Tag Archive for: purpose

10 Ways the Bible Shows the Purpose of Business

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by Dave Kahle

 

Most cultures think of business as simply a vehicle to make money. That is the message the world sends out, and most people accept. That view of business, however, ranks high on the list of Satan’s deceits, especially when it is the only perspective our churches have about business.

As businesspeople, we often define our success by the increase in sales and profits. While there is nothing wrong with that, if we focus exclusively on that, we limit the potential of the business. It is like trying to grow an apple tree in a pot inside your home. There is just not enough light and air to produce an abundant harvest of apples.

When we limit our concept of business to just making money—even when we intend to be generous with that money—we severely limit its potential to be a force for good in the world.

The Bible notes at least 10 purposes, or benefits, of business:

1.  A business can be a vehicle for the multiplication of wealth

There is nothing wrong, per se, with multiplying resources or accumulating wealth. Note the parable of the bags of gold, where the worthy servant was rewarded for increasing the master’s wealth. The servant didn’t give it away, nor did he squander it on a richer lifestyle. Instead, he focused on increasing the master’s wealth. The master rewarded him with a larger area of responsibility and a closer relationship with him.

Think of Abraham, who is regarded as the epitome of faith and obedience. His business was large enough that he was able to assemble “318 trained men born in his household.” (Gen 14:14) . His business probably consisted of hundreds, if not thousands, of employees/servants.

It’s our attitude to that wealth that God is concerned with.

2.  A business provides economic security to the employees and stakeholders

While God is the ultimate provider, He does so through natural means. And a business is one of those means. A successful business provides the means of economic sustenance for the employees and stakeholders and thereby is a conduit for God’s providence and blessings.

The business woman in Proverbs 31 is described as a model provider, bring economic security to her family, her household and servants. She is able to help the poor and influence her community through her hard work and business activities.

3. A business shapes the next generation of leaders

Many major characters in the Bible were raised in a business environment, and had their characters shaped by that experience. Think of Isaac and Jacob, who were raised in their fathers’ households. Or Saul, who was on a business project when he was called to be Israel’s first king. Or David, who was employed in his father’s business when he was called. Or, even Jesus, who spent his formative years in his father’s carpentry business.

A business, with its tasks, hierarchy and accountability, provides valuable lessons for the next generation of leaders.

4. A business can develop character among its employees

Not only does a business act as a fertile training ground for future leaders, but everyone can grow sound characters by being guided by the values and goals of a good business and held accountable for adherence to them.

The Bible has much to say about honest business practices and doing work with integrity, a few examples in Proverbs 12:22 and 20:10, 2 Corinthians 8:21, James 5:4.

5.  A business can provide a unifying bond for families

While much is said these days about work-like balance, the scriptures present a different perspective. A business in the Bible wasn’t something separate from the family, it was the families’ occupation. As we have seen already, in children grew up in the family business, added their energy to it, and reaped the benefits of that. While it may be difficult in today’s corporate age to duplicate that level of engagement, the opportunities still exist to integrate family members into the business and so, instead of balancing between work and family, bring the family into the work.

Visualize family meals where the topic of conversation is the business, as opposed to the latest social media trends. Imagine kids who watch the family’s provider at work and learn from him/her.

6.  A business can provide the venue for the application of spiritual gifts

In one of Bible’s first recorded instance of supernatural gifts being used, Joseph used the gift of interpreting dreams to vault to the top of what may have been the largest business enterprise in the world, Pharaoh’s grain distribution business (Genesis 37-41).

The first description in the Bible of someone being filled with the Holy Spirit is a craftsman, Bezalel, in the context of him using his craftsmanship. These are skills—working with gold, silver and bronze—are ones he likely honed in a business setting before being selected by God to make the decorations for the Tabernacle (Exodus 31 and 35).

The constant interaction with customers and vendors as well as the close relationships that typically develop in a business provide a fertile field for spiritual gifts to touch people.

7.  A business can impact the community for good

All the way back to the days of the Egyptian captivity, it was a couple of midwives who impacted the community and were rewarded with growing businesses.

In our age, Christian companies can, and have, made an impact beyond their customer base. Among other things, a business has power to create and manage larger giving and serving projects. As an individual, we can work at a soup kitchen. A business can create and organize the soup kitchen, or community clean up operation, or English language lessons. By virtue of its potential to assemble money and people it can create a more powerful impact than an individual can.

This website is full of stories of companies providing benefits for the community at large, as well as the customers and vendors it serves.

8.  A business is a God-given way to steward the earth’s natural resources

When the Israelites were about to enter the promised land in Deuteronomy 8, God showed them that they would be running agricultural and mining operations: “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land… a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills… Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God.” (Deut. 8: 7-11)

A key principle in being good a steward is not forgetting the Lord, and “walking in obedience to him and revering him” (v6).

9.  A business can provide a community to facilitate the gospel

The New Testament contains several examples of the head of a business committing to follow Christ and the entire household—employees, family, servants and slaves, followed that lead.

Businesses are built on relationships, and relationships are how the gospel of Jesus is shared. We can be witnesses to the Good News in the context of daily work. Businesses can even became one of the contexts for people to start to gather to grow in faith, to birth small group Christian meetings and ongoing discipleship.

10. A business can grow the faith of the owners and key employees

I have often said “If you want to grow closer to God, start a business”  There is something  about the constant press of decisions, the impact of those decisions, and the accountability that attaches to them that leads a business owner, and those employees who are invested in the success of the business, to go to God for guidance  and assistance when things don’t go well.

Indeed, one of the key pillars of a Kingdom-focused business operator is to work at staying close to God and allow Him to be the general manager and chief consultant to the business.

 

Those business owners and key employees who embrace the functions of a business above, beyond just making money, will unleash their companies to fulfil their potential to grow, succeed and make a mark on the world.

 

Written by Dave Kahle, adapted for The BAM Review by Jo Plummer.

 

Dave KahleDave Kahle has been a Bible teacher, elder, house church leader, short-term missionary and Christian executive roundtable leader. For 30 years, he has been an authority on sales and sales systems, having spoken in 47 states and eleven countries. He has authored 13 books, including The Good Book on Business. Sign up for his weekly messages here. Dave regularly writes at the Biblical Business blog and shares his articles on his YouTube Channel, listen to this post here. More from Dave at: www.davekahle.com and www.thebiblicalbusiness.com.

BAM Global Summit 2026

Thursday 7 May

The BAM Global Summit 2026 theme Flourish reflects that God loves flourishing! 

Flourishing businesses help people, communities and nations to flourish. 

Join us at this annual gathering of the global BAM community and hear more about God’s purposes for business. Come and be equipped to flourish in your own BAM journey—to help you build flourishing companies and communities.

More Summit Information


Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

Quadruple Bottom Line Impact: Doing Spiritual, Economic, Social and Environmental Good

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In BAM we often talk about four intentional areas of impact for companies to consider: spiritual, financial, social and environmental, an idea known as the ‘Quadruple Bottom Line’. This excerpt from a longer paper briefly introduces this idea.

Introduction to the ‘Quadruple Bottom Lines’ (QBL) of BAM

Business as mission is intentional about Kingdom of God purpose and impact on people and nations; focused on holistic transformation and the four bottom lines of economic, social, environmental and spiritual outcomes.

The idea of having multiple bottom lines for a business comes from the original ‘financial bottom line’—the number that indicates net profit (or loss) typically found at the bottom of a company’s income statement. A company that is solely focused on making money for its shareholders will only be concerned about this one ‘bottom line’, its financial earnings. The social enterprise movement introduced the idea of ‘triple bottom line’ impact that is also concerned with social and environmental outcomes. Business as mission extends this idea to ‘quadruple bottom line’ (or four bottom line) impact, including spiritual impact as well.

If intentional impact along these multiple bottom lines is a hallmark of BAM, [any entity engaged in BAM] will do well to build a solid understanding of each. While these four areas of impact are integrated together in terms of the business model, strategy and daily operations—all things working together for missional impact—there are times when the focus should be on each one separately. This is especially true when planning for positive outcomes in each. Then careful consideration is needed as to how success is defined in each area and, therefore, how progress is measured so that there can be accountability and ongoing evaluation.

For business as mission, the four bottom lines are:

1. Doing spiritual good

Acting on the belief that faith in Jesus and a reconciled relationship with God addresses sin and brokenness at an individual and societal level that are the root cause of all other social, environmental and economic problems. Lasting change (God’s Kingdom coming on earth) and salvation from death and sin can only occur when our relationship with God, self, each other, and creation are reconciled. It involves sharing the gospel in word and deed, living as a disciple of Christ as a witness to others, and making disciples. Read more

Easter and the Promise of Flourishing: A Good Friday Reflection

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by Jo Plummer

 

Today it is Good Friday, a day of stillness and reflection for Jesus-followers around the world.*

We are in the middle of the story that is at the centre of our Christian faith. We are not yet at the empty tomb. We stand and wait at the Cross.

But it is in this waiting, in this in-between place, that we remember the words that Jesus himself gave his disciples:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” – John 12:24

Jesus said this in the days before his crucifixion, words that must have felt counterintuitive and perhaps even jarring for the disciples in the immediate aftermath of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Jesus was telling them, and us, in no uncertain terms, that His death was not going to be a defeat, it was a planting. And this is where we sit on Good Friday. The seed is in the ground. The tomb is sealed. And we wait.

The Promise of Flourishing

As we have been praying and preparing for the BAM Global Summit 2026, coming up on Thursday 7 May, the theme God has given us is Flourish.

It might seem, at first glance, an unusual theme to bring into a Good Friday reflection. But I believe it belongs here, precisely here, because flourishing is not something that comes without cost. Flourishing grows out of what has first been surrendered and buried. The seed that is planted and dies bears much fruit. Out of a small seed of faith, a great mustard tree can grow. Generous sowing will reap an abundant harvest.

Seeds and plants are used many times in the Bible as metaphors for growth and fruitfulness. Here is another one that the Lord has been impressing on us as a BAM Global team in this season:

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.'” – Psalm 92:12–15

This is not the flourishing of the world—quick, shallow, dependent on favourable conditions. This is the flourishing of something deeply rooted.

If you have ever lived surrounded by palm trees you’ll know they can bend dramatically in a storm but do not break. The cedar of Lebanon grows slowly, almost imperceptibly, over decades and becomes something that endures for generations. Both trees flourish, not by the ease of their environment, but by the depth of their roots.

And in this Psalm 92 picture, the psalmist locates the source of that flourishing in one place: planted in the house of the Lord. The fruit and flourishing come from where we are rooted.

We hear the echoes of this picture in Jesus’ words, again in John:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” – John 15: 5-8

God Loves Flourishing

As we anticipate the celebration coming on Sunday, this is the picture we have of Jesus’ people on Easter morning. Not the crushing weight of Good Friday, but the deep-rooted, fruit-bearing, ever-green life that the resurrection makes possible. The psalmist is not describing a fleeting or fragile flourishing—it is the flourishing of a deeply rooted tree. It is flourishing that is sourced not in our own strength or giftedness, but in being planted—deeply rooted in the Lord, grafted to the Vine.

The theme of the BAM Global Summit this year is Flourish. Not because everything in the world is easy, or because BAM is without its share of challenges and setbacks, but because we believe that God loves flourishing. It is only through the transformational power of His risen life in us that people, communities, and nations can fully flourish and bear good fruit.

Thriving companies grow from thriving people—and thriving people are those who have learned what it means to be planted. To stay fresh and green, not because everything is going well, but because they remain in the Vine, abiding in Jesus.

This is what we are gathering around at the BAM Global Summit 2026, online on 7 May. We want to ask together: How do flourishing businesses enable people, communities and nations to flourish? How do we as a BAM movement flourish in the coming decade, not through our own ingenuity or effort alone, but by remaining planted in the house of the Lord.

As God is the Rock of our lives, we will be able to bear good fruit that spills out—bearing witness to the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus, and, through His life in us, able to have a transformational impact on the people and communities around us.

So this Easter, may you be reminded that you are planted, you are deeply rooted. That the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you and in your business.

He is risen. And we will flourish.

But we are not there yet. Today is Good Friday.

Today we sit with the Cross. We hold the grief and the weight of a broken world—the places where injustice continues, where underserved communities remain unreached with the Gospel, where employees are exploited, regions where soils are degraded and the air is dangerously polluted, where communities are fractured by poverty.

We do not look away from that darkness.

We wait with the seed in the ground.

Sunday is coming. New life is coming. And the seeds that have been buried in faithful, costly, prayerful obedience—in businesses and ventures and lives surrendered to the mission of God—will bear fruit.

More fruit than we can ask or imagine.

 

 

 

*We do recognise that many around the world celebrate Easter next week. Easter greetings to you whenever you celebrate!

 

BAM Global Summit 2026

Thursday 7 May

The BAM Global Summit 2026 theme Flourish reflects that God loves flourishing! 

Flourishing businesses help people, communities and nations to flourish. 

Join us at this annual gathering of the global BAM community, to hear from God and learn from each other. Come and be equipped to flourish in your own BAM journey—to help you build flourishing companies and communities.

More Summit Information

 

Jo Plummer is the Creative Director & Co-Founder of BAM Global and a Lausanne Movement Catalyst for Business as Mission. Jo is the co-editor of the Lausanne Occasional Paper on Business as Mission and the executive editor of the BAM Global Reports series. She has been developing resources for BAM since 2001 and currently serves as Editor of the Business as Mission Resource Centre website and The BAM Review Blog. Jo is married to Mark and they have three adult children, Jack, Edward and Evie.

 

 

 

 

Photo by Viviana Rishe on Unsplash

7 Things We Have Learned About Evaluating Kingdom Impact: Transformational SME

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by the TSME Team



Transformation SME (TSME) is a global community investing through an evergreen fund for holistic kingdom impact in the world’s toughest markets. Over the past two decades, the TSME has wrestled with the questions like, “What is kingdom impact and how is it evaluated?” and “How can company leaders faithfully maintain kingdom centeredness over the long-term.”  Read Part 1 for an introduction.

Through years of investing in kingdom companies in our target region, TSME has built a body of knowledge that we have turned into key principles. These principles have become a lens through which we evaluate companies, a criteria for partnership, and a tool for ongoing growth.

Learnings and Principles


1. Context matters

“Impact” is not homogeneous, it varies based on the Purpose (The Why) of a company in a particular local context. The resulting principle is that there is no prescriptive solution or ‘one-size-fits-all’ impact plan. What matters to us is the reasoning and the spiritual indicators that compel the owners to this purpose in their context.

2. Perspective matters

Kingdom impact is holistic. While categorizing impact across multiple bottom lines and their intended impacts can help add rigor in planning and assessment, the borders between the different bottom lines are frequently blurred. The best way we have come to understand this is that God’s redemptive work is holistic in nature as we partner with him to see his kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

3. Leadership matters

Leadership defines the horizon of a company’s kingdom impact. The character, competence, perseverance and teachability of leadership teams shapes the dynamic growth of the kingdom impact within a company

4. Intentionality matters

Kingdom impact doesn’t happen by accident. Kingdom Impact plans should be approached with the same rigor applied to business operations, including the inclusion of measurable strategies & goals.

