Newsletter - October 2018

SfK Ministries Newsletter - OCTOBER 2018 "You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.' But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirm his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today." (Deuteronomy 8:17,18) Joseph--The Original BAMer    Over the past few months, we have been exploring the meaning of BAM and various businesses that are currently active BAM based businesses.  Although this idea of BAM seems to be a modern way of doing missions work, it has actually been around since the Old Testament times!  Mr. Albert (Al) Erisman, an Executive in Residence at Seattle Pacific University's School of Business and Economics, delves into the life of Joseph as a business person.  He discusses Joseph's life as being the first business as mission leader in his book, "The Accidental Executive, Lessons in Business, Faith and Calling from the Life of Joseph."  Mr. Erisman gave a seminar at the Urbana 12 conference on topics found within his book.  He speaks about Joseph's life of setting up a business in Egypt, representing God to the people in Egypt, all while accomplishing a real purpose that brought value to the people.  Follow the link below to listen to Mr. Erisman's seminar during Urbana 12. Learning about Business as Mission from the Life of Joseph FAITHFUL GIVING: Isaac Baik, South Korea Isaac Baik has faithfully committed to supporting SfK Ministries through his generous monthly contributions.  We sat down with Mr. Baik to see what has compelled him to give and what advice he has for those who are interested in giving to BAM and SfK Ministries. Click HERE to see the full interview...   Ministry Updates  1. SfK Korea held its regular board meeting in September and made two important decisions. One is to establish the first K-Impact Investment Fund (KIF #1) by October 31, 2018. The minimum subscription amount has already been pledged and KFI #1 will be launched after October 31. PTL! Please pray that this fund will become the successful pioneer for all future Kingdom Investment Funds.  2. Also, KIF #1 will make an investment in an online marketing company that has its sales platform in Korea and in the U.S. Please pray this strategic alliance will help advance His Kingdom through impactful Kingdom trade.    3. One Egg Project has decided to fund two pilot projects in Cambodia and Tanzania. Both SfK Cambodia and SfK Tanzania will work with local partners to help feed early age children with one egg per day for their physical and intellectual development. Please pray that this new partnership will produce synergy for His Kingdom for many years to come.  4. SfK participated in KBM Global Gathering, one of main BAM gatherings in Korea. A few ministry opportunities have developed. Please pray that these opportunities will bear fruit that will please the Lord.  5. SfK held several meetings with potential strategic partners to explore the opportunities for collaboration. Please pray that these initial contacts will be fruitful in God's eyes.  6. Two new missional businesses in Malaysia and India have signed up to be part of SfK Missional Business Community. Praise the Lord! Please pray that these relationships will expand to produce greater impact in the lives of people they serve.  Upcoming Events & Prayer Requests   Oct. 22-Nov. 2, 2018:  SfK MBA Boot Camp Training Chiang Mai 2018. Please pray that all participants from 6 countries and 4 Kingdom Fellows as faculty members will work together harmoniously to produce synergy for His Kingdom.  BAM Global is conducting a survey with BAMers and people affiliated with any Christian mission agency to prepare for a consultation tentatively titled "BAM and Mission Agencies." If you are affiliated with any Christian mission agency, please take part in this important survey. For English version, you may go to the link by clicking here and for Korean version, by clicking here.  November and December 2018:  SfK Resource Development Tour to the U.S. SfK will visit and focus on New York, Atlanta, Memphis, Denver, Phoenix and Los Angeles. From this tour, SfK prays for God's sending someone to lead SfK Life's development efforts in the U.S. Please pray that this tour will be fruitful and meet someone whom the Lord will prepare in advance. November and December 2018:  SfK Life and SfK Korea board meetings. Please pray that all board members will discern God's voice and prayerfully and faithfully seek His calling in business particularly during this time of rapid changes.  SfK leadership will prepare the Business Plan and Budget for 2019 and update the Strategic Plan. Please pray that this time will be a time to reflect what God has been doing and to see His will for the future.  January 2019:  SfK MBA BCT Phnom Penh (Korean). If you are interested, please send inquiries to info@sfklife.org. Please pray that this training program will challenge, inspire and equip many potential BAMers in the region to work more effectively for His Kingdom in and through business.  February 2019:  SfK Life and SfK Korea will hold their board meetings jointly in Bangkok, Thailand. Please pray that this opportunity will bring unity among SfK members and produce greater synergy for His Kingdom.    Thank you for your standing with us faithfully for equipping and empowering missional businesses in Asia and Africa! Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. May God bless you richly so that you may become a greater blessing to people in need around you and around the world! Consider a charitable contribution in partnering with SfK One-Time Donation Recurring Donations Donate Now SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2018 Synergy For the Kingdom Ministry, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website. 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Faithful Giving...

