Tag Archive for: sacred-secular divide

BAM is Not New: A Short History of Business and Mission Separation versus Integration

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by Larry Sharp

 

Recently, I was reading the Bible verse which says: “What has been, will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Eccl. 1:9. I am sure that in our age of innovation and entrepreneurship, people might want to dispute it but let us take it at face value regarding Business as Mission (BAM).

Some imply that BAM is something new and some even have told me that it is a passing fad; but, what about the essence of BAM? BAM believes Deut. 8:18 where God tells Moses that He (God) gives mankind the ability to create wealth. BAM believes the Great Commandment of Jesus that we love our neighbor (MK 12:31), one application of which is to create jobs. BAM believes we are to make disciples of Jesus (MT 28:19-20). BAM believes that we are to be stewards of all of God’s creation (Gen 2:15).

All of that did not start 30 years ago. The latest iteration of it may have; but not the essence of it. Let’s look at a super-short history of God at work in the world.

Old Testament: Think of any character in the Old Testament and while there are many prophets, most were marketplace people, whom God used to accomplish his purposes—Noah, Abraham, Moses, Boaz, Daniel, David, Deborah, Gideon, Hezekiah, Job, Nehemiah, and more.

New Testament: While the New Testament is rightly heavy on the apostles, especially Paul, Acts 8:1-4 explains how the gospel spread so quickly. “…all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” and they “…preached the word wherever they went…” In fact, they went even beyond to other places such as Asia and Africa. They met in homes and they lived out the gospel in the marketplace.

Early Centuries: Paul’s bi-vocational ministry model was common among apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors in the Early Church. Tertullian, a renowned 2nd century church father, lauded the practice. It not only provided for God’s servants and for the poor but relieved the growing church of heavy financial burdens.

From the 3rd-5th centuries, prominent bishops in different parts of Christendom were tentmakers. Chrysostom of Constantinople spoke of rural pastors who yoked oxen and drove the plough. Of course, local believers lived out their faith in the workplace.

Constantine to the Reformation: We have this era to blame for the “sacred-secular divide.” Constantine (300’s AD) began the practice of paying the clergy and thus began the practice of the professional clergy, something affirmed by Augustine in the 5th century. All the while, the church grew as individuals testified and demonstrated the Good News.

Reformers: As Martin Luther declared the “priesthood of the believers”, he challenged the idea of a divide between the sacred and the secular. Luther, Calvin, and other reformers validated the idea that living out the faith at all times was something normal in all venues of life, not something segmented off for the professional clergy.

Reformation to nineteenth century: Somewhere along the line, the first-century term “tentmaker” caught on again, and bi-vocational missional workers emerged again. Perhaps most notable were the Moravians who took their trade with them wherever they went. These practical skills contributed to the economic development of the people they served, and provided frequent, natural contacts for spiritual outreach.

The Father of Modern Missions, William Carey, was a tentmaker as he brought spiritual and societal transformation to north India as a plantation manager, college professor, translator, printer and publisher. Similarly, David Livingstone, E. Stanley Jones, Robert Morrison, Gladys Aylward, Lottie Moon, and many others integrated “secular” work with their sacred calling in a holistic transformational manner.

Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries: Phenomena such as colonial dependency, international banking, the faith mission concept, and the dichotomy of rich and poor nations brought about the demise of tentmaking and exacerbated the sacred-secular divide that we have today. By the end of the twentieth century, the norm was to send and pay clergy, called missionaries, to spread the gospel while everyone else was to pray and give money. It did not help that many western countries took a well-meaning political ideology called the “separation of church and state” and applied it to all of life, thus allowing the unfortunate “sacred-secular divide” to raise its ugly head.

Hope for the Future: Toward the end of the twentieth century, the closing of most countries of the world to missionaries and the development of a robust theology of work gave impetus to a tentmaker strategy again along with the Business as Mission movement. Billy Graham set the tone for what many call the Faith-Work movement, or Marketplace Ministries when he stated, “I believe one of the next great moves of God is going to be through the believers in the workplace.” [1]

In the “Business as Mission” iteration of God at work in the world of work today, we have the pioneers of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s to thank for the courage to demonstrate and articulate what it is. These are people whose names are familiar to us today as current leaders in the movement, among many others from all continents.

