’t worry, I have spoken with my CEO this morning and He has assured me He will take care of this problem.”

Of course she thought I was nuts, but I was able to share with her what had happened in in my office in the beginning of the day.

“I left the office after finishing the call with my wife and was gone for 1 hour,” he continued.

“I had just settled back into my desk when something prompted me to log into our online electronic bill pay system. To my amazement, one of our vendors, during the hour I was gone, paid a $10,000 USD outstanding debt online and the money was pending to our account. Though I had prayed I was astounded at God’s so immediate provision.”

That was the beginning of a number of Marketplace Miracles and breakthroughs we have seen in the first week of Jakarta Venture number IV. God is doing an amazing work and is awakening men and women to the vision of transforming their city with the life changing message of Jesus Christ.

This week will mark the completion of repurposing 42 companies in Jakarta. The group of 8 companies alone we are working with week have a combined reach to 5.5 million people they influence in this city of 24 million. That translates to 20% of the total population of Jakarta through their repeated contact and influence with their customers, vendors, employees and others they are with, week in and week out. 

Pray that God lights a fire in each of these CEO’s to surrender all they are and have into God’s hands where it belongs! God says in Jeremiah 5:1

“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem (Jakarta), look and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.”

God can transform a city with just one man or woman, who is sold out to him! We are nearing the repurposing of 42 leaders and their companies. If God can heal a city with one what can he do with 42 righteous and dedicated men and women and their corporations!

Please pray for us as we kick off week two Monday morning (Sunday night Calif time).

 Bob

Saturday was a chance to get out from the city and see some more of Indonesia.

The group agreed to do have an ecotourism experience at Sental City, a former equip client.  Errol and Joel planted rice with locals, and we all meandered through a cassava field and a rural village, ultimately trekking up and up to a pine forest with hot springs. 

I’ll now admit that it was a bit too much for me after “falling” knee high in the river and then into the rice paddy a couple of minutes later.  I didn’t really eat much for breakfast and the heat and humidity was a little more than I’m used to on a daily basis.  The final straw was that my ankle (an old injury) was starting to act up.   After Bob’s wise counsel, we agreed that I should back to the village with one of the guides to wait for a vehicle to drive me to the spings for lunch.

As the guide and i waited under an open air hut, soft breezes would come up.  One of the fellows in the hut starting singing a sweet melodious tune.  Children were playing outside as one woman was cooking and another was hanging clothes to dry.  I realized that I couldn’t pay for this experience and that I was witnessing how people there go about their lives.  Sitting there, I felt some of the love that God has for his children in Indonesia.  When we drove out, I prayed for the villagers that they might also know the God that loves them enough to send his son Jesus to pay for their sins.

It was a long day!!  We capped it off looking for things to bring back from Indonesia for our friends, family and supporters and had a wonderful time of fellowship over dinner at Sate Khas Senayan.   i had durian juice for the first time, and find that I really like the taste.  Why not experience a taste a bit of God’s glory?