Moving the Needle: Why We’re Thankful for Exponential BAM Growth
by the BAM Global Executive Team
In this season of thanksgiving and expectant waiting, we reflect on how we’ve seen the ‘needle move’ for the BAM movement in the past two decades and longer, adapted from our opening message in our last annual report.
By God’s grace we have seen an exponential growth of the global business as mission movement in the last twenty five years. A movement, per definition, consists of many organizations and initiatives, which are independent but choose to be interdependent. The nature of a movement means that no one but God has the exact figures of the growth, but the trends are clear and even the approximate numbers are astonishing.
Twenty five years ago, we talked about BAM businesses in the dozens, often micro to small size businesses. Today there are thousands, mainly in the SME sector, but also large companies. Twenty five years ago, there were no BAM incubators or accelerators, but today they exist in about 20 countries. Two decades ago we were talking about investments in BAM companies in thousands of dollars, today in tens of millions of dollars.
Twenty five years ago, churches and denominations had not embraced BAM and only a handful of mission organizations had started to include it in their strategies. Today, most of the oldest, major evangelical mission agencies and all kinds of churches and denominations are engaged in business as mission.
Twenty five years ago, there were no BAM networks. Today there are 30+ BAM networks, most related to a country or a region, but others focusing on an issue, industry or constituency.
João Mordomo (Executive Director), Jo Plummer (Creative Director), Mats Tunehag (Chairman)
Leading the BAM Issue Network at The Fourth Lausanne Congress 2024
Mats, Jo and João editing the Lausanne Occasional Paper on BAM in 2004
How did the needle move?
Business as mission is clearly a move of the Holy Spirit. Interest and engagement in BAM has been rising up on all continents, not orchestrated by one group or initiative. However, movements grow with shared mission, values, and principles, through communication and collaboration. BAM Global has taken a central role in convening, catalyzing, and aggregating to this end.
Twenty five years ago we initiated the first global think tank on BAM. Since then, we’ve convened around 40 global consultations resulting in over 30 white papers on BAM, thousands of relational connections and scores of new initiatives.
Twenty five years ago, there were around a dozen BAM resources. When we relaunched the BAM Resource Centre in 2024, there were almost 1000 blogs and Resource Library entries aggregated on businessasmission.com alone.
God is good, and He is at work. We are joining in what He is doing through BAM and we are in great anticipation for what He will continue to do through the global BAM movement.
In Christ,
Mats, Jo, and João
BAM Global Executive Team
Our Mission is to Accelerate the Business as Mission Movement Globally. Business is a gift from God to transform the world. Yet, Christian entrepreneurs often lack affirmation in their calling. We empower Christian businesswomen and businessmen to grasp God’s redemptive plan at work through enterprise. Our initiatives equip and connect the global business as mission (BAM) community, enabling greater impact for God’s kingdom.
Our Vision is a Movement of Businesses Transforming People and Nations for God’s Glory. Business as mission is an essential strategy for global mission today. We’re championing the power of business to respond to the world’s most pressing needs. Discover more about how your generous support can make a difference in the BAM Global Impact Report. Explore how you can partner with us to shape the future of the business as mission movement.
Photo by Getty Images on Unsplash