Our Business as Mission strategy is the latest and best outworking of the integration of faith and work. Gea Gort, a leader in BAM Netherlands, quotes a friend as saying “Five hundred years ago, we had a reformation of dogma. Now, we have a reformation of mission.” She summed it up in one sentence. “It is a missional way of living out the whole incarnated gospel in our daily life, where we work and where we live.”

To my way of thinking, it is a return to the MO (modus operandi) of the New Testament believers who “…went from place to place, proclaiming the word.” (Acts 8:4 RSV) or in the words of Michael Green, “…this must often have been not formal preaching, but the informal chattering to friends or chance acquaintances, in homes and wine shops, on walks, and around market stalls… they did it naturally, enthusiastically, and with the conviction of those who are not paid to say that sort of thing.” [2]

 

First published on the IBEC Ventures Blog and republished here with kind permission from the author.

 

Larry Sharp is the Founder and current BAM Support Specialist of a Business for Transformation (BAM, B4t) consulting firm, International Business and Education Consultants (www.ibecventures.com). Larry served 21 years in Brazil and then 20 years as Crossworld VP of Operations and as Vice President of Business Partnerships. He is currently a VP Emeritus and consultant with Crossworld. Since 2007 he has devoted energies toward Business as Mission (BAM) and currently is a consultant on BAM and education themes. Larry travels within North America speaking and teaching in conferences, colleges and churches on themes related to Business As Mission (BAM, B4t) and missions. His travels abroad relate to BAM, crisis preparation and management, and team building. 

 

 

 

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Footnotes:

[1] Os Hillman in C. Neal Johnson, Business as Mission, 2009, p. 90

[2] Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church, 1970, p. 173

 

 

 

Photo by Joanna Kosinska 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. 

 

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7 Points of Controversy and Clarity for Business as Mission

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by Larry Sharp

 

According to Mats Tunehag, perhaps the premier worldwide BAM spokesperson, “By God’s grace we have seen an exponential growth of the global business as mission movement in the last 25 years” (The BAM Review, April 2025). It has been my privilege to have been a part of the movement for almost twenty years and it is abundantly clear—God is definitely at work accomplishing His mission in the world through marketplace servants.

However, I continue to be perplexed with one question, “Why is there still so much controversy and lack of understanding in North America (where I am from) surrounding the theology, missiology, and praxis of “business as mission”?

The Meaning of Terms

The phrase combines two familiar yet distinct words: “business” and “mission.”

Business drives the economy, encompassing activities that meet needs or solve problems through value exchange. Christian author Albert Erisman asserts that business is the only institution that creates economic growth and funds all others. Tunehag adds that business should serve people, align with God’s purposes, steward creation well, and make a profit. He emphasizes that business can be a platform for expressing Christ’s love.

“Missions,” as defined in Wikipedia, is “an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith,” often involving missionaries seeking conversions. However, contemporary theology emphasizes missio Dei—God’s mission in the world as an extension of His nature and love. This broader view sees God acting to glorify Himself through redeeming people across all nations (I Kings 8:60, I Tim. 1:17). According to the Westminster Catechism, our purpose is to glorify God, and John Piper reminds us, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is.” (Let the Nations Be Glad).

Missiology has evolved, now framing mission not merely as an activity of the church but something initiated by God. The Trinity sends the church to embody God’s saving love through both word and deed—more than just conversions or church planting, it includes bringing God’s peace (shalom) into every area of life. Jesus modeled this by connecting evangelism with social needs.

Business as mission (BAM) gained traction in the late 1990s alongside the “Faith and Work” movement. Yet, its roots trace back to the early church. BAM involves believers in the marketplace living with kingdom purpose and impact—transforming individuals and societies spiritually, economically, and socially for God’s glory (Tunehag, 2008).

Controversy and Misunderstanding

Among North American clergy, BAM is often dismissed as a trend or distraction from priorities like church planting. Many pastors and mission leaders show limited interest in understanding how BAM aligns with God’s mission and the church.