5. Faithfulness over long time horizons matters

“Faithfulness” over a long period of time yields “fruitfulness”. TSME operates in difficult, risky environments, and it is quite typical for a long time horizon to be necessary to realize the holistic impact our portfolio companies seek.

6. The seasons of a company life-cycle matter

The early-stage company may have a more limited sphere of influence for holistic kingdom impact, whereas the established company may have a well-earned trusted role in the community, providing a different degree of opportunity. The goal is not to create a ‘perfect’ kingdom impact approach that becomes a fixed document. Static is not realistic. Nor is it helpful. Rather, living documents that are regularly reviewed and prayerfully allow company leadership to be in sync with the dynamic work of God as the needs of the local church and the leading of the Spirit change over time.

7. Community matters

From founders working in leadership teams, to multitudes of advisors, and to Boards and engagement with local churches, community is an essential ingredient to perseverance over long time frames. God invites us to join His story through relationships of mutuality; TSME mentors from diverse backgrounds (professional, perspectives, ethnicities) help companies stay faithful and focused to their stated impact objectives through healthy accountability.

Kingdom Impact Approach

The learnings delineated above have helped shape the creation of our TSME assessment framework. This Kingdom Impact Approach (KIA) can be applied to the types of diverse companies described above because the framework focuses on kingdom purposes, strategy and plans articulated by each company. This means that the framework can be contextualized for each business but still able to highlight areas where a company can improve and grow in its impact.

This approach encourages a company to have a clearly articulated purpose and a deliberate strategy with observable outcomes (over time) that have economic, environmental, social and spiritual significance. TSME believes that this intentional approach is as crucial to success as developing a viable commercial business plan.  Our ‘secret sauce’ in all this is that TSME pairs companies with a dedicated mentor team to holistically support the company across business operations and kingdom impact.

The centerpiece of the Kingdom Impact Approach (KIA) process is an annual review call with the leadership of our portfolio companies and their mentors.  During the call we take the time to review and discuss all aspects of the company’s overall approach to understand how God is at work in the business. This includes understanding the multi-pronged strategies, discussing the effectiveness of these approaches, and listening to stories of God’s work in and through the communities represented in the companies.

Here are a few encouraging stories we have heard during recent KIA calls, from three different companies:

  • Daily Prayers: For one month, each morning the entire staff received a text including one of the company’s core values, a story of how it was lived out and an invitation to prayer. At the end of the month the majority of the nearly 200 staff requested that this practice continue regularly. What a tangible invitation to the entire staff to consider that the God of the universe hears our prayers and is actively at work.
  • The Persistent Applicant: This portfolio company prioritizes the hiring of marginalized women as part of their impact approach. A single mother living in a slum applied for a job at the company three separate times. The first two times, she was not hired because, despite her situation, other applicants were deemed to be in more urgent need. She graciously accepted the decision each time. On her third attempt, she was hired. The company taught her their manufacturing process, and she excelled, eventually becoming a team supervisor. Through her stable employment and access to company benefits like school scholarships and health allowances, her life and her ability to care for her daughter were transformed.
  • An Unexpected Healing: A volunteer team from a Christian organization was visiting a portfolio company and offered to pray for staff during their breaks. The company leadership team agreed, but perhaps didn’t expect much to come of it. A staff member came in with a bandaged leg wound and asked for prayer. The team prayed for her, and she said it felt a little better. And so they said, “Well, let’s… let’s pray again then.” So they prayed again, and she said, “Wow, that feels a lot better.” And then she took off her bandage and she was completely healed! The woman walked out of the room with the bandage in her hand, which prompted a flood of other employees to come for prayer. That day, three people made a decision for Christ.

These are just a few of numerous examples, perhaps small but powerful, that we have heard on recent calls of how God is at work through our portfolio companies. Our portfolio companies weave a rich tapestry of stories in far flung corners of the earth where the living God is actively at work.

 

TSME is a leading global community investing through an evergreen fund for wholistic kingdom impact in the world’s toughest markets of the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. TSME deploys patient capital toward growth-stage companies intentionally pursuing Kingdom-impact across multiple bottom lines in our target region. All investments are accompanied by active mentorship and focused prayer from our global community. Since inception we have deployed nearly $20M in investments to kingdom-focused companies in 27 different countries.  

 

Learn more about our Platinum Sponsor TSME

 

Connect at: transformationalsme.org

 

 

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

 

The Underlying Principles that Shaped a Kingdom Impact Approach Framework

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by the TSME Team


Imagine…

The day of the big trip you’ve been planning for months is finally here. You nervously do one last scramble through the house and sift through your luggage to make sure it’s all there. Toothbrush? Yes. Breathable and sweat-absorbing shirts? Yes. An assortment of over-the-counter medicines for stomach ailments of any kind? Check. Passport? Check.  (Wait is that really my passport, double-check… yes!).

Today you and a small group from your church start a multi-week odyssey to visit BAM practitioners residing amongst least-reached peoples in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The group is comprised of a mix of aspiring BAM workers, investors and church leaders. And though your roles vary, you share a few common beliefs as a small group. You believe:

  • That God is on mission for the redemption of all things and all peoples for His glory
  • That God chose to partner with His Spirit-filled people to invite those from every tribe, tongue and language to his eternal kingdom
  • That business (and indeed all work) can be offered as worship to the Living God (no sacred/secular divide)
  • That business done well provides unique opportunities amongst least-reached peoples to see kingdom transformation.
  • That how we steward our lives and resources matters to God. God owns all the resources and we steward what we are given for His purposes.

The overarching goal of your trip is to evaluate the ‘impact’ of a handful of companies operated by kingdom practitioners. All these companies have advertised that they are doing Christian work, spiritual impact, advancing the kingdom, or some similar set of words. The questions your small group are intent to answer is what does this mean, is ‘impact’ taking place, and how can we evaluate this? As a global partner and investor, you find yourself asking questions of stewardship, “Are these resources of God I invested stewarded well? Is the risk worth the ‘impact’? Could I in good faith invite others to join as investors on the journey?’ And, on another level of importance, the BAM practitioners with whom you are partnering are asking similar questions of effectiveness and worth, “How are we doing?! Are we on the right track? Is all we’re “suffering” worth it?”

The team has a desire to get a proper understanding of the kingdom impact taking place in and through the businesses in these various contexts.

Alright, you start in Cairo and spend time with the founders of the now sizeable micro-finance company making loans to thousands of local residents. You re-pack and spend three days in Tashkent with a software company. The company has a small team of eight and there is concern about their product/market fit given recent worldwide disruptions, but they have already seen meaningful fruit from their discipleship efforts. Before you know it, you’re back in the departure lounge and about to fly to Pakistan. When you land in Karachi, you meet a Pakistani follower of Jesus who has recently built a manufacturing company. The company partnered with a South East Asia firm to utilize new technology for a replacement building material as a substitute for bricks. This eases the extreme physical and human cost in the historically abusive brick-making industry in the region.

At this point of the journey, your heart is stirred afresh by seeing all that God is doing. You knew these types of companies existed and that men and women of faith were leading these companies, but you simply couldn’t have dreamed of the meaningful transformation taking place because these leaders chose to move into these specific ‘neighborhoods’ and build a kingdom-centered business….

You finally make it to Kuala Lumpur and your mind is reeling. What numbers shall we use to quantify kingdom impact?  How should we compare the company operating in a city of 20,000,000 with that of a company in the foothills of the Himalayas? How do we compare the small company of 12 in Amman utilizing AI-propelled medtech solutions with the group operating a business hotel in North India?

While on one hand, you’re thrilled at the opportunity to see the activity of the kingdom of God scattered through all these least-reached communities, you realize how difficult it is to answer, “What is kingdom impact and how is it evaluated? And how can company leaders faithfully maintain kingdom centeredness over long timeframes?”

Have you ever wrestled with such important topics?

Have you ever been on such a trip?

Did you know that there are indeed phenomenal kingdom-focused companies in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia? (There are!).

Transformational SME (TSME)

Over the past two decades, the TSME team has wrestled with the concepts presented in part one. TSME is a global community investing through an evergreen fund for holistic kingdom impact in the world’s toughest markets (the Middle East, North Africa and Asia).

As we deploy capital to growth-stage, kingdom-companies amongst least-reached peoples, we execute an intensive due diligence process. This multi-month process includes on-site visits for qualified companies to assess the company’s potential for commercial success while integrating with equal rigor our assessment of its kingdom impact potential. This process has emerged as the Kingdom Impact Approach Framework, or KIA.

 

Read Part 2  for a deeper introduction to the Kingdom Impact Approach Framework.

 

TSME is a leading global community investing through an evergreen fund for wholistic kingdom impact in the world’s toughest markets of the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. TSME deploys patient capital toward growth-stage companies intentionally pursuing Kingdom-impact across multiple bottom lines in our target region. All investments are accompanied by active mentorship and focused prayer from our global community. Since inception we have deployed nearly $20M in investments to kingdom-focused companies in 27 different countries.  

 

Learn more about our Platinum Sponsor TSME

 

Connect at: transformationalsme.org

 

 

Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash

 

Two More Stories from Asia: What Is It Really Like to Run a BAM Business?

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What is it really like to run a BAM company, especially in the kind of challenging contexts that business as mission practitioners often find themselves? In this mini-series, we are sharing three short stories from the frontlines—a behind the scenes look at BAM company leadership. Read Part 1 here.

Fitness Industry, Southeast Asia

 
What do you do and where?

I run a multi location gym business in Southeast Asia serving approximately 15,000 members and employing around 200 staff. The vast majority of our team is local, with only a few foreign employees. Our model centers on membership based fitness supported by personal training, group classes, and leadership development within our staff teams. We operate in multiple cities and focus on building strong local teams who understand the communities they serve. Beyond providing fitness services, we are committed to developing people, both our members and our staff, by creating structured systems, growth pathways, and a culture that promotes excellence, accountability, and long term opportunity.

Why do you do it?

At the core, I see this work as stewardship. In this season of life, that means stewarding relationships, capital, influence, and brand presence in the cities where we operate in a way that honors the Lord. That includes creating environments where people are cared for well, where staff can grow professionally and personally, and where members experience genuine community. Our focus is not merely physical fitness but holistic development. We aim to steward the business to create opportunities for truth to be shared, integrity, and long term flourishing, especially for our team members and their families.

What has it really been like to run your business?

It has been deeply seasonal. There are periods when I cannot imagine doing anything more aligned with how I am wired, leveraging gifts, building teams, and watching people grow. And there are seasons where the challenges feel relentless, where progress is unclear and pressure is high. The hardest parts have often involved leadership strain and navigating growth beyond our support systems. The unexpected joys have come from seeing staff rise into leadership and watching lives genuinely change. Over time, I have learned that clarity, humility, and dependence on the Lord are not optional. They are essential and even the intended main outcome of Joy in growing in knowledge of who the Lord is through these seasons.

Looking back, what are one or two things you wish you knew before you started?

One of the greatest blessings has been having a trusted, like minded business friend outside of my organization. I wish I had understood earlier just how critical that kind of relationship would be. Having someone who can provide accountability, perspective, and encouragement, without being entangled in the day to day operations, has been invaluable. Business leadership can feel isolating, and carrying weight alone is unnecessary and unwise. I have learned that long term sustainability depends as much on spiritual and relational support as it does on strategy and execution.

 

 

Hospitality and Food Manufacturing, South Asia

 
What do you do and where?

We are based in South Asia in the Himalayas. We run a coffee and bakery business where we focus on the employment of locals. We mentor them and equip them in the gospel. We develop them with job skills and so they can bring positive change to society in their professional sphere.

Why do you do it?

Our vision is to use business to reach places and frontiers in closed nations, where it’s vital for us to be able to live among people, and establish a church planting and discipleship movement. We are seeing the fruits of being embedded in our communities and how powerful business is to bring the gospel to places that haven’t yet heard it. It is encouraging how deeply we connect with locals and authorities due to our role in society! I am passionate about the connections between us, and for the region we are in.

What has it really been like to run your business?

This place in South Asia is hard due to its infrastructure, there is no electricity or water in the mountains and also it is difficult to find people to work for some seasons, winter is closed! So the lack of some key tools to run a business is the main problem, and then we need to adapt what we do. Sometimes going through despairing situations, we have wanted to give up! Many things were not done due to lack of resources in the city and it left us wondering how to move forward. It has caused us to improvise a lot, not knowing what each day would bring, But in all this, it has been a joy to learn and it really was the hard way!

Looking back, what are one or two things you wish you knew before you started?

I would have loved some advice on coffee bean quality, better barista training, and tips to organize our finances better! It has been a wild experience from bottom up, young people dreaming, pioneering and achieving their goals without proper guidance!

An unexpected joy to us is just how much access to remote communities we have due to the business of the coffee shop—we can build strongly on the relationships built there. The connections and friends we made through the business have made our life even easier in actually running it and has helped shape so much of our identity where we are.

 

>> Read Part 1 here

 

Read more BAM Stories on our Stories page here. Got a story to share? Contact us about it here.

 

 

 

Photo by Huỳnh Tiến on Unsplash

 

 

 

Engineering on the Frontlines: What Is It Really Like to Run a BAM Business?

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What is it really like to run a BAM company, especially in the kind of challenging contexts that business as mission practitioners often find themselves? In this mini-series, we are sharing three short stories from the frontlines—a behind the scenes look at BAM company leadership. 

 

Z Engineers – Construction Industry, South Asia

Z Engineers is one of the oldest BAM companies in the world, having been founded in the late 1960s by Christian expatriate engineers in a majority Muslim country in South Asia. Its current Managing Director, a national leader, has been in the position for 5 years. Here he shares some of his experiences and insights into what it is really like to run a BAM company.

What do you do and where?

Z Engineers serves the construction industry across a nation in South Asia, with a specific focus on remote rural areas where access to quality infrastructure is often a significant challenge. Our business model is built on providing comprehensive design, consultancy, and construction services with honesty and integrity. We take pride in our inclusive employment practices, hiring a diverse team of engineers, quantity surveyors, and architects from cross-cultural groups. Our work isn’t just about building structures; it’s about bringing high-quality standards to regions that have historically been underserved and have no hope.

Why do you do it?

Our foundational vision at Z Engineers is threefold: to build quality, build people, and build for God. This calling to the workplace is what sustains us. The strong focus and burden to introduce honest business practices and integrity to the construction sector, to provide job opportunities for the large unemployed segment keeps us moving forward. Beyond the construction side, my wife and I have also established E Services. This initiative is a direct response to the vulnerability of marginalized Christian groups. We focus on creating safe, dignified full-time and part-time employment for young women moving from rural areas to a major city, specifically to provide an alternative to the high risks of sexual exploitation they often face. Our BAM focus is to provide both physical infrastructure and social restoration

What has it really been like to run your business?

