IBAM- International Business As Mission Biblical Entrepreneurship

In this episode of the IBAM Biblical Entrepreneurship Podcast, Steve Adams shares the story of a young entrepreneur from Indonesia named Suryan and how his small business is becoming a powerful platform for Kingdom impact.

Indonesia is a vast nation made up of thousands of islands and nearly 300 million people, with a predominantly Muslim culture. During a recent visit, Steve and the IBAM team met with students who had completed IBAM’s biblical entrepreneurship training and received support to launch businesses in their communities.

One of those entrepreneurs, Suryan, started a simple business near a university where he cleans helmets and shoes. In Southeast Asia, scooters are a primary mode of transportation, and helmets and shoes get extremely dirty. By meeting this everyday need, Suryan has built a thriving small shop and even hired an employee.

But the most powerful part of his story isn’t the business itself—it’s how he uses it.

When customers return to his shop, Suryan builds relationships and listens to their problems. Once trust develops, he asks a simple question:

“Would you like to know how God has helped me with my problems?”

According to him, most people say yes, opening the door to meaningful conversations about faith and the Gospel.

This episode also explores how IBAM equips local believers around the world with business training and startup capital so they can create sustainable businesses while becoming leaders and problem-solvers in their communities.

If you’ve ever wondered what Business as Mission looks like in real life, this story will encourage and challenge you.

• 00:00 Inspiring Mission
• 01:27 Sauron's Journey
• 06:38 Empowerment Model
• 08:47 Kingdom Impact
• 11:22 Global Stories
• 13:49 Next Steps

5 Key Takeaways

1. IBAM equips indigenous believers to become entrepreneurs.

The organization trains local believers in biblical entrepreneurship and provides capital to help them start businesses within their own cultures and communities.

2. Entrepreneurs are identified by their leadership.

IBAM works with movement leaders who identify people with integrity, strong character, and an entrepreneurial calling to participate in the program.

3. Business ideas come from local knowledge.

Entrepreneurs bring their own ideas based on their understanding of their local marketplace, rather than being told what business to start.

4. Relationships with customers create opportunities for spiritual conversations.

Suryan builds relationships with customers, listens to their struggles, and asks if they would like to hear how God helped him with his problems.

5. Business can become a platform for both economic and spiritual impact.

Entrepreneurs trained through IBAM become productive business owners, leaders in their churches, and problem solvers in their communities.

Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/809jbz2ok2c

Here’s your next step: join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

If what you learn resonates, explore how IBAM is transforming communities through business and discipleship at IBAM.org

What threatens the long-term growth of disciple-making movements?

In this episode, Steve Adams unpacks a critical challenge facing global ministry efforts: sustainability .

Across regions like Indonesia, Africa, and Central Asia, leaders are faithfully planting churches, discipling believers, and seeing multi-generational growth. But when new believers lose jobs, face social and family ostracism, or move into rural areas with little to no job opportunities, movements begin to strain.

When people can barely meet their own needs, they enter survival mode. And survival mode makes it difficult to give yourself away in disciple making.

Steve explains how IBAM partners with established disciple-making organizations to address this challenge through a believer-empowerment approach. By training existing business owners to become trainers, forming loan committees, implementing structured evaluation processes, and coaching local leadership teams, IBAM strengthens sustainability from within.

The goal is not dependency—but empowerment. Over time, generations of students become trainers themselves, multiplying impact.

The results? A shift from roughly a 40% success rate to approximately 90% of businesses thriving and supporting disciple-making movements .

This episode is a clear look at why sustainability matters—and how strengthening the economic foundation can accelerate Kingdom growth for the long term.

• 00:00 Welcome & Mission
• 01:24 Defining Movements
• 03:15 Global Challenges
• 06:05 IBAM Solution
• 08:41 Success & Growth
• 10:14 Call to Action

5 Key Takeaways

1. Disciple-making movements are multi-generational by design.

They grow as believers disciple others who then disciple the next generation .

2. Lack of sustainable income works against movement growth.

When believers enter survival mode, ministry involvement often decreases .

3. New believers often face economic hardship.

Job loss, social ostracism, and limited employment opportunities create real pressure on movements .

4. IBAM equips local leaders through structured business training.

Training trainers, forming loan committees, and coaching leadership builds long-term sustainability .

5. Improving the process improves the outcome.

Success rates increased from about 40% to approximately 90% as the model matured .

Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/KyvY17yVkVA

Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org 

What kind of businesses can really be started with just $1,000?

In this episode, Steve Adams answers one of the most common questions IBAM receives: What types of businesses are you actually launching around the world?