Although change theorists advocate a “trickle-down” model—where seminaries adopt new strategies first—experience suggests that BAM is not a curricular priority in most Christian colleges.

Mission agencies have also shown reluctance, with some resisting BAM-related theology. Though a few initiatives do exist, most are micro-enterprise in nature and most leadership prefers traditional approaches.

Meanwhile, Christian professionals often experience a divide between faith and work. Few pastors preach messages that help believers live out their faith in the marketplace.

Despite progress over the past 25 years, misunderstandings persist. For those who dismiss BAM, several key points deserve consideration.

Controversy #1: The Theology of Work

What is the controversy? Until recently, most seminaries and theologians gave little attention to a Theology of Work. The prevailing belief held that spiritually significant work was confined to roles like pastors, missionaries, and Bible teachers. In contrast, the BAM movement challenges this notion, affirming the sacredness of all vocations.

In the past two decades, scholars such as Os Guinness, David Miller, Tom Nelson, Mark Russell, Jeff Van Duzer, and Tim Keller have critiqued historical misconceptions about work. These include the ideas that work is a necessary evil, a path to wealth and power, or a vehicle for self-actualization. Such assumptions limit believers’ ability to view their work as ministry or mission.

The heart of the controversy is summarized in Martin Luther’s reminder that all Christians are primarily called to holiness through Christ. He rejected the idea of a “higher” religious vocation, asserting, “There is no special religious vocation since the call of God comes to each at the common tasks.” This foundational idea supports BAM’s emphasis on the dignity and spiritual value of everyday work.

Gene Veith argues that the priesthood of all believers turns all work—not just church work—into a sacred calling. Similarly, R. Paul Stevens notes that the Hebrew words abad (work) and shamar (care) in Genesis also mean worship and obedience. He emphasizes “vocational holiness,” where the profession itself matters less than faithfulness within it.

Work in the Biblical Narrative

Genesis 1–2 presents God as a worker and humans as His image-bearers, entrusted with the Creation Mandate. Work was declared good (Gen. 1:31) and dignifying. Keller asserts that through work, humans reflect God’s creative nature. Van Duzer states, “When humans engage in creative, meaningful work that grows out of relationships and gives back to the community, they become more deeply human.” (Van Duzer, 2010)

Deuteronomy 8:18 affirms that God gives the ability to produce wealth. This idea is championed by missional entrepreneurs like Bill Job and business leaders such as Bonnie Wurzbacher, former VP at Coca-Cola. Wurzbacher noted that “as the sole source of wealth creation in the world, business enables every other social, civic and even spiritual situation to exist.” For BAM practitioners, business is a tool for glorifying God, cultivating relationships, and contributing to human flourishing.

Work as Worship

Wong and Rae assert that when Christians go to work, they offer themselves to God in service. This “work as worship” theology has emerged strongly in recent years. Work is not a result of the fall; Adam and Eve were given purposeful tasks before sin entered the world (Gen. 1:27–28; 2:15). Scripture affirms work’s divine design over 850 times. A frequently cited verse is Colossians 3:23: “Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord…”

Mats Tunehag puts it boldly: “If God has called you to be a businessperson, do not stoop to be a preacher.” Likewise, businessman Michael Cardone remarked, “God did not call me to be a minister or a missionary; He called me to be a businessman—and I see no difference.” Michael Greene affirms, “Work is significant to God; our work is just as valuable as that of a pastor or missionary.” Though widely doubted, this conviction is both biblical and foundational to the BAM movement.

Controversy #2: The Role of Money

What is the misunderstanding? Although Scripture makes clear that money itself is not evil (1 Tim. 6:10), many evangelicals view businesspeople with suspicion—assuming they are greedy or useful only for their financial contributions to the church.

Yet Jesus spoke more about money than about heaven or hell. As Wayne Grudem notes, “Money is fundamentally good and provides opportunities for glorifying God, but also many temptations to sin.” Jesus affirmed the importance of money, while warning against trusting it, loving it, or misusing it (Luke 16).

The real issue arises when Christians fail to distinguish between the abuse of money and its rightful, God-honoring use. Jesus’ command to “engage in business until I come” (Luke 19:13) implies responsibility, not exploitation. Faithful Christian businesspeople pursue ethical wealth creation while avoiding greed, poor stewardship, and unrestrained capitalism.