Running Z Engineers has been a journey of perseverance. The hardest challenge has been the financial strain of managing overheads during lean periods, coupled with the ethical struggle of the bidding process. We frequently face the reality of losing projects because we refuse to participate in the systemic corruption common in the industry. We are also navigating a significant ‘brain drain’ within the local Christian youth, as many seek to relocate abroad in search of financial prosperity. It is a constant challenge to offer tangible hope to these young people when the local environment provides so little to convince them to stay. Since taking over the company in 2021, these past five years have been a profound period of growth in the BAM space for me. The phrase ‘blood, sweat, and tears’ is no longer a metaphor; it describes the literal reality of my journey as I strive to stay faithful to the workplace.

On the other hand, there has been unexpected joy. We recently won a project in the Northern areas that has matured perfectly—a beautiful ‘repayment’ i.e. equivalent in terms of the value, for a previous project we lost because we refused to cut corners. We are also entering a ‘redemptive technology’ phase by pioneering non-fired bricks, which aligns our environmental stewardship with our construction goals. While our newer startup (E Services) is still in the foundational phase, we are learning to navigate the basics with hope and courage.

Looking back, what are one or two things you wish you knew before you started?

First, I wish I had understood the level of personal and familial sacrifice required. A BAM company operates differently than a secular business; the spiritual and ethical weight often falls heavily on the leadership, and navigating those challenges can place significant stress on family life and work-life balance.

Second, I wish I had been more prepared for the mental health toll. There is a constant, exhausting pressure to maintain a ‘successful’ outward image for clients and marketing purposes, even when the business is facing internal crises. Learning to manage that tension between professional optics and the reality of the struggle is something I am still learning to do.

 

Read two more short stories in next week’s post:

>> Read Part 2 here

 

A. has been the Managing Director for Z Engineers since 2021. He holds a Mechanical Engineering degree and has a history of working in Christian Institutions in his nation, in business management, Project Administration & development.

 

 

 

Photo by Jeriden Villegas on Unsplash

 

 

Good Research Approaches for Figuring Out Your BAM Business Model

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How do you know what kind of BAM business to pursue? That’s a question that we often get from those thinking about building a business as mission company. What’s more, what are some early indicators that a business is or isn’t working? We decided to ask three BAM mentors three questions about how they would go about deciding and evaluating their business model. This is Part 2, with our third question about research approaches.

Read Part 1 here.

 

What would be some good research approaches to figuring out good business models?

 

Mike Baer

A workable business model starts with one simple reality: you are meeting a real need that people are willing and able to pay for. That means the first step is not having a clever idea. The first step is identifying unmet or poorly met needs.

Ask basic questions: What problems exist in this community? What needs are not being met—or not being met well?   What solutions are inaccessible, unreliable, or unaffordable?

You can use AI tools as a starting point, but be careful. They are often misleadingly optimistic. A conversation with AI can help you think, but it should never replace firsthand learning.

So get out and look. Observe the market—and in many contexts, observe the bazaar. Watch what people buy, what they avoid, what they complain about, and what they improvise. Talk with neighbors and customers. Ask fellow believers—but with caution. Well-meaning people often affirm ideas they would never personally pay for.

Talk with other business owners. Talk with bankers. Talk with local officials. In-person conversations are gold. Online surveys can help too, especially when distributed through community-based social media groups, but don’t mistake opinions for behavior.

If your community has access to solid data—through a chamber of commerce or local development office—use it. And when you think you’ve identified a promising solution, test it cheaply and early. Share samples. Run pilots. Sell before you scale.

This is the value of an MVP approach—a minimum viable product. You will likely need several iterations. That’s not failure; that’s learning. Fail fast and forward: try, observe results, adjust, and try again—before you commit fully to a new enterprise.

 

Hannah Lau

A working business model is simply identifying a customer group’s problem/need, getting into their ‘world’ by delivering value, and doing it in a way that’s profitable for you. That’s basically it. So the best way to find a business model is to start by understanding your customer. That’s who it’s all about. The more you understand the customer and the ecosystem that surrounds their need, the better you’ll be able to create value for them and deliver it in a way that they will easily adopt.

Some ways to best understand your customer include:

  • Target segmentation
  • Ideal Customer Profiles/Personas
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Positioning and Customer Behaviour
  • Distribution realities for the category
  • Standards and expectations in the existing market

My personal philosophy—tried, tested, and witnessed across 350+ organisations: Lead with product and you’ll be out of the game before you launch. Lead with what your customer needs and you’ll be innovating forever. What I mean by this is that most people focus on the product because they start with an idea, which can easily become obsolete or boring. If we start with a group of people and their needs, and try to find creative solutions to solve those needs (one of them being a product), it will keep us proactive and not reactive in the market.

 

Grant Smith

When deciding on a business, my recommendation is find out what others are doing and understand their model. It could be that you can do it better. In any business model it is important to understand how your competitors are doing it and then you analysing if you can do it better or there is a gap in the market. There is a reason no company is selling ice to the North pole, so you may have a brilliant idea, but research the opportunity critically.

When deciding on a business model, understand the barriers to entry. If you are importing, what are the import duties and how do you navigate the duty process. If you are in construction, what approvals do you have to attain from the local government and what challenges may you face in achieving those approvals. If you are borrowing money, factor in unexpected delays and budget for additional finance which in theory you don’t think will be incurred. You should have cushions in your financial models to give you wriggle room.

 

With special thanks to our three mentors for sharing their wisdom in this series.

 

>> Read Part 1 here

 

 Mike Baer was one of the early leaders in the modern Business as Mission movement. He started his career as a pastor and church planter. After 15 years in the pastorate Mike was led into business where he gradually began to discover the potential for believers in business to bless their communities, evangelize the lost and spread the Kingdom of God, especially among the unreached. Today, Mike is the CEO of Third Path Initiative, an online BAM education resource, a strategic coach to companies in the staffing industry, a podcast host and YouTube content creator, a speaker at BAM conferences, and an author of 10 books. He and his wife Cindy live in the mountains of Western North Carolina (USA) and enjoy their 7 grandchildren.

 

Hannah Lau began her career in advertising when she moved to Asia as a marketplace missionary. In 2015, she began her journey as a redemptive entrepreneur, building and helping others build businesses that embody the gospel in every area of its operations. She is the co-creator of the Redemptive Business Canvas and the founder of Arukah Works, helping others live out their faith through entrepreneurship.

 

Grant Smith is a quantity surveyor who has worked with international construction companies and managed his own consultancy practice in the UK for over thirty years. In the year 2000, Grant recognised that construction work in Kenya had a response to poverty, commercially creating fairer pay and apprenticeship opportunities. He committed himself to finding sustainable solutions to  transform individuals and societies. Grant is now the CEO of Hand in Hand Group and a director of a Kenyan construction company. Grant is the chair of Hand in Hand Foundation. Grant has had the privilege of being married to Sue since 1985 and has three children he is very proud of. He is a workplace speaker with LICC and the author of The Accidental Social Entrepreneur.

 

 


Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash

 

 

Will It Work? How to Decide on a BAM Business Model

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How do you know what kind of BAM business to pursue? That’s a question that we often get from those thinking about building a business as mission company. What’s more, what are some early indicators that a business is or isn’t working? We decided to ask three BAM mentors three questions about how they would go about deciding and evaluating their business model.

 

If you were deciding on a business model, what questions would you ask yourself?

 

Grant Smith

Primarily I  would suggest, you understand what you are good at. Yesterday is a training ground for tomorrow. That doesn’t mean that you never try new things, but understand your skill set. I have been in construction all my life, I have a degree in construction, I have worked in several sectors and I understand construction. When I attempted farming, I was way out of my comfort zone. When you take a brick and coat it in cement, and you take another brick and coat it in cement, every time you do it, you get a house. Farming is not as predictable, that’s not a reason not to do it, but it is a reason to have an agricultural partner or advisor who can warn you what is coming.

Mike Baer

I would ask some core questions.

First, what real need exists that I can meet better than current solutions? “Better” might mean cheaper, faster, more trustworthy, more accessible, or more relational—but it must be meaningful.

Second, who else is already meeting this need? How many competitors are there? What do they do well? Where do they struggle? Ignoring competitors is not faith; it’s denial.

Third, do I (and my team) have—or can we realistically acquire—the capability to do this well? That includes skills, funding, technology, operational capacity, and support networks. Calling does not eliminate constraints.

Fourth, can this business become sustainable and scalable? Sustainable means it can run without constant cash infusions. Scalable means it can grow its impact—jobs, customer value, community blessing—without breaking the model.

Fifth, can I envision—and eventually measure—Kingdom impact? Profit matters, but so do disciple-making, ethical employment, local blessing, and care for creation. If impact is always vague or postponed, it will likely disappear.

Sixth, will this work give me joy and hope? Not constant happiness—but a sense that the effort is life-giving rather than soul-draining.

Not every question will have a crystal-clear answer at the start. That’s normal. But if you get a strong, definitive “No” to any of them, that’s a signal to stop and seriously reconsider. If the lights are mostly green—even with different levels of brightness—then it may be time to move forward, trusting God to guide your steps and work through the business for His glory.

Hannah Lau

I would ask myself:

  1. What does my (prospective) customer need?
  2. What can they accept/tolerate/be willing to change?
  3. How can I best address that need in a way that is profitable for me?
  4. How do I make it as easy as possible for them to adopt/buy/join?

These four questions are basically four slices of a pie, and you’re trying to figure out the sweet spot, balancing the size of each slice so that all the questions can be answered to a reasonably satisfactory level. If you can’t make it work, then you probably don’t have a workable business model.

 

How do you know if a business model is working/not working? What are some signs and symptoms?

 

Hannah Lau

When a business is working, customers or clients will adopt your product or service with little resistance, recognise value, and have no problem paying for it. Conversely, when a business is not working, cashflow is tight on a regular basis and selling is hard and takes convincing your customers. It’s not working when you put too much effort in that only results in minimal customer satisfaction or profitability. In other words, if the business struggles and requires a ton of effort in just to keep five customers happy or just break even, the model isn’t working.

Mike Baer

Every time I’ve launched a new business, I’ve asked two related questions: How will I know if this is working? and How long should I give it? If you can ask—and answer—those honestly and courageously, you’ll save yourself a lot of wasted time, money, and emotional energy.

The simple answer is this: a business model is working if people are buying your product or service at a margin that can produce profit over time. More specifically, are people continuing to buy it, and is that customer base growing? Repeat customers—and more of them—are the foundation of any real business. One-time sales can flatter you; repeat sales tell you the truth.

Closely tied to this is cash flow. Whether your original projections are perfectly accurate is secondary. What matters is whether money is flowing into the business in a measurable and increasing way. If customers are the foundation, cash flow is the lifeblood. A business can survive bad forecasts, but it cannot survive chronic cash starvation.

Then there is your energy. Startups are hard—that’s a given. But chaos is exhausting in a different way. Separate normal moments (or even days) of discouragement from the deeper question: Do I still experience some measure of excitement, curiosity, or hope as I pursue growth and progress? If everything feels like grinding uphill with no traction, pay attention.

Finally—and this matters deeply in BAM—can you remain faithful to your Gospel commitments? Are honesty, compassion, fair dealing, and relationship-building sustainable in this model? If survival consistently requires cutting ethical corners or hollowing out your witness, something is wrong. The Good News should be revealed naturally over time, not sacrificed for short-term survival.

Grant Smith

How do you know if your business model is working? Well, you have to clearly define what you want to achieve, too many business’s when they start out are over ambitious. I had a friend who took on a coffee franchise, wanted to employ ex offenders, and generate money for his ministry. Running business is hard work, and you may need to focus on one priority at a time. If your focus is employing ex offenders, let that be your measurable, making a profit and a social impact. If you crack that, then you can move to providing finance for ministry.

A recommendation would be, if you are starting a business, appoint a voluntary board of strong people who will challenge you. Each person you appoint to your board needs to bring a skill, whether in finance, or your field of operation or HR or legal or… But the most important quality in a board member is that they share your vision of what you want to achieve. Then make yourself accountable to them. If your ambition is to pay people fairer than the market determines, make that your clear measurable focus. The danger is that you start making money, which you need to do to continue, but you enjoy the profits so much that you may lose the fair employment focus. Your board should keep you to account.

 

Coming up in Part 2, our three BAM mentors answer our third question:

What would be some good research approaches to figuring out good models?

 

 

 Mike Baer was one of the early leaders in the modern Business as Mission movement. He started his career as a pastor and church planter. After 15 years in the pastorate Mike was led into business where he gradually began to discover the potential for believers in business to bless their communities, evangelize the lost and spread the Kingdom of God, especially among the unreached. Today, Mike is the CEO of Third Path Initiative, an online BAM education resource, a strategic coach to companies in the staffing industry, a podcast host and YouTube content creator, a speaker at BAM conferences, and an author of 10 books. He and his wife Cindy live in the mountains of Western North Carolina (USA) and enjoy their 7 grandchildren.

 

Hannah Lau began her career in advertising when she moved to Asia as a marketplace missionary. In 2015, she began her journey as a redemptive entrepreneur, building and helping others build businesses that embody the gospel in every area of its operations. She is the co-creator of the Redemptive Business Canvas and the founder of Arukah Works, helping others live out their faith through entrepreneurship.

 

Grant Smith is a quantity surveyor who has worked with international construction companies and managed his own consultancy practice in the UK for over thirty years. In the year 2000, Grant recognised that construction work in Kenya had a response to poverty, commercially creating fairer pay and apprenticeship opportunities. He committed himself to finding sustainable solutions to  transform individuals and societies. Grant is now the CEO of Hand in Hand Group and a director of a Kenyan construction company. Grant is the chair of Hand in Hand Foundation. Grant has had the privilege of being married to Sue since 1985 and has three children he is very proud of. He is a workplace speaker with LICC and the author of The Accidental Social Entrepreneur.

 

 


Photo by Aditama on Unsplash

 

 

How Can You and Your Business Answer God’s Call to Build Shalom?

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by Roxanne Addink de Graaf

 

“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!” (Luke 2:14, ISV) As we approach this Christmas season we revisit this blog from our archives, exploring how business can contribute to building shalom.

 

Business and Shalom are seldom seen in the same sentence. Shalom is a word more often heard in church than in the marketplace.

However, just coming from a visit with entrepreneurs in Liberia, I’m more convinced than ever of the vital role of business in bringing about true shalom, the shalom God calls us to build here on Earth. Shalom should be a driving force behind the mission of every business, and shalom provides an excellent framework for a wholistic, multiple bottom line kingdom-building business.

The Biblical vision for “shalom” goes beyond our common understanding of peace. As the Christian philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff writes, “Shalom is the human being dwelling at peace in all his relationships: with God, with self, with fellows, with nature… shalom is not merely the absence of hostility…at its highest it is enjoyment in one’s relationships.” (from Until Justice and Peace Embrace, Wolterstorff, 1983)

Relationships are at the heart of shalom, and the marketplace is a place of relationships. We will not achieve a true vision of shalom if we don’t achieve shalom in business, and as Christians in business, we need to be leading this crusade.