What comes to mind when you think of a devoted supporter of a ministry?  Someone who is generous? Indeed, generosity is a great characteristic when it comes to a supporter.  However, it is not the most important quality. The best supporter of any kind of ministry is a faithful, steadfast supporter.

Isaac Baik is one of these types of supporters. He is a faithful financial supporter for SfK Ministries. Since the inception of SfK Ministries, he has been making significant monthly financial contributions. We wanted to talk to Isaac about why he decided to support SfK Ministries and advice he can give to those interested in contributing to the ministry. 

Initially, Isaac was reluctant to sit down with us. SfK is deeply grateful to him for agreeing to this interview. - Editor

SfK: Can you tell us a little about who you are and what you do?

A: My name is Isaac Baik. I am a 30 year old Korean. Currently, I work for one of Samsung’s companies as a team leader. I am blessed to be a member of God's family.

SfK: For a Korean, Isaac is not a common name. Was it your name from birth?

A: No. My father became the first Christian in our family in 2007 and changed his name to Abraham.  He changed my name to Isaac. Now most of paternal family members are believers. It is God's grace.

SfK: You are a faithful giver, making monthly donations diligently for over two years. Can you tell me why you give so generously and so faithfully?

A: I am indebted to God for His grace. Because of His creation and His redemption, my life belongs to God. I took a stewardship class while in Rwanda, and I decided to be a good steward of treasure as well as time and talents all of which have been entrusted with me. I allocate my earnings according to certain formula. One tenth for God. Tithing. One tenth for SfK Ministries. One tenth for people in need including the poor. One tenth for the family. And I spend the rest.

SfK. Wow! That is a very tough standard for a young man like you! How well do you follow the standards?

A: At times, I sense temptations, honestly. But, in general, I have been able to honor this commitment.

SfK:  SfK is grateful for support. Why have you chosen to support SfK Ministries?

A: I am in the business world and well aware of how beneficial a business is to humanity and how powerful a business can be in the mission field. SfK supports such missional businesses by equipping and empowering them. I see that SfK is allowing God's resources to flow to the areas in need. I also see that SfK's efforts produce the impact for holistic transformation. Also, I see that the leadership of SfK in the U.S. and in Korea are credible people. Moreover, SfK takes only 5% of my donation as an administrative expense. That is a big plus. That is why I have chosen to support SfK.

If I may add one more point, someday I would like to run a missional business myself. I am beginning the journey by supporting SfK that works for such missional businesses. 

SfK: We at SfK are humbled and honored by your consideration and commitment. We are pledging ourselves to continuing to meet your expectation. Can you make any suggestion to those who may want to also join you in making faithful giving to any ministry of his/her choice?

A: I think the awareness of stewardship and the resolve to be a good steward will be the foundation to any faithful giving. The resources are not mine but God's own under my custody. If this foundation is established, it becomes natural for a good steward to use His own resources for the purposes He cares for. Logistically, PayPal auto payment setups help you keep your commitment without struggling too much with the temptation every month. 

SfK: Again, we are grateful for your faithful support and we pray for God's greater blessing so that you may become an even greater blessing to others around you.