Controversy comes when believers forget that wealth, when rightly stewarded, is a gift from God as Deuteronomy 8:18 affirms.

Controversy #3: The Disruptive Nature of Missio Dei

What is the controversy? “Missions” is often seen as a narrow church activity, budget item, or sermon theme. In contrast, “mission” begins with God—missio Dei—His purpose to glorify Himself by redeeming the world. This broader understanding opens the door for all believers, in any profession, to participate in God’s kingdom work.

When I started using “mission” instead of “missions,” some saw it as semantics. But the terms “mission,” “missions,” and “missionary” are extrabiblical and shaped by personal or cultural biases—mine included. Stetzer describes missio Dei as God-focused: a movement from God to the world, with the church as His instrument. This view invites all believers to join in gospel proclamation and demonstration, while “missions” tends to mean a specific calling to cross-cultural evangelism.

Looking ahead, if missio Dei is our theological foundation, then the future belongs to God’s ongoing work in the world. As some theologians put it, the church does not initiate mission; rather, the mission of God gives birth to the church. Christopher Wright echoes this, calling the people of God the “primary agent of the mission of God.”

God is a sending God. He sent Adam and Eve to fill the earth, Israel to bless the nations, Jesus as Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit to continue the work. Mission flows from the Triune nature of God. The church today exists because of this divine mission and is a continuation of it.

This reframes our thinking. Mission is not what we do for God, but what we do with God, because of who He is. “Missions” implies fragmented church programs; “mission” reflects a unified purpose. As Stephen Neill wrote, “The age of missions ended. The age of mission began.”

So what difference does it make?

In Genesis 1–2, missio Dei begins with imago Dei—we are made in God’s image. Recent theology has emphasized the connection between these concepts. There’s unity between sacred and secular, faith and work.

Every believer bears God’s image and shares in His mission. Not all are “missionaries,” but all are called to live missionally through their work. As J.D. Greear says, “Whatever you are good at: a) do it well for the glory of God; b) do it somewhere strategic for the mission of God.”

Controversy #4: The Sacred–Secular Divide

What is the misunderstanding? Michael Greene defines the sacred–secular divide as the belief that some activities matter deeply to God while others don’t. Business as mission rejects this, affirming that all of life matters to God.

This divide is often more a misunderstanding than a theological debate. Many believers, like a former graduate student of mine, Michelle—a successful business owner—feel sidelined from “real” ministry. She once said, “It never occurred to me that my business was my ministry,” despite her evangelical upbringing. This mindset persists because missions is often seen as the exclusive domain of professionals.

In contrast, BAM practitioners in restricted nations often respond to questions about ministry time by saying, “My work is my ministry.” They understand that the early church spread the gospel through everyday life, without a divide between sacred and secular.

The historical roots of this dualism trace back to Greek philosophy, reinforced by Augustine and others who prioritized “higher” sacred work over “lower” secular work. This separation still influences modern Christians and undermines a holistic life of integrity. It also divorces the Great Commission from the Great Commandment—discipleship from love of neighbor.

It wasn’t until the Reformation that Luther, Calvin and others challenged this divide, promoting the priesthood of all believers. This provided the basis for the biblical unity of mission, vocation, and daily life.

Eldred notes that this dualism marginalizes most Christians from missio Dei, robbing them of joy and purpose in their daily work. A.W. Tozer echoes this: “It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred, it is why he does it.” Dallas Willard similarly writes, “There truly is no division between sacred and secular except what we have created.”

Church roles like apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers are vital for equipping the saints (Eph. 4:12). But perhaps, like in Acts 8, the model for the 21st century church is ordinary believers living out their trades while preaching Jesus. As Paul reminds us: “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

Controversy #5 – The Kingdom of God

What is the controversy? The Kingdom of God (or Kingdom of Heaven) is central to Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels. While interpretations have varied, many evangelical scholars now affirm the Kingdom is both “already here” and “not yet.”

