Before reading this Appendix, please read and study Appendix F, Business As Mission, BAM. You've heard of BAM, Business As Mission, now we are presenting FAM? FAM is Farming As Mission!
While BAM is not primarily intended for the pastor or in-church ministers, FAM is targeted towards them. Most pastors in developing nations do not have consistent income without holding down an outside job or business. A majority of those in developing nations do not have the opportunities for an outside job or business. Tithing often is not able to support the pastor.
You may be reading this book in another season of time, years after this is being written in 2008. However, as for the present, I heard a news report in April 2008 that world food prices have increased 40% just in one year, and in some areas they have doubled. That is compounded by the fact that the percentage of income used in the Third World for food is between 50% and 90%. Compare that to America where the percentage is 9.5%.
While we are not on mission to solve the food shortage problem, FAM has many practical and spiritual facets.
1. It proposes a small farm is sponsored and started by a pastor.
2. The farm serves as "income" for the pastor, like tent making, by providing for his family's food. That may be 50% or more of his income needs. Typical businesses are not always appropriate for pastors due to time conflicts.
3. The pastor "hires" church members to work for food. Each member earns according to time worked.
4. The farm has a supervisor. The supervisor makes sure that he sells enough produce at the beginning of harvest to purchase next year's seed and fertilizer. This supervisor serves as the "Farm Pastor" and oversees the business and the ministry activities.
5. Whatever produce is not sold, and not used for workers and the pastor, and not used for other "escrow needs" is available for FAM ministry. This includes feeding the poor in the neighborhood with both vegetables and spiritual manna. We will attempt to draw people to the farm to pick up their vegetables and manna.
There can be many variations to the above outline which may be considered.
I personally, together with ISOB, was part of a project like this in Haiti in 2003. We dug a well for an existing garden so that it would bear more produce. The site turned out to be a "church," or a FAM. Many of the poor and hungry in the neighborhood came by for food and water. Many received Jesus for the first time, others were healed, and demons were cast out from others.
Look at this devotional article by Os Hillman, a Christian businessman.
Today God Is First by Os Hillman May 3rd, 2008 [1]
"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." - 1 Corinthians 15:58
There is a paradigm shift going on among a remnant of workplace believers today. That paradigm shift is a focus on using our business and work life as a platform for ministry versus a platform solely for material success. There is a remnant of workplace believers throughout the world today who understand their birthright in the workplace is to reflect Christ fully in and through their work. It is reflected by a commitment to use their resources and skills to provide a product of excellence with the overall motive to affect people for Jesus Christ. The difference is that these individuals have an overriding ministry objective to their work.
When the apostle Paul tells us to fully work unto the Lord, he does not mean we must be working as missionaries in "full-time Christian effort." He understands that all of life is holy and sacred to God. If our motive is to serve God where we are, then our labor "in the Lord is not in vain."
As you begin your work today, ask God if you are working with the primary motive of reflecting His life and character through your work on this day. Let nothing move you from this motive being central to your activity. The Lord will reflect
Sample FAM
Crop reaped 50 units
Sold for next year's supplies 10 units
Pastor 5 units
Workers from church 20 units
Given to poor who come 15 units
We are making available the educational methods used by SIFAT, Servants in Faith and Technology (Lineville Alabama). These materials are from ECHO one of the world's foremost experts in Third World farming and other ministry technologies. With this material we hope to train the nationals to farm smart.
Farm As Mission Proposal
Table 1
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1. Proposed owner of Garden. |
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2. Proposed Daily operations supervisor |
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3. Location and size of Garden. If stated in acres, please give the length and width of an acre in your country. Give these dimensions in meters. |
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4. How much is the annual or seasonal rent for the land? |
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A. Can you obtain a lease on the land for an extended period? |
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5. State how many people in your congregation will |
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A. Work in the garden. |
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B. Be fed from the garden |
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C. Will there be some people in your congregation fed by the garden who are unable to work in it, like the elderly? How Many? |
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6. How will tools and produce be protected from thieves? |
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7. First Year Start-up costs |
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A. Tools |
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B. First seasons rent |
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C. First seasons seed |
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D. Tools storage |
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E. First year food for laborers |
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F. Transportation |
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G. Other, explain |
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H. Total Loan requirement (Sum A – G) |
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1. What is the crop? |
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2. How many acres or part of an acre do you plan to plant? |
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3. What are the months for planting? |
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4. What are the months for harvest? |
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5. How will the crop be watered |
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6. Is there more than one season per year for this crop? How many? |
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7. Provide the seasonal estimates for this crop. |
Quantity |
Cost |
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A. Land preparation and/or plowing in hours |
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B. Seed. |
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C. Fertilizer |
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D. Insect control |
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E. Weeding and harvesting in hours. |
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a. Is this done by garden participants without pay? Give details. |
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F. Food for laborers |
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G. Transportation |
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H. Miscellaneous |
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I. Estimated yield for this crop each season. |
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Table 2 - Crop Details (Make a copy of this table for each crop)
Table 3 - Profit and Loss statement
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Quantity In crops |
Value In dollars |
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1. Gross Sales |
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2. Expenses |
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A. Escrow- How much of this crop: |
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a. Seed |
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b. Rent |
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c. Transportation |
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d. Food |
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e. Other |
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B. How much of this crop will be used for ministry? |
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C. How much of this crop be used to pay back the loan? |
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D. Total of all Expenses above |
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3. Profit: How much of this crop will be used for paying the owner and workers? Subtract total Expenses from Gross Sales.
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[1] Excerpted with permission from the book TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman. Copyright 2003. Reprinted by permission. For free daily email subscription to TGIF Today God Is First, visit www.TodayGodIsFirst.com or www.MarketplaceLeaders.org