Pioneer Business Planting Consultation

A five-day, hands-on consultation that trains church planters and leaders to build businesses that sustain the Gospel’s reach — not aid, but a viable trade. Explore our About Us and FaithFund pages for more.

Pioneer Business Planting is a five-day consultation designed to extend the reach of the Gospel and create financial sustainability for church planters and other leaders or believers. If you want to know more about our mission, visit our About Us page. You can also explore support options through our FaithFund initiative.

The main goal is to help participants build a viable, legitimate business that offers a product or service not currently available in the region. As a result, these businesses meet physical, social, and spiritual needs in the local community. Additionally, they do not compete with existing local businesses. Instead, they add value and serve as a light in the community.

Each consultation is tailored to the needs of the participants. We facilitate conversation, encourage active listening, share stories, and provide hands-on learning through activity-based exercises. For those interested in online training, please visit Pioneer Business Planting Online.

If you are interested in the global movement of business as mission, you can find more resources at BAM Global.

What to Expect

Mindset Topics

The first two days focus on the mindset topics like:

God is the Owner of our business, we are His stewards
Work is worship
Sacred/secular divide
How to use business as a means to extend the gospel

Practical Skills

The last three days focus on:

Process of business planting
How to find a good business idea
Leadership
Problem solving skills
How to write a business plan
Funding
Ethics in business
Customers
Marketing
Budgeting and many more elements of starting a business.

After the consultation, the students are able to develop/write business plans and have the tools/knowledge to start a business.

Interactive and Inclusive Learning

Our consultation is highly interactive. We emphasize experience-based learning through games, activities, and storytelling using a graphic curriculum. The training team includes at least two experienced members and two or three new trainers. This approach ensures multiplication and provides support in case of injury or illness. Because Pioneer Business Planting is designed for all experience levels, every gathering is unique. We always strive to highlight the strengths of each community we serve.

Since 2010, this training has been developed and improved. It has been delivered in more than 45 countries across Africa and Asia. Consequently, over 1,500 viable businesses have been started as a result.

All participants are encouraged to apply what they have learned. They are also invited to share the material with others in their area.

Target group

Local church planters and their families or friends who have a passion to reach the neglected.

Pioneer Business Planting consultation group training session

Participants discussing business planning in a Pioneer Business Planting consultation

Trainer leading a Pioneer Business Planting workshop session

Practicalities

20-40 participants
40 hours of teaching
teaching team of 3-4 people (preferably also a local person involved)
Graphic Curriculum and Facilitators Manual (for trainers)

In their words

Testimonials

I have opened my mind to selling and starting a business. I pray first and I don’t separate business and church. I also plan and research products or services that people don’t have in the community. What would they like to have? In business, we must love our customers, and gradually, we can start sharing the words of God with them. We must have a brand to see and if we get some profit and then order the product again. More importantly, separate the money of the business and our salary. We can also invest the profit to grow more and remember not to use the business money for personal expenses.

— Samuel, Pioneer Business Planting Training Attendee

We must know the difference between a Christian and a worldly leader. Do not mix money from business and church. The money belongs to the business, tithe belongs to the church. We need to divide it smartly to pay back loans. If we manage the business well, we can create more jobs and opportunities for other people to grow. All these, you can learn from the Bible.

— Anonymous, Pioneer Business Planting Training Attendee

I learned not to sell alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes because these destroy people. I treat my customers well and make sure that I am active in sales in my shop because customers might leave. I go to church to pray and glorify God.

— Elda, Pioneer Business Planting Training Attendee

I learned that we have to work with love. If we don’t have love, then our work is nothing. I also learned that we have to pray first for everything that we do, just like when we go to the farm, we prepare the soil first. How we start dictates how we finish our day-to-day lives. In doing business, we cannot just use the money for ourselves like spending on our family.

— Anonymous, Pioneer Business Planting Training Attendee

A believer can do business and evangelize in the business at the same time. A leader in the church shouldn’t only depend on the tithes, instead it is better to do something to start a sustainable business and spread the word of God. In doing a business there is a difference between a boss and a leader. A boss manages and dictates. Good leaders not only motivate and inspire the team to perform their best, but they are also part of the team themselves.

— Anonymous, Pioneer Business Planting Training Attendee

I learned about 5 steps that we have to solve problems in business: I pray first for everything I do. Secondly, I use my experience and thirdly I ask for wise counsel. I also examine and do research and as the final step I make a decision. Lastly, I also learned I need to have a plan for planting churches and businesses.

— Victoria, Pioneer Business Planting Training Attendee