A Gap in the BAM Ecosystem: BAM Practitioner Care and Well-being
BAM Global initiates working consultations under its BAM Global Think Tank initiative where there are identified gaps in the BAM ecosystem. BAM Global Consultations open up an unprecedented opportunity for discussion, collaboration and networking as a group works through a process of connecting, listening, learning, sharing and recommending. The results are captured in a published BAM Global Report and outworked in new projects and communities of practice. These enable the next generation involved in business as mission to go further, faster. We are excited to announce the launch of a new BAM Global Consultation.
by Jo Plummer
Business is a powerful strategy in the mission of the global Church today. Those engaging in business as mission (BAM) have a unique opportunity to bring the whole gospel to the whole world with for-profit solutions to pressing global issues. Yet these BAM practitioners also face the unique pressures of integrating holistic missional impact with for-profit business. These pressures can take a toll on the spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational health of the BAM practitioner and that of their family and team. Ultimately these attritional effects can endanger the long-term viability and fruitfulness of BAM companies, especially where there is a lack of support and care for the people involved.
Mature businesses may have access to human resource departments, staff training, chaplains or coaches. Mission agencies often have ‘member care’ provision for their workers. However, often BAM practitioners are at a unique intersection of business and mission with little to no support or resource provision for their personal and inter-relational well-being. There is a corresponding lack of research on the felt-needs of BAMers in this area, nor work seeking to identify and redress resource gaps. The new Consultation on BAM Practitioner Care and Well-being will address these concerns.
Consultation Introduction
Jo and Mike introduce the new Consultation at the BAM Global Connect event in November:
Vision and Purpose
Our vision is for thriving BAM practitioners, with healthy spiritual, emotional, physical, and relational lives, able to effectively lead businesses that are transforming people and nations––for God’s glory!
The purpose of the Consultation is to strengthen the BAM ecosystem to be able support BAM practitioners in the areas of life care and well-being—through greater access to training, coaching, counseling, support structures, and resources—in order to increase the fruitfulness and longevity of business as mission companies.
Specific Objectives
- Identify critical life and career needs of BAM practitioners (through surveys and interviews)
- Share case studies and stories that highlight current needs, solutions and approaches
- Explore the current landscape (map the ecosystem) and identify current best practices and resource gaps.
- Make recommendations about what training, coaching, counseling, support structures, and resources are most effective and how best to intentionally close gaps and provide resources/training going forward.
- Strengthen relationships among interested individuals and organizations for this area of work in order to further catalyze partnerships, collaborative projects and action in response to the recommendations made.
Outcomes we anticipate from this work include:
- A growing community of practice around this area of interest
- A recommended resource list for BAMers and organizations to utilize
- A BAM Global Report on BAM Practitioner Care and Well-being to serve as a guide for the BAM movement on this topic
- New providers that respond to identified gaps with training, resources and solutions
Our Ask – How you can help:
- Pray for the facilitation team and the formation of the Consultation working group
- Express interest in taking part in the Consultation via the Survey or info@bamglobal.org
- Please take the Survey yourself*: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HNCWG6D
- Share the Survey link with BAM practitioners and resource providers in your network
Celebrating 10 Years of BAM Global
Help us accelerate the global business as mission movement in the next decade,
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Jo Plummer is the Creative Director & Co-Founder of BAM Global and the co-editor of the Lausanne Occasional Paper on Business as Mission. She has been developing resources for BAM since 2001 and currently serves as Editor of the Business as Mission website and The BAM Review Blog.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