Wolterstorff goes on in his essay to describe shalom as a rich and joyous state of right relationship (justice), delight in service of God, the human community and the creation around us. Shalom is not a peaceful spiritual state where physical needs aren’t met, where people are still hungry, injustices prevail or work is no more. Rather, our right relationship with nature involves work and reward. Wolterstorff reflects that the Biblical shalom includes “shaping the world with our labor and finding fulfilment in doing so,” as well as enjoying the fruit of our labor, celebrating with “a banquet of rich fare for all the people.” (Isaiah 25:6)

Relationships are at the heart of shalom, and the marketplace is a place of relationships. We will not achieve a true vision of shalom if we don’t achieve shalom in business.

Read more

Moving the Needle: Why We’re Thankful for Exponential BAM Growth

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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

 

 

 

Business as Mission versus the Prosperity “Gospel”

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by Mike Baer

Why BAM Is Not the Same as Prosperity Teaching

A Story That Reveals a Bigger Problem

About twenty years ago, while teaching on business as mission at a church conference in Orlando, I noticed a woman looking distressed—confused, even hurt. During the break, I went straight to her and asked what was troubling her.

With tears in her eyes she said, “I don’t think God wants me to be wealthy.”

Her struggle came from taking a true idea and passing it through a faulty filter. I had been teaching that business is an institution created by God—like family or government—and that its God-given purpose is to create wealth. She heard something different: “God wants me personally to be rich.”

As we talked, she began to see the fuller picture:

  • Wealth is not only an individual matter.
  • It is a social good—fuel for families, communities, and nations to flourish.
  • Without wealth creation, societies don’t grow; they simply survive, shrink, or collapse.

This misunderstanding is surprisingly common.

 

Profit Is Not the Enemy—Misuse Is

Some people assume wealth creation is an individual pursuit and therefore un-Christian. But Scripture shows that business creates value for the many, not the few. A healthy business makes a profit, and profit generates wealth. The key questions are:

  • Why do we create it?
  • How do we use it?

When wealth becomes a tool to honor God and bless others, it fulfills its purpose.

 

What BAM Is Not: The Prosperity Gospel

The Prosperity Gospel—the “name it, claim it, frame it” message—teaches that God wants you healthy, you wealthy, and you successful as proof of His approval.

It is false.

It is dangerous.

And it twists Scripture to serve greed.

Unfortunately, as BAM grows, some people misunderstand its teaching on profit and wealth. A few even hijack BAM language to promote their own ego, platform, or bank account. That’s not BAM—that’s opportunism.

 

The Equal and Opposite Error: The Poverty Gospel

When some see the misuse of wealth, they run to the other extreme. They treat profit as suspicious and wealth creation as a necessary evil—something to be “cleansed” by giving it to ministry.

This viewpoint misquotes Scripture (“money is the root of all evil”) and ignores what Paul actually said:

“The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.” – 1 Timothy 6:10

The problem is not money.

The problem is the heart.

Both extremes miss God’s design:

  • Prosperity Gospel: “God wants you rich.”
  • Poverty Gospel: “God wants you poor.”

Neither is true.

Neither is good news.

 

What BAM Really Teaches

Every institution God created has a purpose. The purpose of business is to help build flourishing communities where people can:

  • Build homes
  • Feed their families
  • Educate their children
  • Innovate and improve
  • Fulfill the Creation Mandate (Genesis 1:26–31)

This requires wealth creation—and when done with a godly heart, it is good, necessary, and blessed.

BAM is not Prosperity Gospel.

BAM is not Poverty Gospel.

BAM is God’s design for business lived out for the good of people and the glory of God.

 

Further Reading

For deeper thinking on this topic, explore the Wealth Creation Manifesto and BAM Global Resources on Wealth Creation, by Mats Tunehag and others.

 

 Mike Baer was one of the early leaders in the modern Business as Mission movement. He started his career as a pastor and church planter. After 15 years in the pastorate Mike was led into business where he gradually began to discover the potential for believers in business to bless their communities, evangelize the lost and spread the Kingdom of God, especially among the unreached. Today, Mike is the CEO of Third Path Initiative, an online BAM education resource, a strategic coach to companies in the staffing industry, a podcast host and YouTube content creator, a speaker at BAM conferences, and an author of 10 books. He and his wife Cindy live in the mountains of Western North Carolina (USA) and enjoy their 7 grandchildren.

 

 

Business is Not a Silver Bullet: The BAM Movement is an Ecosystem

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by Jo Plummer

 

Business is obviously at the heart of business as mission! A major part of the international BAM community is made up of businesses and business people. This is business as mission and at its core it involves for-profit companies. But, as Mats Tunehag says in the video below, business is not a silver bullet!

Business as mission is a movement and that movement is made up of four major constituencies—including leaders from business, mission, church and academia—plus others. 

BAM companies and business people will not thrive outside of a healthy ecosystem made up of many types of individuals, skills, perspectives, and institutions. We will not see macro impact through business as mission unless our business constituency is connected to and supported by a much broader network.

Introducing the Four Major BAM Constituencies

For business as mission to be fruitful, we need the involvement of entrepreneurs and business professionals of all kinds, in a diverse range of roles—plus churches, mission agencies and NGOs, academic institutions, researchers, and others. The BAM community is certainly made up of many different people from many different constituencies, but over the years, we have identified the four major ones, as follows:

The Four Major Constituencies in the BAM Movement

BAM thought-leader Peter Shaukat expresses this same idea as the 4 As: 1

  • Academy: scholars and educational institutions
  • Agency: mission agencies, yes, but also other kinds of entities with specialist functions
  • Assembly: local churches and congregations
  • Actualizers: the business people who run business as mission enterprises

 

Here is a brief introduction to each of these four constituencies:

Business People

As well as entrepreneurs that start BAM enterprises, there are also many other types of business professionals (involved in management and specialist roles) that help develop and scale a company towards stability and longevity. The BAM movement revolves around these business starters and professionals—the business operators that are involved directly in running BAM companies. But we also need other kinds of business people to surround and support the operators, including investors, mentors, coaches, incubators, trainers and others—often called capacity builders for the BAM movement.

Church Leaders

The Church with a big C–i.e. the global body of Christ—is made up of people from all vocations, including business. The church with a small c—i.e. local churches and denominations—have business people and other professionals sitting in their pews each time they are the ‘gathered church’. It is the role of the clergy or church leader to serve the laity and equip them for works of service as the ‘scattered church’ in their daily vocational lives (Ephesians 4:12). Therefore, the BAM movement also needs Church leaders and staff who recognise BAM as an effective ministry strategy and are looking to resource and mobilise the business people in their congregations or denomination. Read more about BAM and the Church.

Academics

Christian academics and researchers are uniquely positioned to add value to the BAM movement by driving research into critical business as mission issues and being a frontline catalyst for student engagement. Scholarship and education are engines for business as mission, helping to equip the next generation and ensuring that vital issues for BAM practitioners are undergirded by robust research. The BAM movement needs academics looking to inspire their students for BAM, educators / trainers to develop curriculum, and researchers that connect their study with real BAM practice. Explore the Academics Pathway Toolbox.

Mission Leaders and NGOs

Those sent out to do BAM with an agency affiliation have been among the pioneers of business as mission and continue to be engaged at the frontlines—although now that many more business people are getting engaged the relative numbers are going down. Mission leaders and NGOs staff have filled key supporting roles in the BAM ecosystem, with many areas of expertise that can fruitfully contribute, such as: pastoral care, counselling, mission mobilisation, cross-cultural communication, language learning, training in specific mission strategies and focus areas, community development expertise, and so on. The BAM movement needs agency and NGO leaders that see how business as mission aligns with the strategic goals of their organisation, that can effectively oversee and care for the BAM company leaders associated with them, and that can form fruitful partnerships to enrich the whole BAM ecosystem. Read more about BAM and Mission Agencies.

Watch this episode from the Lausanne Global Classroom on Business as Mission to learn more:

 

 

 

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. 

 

 

[1] Peter Shaukat in Appendix D: Transformational SME – Business Incubation Process and Lessons Learned, p44 of the BAM Incubation Issue Report.

A couple of sections of this article have been adapted from an older post.

 

Photo by Emma Henderson on Unsplash

 

 

 

Business and Church Do Mix! 3 Reasons for a Paradigm Shift

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by Renita Reed-Thomson

 

The Business as Mission (BAM) movement has grown exponentially over the past 25 years—to the glory of God! It has been exciting to watch. When I first became involved in 2005, there were only a handful of books on the subject. Today, thousands of faith-and-work titles have been published, with new ones released almost daily. In the U.S. alone, more than 1,200 NGOs are working to integrate faith and work. What an incredible time to be part of this movement!

Yet, one key institution has remained largely disengaged—and without it, the BAM movement risks losing momentum over time. That missing institution is the Church.

Many faith-and-work organizations have developed a parallel path alongside the Church, discipling believers to glorify God through their work. However, pastors, church leaders, and denominations have often not been formally engaged. Common reasons include perceptions that “the Church is too inward-focused,” that “church and business don’t mix,” or fears of promoting a “prosperity gospel.” As a result, the Church often avoids conversations about work, business, or money—except when it comes to tithing.

Let’s clarify: we all agree that the Church—the ekklesia—is the body of Christ, the people of God. We know that where two or three gather in His name, Christ is present among them. But over time, since Constantine institutionalized Christianity as a state religion, the Church has become increasingly defined by buildings, programs, and professionally paid leaders, rather than by the people of God living out their faith in daily life.

I believe God is reclaiming the marketplace and calling His Church—His bride—to join Him. This requires a significant paradigm shift in how we view both the Church and its mission field.

1. From a Church Vision to a Kingdom Vision

A church vision is often centered on numbers, converts, programs, and buildings. A Kingdom vision, however, seeks the flourishing of all creation—people, communities, and the natural world. It focuses on holistic discipleship and life-on-life evangelism.

A Kingdom-focused Church teaches that every believer is in full-time ministry. It understands that worship is not limited to Sunday mornings but expressed through every act done for God’s glory. The Church with a Kingdom vision helps believers see that “the purpose of Sunday is Monday.”

Sunday gatherings are like a team meeting—where the light of Christ gathers to be recharged. But the Church truly “opens for business” when its members leave the building to live out their faith in their homes, workplaces, and communities.

2. Redefining the Church’s Mission Field

A Kingdom-focused Church doesn’t limit its mission field to the neighborhood around its building. Instead, it recognizes that it has multiple parishes—each corresponding to where its members live and work.

Church leaders are called to equip the saints for ministry (Ephesians 4:12–13). Most of that ministry happens outside the building. As believers grow in maturity and unity, they reflect the “full and complete standard of Christ.”

The five-fold ministries—apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher—are not offices reserved for a few but gifts that all believers are to develop and express in their spheres of influence. Every follower of Christ is called to live these out daily, becoming mature disciples who bring His presence into every place and space.

3. Recovering Three-Dimensional Discipleship

The Great Commission is often understood too narrowly. True discipleship is three-dimensional:

1. Vertical (1-D): Focusing solely on our personal relationship with God. This is good but incomplete—it remains private and static.

2. Vertical + Horizontal (2-D): Adding the Great Commandment—loving others and integrating faith into relationships. This widens our faith but can still remain “flat.”

3. Vertical + Horizontal + Creation (3-D): Adding the Great Commitment of Genesis 1–2—to steward creation and bring about the flourishing of all things. This makes our faith fully alive and transformational.

Too often, Christianity has remained flat—lacking impact on communities and nations. Like Israel, we have become a nation with priests rather than a nation of priests.

But when we equip every believer to be the Church in every place and space, we begin to experience the fullness God intended from the beginning.

We serve a three-dimensional God—Father, Son, and Spirit—who invites all creation to worship Him. Let’s join Him in helping every part of creation glorify God!

If you’d like to learn more about this topic, read the BAM Global Report on BAM and the Church.

To explore how your church can start a workplace discipleship ministry, contact Renita Reed-Thomson at renita@dmleaders.org or visit www.dmleaders.org to learn more.

 

 

Dr. Renita Reed-Thomson is the President and founder of Discipling Marketplace Leaders. Renita has her MBA and a PhD in Sustainable Development.  Discipling Marketplace Leaders (DML) is a product of her experiences in Africa where she has lived and worked since 2005. 

 

Download the BAM and the Church Report

Click cover to access Report

 

 

Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash

Transformational SME: Sponsors Spotlight

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God’s Story, His Glory: Business as Mission Philippines

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Sponsored Post by BAM Philippines

 

Business as Mission (BAM) Philippines was recently commissioned by the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) on June 10, 2025, during the 36th PCEC National Assembly, held under the theme “Discipleship Revolution.” In this context, it is fitting that BAM Philippines has been recognized as a key player in discipling the nation through its influence and impact in the marketplace.

The Beginnings

BAM Philippines is led by Richard and Cathy Tan. Their journey of discipleship began long before they were called to lead the BAM movement in the Philippines. In Brother Richard’s words:

“Our family faced its own share of challenges as business owners. Yet through every trial, the Lord deeply impressed upon us a fundamental truth: this company is His, and we are merely stewards, managing it by His grace. This wasn’t just a nice thought; it became our anchor. We quickly discovered that numerous business owners yearned to walk rightly with God and desired a godly purpose for their ventures.”

Through a divine appointment in 2020, they met a BAM speaker in Singapore. Richard and Cathy knew in their hearts that this was no ordinary meeting. As Richard shares:

“Cathy and I immediately recognized a profound alignment in our hearts and minds regarding the unique calling of Christian business owners.”

This encounter sparked a series of online gatherings that eventually led to in-person fellowships hosted at their “CRT” building. The Lord impressed upon their hearts to name it CRT, standing for Christ our Redeemer, we Trust. Today, the CRT building serves as the headquarters of BAM Philippines—a hub that connects entrepreneurs, church leaders, and like-minded individuals to advance God’s kingdom both locally and globally.

BAM Philippines Vision, Mission and Values

Vision

To witness Christian business owners faithfully fulfilling the Great Commission and impacting the nation for God’s glory, as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:18–20: “Go and make disciples of all nations.”

Mission

To unite, love, encourage, strengthen, and serve one another as fellow Christian business owners on the journey of godly stewardship. Inspired by Matthew 22:36–40: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. … Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Core Values

The core values of BAM Philippines use BAM as an acrostic and form the foundation of disciple-making in the marketplace:

1. Biblical – The Bible is the sole authority and ultimate guide for all practices, principles, decisions, and actions—done for the glory of God (2 Timothy 3:16–17; 1 Corinthians 10:31).

2. Authentic – BAM encourages walking the talk by modeling Christlikeness and integrity in the workplace and marketplace, seeking renewal and living in a manner worthy of the Lord (Ephesians 4:22–24; Colossians 1:10; 3:17).

3. Missional – BAM affirms the call of business to care for God’s creation and love all people, proclaiming the Gospel through Christ-centered practices in business, evangelism, and intentional discipleship.

Marketplace Discipleship

Discipleship in business is expressed through business as mission’s 4P’s Framework:

  • Profit – Business must remain sustainable, but profits are not the ultimate goal.
  • Purpose – The heart of business aligns with God’s redemptive and missional purpose.
  • People – BAM honors God’s command to love our neighbors by valuing employees, clients, and communities.
  • Planet – BAM upholds stewardship of God’s creation.