You’ll hear real examples of Christian entrepreneurs in Central Asia, Indonesia, Zambia, and Africa who started or expanded service-based businesses with loans capped at $1,000. From online gift services helping busy professionals remember holidays… to helmet and shoe cleaning across from a university… to a marketing agency expanding its digital capabilities… to a coffee entrepreneur who pivoted and launched a barista training school — these stories highlight practical, market-driven solutions .

You’ll also learn why IBAM funds only service businesses, how experience shaped that decision, and how a 90%+ repayment rate reflects the strength of the model .

More importantly, this episode reveals the deeper mission: helping unbanked believers access training and capital so they can launch businesses inside disciple-making movements. As persecution causes many believers to lose jobs, entrepreneurship becomes a pathway to sustainability, dignity, and local problem-solving .

This isn’t short-term charity. It’s long-term strengthening of church movements — one entrepreneur at a time.

• 00:00 Welcome & Overview
• 01:06 Service Business Focus
• 01:39 Global Success Stories
• 08:28 Other Business Examples
• 12:23 Impact & Mission
• 14:18 Conclusion

5 Key Takeaways

1. IBAM limits loans to $1,000 to encourage low-cost, service-based startups with lower risk
2. Service businesses outperform product businesses based on 15–18 years of experience and maintain a repayment rate above 90%
3. Entrepreneurs integrate disciple-making into daily work, building relationships and sharing how God has helped them through problems
4. IBAM provides both training and capital, including budgeting, marketing, research, and business planning
5. The ultimate goal is strengthening church movements by helping believers become job creators in places where persecution can cost them employment

Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/q9zOb8tjq-8

Here’s your next step: join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org  

If what you learn resonates, explore how IBAM is transforming communities through business and discipleship at IBAM.org

What happens 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 a loan is approved is often more important than the approval itself.⁣

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In this episode, Steve walks through the practical realities of 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, drawing from years of experience working with loan funds. This is not an exhaustive training, but a clear overview of the systems, habits, and accountability required to protect both the borrower and the mission.⁣

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At the center of this conversation is a simple but critical principle: 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. Loans are not designed to be disconnected transactions. Every borrower must have an identified coach before approval, and ongoing follow-up should be expected from both the coach and the master trainer.⁣

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Steve explains why even small late payments must be addressed immediately, how administrators should communicate with coaches and trainers, and why early intervention prevents problems from growing. Many borrowers don’t reach out when challenges arise—they hide. That’s why proactive involvement matters.⁣

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The episode also outlines the responsibilities of the loan administrator: monthly portfolio reviews, confirming coaching meetings and financial reporting, keeping records clean, and meeting quarterly with the loan committee to assess overall performance.⁣

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Ultimately, this episode frames loan repayment as a matter of 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲. When loan funds are managed well, trust grows—and trust leads to greater resourcing and long-term impact.⁣

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• 00:00 Inspiring Mission⁣
• 01:22 Loan Management Basics⁣
• 03:46 Accountability Keys⁣
• 06:12 Administrator Best Practices⁣
• 08:17 Empowerment Call⁣

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𝟓 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬⁣

1. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥⁣

Loan success depends on follow-up, coaching, and accountability—not just approval.⁣

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2. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜h⁣

Loans should not be approved without a committed coach who meets regularly with the borrower.⁣

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3. 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲⁣

Even short delays require communication and follow-up to reinforce responsibility.⁣

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4. 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞⁣

Most problems are fixable when addressed early with collective wisdom and accountability.⁣

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5. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭⁣

Clean records, regular reviews, and integrity in repayment increase credibility and future resourcing.

👉 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/mGjdTkKau0M

👉 Learn more about the mission: www.ibam.org

Listen to Series 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3wsJTS88JR3dNFYebxtzwY?si=J7SdFBliQZ25Q-mOeHik1Q 

Listen to Series 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6JYIlknSFpzD9MqXn0Bnu9?si=IT2huU5GQ_-xWyzwpqWrWQ 

Listen to Series 3: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7GkZeXXZ2LCXdwfs8OvZGu?si=aSra3RKkRCeyAy3aGFOL6Q

00:00 Introduction

00:54 Loan Committee Fundamentals

03:00 Presentation Process

06:25 Underwriting Focus

12:17 Ensuring Success

13:31 Outcomes and Encouragement

14:32 Conclusion

In this episode, Steve walks through Loan Committee Basics—a foundational process for every IBAM partner, trainer, and loan fund administrator.

For many partners, loan committee is new and can feel intimidating. Steve draws on 14 years of experience as a corporate banker, where he chaired loan committees weekly, to explain why this process exists and how to run it well.

