1. Seek the Lord
Take time to pray. If God is calling you to serve Him in business, ask where, when, how, with who? What path of preparation is He leading you on?
CLICK HERE TO READ AN INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS AS MISSION
As Dallas Willard once said, “Business is a primary moving force of the love of God in human history.” Business, done well, is glorifying to God. Period. There is an intrinsic power in business to create dignified jobs, to multiply resources through creativity and hard work, to provide for families and communities, to push forward innovation, and, in short, to do good in society. We don’t have to tack on a mission strategy to justify a company’s purpose or to somehow make that work holy. Business professionals following Jesus in the marketplace already have a sacred vocation.
However, there is also a huge opportunity before us to leverage that God-given power of business to address some of the most pressing spiritual, social, environmental and economic issues in the world today… To make a positive impact through for-profit business, along the ‘quadruple bottom lines’ of people, planet, profit and eternal purpose.
There is a growing movement in the global church of people grasping this opportunity and they go by many different labels. One of them is ‘Business as Mission’ – a community of those building God’s kingdom through business, among the most vulnerable, most disadvantaged and most out of reach of the gospel in our neighborhoods and around the world today.
Business as mission is demonstrating what the Kingdom of God is like in the context of business – and as we do so, engaging with the world’s more pressing social, economic, environmental and spiritual issues.
There is no one universally agreed definition of business as mission, but there are some key common denominators in the global BAM movement. And while there is growing consensus around the concept, many other terms are also used for the same, or similar, idea. Many prefer terms such as: missional entrepreneurship, transformational business, missional business or business for transformation (B4T), among others. Business as mission, or “BAM”, is just one widely used term in the English language, other terms have developed in other languages.
This is the working definition of business as mission used by BAM Global:
Business as Mission is:
Business as mission is not a new idea! Business and mission have been combined in different ways, at different times throughout Church history. However, the contemporary business as mission movement represents a growing intentionality in the global Church to fully integrate business goals with the call to the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world. It is an answer to the prayer, ‘May Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven’, as people and communities are positively transformed through for-profit business activities. BAM is the intentional integration of business and mission.
Business is a God-given vocation and institution in society, with the potential to bring multiple benefits to people, communities and nations. Business as mission intentionally leverages this intrinsic power of business to address spiritual needs, hand in hand with social, economic and environmental needs.
The idea of integration is important. This is not ‘ministry’ tacked onto business for convenience or business tacked onto ministry. Instead the mission is worked out in and through the business, through its activities, through the products and services and through relationships.
As already stated, business is design by God to have the potential and power to generate wealth through a combination of creativity, hard work and risk. A profitable and sustainable business is able to create new jobs, drive new innovations and increase resources for society. Business can provide goods and services that are needed in a community and is established on a wide network of relationships.
These activities, products and relationships are integral to business and part of the God-given potential of business to do good in the world and glorify Him. We can harness that potential and power of business to join in with God’s mission to the world in strategic ways. Through business we can intentionally tackle poverty, increase quality of life, bring positive social change, and carry with us the message of eternal life.
Business as mission is a concept that can and should be applied everywhere, but the business as mission movement has a special concern for people and places where there are dire economic, social, environmental and spiritual needs – Mats Tunehag
We invite you to be inspired and equipped by the stories and resources that we’ve created and curated on this Business as Mission Resource website.
Updated October 2023
4 THINGS TO READ NEXT
From shortest to longest:
4 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS AS MISSION
A blog length article covering the fundamentals of BAM.
BUSINESS AS MISSION AND THE GLOBAL WORKPLACE
A short introduction to business as mission and why it is strategic in global mission today. Includes a recommended resource list.
A six page introduction and overview of some key ideas in business as mission. Just one of many introductory articles by Mats Tunehag, in numerous language translations.
LAUSANNE OCCASIONAL PAPER ON BUSINESS AS MISSION
Written as a result of a unique collaborative effort by more than 70 Christian leaders and business as mission pioneers, this was the first attempt to bring a broad international and multi-disciplined perspective to business as mission. Chapter 9 is the one page BAM Manifesto.
A collection of reports on various topics such as BAM and Church Planting, BAM and Human Trafficking, Franchising, Biblical Foundations for BAM, plus reports from different global regions and countries. Something for everyone.
6 BOOKS TO START WITH
A great introductory book to business as mission. Interweaves foundation-laying chapters on the concept of BAM, with case study chapters, sharing the stories of real companies.
This is a book that focuses on the practical how-tos of doing business for transformation. It’s a good, concise guide for people who want to start a BAM company.
BUSINESS FOR THE GLORY OF GOD: The Bible’s Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business
A short read which will a lay strong foundation for thinking biblically about business. Consider fundamental tenants of business, such as ownership, profit, employment, competition, in a whole new light.
BUSINESS AS MISSION: The Power of Business in the Kingdom of God
Takes the reader from where they are on a journey towards the seamless integration of business as mission. A great place to start on your BAM journey.
GREAT COMMISSION COMPANIES: The Emerging Role of Business in Missions
The first half covers principles for business as mission and the second half is dedicated to six stories of BAM in practice. Together these form a comprehensive overview that brings BAM alive for the reader.
THE MISSIONAL ENTREPRENEUR: Principles and Practices for Business as Mission
Based on an extensive study of what BAM looks like in real-life, this is a great introduction to business as mission in practice. Recommended for its user-friendly approach to equipping would-be missional entrepreneurs.
Getting stirred up for business as mission? Wondering how to get started? Here are our top five tips:
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