These four P’s amplify discipleship at its core. BAM Philippines encourages Christian business owners to operate with integrity—doing business God’s way. They consider the eternal significance of their work, serve their customers with love, disciple fellow entrepreneurs, and create opportunities to influence others toward godly service.

By modeling Christ, BAM Philippines focuses on the internal transformation of Christian business leaders, reflecting God’s love through missional approaches—one business owner at a time.

BAM in Action: Living Out the Great Commission

How does BAM Philippines live out the Great Commission on both macro and micro levels?

• Macro level: Through its regional members, BAM Philippines holds conferences and fellowships in key cities such as Quezon City, Manila, Davao, and Cebu, as well as in neighboring Asian countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. These gatherings inspire Christian entrepreneurs to expand their Kingdom influence through resource-sharing, practical teachings, and challenging messages. Accountability relationships are also fostered through partnerships with local pastors and mentors.

• Micro level: On a day-to-day basis, BAM Philippines encourages Christian business owners to meet regularly for encouragement, spiritual growth, and accountability. Learnings are applied through small group meetings, group chats, and guided discussions using the BAM Workbook and its case studies. A BAM group in Quezon City—comprised of young entrepreneurs—gathers consistently for prayer, authentic fellowship, and mutual encouragement. In this supportive community, they openly share their struggles while staying committed to “letting their light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16).

Living out the Great Commission in the marketplace also includes practical acts of obedience and integrity: conducting Bible studies in the office, paying livable wages to employees, filing the right taxes, and complying with authorities. These seemingly simple actions become powerful testimonies of Christ in the business world, reflecting the values of the Kingdom and leading others to glorify God.

This year, God opened a new door for BAM Philippines to reach a broader audience. BAM Philippines’ influence now extends to the airwaves through its weekly radio program Entre-Pinoy on 702 DZAS, airing every Monday from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. In this program, Christian business stewards share their testimonies and insights from the BAM Workbook.

Additionally, the Philippines will host the BAM Asia Conference for the third year in a row. This year’s event, which also marks the 5th anniversary of BAM Philippines, will take place on October 17–18 at Shangri-La The Fort in Bonifacio Global City. The conference will welcome both local and international participants and anyone interested can find out more here.

Final Word

BAM Philippines is committed to equipping Christian business stewards to embrace their calling as faithful disciples of Christ and stewards of God’s business. They advocate what the Bible teaches: that business has a higher purpose than profit alone. Work is worship! Business is a harvest field where Christ is proclaimed, and disciples are made.

If BAM Philippines fulfills its mandate, we can change a nation from darkness to light. We can make a real difference in the lives of Filipinos—and our country will prosper and truly exemplify a Christian nation that honors God. This is possible if business owners heed the Lord’s calling through the BAM ministry.

As God continues to lead, BAM Philippines remains open to the Spirit’s prompting, prayerfully anticipating the movement’s expansion across Philippine cities and beyond—fulfilling the mandate to do business God’s way: Biblical, Authentic, Missional.

 

Be part of something bigger at the BAM Philippines October Conference 2025

Chosen for God’s Purpose: Built to Last – October 17–18, 2025 Shangri-La The Fort, Taguig City

Let’s rediscover the eternal purpose behind our work. Let’s build businesses that honor Christ. Register today.

 


Photo by BAM Philippines

 

BAM Helpers: Expanding Capacity for Business as Mission

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by Jo Plummer

 

The BAM movement needs you! For business as mission to be fruitful, we need all kinds of people, fulfilling different roles in BAM, including:

1) Do-ers: Those getting involved by doing business as mission themselves, either by developing a BAM company or by joining one.

2) Helpers: Those enabling, resourcing, and connecting others doing BAM—through activities such as mentoring, investing, praying, network-building, incubating, training, mobilising, researching, and so on!

3) Explorers: Those new to BAM who are exploring the concept and finding out where they fit.

We’ve created thirteen different toolboxes under these three main headings of ‘Do-er‘, ‘Helper‘ and ‘Explorer‘—we call these different routes the BAM Pathways!

God has equipped each of us with different backgrounds, skills, and passions and He is leading each of us on unique paths. However, your unique path will almost certainly have things in common with others. Thus, each Toolbox gives advice and recommended resources for a particular area of BAM engagement. Whatever your involvement or interest area, you can easily navigate to some helpful materials and make connections with those on a similar journey.

Introducing the BAM Helpers Pathway

We have previously released the BAM Do-ers and BAM Explorers Pathways, and this month we are launching the BAM Helpers Pathway section.

BAM Helpers are those who help others do BAM in any capacity. BAM Helpers might serve one particular BAM company, they might support a particular network or interest-area, or they might serve the broader BAM community across the world.

We often refer to the Business as Mission movement as an ‘ecosystem’. BAM Helpers are those who help build and strengthen this ecosystem, allowing BAM practitioners and companies to thrive.

This includes obvious roles such as business incubators, investors, and mentors…

To perhaps less obvious ones, like church leaders, network builders, recruiters, educators, and communicators, that enable the pipeline of people getting involved in BAM to flow…

Or perhaps board members, pastors, counsellors, or mission leaders to provide care and accountability…

Or or prayer partners to help us all keep in step with the Holy Spirit…

What follows is not designed to be an exhaustive list of helping roles, there are many diverse opportunities to serve in the BAM ecosystem! Instead these Pathways are designed to give an introduction to ideas and resources under some main categories.

We’ve developed six toolboxes in the BAM Helpers Pathway, the first three are functions within the BAM community and the last three are the other constituencies—or spheres—that are vital partners (alongside the business sphere) when it comes to BAM.

3 Vital Functions

 

Intercessors

Intercessors are passionate about supporting the BAM movement through prayer and intercession. BAM intercessors lay a vital foundation in prayer for everything else that happens in business as mission globally. Visit the Intercessors Toolbox.

Networkers

Networkers are catalysts for growth and engagement in business as mission. They connect people and resources in a particular geographic region or for a particular industry or BAM-related issue. They are motivated to gather people, whether together online and in-person, so that resources and know-how can be shared and everyone can be better equipped. They are also advocates and mobilisers, helping new people get interested and engaged in business as mission. Visit the Networkers Toolbox.

Capacity Builders

Capacity builders are contributing their professional skills or mission experience to build a strong ecosystem around BAM companies and increase their capacity. Capacity builders may focus at different levels, for example:

  • Providing support and services to an individual BAM practitioner or company, such as consulting, investing.
  • Building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports multiple businesses in a particular group, region or industry, for example a country-focused business incubator, investment for companies in the 10/40 window, or training for the agribusiness sector, and so on.
  • Contributing skills or services to the global BAM ecosystem as a whole, such as communications, prayer, etc..

And these often overlap, for instance, we pray both for individual BAM companies and the BAM movement every month in BAM Global prayer calls. A city-wide business incubator will nurture the whole business ecosystem, as well as provide services to individual companies.

Capacity building can have a strong overlap with network building, and vice versa. The Capacity Builders toolbox is coming soon!

3 Vital Partner Constituencies

Business is obviously at the heart of business as mission, and much of the focus of the helping roles outlined above is on supporting strong, fruitful companies. However, the business sphere cannot stand alone. For business as mission to be fruitful, we need the involvement of churches, mission agencies and NGOs, academic institutions, researchers, and others. That is why the final three Helpers toolboxes—to be launched later this month—will be focused on three key partner constituencies:

Church Leaders

Church leaders or staff who recognise BAM as an effective ministry strategy and are looking to resource and mobilise the business people in their congregations or denomination.

Academics

Academics looking to inspire and equip students for BAM, integrate BAM into their curriculum and/or connect research in their institution with real BAM practice. It also includes educators, scholars, and researchers operating outside formal institutions, or undertaking individual study.

Mission Leaders

Mission leaders and staff that see how BAM aligns with the strategic goals of their organisation and/or are responsible for overseeing BAM policies and companies.

 

Our hope is each of these constituencies will connect with those in the wider BAM ecosystem, as well as others from the same constituency who they can learn from.

Discover More about the BAM Pathways…

 

Click to Open PDF & Download

 

The following BAM Pathways are now available:

 

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. 

 

 

A couple of short sections of this article have been adapted from an older post.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

 

 

Why We Keep Doing This: 4 Timely Reminders

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by Mike Baer

 

I’m sitting in yet another airport lounge—the “9 zillionth time.” My body’s tired. My family’s back home. The fall colors in the Carolina mountains are blazing without me. And then, in the middle of my self-pity, the Lord whispered: “Why are you doing this?”

I knew the answer. But then I sensed Him nudging me: “Why don’t you share the answer with the rest of the BAM community?”

So here it is. Not just my answer. Our answer. Because I know many of you feel the same way.

1. We Do It Because We’re Called

This isn’t a hobby. It’s a calling.

Business is not second-class. It’s not less than “real ministry.” It’s equal in value to every other calling from God. Any call from Him is holy—period.

For me, this call has been clear for over 35 years. It’s not about feelings, perks, or applause. It’s the Spirit of God saying, “This is the work I set you apart for” (Acts 13:1-4).

That’s why we keep going.

2. We Do It Because It Unleashes Kingdom Resources

Here’s the problem: too few are doing the work of too many. The “80-20 rule” is alive and well. A handful are carrying the load while millions sit in the stands. Why? Because the “system” taught them that “ministry” is only for “ministers.”

But ministry simply means service. A minister is just a servant. Every follower of Jesus is both.

That means the field is wide open for us all. BAM is a powerful way to show the world that work is worship, business is mission, and the marketplace is a pulpit. As I tell audiences: “Get out of the stadium and onto the field.”

We all get to play (Matthew 28:18–20).

3. We Do It Because Jesus Invited Us

This isn’t our idea. BAM wasn’t cooked up by clever people in a boardroom. It’s woven into creation itself (Genesis 1:25–31). Work, trade, stewardship—it’s God’s design.

And here’s the miracle: the One who loved us and gave Himself for us says, “Let’s do this together.”

Business as mission isn’t just about running companies. It’s about joining Jesus in His changeless purpose—to reconcile the world to Himself.

What could be better than that?

4. We Do It Because the World Still Needs Hope

The world is still broken. Whole communities are chained by poverty, corruption, unemployment, and exploitation. Nations remain unreached with the gospel. Creation itself is groaning for redemption.

And here’s the truth: real transformation comes when the Body of Christ shows up in every part of life. Not just in pulpits. Not just in pews. But in shops, factories, offices, farms, and markets.

That’s where the people are. That’s where disciples are made.

So Why Do We Do This?

Yes, sometimes we miss family, home, and rest. But when we remember why, everything changes.

We do this because of the love of God, the call of God, the mission of God, and the Kingdom of God.

And honestly? Doing BAM with God is not just important. It’s a joy. It’s an adventure. It’s downright fun.

 

 

 Mike Baer was one of the early leaders in the modern Business as Mission movement. He started his career as a pastor and church planter. After 15 years in the pastorate Mike was led into business where he gradually began to discover the potential for believers in business to bless their communities, evangelize the lost and spread the Kingdom of God, especially among the unreached. Today, Mike is the CEO of Third Path Initiative, an online BAM education resource, a strategic coach to companies in the staffing industry, a podcast host and YouTube content creator, a speaker at BAM conferences, and an author of 10 books. He and his wife Cindy live in the mountains of Western North Carolina (USA) and enjoy their 7 grandchildren.

 


Photo by Dastan khdir on Unsplash

 

A BAM Story: Witness, Generosity and Transformation in Puerto Rico [Video]

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by Merari Peña


Merari Peña shared some of her story at the Fourth Lausanne Congress Workplace Track in September 2024.

 

 

Transcript:

Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Merari Pena, and I am the founder of Forever Crystals, a business that started on the small island of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. It’s such an honor to stand before you today and share a bit about my journey.

When I was 23, I had a life-changing encounter with Jesus. This profound experience allowed me to forgive my father, who had left our family when I was just 3 years old. That forgiveness filled me with a new love for my father and a desire to serve him. At that time, what he needed most was financial support to pursue his missionary work in Cuba.

That same year, in 2007, I started a business in my garage with a simple desire—to support my father’s missionary work. Little did I know how much it would grow and how God would use it to touch so many lives and build His Kingdom.

From the beginning, our main goal was to fund missions. But everything changed in 2010 when I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Lausanne Congress in South Africa. There, I learned about the concept of business as mission, and it completely transformed the way I saw our work. This new understanding of the theology of work reshaped everything we did.

One of the biggest changes in our business was understanding our divine design and realizing that we are missionaries in the marketplace. We already had influence, a voice, and the attention of everyday people. The question then became: how are we going to use it? Our business is a fashion jewelry retail store, and we have focused on designs that inspire others and reflect stories and principles of the Bible. Our most popular pieces are a birthstone collection that celebrates the life of each woman and reflects a fruit of the Spirit. The pieces we create tell a story of biblical virtues and the strength of people in the Bible who overcame difficult times. This approach not only beautifies our customers but also spreads the message of hope and faith through creative designs that add sparkle to their everyday lives.

God’s Faithfulness in our Business Journey

God has been our guide and strength through every challenge we’ve faced. During Hurricane Maria, where our island was without electricity and water for months, our first focus was to be the hands of God, providing for our employees by distributing water and first aid kits to those in need. Our business philosophy is grounded in serving others, reflecting Jesus’ love in practical ways. When the pandemic hit, our priority remained the same—to maintain their jobs. We pivoted our business knowledge to create new ventures, ensuring our team had food on the table.

Through it all, we’ve poured into the lives of our employees, making them our first line of ministry. Our business isn’t just about products or profits; it’s about people and purpose. For 17 years, we’ve walked alongside our employees in their personal journeys, providing not just jobs, but a supportive family. We employ over 50 dedicated young women who share our vision and values, and some of them have been with us the entire 17 years we have been in business. We’ve shared life’s highs and lows together—welcoming new babies, facing cancer diagnoses, supporting through life’s losses, and celebrating marriages. We’re a community grounded in Bible principles, always there for one another.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. – Colossians 3:23-24

What we have gained we have surrendered it to God. We’ve used the influence gained through our business to start a non-profit movement called Oasis Empresarial, uniting local businesswomen to learn biblical principles for healthy, purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Through Oasis, we preach Christ to non-believers, support missionary marketplace endeavors, and minister to entrepreneurial women about Christian values, fostering spiritually and emotionally healthy entrepreneurs.

In closing, I want to leave you with this thought: In business, as in life, our “why” is the most powerful driving force. For us, our “why” has always been to serve God and others, to create a business that is a beacon of hope and love. As it says in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

As workplace Christians, we are God’s provision to the church for Kingdom building. The resources we generate through our daily work have enabled us to go out into the world or send others to do God’s work. We’ve seen firsthand how planting, supporting, and maintaining local churches in Cuba has furthered our resilience in business and the Kingdom of God, and it’s been an incredible blessing to be a part of that journey.

Thank you for allowing me to share our story. May God bless you all in your endeavors and may you find joy and purpose in serving others through what God has placed in your hands.

