La Vida Plena

Launching a business discipleship model in Costa Rica by Daniel Jenkins

IN 1989, GOD USED A SHORT-TERM TRIP to give me a heart for the people of Latin America. Some 20 years later, my family and I moved to urban San José, Costa Rica, with EFCA ReachGlobal. I planned to use my business experiences to help the economically poor.

Many organizations teach the poor job skills and business practices. But as the church, we bring something more: the gospel of Jesus Christ. This gospel calls us to la vida plena, or “full life,” and it transforms every aspect of our lives, including our work.

“One of the greatest barriers we face here is that few Christians view their work as a calling.

However, when we lack meaningful work, the impact is far greater than financial. Our marriages and family relationships can become strained. We may feel like we’re no longer contributing to society. Perhaps we feel embarrassed, isolated and even unworthy of God’s love. As the church, we are compelled to help reconcile these relationships and restore the dignity that comes with meaningful work.

This deeper understanding of God’s design for work shaped what we now call our Business Discipleship ministry in San José. We partner with local churches to develop, equip and encourage people to glorify God through their daily work. This cuts across social boundaries, serving everyone from the unemployed to fledgling micro-entrepreneurs to business leaders.

One of the greatest barriers we face here is that few Christians view their work as a calling. But we’ve found several pastors and lay leaders who are eager to see this change. They have invited us to partner with them to put into practice what they are teaching in their churches.

“We need to redeem work in light of the work of Christ on the cross and in light of the eternal purpose of God,” says Josué Brenes, senior pastor at Centro Internacional de Avivamiento, an Evangelical Free church in a San José community where incomes are low and unemployment is high.

In the case of Josué’s church, we launched our Business Discipleship ministry with Buen Sentido (Good Sense)—a six-lesson course1 on the biblical concepts of work and financial stewardship. We also plan to offer workshops for aspiring entrepreneurs, who may have an idea for a micro-business but lack the education or confidence to proceed.

“Through the centuries, Costa Rica has developed an unhealthy culture of dependency,” Josué says. “Many have come to expect their employers or the government to take care of them, almost as a parent would care for a child. We can help break this cycle by developing proactive, entrepreneurial leaders—people who seize the mantle of leadership that God has given them, not only in their businesses, but in their homes, churches and communities.”

We also plan to offer “Jobs for Life”—a 16-lesson course2 that we are translating and “tropicalizing” for use in the Spanish-speaking world. Designed primarily for people who are unemployed, Jobs for Life helps participants understand their value in Christ and the unique value they bring to an employer. Through biblical examples and personal assignments, the course takes participants on a journey to find not just a job but life—a life that is centered in Christ and supported by a community of believers.

We are piloting the Spanish-language version of Jobs for Life at Vida Abundante del Este, a nondenominational church in San José. “Work is very important for each of us, because it helps to form our character,” says Mario Castro, senior pastor at Vida Abundante del Este.

Jesus came so that we may have life, and have it to the full. The moment we begin to view our work as a calling, it takes on a different meaning. Those 40-plus hours a week are not a distraction from the work of God but rather a manifestation of God’s work through us.