Loan committee is not an inquisition. It is not punitive. It is a structured, proven way to improve decision-making and dramatically increase loan repayment. When loans are approved by individuals alone, failure rates rise. When decisions are made collectively—with accountability, dialogue, and preparation—outcomes improve.

In this episode, Steve explains the purpose of loan committee, how student presentations should work, and why preparation by the master trainer is essential. He walks through what committees should be listening for, how to evaluate assumptions, and why common sense matters just as much as financial tools.

You’ll also hear why margin of error is critical, when a deal should be stopped, and why “yes,” “no,” and “not yet” are all valid outcomes. Above all, Steve reinforces that this rigorous process exists to protect people—students, trainers, partners, and donors alike.

When followed faithfully, the loan committee process leads to stronger repayment, healthier loan funds, and sustainable impact across communities.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Loan committee is a proven way to improve decision-making and loan repayment.

2. The process is meant to be encouraging, life-giving, and grounded in dialogue—not interrogation.

3. Preparation by the master trainer and student determines the success of loan committee.

4. Loans should only be approved when assumptions, financials, and margin of error make sense.

5. Commitment to the process protects entrepreneurs, partners, donors, and the mission.

👉 Join the mission: www.ibam.org

Preparing a student for loan committee is not about speed—it’s about diligence, wisdom, and responsibility.

In this episode, Steve Adams walks through the full process master trainers should follow to prepare students before they ever present a loan request to committee. The goal is simple: only send deals forward when they are truly ready to be approved.

Steve explains why Phase One training must be completed independently first, how one-on-one mentoring over several months helps students absorb what they’re learning, and why homework and market research cannot be rushed. He emphasizes the importance of challenging assumptions, testing opinions, and validating ideas through real-world conversations—not guesses.

The episode also addresses the role of tools like Biz Tools, clarifying that while they provide helpful reports, they should never replace judgment or common sense. A “green” result does not automatically mean approval, and a “yellow” or “red” result does not mean failure—it means more work is needed.

Listeners will also hear why lowering loan amounts often reduces risk, sharpens focus, and increases the likelihood of success. Finally, Steve outlines how students should structure their loan committee presentation and what committees are really evaluating when they ask questions.

This episode is essential for master trainers, leaders, and loan committee members who want to protect the integrity of the process and set students up for long-term success.

✅ 5 Key Takeaways:

1. Students should complete Phase One training independently before working one-on-one with a master trainer.

2. Preparing for loan committee should take months, not weeks, to allow real understanding and absorption.

3. Assumptions must be challenged and validated through research and conversations, not opinions.

4. Tools can guide evaluation, but common sense and judgment must always lead the decision.

5. Only loans that are clearly ready for approval should ever be sent to loan committee

Join the mission here- www.ibam.org

▶️ Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/VziCSeUMrGg

🌍 Join the mission: https://www.ibam.org

In this episode, IBAM Founder Steve Adams walks listeners through the core principles behind IBAM’s loan fund model—a system shaped by more than four decades of banking, lending, and international microcredit experience.

This conversation is part of a four-video training series created to help IBAM and EGRO partners better manage their loan funds, avoid common mistakes, and steward capital with long-term sustainability in mind. Steve explains why IBAM exists to come alongside local leaders, train them in a proven process, and then empower them to run that process independently—while IBAM continues to raise donor funds and provide long-term consultation.

At the heart of this episode are seven practical principles that guide how IBAM partners make loans. Steve explains why making many small loans spreads risk, why service-based businesses consistently outperform product-based ones, and why lending should only be done with people of demonstrated godly character. He also outlines why shorter repayment periods reduce risk, why monthly financial reporting is required, and why early intervention is critical when problems arise.

The episode closes with a strong reminder that this work is not about speed or rapid expansion. Loan funds grow through quality, discipline, and faithfulness to the process. This is a long-term strategy designed to strengthen families, disciple-making movements, and local leadership for generations.

If you’re involved in Business as Mission, entrepreneurship training, or stewarding donor-funded capital, this episode provides a clear, grounded framework for building something that lasts.

• 00:00 Series Introduction
• 02:35 Partnership Model
• 08:43 Seven Loan Principles
• 21:10 Quality Over Speed
• 23:51 Final Thoughts

5 Key Takeaways

• Many small loans are better than a few large ones.

Spreading capital across more entrepreneurs reduces risk and increases long-term sustainability.

• Service-based businesses have the highest repayment success.

Businesses that require minimal capital and depend on personal effort consistently perform better.

• Character matters more than legal agreements.

Loans should only be made to people with demonstrated godly character over time.

• Shorter repayment periods lower risk.

One- to two-year loans are preferred because problems increase as timelines stretch.

• This is a long-term, quality-driven ministry.

Loan funds cannot be rushed; sustainability comes from discipline, process, and patience.

