It was a college class that first convinced Steward* that “God’s heart is for the people who are least reached.”

He felt called to overseas missions work and found himself drawn to the Arab world—particularly to an area in North Africa where less than 1 percent of the population is Christian.

But in the country Steward wanted to reach, evangelism is illegal and Christians cannot worship freely. Which means that the country is closed to traditional missionaries. In order to have a lasting impact, foreigners must have a legitimate purpose for a long-term visa.

Opening Closed Doors

For Steward, the answer came in the form of business.

He became a Serge Business for Transformation missionary and started a small hospitality business.

But his company is more than just a cover for mission work – it’s a way to benefit the local economy, provide jobs, and naturally build relationships within his community.

“Business opens doors to communities,” Steward said. “Everybody wants jobs. I think it’s the best answer for people who want to do work overseas.”

Finding a Way Through

He and his family have lived in North Africa for seven years, and his business now employs more than 60 people.

Running a business gives Steward opportunities to interact with his employees in meaningful ways throughout the week. In staff meetings, he and his employees discuss the company’s core values: sacrificial love, honesty, hard work, trust.

In talking about work issues, Steward said, they often end up talking about heart issues. Leadership development, employee evaluations, and training are natural opportunities for discipleship.

In many ways, his goals are similar to those of someone working in church planting or traditional missions. He wants to see his employees grow in health in all areas of their lives—spiritual health, financial health, relational health, and more.

“I don’t have as much access to do Bible studies,” he said, “but feel like have more access with employees to ask about families, jobs, how they are doing with money.

“There’s no topic that’s off-limits with me,” he continued. “There are so many opportunities to shine the light of God in the workplace. My prayer is that some of these people come to faith in God in deeper ways.”

Plugging into a Support System

Because he doesn’t have a business background, he said doing business in a different culture and language has its share of challenges. His company has faced financial issues, lost clients, and had to make difficult hiring decisions.

“Doing business overseas can feel uniquely lonely,” he said.

However, Serge has connected him with a community of people facing similar challenges. CEOs, lawyers, accountants, and more. And the amount of free coaching he received through Serge was “invaluable,” especially early on as his company faced many big decisions.

“My company couldn’t exist without Serge,” he said. Having financial backing in place through their Business for Transformation program, he can grow his company without the pressure of having to quickly make a salary to support his family.

Aiming for Long-Term Transformation

Steward’s business is profitable and growing rapidly. But he’s not stopping there.

His dream is to eventually have 1,000 employees in 10 different countries. 25 percent would be Christians—locals or ex-pats he brings in to help serve alongside non-Christians.

Working alongside employees of different religions provides natural opportunities for employees to understand one another’s perspectives and faiths.

“The more people we can employ, that equates to more possibilities for relational impact,” he said.

But ultimately, whether or not their spirituality changes, he believes the business can have a marked impact on his employee’s lives.

“We want our employees to be a blessing to the country because they worked in our business,” he said. “All work, whether directly church-related or not, is God’s work.”

He longs to see more people embrace the business for transformation model. He asked for prayers for more laborers in the harvest.

“We need people to catch the vision that God can show up in the marketplace, and not just in the four walls of a church building.”

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Are you looking for a way to shine gospel light through your unique skills? Do you want to connect with a cross-cultural community in ways you’ve never dreamed possible? Consider Serge’s worldwide work in Business for Transformation. There are roles for all kinds of people. Learn More >>

 

*Names have been changed for security