Thank you.

 

Read a longer story about Forever Crystals published 10 years ago on The BAM Review.

Access more videos, transcripts and study materials from the Lausanne Congress Workplace Track here.



Merari Pena, founder of Forever Crystals, holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and studied jewelry design at Alchimia in Florence. With over 25 years of retail experience, she launched her fashion jewelry business in her garage at 23. Forever Crystals has grown into a thriving enterprise with an online shop and stores in the Caribbean. Merari also leads Oasis Empresarial, a non-profit empowering businesswoman with biblical principles. Committed to Servant Leadership, she integrates faith and business to support communities and missionaries, spreading hope and purpose.

 

 

Photo by Forever Crystals

 

 

 

 

Different Pathways: 4 People Share Their Journey into BAM

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Hear from four people who have got involved in BAM. They share how they got engaged, what they did to prepare to launch, and what they had to overcome.

What helped propel you towards business as mission? What were some of the most important things you did to prepare to launch?

We were working professionals for a long time and felt we reached a certain level of accomplishment in our career and knew it was time for a change. When we decided we wanted to move abroad, we looked at ways on how we could have the greatest impact and found that running a business can hugely benefit a community on many different levels, as well as give ministry opportunities we otherwise would not be presented with. Also, starting a business felt the most authentic way for us to truly become “immigrants” in our new home country and displayed our commitment to the locals that we were serious and in this for the long haul. To prepare we researched and read books on BAM, as well as spending time talking to experienced workers particularly through the Open Network Expo.  – Ben and Yumi, Vietnam [have been operating a software development company since 2014, before that they spent 10 months intentionally preparing to do BAM, 4 months in their home country and 6 months in Vietnam]

Partners Worldwide has been introducing this concept and I heard about it. It was an idea that was developing in my mind but when I heard it from Partners it became very clear that this was the way any Christian or even non Christian should run their business. It helped maximize Kingdom impact and also helped the business flourish as well. BAM has been a game changer for me in many different ways. I think the first thing to do to prepare is pray. God can help in any way. He is our reason to live and also do business. So bringing the issue to him is very important. Once God provides all of the aspects, it’s good to meet with the employees so they can start to see the changes but slowly. Starting the meeting with a prayer can break the ice. Next time start with a prayer then read a verse. Taking it slowly gives employees time to process new ways of doing things. – Daniel, Haiti [transitioned his company to being a BAM-focused company in 2013, he spent 2 years before that preparing to do BAM]

The BAM track at Urbana conference in St. Louis, Missouri, USA helped me a lot by allowing me to meet the people who shaped my life and mentored me. This growth in networking and asking questions helped me to better understand the idea of BAM and propelled me to start reading, traveling, and eventually doing BAM in Nepal. I was quite intentional once I caught the vision. I felt God leading me towards this in my life and so I pursued it fervently to the point of actually going and trying to grow BAM companies. I have a business degree and that helps so much. So many people I see trying to do BAM don’t have any kind of business background or even a desire to learn it, which, doesn’t end well in my opinion. Get some business skills, love God, love others, and then just obey wherever God calls you. Remember that what you’re doing is opening up a business, so actually be good at knowing what that could entail and then follow God’s leading. – Jacob, Nepal [worked for a BAM company in Nepal, after 2 years of God preparing him to go]

There were two things that propelled me toward business as mission. The first thing was a weekly prayer meeting with three other young professionals who wanted to grow in faith/work integration. We would spend half of our time praying out loud and half of our time listening to God and then keeping each other accountable as God gave us steps of faith to take. The other main thing that propelled us specifically toward BAM was seeking a healthy intersection between my wife and my passion for missions and deep desire to use the gifts God has given us in business. For us, taking a two week vision trip to Thailand was extremely valuable looking back. It gave us an idea of what it would look like to work and live there. We also attended Support Raising Solution’s Bootcamp and Missions Training International. These pre-field trainings gave us excellent foundations for personal finances, working cross-culturally, and language acquisition. – Evan, Thailand [has been part of the leadership team of a BAM company for 8 years, after working in a corporate job and then BAM mobilising and training for 2 years]

 

Was there anything that held you back that you had to overcome? Anything you wish you’d done differently, or any tips for effective preparation?

We didn’t feel anything holding us back because we were at a point in our lives where we felt called to go and God had already blessed us with the the means and desire. The only thing that we had to work out as a family was to be unified on where to go. If you have a desire to go, just go! Be diligent in laying down a strong foundation, work hard everyday and be intentional about building relationships. In all this, never forget why you are doing it and who you are doing it for. On the business side, there’s always a lot that needs to be figured out on how to setup and manage a company as a foreigner. A benefit for us is that we had some operational and strategic experience in business before starting our own here. For BAM, we are continually working on how to best integrate ministry within business. Speaking with other BAM workers and hearing their experiences and how they do it has been crucial and insightful. – Ben and Yumi, Vietnam 

I think lack of clarity was a big obstacle. I had the idea but it was not defined and was not clear so I couldn’t act on it. Coming in contact with literature that prepared my mind was instrumental in shifting my thinking. Also practice is hard to change. Changing direction requires changing culture and habits – organizational resistance is a major hindrance many times. I think taking it easy was a good strategy. Some employees are more interested than others but eventually they all come to be interested. The bigger issue is to take the BAM concept to our suppliers and distributors. That will be a real challenge but doing so will maximize our impact. – Daniel, Haiti

I partly had to retrain myself on not separating the workplace from a place where ministry could be done. However, the company I work for does that so well that they taught me that it could be done. Adding a cross-cultural environment to the mix is also extremely challenging because the same things or practices that work at home aren’t necessarily what will work in a new country. BAM isn’t the answer to missions or for everyone out there, but it is a way for those who want to use their God given skills to legitimately create value for communities, markets, and people – with a focus on bringing the transformation of Jesus Christ to their sphere of influence and workplace. Most of the things I had to learn where language, culture, who the players were in the business realm, how to work with the government, and then learn the markets. This is all pretty basic stuff but it takes time and energy. Lots of it. So network like crazy, and study hard on the culture, people, and language before opening up a business. If you have a healthy and growing relationship with Jesus, then He will show you the rest. – Jacob, Nepal

For me fear of failure or making a mistake was a big factor. I had worked in a “safe” corporate job for 6+ years and quitting felt like jumping off of a ledge, especially when many of my friends were laying down deeper roots and designing their lifestyles for security, safety, and pleasure. I don’t know if this is something we could have done better or not, but we did realize after being here that we are more inclined toward building businesses than starting businesses. This changed our approach in terms of looking for a business to join instead of start. Although I’ve been told that we might get more of a taste for starting businesses as we get more into BAM! – Evan, Thailand 

 

This post has been adapted for the current BAM Pathways series from material originally published as a four part series in 2016, with eight BAMers sharing their journey. With thanks to the BAM practitioners who shared their experiences. 

 

 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 directs BAM Global initiatives such as BAM Global Events, BAM Global Think Tank consultations, and the BGlobal Community. Jo has been developing resources for BAM since 2001 and serves as Editor of the Business as Mission website and The BAM Review Blog. 

 

 

 

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

 

 

Leveraging the God-given Power of Business [Video]

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by João Mordomo


João Mordomo introduces the concept of business as mission at the Fourth Lausanne Congress Workplace Track in September 2024.

 

 

Transcript:

Good afternoon to everybody or good morning or good evening depending on what your body clock is telling you. I’m glad to be here with you this afternoon. That’s what my body clock is almost telling me now.

I’m João Mordomo and I’m the [Lausanne] Catalyst for Business as Mission together with my colleague Jo Plummer who’s around here somewhere. And I’ve been asked to talk to you about business as mission.

Dallas Willard once said that, “Business is a primary moving force for the love of God in human history.” Business when it’s done well is glorifying to God and has enormous potential to do good in society.

Business has an innate God-given power to create dignified jobs, to multiply resources, to provide for families and communities, to spur innovation and development, and to solve pressing human problems. In the global marketplace today, we have a huge opportunity to leverage this God-given power of business to address some of the world’s most pressing spiritual and social and economic and environmental issues.

We call this BAM. It’s business as mission.

It’s a movement of business professionals called to use their gifts, their expertise in entrepreneurship and good management to bring creative long-term sustainable solutions to challenges such as the evils of human trafficking or the task of reaching the world’s remaining unreached people groups with the gospel or the problems of societal injustice, environmental degradation, dire poverty, just to name a few.

When we’re thinking about the mission of the church, we need to remember what Michael Oh said on the opening night [of this Congress] that even if we equip every believer in the workplace to be an effective witness for Christ, we still won’t reach the world with the holistic gospel. Because 86% of the world’s Muslims and Buddhists and Hindus, not to mention atheists, do not have access to the gospel—they don’t know a Christian.

And, we still won’t have the solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Business provides these solutions.

Business as mission is a distinct category different from tent making, different from workplace ministry. Business as mission is the strategic use of authentic business activities that create authentic ministry opportunities that bring spiritual and social and economic and environmental transformation to marginalized people and unreached peoples.

In other words, BAM simultaneously fulfills the great mandate to steward creation well, the great commandment to love God and love our neighbors, and the great commission to make disciples of all nations.

Enter the Lausanne Business as Mission Issue Network. Together with an organization called BAM Global, we exist to invigorate the global BAM movement by building intellectual and social capital for the global BAM ecosystem. We produce global BAM reports. We facilitate global BAM consultations and events. And we nurture regional, activity-based, and industry-based partner networks. There are over 45 networks all around the world and growing.

Business as mission is the strategic use of authentic business activities that create authentic ministry opportunities that bring spiritual and social and economic and environmental transformation to marginalized people and unreached peoples.

We got our start—Joseph mentioned this earlier and I will say something about it—we got our start in the lead up to the 2004 Lausanne Forum that took place in Thailand exactly 20 years ago to this week. Over 70 of us from all around the world worked together for over a year addressing issues related to God’s purposes for work and business and the role of business people in church and missions and the needs of the world and the potential response from business. Most of us came from business backgrounds but there were also people from church and mission. There were educators, theologians, economists, lawyers, researchers. The collaboration process included 60 papers, 25 case studies, several national and regional BAM consultations and email-based discussions culminating in a week of face-to-face dialogue and a whole lot of work. Somebody asked me when I got back, “What was Thailand like?” I said, “I have no idea. I never left the hotel. We worked non-stop for a week.” The result was the groundbreaking 85 page Lausanne Occasional paper on Business as Mission and the accompanying one-page BAM Manifesto.

That Manifesto includes affirmations and recommendations and here are several of them:

  • We believe that God has created all men and women in his image with the ability to create good things for themselves and others and that includes business.
  • We believe in emulating Jesus who constantly met the needs of people he encountered daily, including in their workplaces.
  • We believe that the Holy Spirit empowers all members of the body of Christ to meet the spiritual and physical needs of others, including through business.
  • We believe that God has called and equipped business people and entrepreneurs to cause holistic gospel transformation of individuals and communities and societies and nations and peoples in and through their businesses.
  • We recognize the fact that poverty and unemployment are often rampant in areas where the name of Jesus is rarely or never heard or understood.
  • We recognize that there is a need for job creation and for multiplication of businesses all over the world focused on the four-fold bottom line of spiritual, economic, social, and environmental transformation.
  • We recognize the fact that the church has a huge and largely untapped resource in the Christian business community to bring global glory to God by way of business.

Therefore, number one:

We call upon the church worldwide to identify, affirm, pray for, commission, and release business people and entrepreneurs to exercise their gifts and callings as business people in the world among our peoples to the ends of the earth.

And number two:

We call upon business people globally to receive this affirmation and to prayerfully consider how their gifts and expertise and experience might be used to help create solutions for the world’s most pressing spiritual and physical needs through business as mission.

Is God calling you to join us? Is God calling you to join in this movement of business people and entrepreneurs who are serving God in and through the workplace and intentionally shaping their business for God’s glory, the work of the gospel, and the global common good?

I hope so. And if so, check out lausanne.org, bamglobal.org, and businessmission.com to start the journey with us.

Thank you.

 

Access more videos, transcripts and study materials from the Lausanne Congress Workplace Track here.

 

Dr. João Mordomo loves to help start and lead anything — mission agencies, churches, businesses, networks — that helps fulfill the Great Commission. He is a founding board member and Executive Director of BAM Global, and Catalyst for Business as Mission at the Lausanne Movement. João serves variously as owner, managing director and board member of several BAM companies, and designs and teaches BAM and other courses at several universities.

 

 

Photo by Josh Olalde on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

Get Involved in Doing Business as Mission: BAM Pathways

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by Jo Plummer

 

There are many different ways to get involved in business as mission and the BAM movement needs many types of people, skills, experiences and passions. If you are interested in engaging with BAM, there is a path and role for you!

This article is based on an earlier post on the idea of different routes into business as mission and has been updated to coincide with the launch of the new ‘BAM Pathways‘ initiative. Read about it here.

Some of you reading this are still in early stages of BAM exploration, or maybe you are intrigued by the idea of business as mission and simply want to learn more. Or perhaps you are someone in a related area of work and just want to stay in touch and see how what is happening in the BAM community connects with you. If that is you, we’d love to stay in touch! Please see ways to keep connected with us in the footer below.

 

Actively Engaging in BAM?

Others of you will be look for more active engagement! Perhaps you are looking for tangible ways to get involved in BAM? Or perhaps you are already engaged and are looking for more resources pertinent to you? If so, this post is for you.

Two broad pathways for engagement in BAM are:
1) Doing – getting involved by doing business as mission yourself, in a BAM company context, or
2) Helping – enabling, resourcing or connecting others to do BAM — through activities such as mentoring, investing, praying, building networks, incubating, training, mobilising, and so on!

If option 2 is you, look out for the new ‘Helpers‘ segment of the BAM Pathways initiative coming next month, and meanwhile read this mini blog series on the topic.

Get Involved Doing BAM

If you are interested in option 1, getting involved in doing business as mission yourself, chances are you are thinking about one of the following options:

A: Starting up a BAM company
B: Joining a BAM company that someone else has started
C: Repurposing an existing company to integrate BAM principles into it

 

There is no right or wrong way to get involved in BAM, but here are some helpful ideas and a roundup of resources for whichever option you are exploring…

 


A: Starting Up a BAM Company

Business Planning Blogs

If you are in the business planning and start-up stage, then we have loads of free resources on The BAM Review Blog for you, whether you already have an idea and are testing it, or are trying to identify a product-market fit. Start with Business Planning for BAM Part 1: Overview & Getting Started, then read through blogs on Business Planning for BAM Part 2: Product and Market and Business Planning for BAM Part 3: Financial Planning. You might find blogs on Launching and Landing and Integration are also good for foundation building. More Blog Topics here.

 

Praxis Course

Praxis offer a free course that will help you develop your mindset as a BAM starter. As they describe it, ‘Through a free six-session video and discussion series, the Praxis Course aims to help innovative leaders and builders to develop an imagination for what we call “Redemptive Entrepreneurship,” which means to leverage personal and organizational power for the sake of others, and to create products, services, and organizations that join God in the renewal of all things.’ Watch the Redemptive Frame intro video and find out more here.