👉 Watch the full episode to hear how it all began. ⁠https://youtu.be/SF164pTXqx4⁠

👉 Join the mission at⁠ www.ibam.org⁠

In this episode of the IBAM Biblical Podcast, Steve Adams shares the story of his very first IBAM trip—the journey that quietly set the foundation for everything IBAM would later become.

In June of 2007, Steve traveled on his first-ever business-focused mission trip, heading to southern Russia for a week of exploratory training and relationship-building. At the time, he had experience with traditional mission trips, but nothing like this. This trip was unfamiliar, unstructured, and required trust—especially for someone who grew up during the Cold War era, traveling into what once felt like enemy territory.

During the week, Steve spent time with two business owners, Artur and Sergey, men with very different personalities but shared entrepreneurial ambition. As they talked through business plans, faith, and family, a powerful realization emerged: business could be a platform for discipleship, leadership, and long-term impact within local communities.

One key conversation centered around a risky expansion decision. Drawing on his background as a banker, Steve shared a principle that would shape IBAM’s philosophy for years to come—don’t bet the farm. That simple wisdom helped guide a wiser decision, one that later proved critical when global economic conditions shifted.

As Steve boarded the plane home, he reflected on a calling that had been forming for over a decade. That trip confirmed it. What began as a single conversation became the seed of a movement focused on equipping local entrepreneurs to transform their own communities.

This episode offers a personal, reflective look at obedience, calling, and how God uses small beginnings to shape lasting impact.

• 00:00 Getting Started
• 01:21 Entering Russia
• 06:17 Mafia to Mission
• 09:04 Business Wisdom
• 10:47 Defining IBAM
• 14:00 Empowering Locals
• 15:54 Final Reflections

5 Key Takeaways

1. IBAM began with a single exploratory trip, not a fully formed model or strategy.
2. Trust and obedience played a central role in stepping into unfamiliar territory.
3. Business decisions can carry long-term spiritual and community impact.
4. Sustainable mission grows when local entrepreneurs lead within their own culture.
5. What started with Artur and Sergey became the foundation for IBAM’s global vision.

🎧 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/Mwz0Q1D3Rdg

🌍 Join the mission: www.ibam.org

What happens when God calls you into business—and the journey includes struggle, delay, and suffering?

In this episode, IBAM founder Steve Adams shares a deeply personal reflection on more than 40 years of faith, entrepreneurship, failure, and obedience. Rather than offering formulas or quick wins, Steve walks listeners through the real story of answering God’s call without knowing the outcome.

From leaving a stable banking career, to enduring seasons of financial strain, global mission work, business setbacks, and personal brokenness, this conversation highlights a central truth: God does not call us to manage results—He calls us to steward who we are becoming.

Steve unpacks how Business as Mission emerged not from strategy alone, but from lived experience—learning to trust God through uncertainty, empowering indigenous believers, and letting go of control. He also challenges the false divide between sacred and secular work, reminding listeners that God intrinsically values work itself, not just its financial or ministry outcomes.

This episode is especially for Christian entrepreneurs, professionals, and donors who may be questioning their calling because progress feels slow, success feels marginal, or suffering feels unexpected.

If you’re wrestling with doubt, delay, or discouragement, this message offers clarity, encouragement, and perspective rooted in Scripture, stewardship, and long obedience.

• 00:00 Steve’s Introduction
• 01:25 Personal Journey
• 04:25 Starting IBAM
• 07:31 Mission Field Impact
• 13:34 Overcoming Challenges
• 15:37 Global Expansion
• 17:32 Faith and Suffering
• 20:35 Final Encouragement

Five Key Takeaways

1. God calls us to stewardship, not outcomes

We are responsible for faithfulness and character, not the success or failure of our business results.

2. Suffering often accompanies significant calling

Seasons of struggle do not mean you missed God—they may be part of how He prepares you.

3. Business can be ministry when aligned with obedience

There is no separation between sacred and secular work; God intrinsically values work itself.

4. Delay does not equal denial

Long seasons of waiting can reshape direction, refine motives, and clarify God’s design.

5. Trust the story God is writing

Faith-driven entrepreneurs are called to persist, surrender control, and believe God is at work even when results are unclear.

Support biblical entrepreneurship worldwide — donate here: www.ibam.org

Your giving equips indigenous believers to build real businesses that become platforms for discipleship and community transformation.

Explore the sacred-secular divide in faith, work, and purpose. Learn how your career connects to God’s plan with insights from Steve Adams and IBAM.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:08 Sacred-Secular Divide
• 04:02 God's View of Work
• 07:16 Work as Mission
• 08:50 Final Thoughts