The Business Professional Network (BPN) helps entrepreneurs of small and medium-sized businesses in the economically depressed and developing nations of the world. The help comes in various forms, all with the goal of improving the well-being of families, local churches, communities, and nations. This assistance bolsters the witness of Christ around the world.
The BPN is a servant ministry that seeks ways to encourage and support others in the task of "missions through business." We connect western world business resources with needs and opportunities in the developing world. We provide training to nationals in business principles and integrity. We administer a trust fund (revolving loan fund) and help entrepreneurs find access to capital. We assist and encourage other organizations working in business-related missions (micro-loans, micro-enterprise, etc.).
For many years, medical personnel have had opportunities to help in needy parts of the world, but business professionals have not. The BPN involves the western world business community with economically struggling communities of the world. In some ways, the business person can help as no one else can. Helping improve someone's means of making a living is not aid or hand-outs; it is self-sustaining help that "keeps on helping."
Emphatically, yes! The BPN works with the local church, both in the western world and the developing country. In the western world, the BPN assists pastors and staff (i.e., missions committee) in developing their own "missions through business" program. The BPN works as an "out-sourced" staff of experts in the international business arena. Churches augment their missions programs with a Business Development Group (BDG) because of the holistic impact on communities and the natural complement to other missionary endeavors.
In the developing world, the BPN works through the local indigenous church to find individuals of proven Christian integrity and entrepreneurial giftedness. Further, the local church provides the BDG with another means of contact with the entrepreneur.
This is a primary function of the BPN: networking. We facilitate the formation of Business Development Groups (BDGs). These are four to twelve people with business experience and a heart to assist the developing nations of the world. We connect groups, not individuals (see What Is A Business Development Group); this provides continuity, strength, and resources for providing assistance required by a business in the developing world.
Be a resource person. The BPN actively recruits industry specialists. Whatever your business or professional experience, we want you to become a resource in our database. You may be asked by a Business Development Group to provide one-time assistance to an entrepreneur overseas. By registering as a resource person, your skills and talents become available to be called upon as needs arise, and you will have the opportunity to respond as you are able.
No! Just as there are many risks in business in the western world, there are the same-and more-in the developing world. The BPN only provides information and assistance to Business Development Groups. These groups make their own decisions and are responsible for them. A group of Swiss businessmen who operate under the name of "Romanian Christian Oest (east) Mission" (ROM-COM) has assisted over 180 businesses in Romania and have had no losses. But more than "business success," we seek "people success." So even with a business failure, there may be lives changed and families helped in the process. We trust that the training given and the relationships built will be the lasting success.
Contact and communication-this comes in several ways. The identification of a vital indigenous church with English speaking leaders was a crucial requirement for the members of one BDG before they would proceed with their first project in Romania.
The BPN is forming a Regional Advisory Council (RAC) in each country or major city. This group of mature, established believers helps the communication link between the BDG and the local entrepreneur. BDGs also send their own members overseas for personal contact, both before the commencement of involvement and regularly thereafter. Mentoring and advising are important functions of a BDG. In addition, when churches organize BDGs to work alongside their existing missions efforts, there is a built in mechanism for accountability and missions.
There are some organizations involved with micro-loans and micro-enterprise; very few assist small and medium-sized businesses. There are no international organizations providing an umbrella of connection and cooperation between all of them. Because the BPN is borne out of the AD200 movement, it is uniquely qualified for this "umbrella" function.
The BPN believes that small and medium-size business, with some help, can most quickly provide new jobs and income. This helps families, churches, communities, and nations. The BPN is unique in its approach because business decisions relating to the entrepreneur are not made by the BPN staff. The BPN gives operational decisions relating to each entrepreneur's needs to the business professional in the Business Development Group. This is truly a connecting of resources with needs.
Yes! The BPN needs funds for its operations and the revolving loan fund. All contributions are tax deductible. Checks should be made payable to "The Business Professional Network" and sent to our Portland, Oregon address.
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