 

Lean Canvas Frameworks

Lean Startup concepts have taken the business world by storm over the past decade and more. Kingdom-minded business incubators and BAM trainers have taken these concepts and adapted ‘Lean Canvas’ frameworks  specifically for missional business models. You can find resources at BAM Connect Business as Mission Model Canvas, ThirdPath Lean Canvas Course, and CO.STARTERS. For more in-depth training see the School of Business and Entrepreneurship and other training resources here.

 

Triventure Process

If you are looking for a bit more support to launch your BAM company, then Triventure has the resources for you. Triventure describes itself as ‘the Business as Mission Launchpad’ and offers a comprehensive package of Courses (by ThirdPath Initiative), Coaching, and Capital to help you get your BAM company off the ground. Discover more here.

 

B: Joining a BAM Company

Launching into BAM Blogs

If you are going to help build a BAM company that someone else has started, then we have tons of blog content for you too. Get a strong BAM foundations with some of the resources above, plus BAM 101 blogs and articles on the Integration of Business and Mission. Our Launching and Landing series covers topics on successfully deploying into business as mission. More Blog Topics here.

 

Explore BAM Stories

We recommend reading a variety of BAM stories to get an idea of what kind of BAM company you’d like to join. You’ll find recommended Blogs and Books containing stories on our Stories page. The BAM Stories Podcast is another great source, and do come along to a BAM Global Event where BAM case studies are shared every year and connections to BAM companies will be made!

 

Sending Organisations with a Business Focus

If you are looking to be equipped and sent out to join a BAM company, then training and deployment with a mission sending agency or ‘tentmaking’ training entity might be for you. Check out Antioch Partners, Interserve, World Venture, Navigators, Tent International, FaithTech and many more—see the ‘Recruiting & Mobilising’ section of the BAM Ecosystem Map. Most mission agencies have a BAM strategy integrated in some way, so find an organisation that resonates with you or works in the region you want to go to and enquire about their business initiatives.

 

Discover Internships & Jobs

If you are starting out in your career then we really recommend getting an internship or two under your belt. Any kind of experience is good, but learning about general business disciplines in a small to medium sized company context can be particularly useful. Ready to search for a BAM job or internship? Check out the Jobs boards at: Transformational SME and the BGlobal Community, the Apprenticeship program at OPEN Network, and the ‘Head Hunting & Jobs Board’ section of the BAM Ecosystem Map

 

C: Integrating BAM Principles into an Existing Company

 

Integrating Faith & Business Foundations

If you’re looking to integrate business as mission into your company, but don’t know where to get started, we highly recommend reading Business for the Glory of God, a short book that sets out a biblical way of thinking about business. Other great resources to help you integrate faith and business and find your tribe, include: Faith Driven Entrepreneur, Theology of Work Project, Faith & Co., Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, LICC, and the Biblical Business Resource Center.

 

Integration Blogs

And yes, we have a whole series of Blogs for that too! Read foundational topics like BAM 101 and Biblical Foundations for BAM. Explore ideas and practical tips for integrating BAM into business with articles on Integrating Business and Mission. More Blog Topics here.

 

Wealth Creation Manifesto & Global Classroom

BAM Global and Lausanne partnered to produce a series of video resources and papers on the critical need for wealth creators, i.e. business people, to partner with God in mission. Watch the Video series here, read the Wealth Creation Manifesto here, and download the Report series here.

 

Rēp – Repurposing Business Training

Rēp specialises in training and resources to equip business leaders for marketplace impact. Rēp’s goal is introduced as follows, ‘God has long used work and business as vehicles for his plans on earth. In centuries past a fictitious divide between work & worship, business & ministry crept into our thinking. Our goal is not to get God into business, but to get businesses into God’s business.’ Check out their training courses here, including a free foundation course for ‘repurposing your business’.

Foundation Resources for Everyone

Whatever your approach or path, here are a few resources that will help everyone get a good foundation in BAM:

 

BAM Manifesto

The BAM Manifesto is our foundational document to frame business as mission; it shares in one page what BAM is all about. Read it here.

 

Start Here Page

Our Start page on this very website is designed to give you a brief introduction to business as mission and is ground zero for the BAM Pathways. Go there now.

 

BAM A-Z Booklet

If you would like to learn your BAM ABCs, look no further than the BAM A-Z booklet that communicates the concepts of BAM with graphics, single words and short texts. Using the 26 letters of the English alphabet, Mats Tunehag has identified 26 key words and concepts related to BAM. They are accompanied by a brief explanation and a graphic. Download your copy here. Watch the BAM Global leadership team share about each letter in 1-2 minute videos here.

 

BAM Global Movement Book

Get an introduction to BAM with one book purchase, this introductory book on business as mission by Gea Gort & Mats Tunehag is for you. It interweaves foundation-laying chapters on the concept of BAM with case study chapters, sharing the stories of real companies. Find out more.

 

Introduction to BAM Courses

Looking for a bit more BAM to study? Two of our partners offer great introduction to BAM courses:

ThirdPath Initiative offer a free 7 part course that will start you on your BAM path – check it out here!

YWAM Colorado Springs offer a more intensive 10 part Introduction to BAM Seminar that can be taken online or in-person in a cohort – discover more here.

 

There are many more ideas on the BAM Ecosystem Map and you can discover more great BAM resources right here at the Business as Mission Resource Centre, in the Business as Mission Resource Library and The BAM Review Blog.

God has equipped each of us with various skill sets and backgrounds, leading each of us on unique paths. No matter how you’ve been equipped, what role you have in business as mission, or where you are on your journey, we hope you will find the resources on this website useful and encouraging.

Check out the new resources for ‘Do-ers’ on the BAM Pathways here.

 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 directs BAM Global initiatives such as BAM Global Events, BAM Global Think Tank consultations, and the BGlobal Community. Jo has been developing resources for BAM since 2001 and serves as Editor of the Business as Mission website and The BAM Review Blog. 

 

 

Photo by Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash

 

 

3 Ways Businesses Integrate Faith

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by Min-Dong Paul Lee, Hannah J. Stolze and Denise Daniels

 

Can a for-profit business demonstrate faith? For years, the answer seemed obvious: companies exist to make money, not to practice religion. However, with the rise of business as mission as well as the faith and work movement, more and more Christian entrepreneurs today believe they can integrate faith with their business and work. Then, how does faith manifest in businesses?

At Wheaton College’s Center for Faith and Innovation, we engaged in a multi-year research project to explore this question. With remarkable openness, five Christian entrepreneurs invited us to scrutinize their companies, asking for thorough, unbiased feedback. Our research, encompassing interviews, focus groups, surveys, and site visits, focused on identifying the presence and impact of faith within their organizations. Workplace leaders and employees were asked to describe the ways that they observed or experienced faith expressions in the workplace.

We were initially surprised that workers saw expressions of faith in many different forms. We identified three ways faith comes to life in these workplaces through a systematic qualitative and quantitative analysis. The three dimensions of faith expressions are distinct in terms of how readily observable they are as well as how explicitly they are connected with faith.

 

 

1. Embodied Faith

The first dimension required little to no thought for most respondents to identify—this category included such things as the presence of a cross or the practice of corporate prayers. These symbols and practices are easily observable, and their meaning is explicit in that most people would interpret them as faith-based. We call this kind of expression “embodied faith” because it gives tangible and visible form to faith.

For example, one firm displayed a mission statement that included “glorify God” on the wall. Another had a prayer chapel and crosses at headquarters. Embodied faith is also expressed through practice. Prayers, especially, stood out. A sales team member shared, “Whenever we have meetings, sales team or any of the meetings, we start with a prayer.” At another company, spontaneous prayers were routine: “We stop every now and then, get on the floor, and pray with each other. We know each of us has problems at home… We talk about it and pray with one another.”

These symbols and rituals aren’t subtle. They’re what anthropologist Clifford Geertz called concrete embodiments of belief—easily spotted and clearly tied to faith. But employees warned that crosses and prayers alone don’t cut it. As one put it, faith “can’t be hypocritical!” Embodied faith is just the surface; it needs deeper roots.

Read more

Raising Up the Next Generation of BAM Leaders

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by Mike Baer

 

We’ve had quite a ride. For over 40 years, the Business as Mission (BAM) movement has been breaking ground (even before it was called that)—taking the Gospel to the marketplace and planting it right in the middle of real life. This idea—that business isn’t second-tier, but rather a high calling from God—has flipped a lot of thinking upside down. From scattered dreamers and explorers in the 1980s to a global movement with countless books, companies, conferences, podcasts, YouTube channels, degrees, and investment funds, BAM has gone from fringe to full-on force. But here’s the big question: is this just the beginning… or the end of a chapter?

It’s possible that we’re at a crossroads. Ronald Reagan once said that freedom is never more than a generation from extinction. I think BAM is the same. If we don’t pass it on with intention and heart, it won’t last. But Paul’s words to Timothy (in 2 Tim. 2:2) give us more hope and a better plan—train up faithful people who will teach others. That’s the long game. That’s how movements survive.

Put those two thoughts together, and you get a bit of a wake-up call. We need to raise up the next generation of BAM leaders—not just to keep the movement alive, but to take it somewhere we’ve never even imagined. This is about legacy, and legacy means people.

Now, I’m not saying we’re old… but let’s be honest, many of us are turning into “OGs.” In hip-hop, that stands for “Original Gangster”—someone who’s been around from the start. In BAM, that’s a bunch of us. We’ve pioneered. We’ve fought the early battles. And now it’s time to pass the baton to the NGs—the New Gangsters. The next wave. The future of BAM.

From where I sit—with my Boomer perspective—I’m actually pretty hopeful. (And I want to call out the Gen Xers and Millennials too, we all need to think about building from generation to generation, no matter our age or stage.) Gen Z (Zoomers) are full of fire. They’re purpose-driven, passionate, and looking for a cause that’s worth their lives. Reminds me a bit of my generation—we protested war, launched campaigns against hunger, reshaped politics, and kicked off the Jesus Movement. There’s power in this next crew. But here’s the issue: most of them don’t know what “missions” even means. They’re globally connected but often spiritually short-sighted. They don’t know the need, the urgency. Most haven’t yet discovered the next step beyond TikTok activism. That’s the first challenge—help them fall in love with Jesus and His mission.

Then comes the second challenge. Once they’re on fire for Jesus, they still face a stale set of choices: either be a good little layperson in the marketplace, or go “pro” and join the ministry as a pastor or missionary. Two tracks. Black and white. But we know better. BAM throws out the old two-track map. We don’t accept the sacred and the secular divide. We preach Jesus as Lord of all, and business is one of His tools to heal and bless this broken world. So let’s show this new generation that there are more than two doors.

Before they choose, we’ve got to reach them. And here are a few ways to start: Read more

Virtue is priceless: For Everything Else, There’s Excellence

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by Phil Hanson & Terry Young

 

As authors, and with a nod to Mastercard (see below), we have been looking at businesses through a kingdom lens. In Part 1, we explored what it might look like for Christian business owners to pursue both excellence and virtue. But what does pursuing virtue mean? What specific virtues are we talking about? And how might we assess how well we are doing in that pursuit? That’s the topic of this post, Part 2.

In our booklet How to Merge Kingdom and Business: The Most Excellent Way we used the template of the Christian virtues of faith, hope and love. This obviously isn’t the only possible template, but it is one that has been used by theologians throughout history. Each of St Paul’s three themes can be unpacked as practical ways of working, albeit with some overlap between them.

What becomes evident is that many things going on in business can be mapped back to the faith, hope and love template, even if they were not morally motivated at the start. Business leaders have striven to do what they believe to be the right thing, without necessarily grounding their actions in a Christian context, or that of another faith. This is indicated by the column showing ‘Secular Motivation and Application’ below—i.e. actions in business that could be mapped back to the virtues of faith, hope or love, but without an intentional faith-driven motivation.

One indicator of what is happening is what businesses say about themselves in their advertising straplines, as the table below illustrates.

 

Virtue
Christian Motivation and Application
Secular Motivation and Application
Company Taglines
Faith
  • Hunger for perfection
  • Depends on God
  • Metamorphosis
  • Supernatural process
  • Wanting to do the right thing
  • Getting the best from people
  • Re-engineering
  • Rational process
Pursuit of Excellence (IBM)
Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands (M&M)
Does Exactly What It Says on the Tin® (Ronseal)
Hope
  • Hunger for (God’s) glory
  • Constant over time
  • Mysteriously satisfying
  • Eternal
  • Joyful in hope
  • Energising vision
  • Varies with circumstances
  • Always chasing satisfaction
  • The long game
  • Fun & fulfilment
A Diamond is Forever (De Beers)
Think Different. (Apple)
Believe in Better (Sky Group)
Love
  • Hunger for (God’s) heart
  • The greatest… is love
  • Unconditional love
  • Perfectly, wonderfully made
  • Relationships essential
  • All stakeholders matter
  • Subject to performance
  • Respect for the individual
Have it your way (Burger King)
Fly with friends (Austrian Airlines)
Succeed Together (LEGO)

 

While the taglines of companies give us clues about motivation, they are not exhaustive. To dig deeper into the underlying motivations, we bulleted some characteristics of what companies want and then mapped them back to corresponding Christian virtues. In trying to match them up we, surprisingly, noticed some parallels and some differences between the Christian and secular thinking.

For example, in the faith row above, both sides aspire to goodness: on the Christian side, to perfection and on the business side, to doing the right thing. But by the final pair of bullets, we recognise that one side is supernatural and the other, highly rational.  One side demands rebirth, the other re-engineering; one side depends on God, the other on getting the best from people. We have tried to bridge these similarities and differences with the idea of resilient reliability, which the taglines pick up.

In the hope line we connect a hunger for God’s glory on one side with the need for an energising vision in business—a nice alignment. There’s also a sense of joy, fun and fulfilment that matches across the columns. However, the constancy of Christian hope clashes with the way the human hope swivels in the choppy waters of the market, and while Christian hope is mysteriously satisfied in the glory of God, human hopes are always chasing something they can’t quite catch. Meanwhile, ‘the long game’ is the closest we can get in business to the eternal. We’ve tried to bridge this with the idea of realising renewal, wrapping creativity and innovation into that, and mapping it to strategy and purpose.

In the love row, there is obvious alignment around the centrality of relationships, but God takes an unconditional approach to each soul, whereas business must draw the line somewhere and part company with unsuitable partners, employees or customers. Respect can only go so far versus unconditional love.  However, the two sides can shake hands over the idea of rewarding relationships.

People, Purpose & Process

As authors, we gravitated early on in our exploration of ethics and the workplace to the idea that businesses tend to talk faith-ish and hope-ish and love-ish, whatever their starting motivation, as we have seen above. We set out, therefore, to look for operational virtues in commerce, manufacturing and service provision, that might twin with faith, hope and love in some way, but using more familiar business language.

We concluded that love could be expressed as ‘people’, since business doesn’t work without people. Hope could be expressed as ‘purpose’, and an alternative word for faith is ‘process’.