In the 20th century, much of the church emphasized the “not yet” aspect, focusing on salvation from hell and avoiding social issues, which were seen as liberal. When I studied theology in the 1960s, the Kingdom of God was taught strictly as eternal. But by century’s end, voices like John Stott, R. Paul Stevens, Os Guinness, Dale Losch, and Tim Keller re-emphasized its relevance to daily life—highlighting the Kingdom as present and active today.

Acknowledging the present dimension of the Kingdom prompts the question: what does it look like now? Luke 17:21 says the Kingdom is within Jesus’ disciples, and Matthew 10:7 says it is “at hand.” Heidebrecht argues this view integrates social action into the gospel, alongside proclamation—reflecting Jesus’ concern for holistic human welfare. Thus, the gospel addresses both present needs and eternal hope.

Paul Hiebert similarly taught that mission includes preaching, teaching (Matthew 28:19), and addressing injustice, poverty, and suffering. Raynor, in The Sacredness of Secular Work (2024), and Nancy Pearcey stress that salvation is not only from sin but for purpose—partnering with God to reflect heaven on earth. Raynor writes, “the good news… is not just that I get to go to heaven… but that I get to partner with God in revealing heaven on earth until I die.” This reflects God’s reign of goodness and shalom in the world.

Controversy #6: The Whole Gospel

What is the controversy? The Lausanne Congress of 1974, heavily influenced by John Stott, affirmed a holistic gospel that addressed not only spiritual needs but also the social and physical conditions of people. This challenged the dominant 20th-century missions model, which often focused narrowly on spiritual salvation. Business as mission embraces this “whole man” perspective by addressing both joblessness and spiritual poverty.

Chris Wright summarizes the holistic gospel as requiring “the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.” The redemptive work of Christ completes—not negates—God’s commitment to human wholeness and creation care. The gospel addresses the spiritually lost and the socially and economically marginalized, recognizing that people are whole beings.

BAM integrates the theology of work (Creation Mandate), the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission. Jesus taught that we are to love God fully and our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27; Matt. 22:37–39). Kingdom businesspeople understand this means using their God-given capacity to create wealth, employment (jobs), dignity, relationships, and beauty. They are moved by the global realities of poverty and unemployment and inspired by Martin Luther’s conviction that the gospel must engage the issues of the day.

BAM workers see themselves as stewards of both natural and human resources—“vice-regents” over God’s creation (Stevens, 2012). Their work serves others and reflects God’s care.

John Stott put it simply: “We love. We go. We serve.” Loving our neighbor means caring for the whole person—soul, body, and community. Social responsibility flows from love, not as a strategy for gospel credibility but as an expression of compassion.

The Great Commission emphasizes making disciples and teaching all that Jesus commanded (Matt. 28:18–20; Acts 1:8). For Stott, this includes both evangelistic and social responsibility, since Jesus taught and served. His ministry was holistic—feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and comforting the grieving.

Discipleship, as Losch points out, often begins before conversion (John 6:66). Pre-faith followers may be drawn to Christ through acts of love and service. The marketplace, where life and work intersect, is a powerful setting for this kind of pre-cross discipleship and holistic mission.

While we are not divine like Jesus, our mission reflects His—to bring good news and serve. A biblical understanding of mission integrates creation care, love of neighbor, and disciple-making. Business, done faithfully, can demonstrate the gospel in action.

Controversy #7: How Christianity Spread

What is the misunderstanding? Many Christians in the 20th century were taught that the Apostle Paul was the primary model of mission. While Paul and the apostles played a vital role, historical and biblical evidence suggests the gospel mainly spread through everyday believers in the marketplace.

Tim Keller notes that evangelism in the early church often happened in the oikos—households—through friendships. Michael Green supports this in Evangelism in the Early Church, describing early Christian growth as driven by informal missionaries—ordinary believers sharing Christ in daily life settings like shops and homes.

Acts 8 confirms this: after Stephen’s death, “all except the apostles were scattered” (v.1), and they “preached the word wherever they went.” Despite lacking formal training, support, or Scripture, lay believers advanced the gospel significantly. The apostles stayed central, underscoring the continued need for pastors and theologians—but the frontlines were in homes and workplaces.