Diagram 1: Mapping Theological Virtues to Business Values and the 3 RRs

 

It wasn’t difficult to persuade ourselves that the two globally recognised business excellence frameworks we referenced in Part 1 (Baldrige and EFQM) could be condensed nicely under the themes of purpose, people and process. For more details on this, read How to Merge Kingdom and Business: the most excellent way (2024).

Love could be expressed as ‘people’, since business doesn’t work without people. Hope could be expressed as ‘purpose’, and an alternative word for faith is ‘process’.


Pathways Towards Kingdom Business

The table above suggests that there are good ethical intentions in many organisations. However, this observation doesn’t help us to establish how big a gap there is between such an organisation and a ‘kingdom business’—i.e. an enterprise motivated primarily by kingdom of God purposes—and what the pathway might be to get there.

We have previously described the journey towards becoming a kingdom business as having two axes: one axis of improving excellence of practice and performance and the other axis of ever-improving virtue.

Diagram 2: A virtue and excellence matrix

 

These two paths have some parallel with the ideas of faith and works. And as such, both faith (virtue) and works (excellence) are required for a kingdom business. All virtue and no excellence manifests itself in worthy but unsustainable, likely uncompetitive, business; all excellence and no virtue may deliver a booming business but without a moral compass, much less able to make the world a better place.

Another principle for moving towards virtue and excellence together is Voltaire’s idea of perfect versus good. He famously argued that perfect is the enemy of good. Striving for perfection will inhibit important small steps of improvement. Our kingdom businesses must strive for virtue without compromising the day-to-day practical improvement in how the operation performs.

All excellence and no virtue may deliver a booming business but without a moral compass, much less able to make the world a better place.

For almost 30 years, now, Mastercard has been running its Priceless advertisements. They start with emotive scenes: families reuniting in an arrivals lounge for Christmas; or a Mom going in search of her Irish roots. The cost of the arrangements—flights, trains, drinks, etc.— float across the scene. At some point the voiceover explains that the experience you are witnessing is priceless, adding, ‘There are some things money can’t buy; for everything else, there’s Mastercard.’

So what is our framework all about?  Well, to paraphrase, this seminal slogan, ‘Virtue is priceless; for everything else, there’s excellence.’

Application

As authors, we hope that the RR3 Framework that we introduce here and in more detail in our book—that connects the theological virtues of faith, hope and love, to the business-oriented triplet of process, purpose and people—may help to ground discussions around Christian or kingdom business more directly to biblical principles.

In our observation, a lot of what is published is good news stories, i.e. we did this and that and then these good things happened! There is nothing wrong with sharing such stories, but having a framework forces us to ask how good the good things really were and to test for virtue and excellence in all three of our themes.

Even if you aren’t the CEO or company owner, you may still use the RR3 Framework to find a voice in your organisation. You might find managers willing to have a conversation that starts something like this, ‘From our advertising, we want to offer the following. As a Christian, that looks a bit like faith (or love or hope). I was wondering whether you’d be interested in getting your practice closer to your tagline….’

Think about it and then find a way to talk about it.

 

For more on these topics, see our booklet, How to Merge Kingdom and Business: The Most Excellent Way, available from Grove books or on Amazon.  

 

Phil Hanson is a senior chartered engineer with a track record in industry and Christian service. He grew IBM’s Manufacturing Consulting Practice to $50M pa and his contribution was recognized with visiting positions at Newcastle and Cambridge. He has an MBA, a couple of Masters in theology and was ordained in retirement in the Church of England.

 


Terry Young is a missionary kid and active church member who went into R&D and became a professor before founding Datchet Consulting. He has published patents, 100+ academic articles, and books on Bible study and leadership. With a PhD in lasers, he is a member of The Operational Research Society and a Fellow of the British Computer Society.

 

 

Photo by Celpax on Unsplash

Kingdom Business: The Intentional Pursuit of Virtue and Excellence

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by Phil Hanson & Terry Young


When a business offers breakfast to children heading to school on an empty stomach, we applaud. In some parts of the world, we can point to examples all around us of companies making a local difference in ways like this.

However, what is their motivation? It’s worth thinking about the mix of possible motives, from genuine altruism to exploitation for marketing advantage. Adam Smith thought that business had a way of cleansing people’s ethical outlook: no matter how selfish the goals of business leaders, the resultant wealth brought good to the whole society. That’s an idea we explore in our booklet, How to Merge Kingdom and Business: The Most Excellent Way.

A neutral observer today might be inclined to conclude the opposite to Adam Smith, that self-interest is one of the prime reasons that business can do harm.

Diagram 1: Some consider self-interest to be wholly in conflict with doing good

Can a Christian business leader simply trust in Adam’s Smith’s misguided attempt to combine virtue and practice, and the idea that all will necessarily come good? Or do we need to be more intentional?

Combining doing well with doing good is worth deeper consideration. It’s a path that some Christian entrepreneurs have chosen, so how reasonable are their hopes of succeeding?

The Staircase

To help understand this, we created a simple matrix that deals separately with business ethics and business practice. This is a key factor in the discussion: the workplace itself cannot bind virtue and excellence together nor does it automatically set them in opposition to one another.

Diagram 2: A virtue and excellence matrix

 

This staircase model frees us to address ethical virtue and the excellences of business practice separately. (One can walk along a corridor next to the stairs without rising: to get to the next level, you must decide to take the stairs.) However, in doing so, we are not claiming that virtue and excellence are disconnected from each other. Each axis shapes how customers and others view the company and affects the viability of the business. Shoddy products might undermine a strong ethical brand, while dodgy behaviour weakens confidence in a strong bottom line.

A key message from the staircase diagram is that one must be as intentional in the pursuit of virtue as one is in pursuing excellence.

As we note in our book, ethics at work largely come from the people at the top. Even the much-acclaimed Victorian philanthropists had their blind spots, caring passionately for their local employees but not attending to slavery and oppression in their overseas supply chains.

Most businesses are likely to be doing both good and bad at the same time, however well run they are. Products and services that have a noble purpose may weigh on the positive side of the scales while unkind employee relations may tip the balance in the opposite direction. Critically, all business leaders are tipping the scales one way or another, both through action and through neglect—reflecting the theological categories of commission and omission.

A key message from the staircase diagram is that one must be as intentional in the pursuit of virtue as one is in pursuing excellence, if a credible business is to flourish under a business as mission-type banner. For some in the BAM fold, this may mean more attention to the ethical nervous system, to others it may require a sharper focus on business protocols, procedures and practices.

Intentional Excellence

The excellence axis of the diagram is well understood now that a few decades of measurement and dialogue have shaped our understanding of what works in business. Business gurus and prominent leaders still write their books, but an evidence-based consensus has emerged over how to manage, how to set up HR systems, how to run logistics, production lines, and so forth. We cite the Baldrige Excellence Framework and the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) as leading international organisations that gather such knowledge and produce benchmarking tools for businesses.

As authors, we are familiar with best business practice and the maturity models and other tools used to assess performance, but it is not clear how deeply embedded this mindset is in Christian entrepreneurial circles. We shall return to this topic in our second blog in this series, when we address approaches that may be helpful in assessing how well we are doing.

Intentional Virtue

There are various ways in which organisations can set their sails in the market’s prevailing wind. Regardless of its ethical stance, every business is affected by 3 R’s: regulation, representation and renewal. To continue the sailing metaphor, each offers ethical opportunities and challenges, depending on how the leadership tacks:

Regulation sets standards and provides tools to assess compliance, so that achieving compliance may be heralded as a business virtue.

Representation is a way to spread accountability for business decisions and practices. The result, however, may simply be determined by the strongest voice(s). It is no guarantee of ethical behaviour.

Renewal provides another potentially positive influence when new ways of working are driven by waves of technology, for example. Enlightened ways of working do emerge but not everyone benefits.

None of these three approaches can ensure lasting and deeply rooted change to the scales of business virtue.

Christian bosses may be marked out by their integrity, their good example, their personal witness and a track record of compassionate execution of necessary business changes. They have, however, an opportunity to do much more than simply being good role models. They can do things in their businesses that have a ‘multiplier’ impact so that their business can begin to make the world a better place. This might be described as accelerating God’s kingdom rather than simply advancing it.

Kingdom Business

Management consultants love to explain things using the two-by-two matrix and this emerging idea of ‘kingdom business’ can be explained this way too. There are, for any business, two directions of travel, as shown in our earlier staircase diagram.

The first of these directions is the pursuit of business excellence, the adoption of industry best practice and benchmarking against market leaders and others. The journey is one of continuous and shared improvements with occasional step functions of discontinuous change. It is by this means that customer expectations are exceeded, market share is improved, and financial results maximised.

The second direction of travel is that of increasing virtue. It is when the good the business does in the world exceeds the bad. It too is a journey of both large and small steps.

Business leaders can do things in their businesses that have a “multiplier” impact so that their business can begin to make the world a better place.

This picture of a kingdom business is one in which both directions of travel are taken equally seriously. It is like a flight of stairs, onwards and upwards. It is where, perhaps, the balanced scorecard treats ethical results with the same emphasis as commercial results. God’s kingdom is not an extra to be achieved in good times when the business can afford it or the poor relation of creating shareholder wealth.  Instead, God’s kingdom purposes become the ultimate purpose of the business.

Up and to the Right?

There are different trajectories for businesses in this picture. It is not all about starting in the bottom left and systematically marching up the stairs.

There are many businesses which survive with ad-hoc business processes because they are operating in some sort of protected market. At some point that protection will disappear and they will be forced along the excellence axis. An ad-hoc business isn’t a great foundation for making a kingdom difference.

Then there are well performing businesses that are commercially sound but who have paid little attention to the opportunities they have to make the world a better place and for whom the journey is up the virtue axis.

Some enterprises start out with a significant noble purpose which is unambiguously their reason for existence. Many charities start this way. They typically have two challenges. The first is the professionalisation of everything they do (advancing on the horizontal axis). The second is avoiding mission drift and maintaining their position on the virtue axis against a pressure for creeping secularisation of their purpose.

Whilst there are numerous well-established templates for measuring business excellence, measuring where any business is on the virtue axis is less well understood. We will address the issue of how a business can begin to measure kingdom progress in the next post in this two part series.

These ideas are explained in more detail in the Grove booklet, How to Merge Kingdom and Business: The Most Excellent Way, available from Grove books or on Amazon.

Read Part 2

 

Phil Hanson is a senior chartered engineer with a track record in industry and Christian service. He grew IBM’s Manufacturing Consulting Practice to $50M pa and his contribution was recognized with visiting positions at Newcastle and Cambridge. He has an MBA, a couple of Masters in theology and was ordained in retirement in the Church of England.

 


Terry Young is a missionary kid and active church member who went into R&D and became a professor before founding Datchet Consulting. He has published patents, 100+ academic articles, and books on Bible study and leadership. With a PhD in lasers, he is a member of The Operational Research Society and a Fellow of the British Computer Society.

 

 

Photo by Mohammad Bagher Adib Behrooz on Unsplash

Nationals or Expatriates? The Key to Lasting Impact in BAM

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by Mike Baer


As the global Business as Mission (BAM) movement has evolved into a truly global (all nations) effort, a strategic question surfaces more and more often—should we focus on sending more expatriates to lead BAM initiatives in other countries, or is the greater impact found in equipping and supporting local nationals to build BAM businesses in their own regions?

And, as we explore this question, let’s go back to the foundational principles of the modern BAM movement (and, indeed, BAM through the ages). First, business, like all of life, is created by God for His glory and the good of humanity. That means God is has used it and is using it and calling many into it. Second, God’s heart is for the nations, the ethnoi, the people groups of the entire earth. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and its companion verse in Acts (Acts 1:8) make it clear that all peoples and, especially, the unreached peoples should remain at the center of today’s BAM efforts. If we use these two principles as harbor lights, we can arrive at a strategic and biblical answer to the question.

At first glance, the straight forward answer is “both.” Indeed, God is calling His whole church to reach all peoples: Acts 1:8 tells us that the power of the Holy Spirit was given so that we, God’s people, can be His “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Many communities around the world have no local believers, no way of knowing who Jesus is. For the Good News to reach those people, cultural and geographical boundaries will likely need to be crossed. I want to say right at the start, if God has been clearly stirring you for BAM in a particular place, to reach a particular underserved people, the intention here is not to discourage you. We need more, not less, individuals willing to plant businesses cross-culturally, or in near cultures. There are plenty of resources here on the BAM Blog and in the Resource Library to help you do that effectively—and the principles below on partnering with those who know the cultural context well will stand you in good stead.

Yet, as we dig deeper and zoom out to consider our strategic focus as a movement, I believe the scales begin to tip. If the goal is lasting transformation—socially, spiritually, environmentally, and economically—the weight rests on empowering nationals. This isn’t to dismiss the critical role of expatriates, but to recognize that the future of BAM depends on a strategic shift toward greater mobilization and equipping of those already embedded in the culture and context.

So, what does this look like in practice? Let’s unpack the rationale, the roles, and the blueprint for moving forward.

The Biblical Case for Multiplication through Locals

The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) sets the tone. Jesus didn’t stay in one place to oversee the growth of the early Church—He raised up local leaders. Paul followed the same model, planting churches but quickly transitioning leadership to local believers (Titus 1:5). The principle is simple: outsiders may initiate, but insiders multiply.

In the same way, expatriates can spark the BAM movement in new regions, but true cultural transformation takes root when nationals catch the vision, take ownership, and drive it forward.

Why the focus on nationals? I see four key reasons:

1. Cultural Fluency and Trust

Nationals possess an innate understanding of the language, customs, and social dynamics of their regions. These factors are essential in building relationships, establishing trust, and leading businesses that are culturally relevant.

Expatriates may take years to develop a basic level of insight—if they ever do. In contrast, nationals already hold many of these keys, allowing them to navigate business and discipleship opportunities with greater ease and fluidity. Read more

The Unique Ability of Business to Create Value and Speak Hope to Nations [Video]

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by Hakan

 

To continue our series on business as mission through the lens of the Bible and God’s mandates to us, here is a keynote address from the BAM Global Congress 2021.

 

 

This month we are looking at business as mission through the lens of the Bible and God’s mandates to us.

Read introduction post here.  All posts this month.


Keynote Video Transcript

Thank you for the introduction. Many of us have eagerly been waiting for this [BAM Global] Congress for many years now.

We are gathering because we are excited to take part in what God is doing. You know, we can’t bring Him anywhere! He’s already there waiting for us to join him in all spheres of society and among all people—to the peripherals, to the marginalized and the forcibly displaced and to the worlds of media, government, economy, family, academia, religion, and the artists, He’s already there.

Most of our role models in the Bible have a secular profession. It’s easy to become preoccupied with the kings and prophets and priests and apostles when we’re reading from the Bible. But if we allow ourselves to see it from a different perspective, we find that many of our real role models were actually professionals. Isaac developed real estate. Jacob was a rancher. Joseph, a government official in charge of agriculture, economy, and immigration policy. He served a Pharaoh in a foreign land and he did not choose to leave his well-paid job to start a charity work in order to be able to serve God. Read more

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