Acts 11 shows that these scattered believers reached Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, where “a great number… turned to the Lord” (v.21). Billy Graham once said, “One of the next great moves of God is going to be through believers in the workplace.” Perhaps the 21st century will resemble the 1st more than the 20th.

Conclusion

Ecclesiastes reminds us, “There is nothing better… than to enjoy [our] work” (3:22), and to “do it with all [our] might” (9:10). A faithful Jesus follower today should see people as whole beings—spiritual, social, and physical—and follow Christ’s example of holistic ministry. Jesus healed, fed, taught, and loved not just for a future kingdom, but for transformation now.

Business as mission (BAM) reflects this, emphasizing creation care, meeting human needs, job creation, and disciple-making. BAM invites everyday believers into missio Dei, affirming that our work itself is a sacred expression of worship and calling.

We aren’t called to be professional missionaries with programs and systems. We’re called to be witnesses. As Roberts says, “Start with Christology… if you focus on mission, churches will follow. But if you focus on churches, mission often gets lost.”

We don’t go to proselytize or plant “Christianity”; we go to live and love like Jesus in our work and relationships. If we bless others in His name, the gospel is planted and the Church will follow. Each believer should do what they’re good at, with excellence, in strategic places for God’s mission—planting the whole gospel wherever they go.

 

This article was first published on Missio Nexus and is reposted here by kind permission of the author and original editor.

Larry Sharp is the Founder and current BAM Support Specialist of a Business for Transformation (BAM, B4t) consulting firm, International Business and Education Consultants (www.ibecventures.com). Larry served 21 years in Brazil and then 20 years as Crossworld VP of Operations and as Vice President of Business Partnerships. He is currently a VP Emeritus and consultant with Crossworld. Since 2007 he has devoted energies toward Business as Mission (BAM) and currently is a consultant on BAM and education themes. Larry travels within North America speaking and teaching in conferences, colleges and churches on themes related to Business As Mission (BAM, B4t) and missions.  His travels abroad relate to BAM, crisis preparation and management, and team building. 

 

 

Get Larry’s Book: Missions Disrupted

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What is Business as Mission? A Short Introduction

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As we start the new year, we are revisiting some foundational material on what business as mission means. Here’s the introduction to business as mission originally published on our Start Here page.

What is Business as Mission?

Business as mission, simply put, is the seamless integration of excellent business with intentional mission. It is doing business for God’s glory, the gospel, and the common good.

Business is a God-given vocation and institution in society, with the potential to bring multiple benefits to people, communities and nations. Business as mission intentionally leverages this intrinsic power of business to address spiritual needs, hand in hand with social, economic and environmental needs. Business as mission is strategic today because it is often best placed to meet a wide range of needs in communities around the world.

Let’s start with business

Dallas Willard once said, “Business is a primary moving force of the love of God in human history.” Business, done well, is glorifying to God. Period. We see in the Bible and throughout history that business is able to create dignified jobs,  multiply resources, provide for families and communities, push forward innovation, and, in short, do good in society. A company does not need a business as mission strategy to justify its purpose or to somehow make it more ‘holy’. Business professionals following Jesus in the marketplace already have a sacred vocation. Business is a good idea that comes from God.

Yet, God has called us, His Church, to partner with him in the work of mission. To love our neighbour as ourselves, to care for the poor and vulnerable, and to share the gospel and make disciples in every part of the world. And business people, along with their skills and experiences, are some of the most needed in the work of global mission today. Alongside more traditional forms of mission, the world is crying out for for-profit, business solutions to some of its most pressing issues. These issues include job scarcity, human trafficking, economic exploitation, corruption, environmental degradation, dire poverty, and the challenge of sharing the love of God and His good news with those who haven’t yet heard it.

Business as Mission

In the global marketplace today, we have an opportunity to harness the God-given power of business to address these pressing spiritual, social, environmental, and economic issues. Business as mission is a movement of business professionals – alongside mission leaders, church leaders and academics – who are doing just that. They are taking the instrument of business, with its innate, God-given ability and power, and intentionally using that power in the work of mission. They are using their professional know-how and the gifts of entrepreneurship and good management to bring creative and long-term, sustainable solutions to local and global challenges. They are making a positive impact through for-profit business, along the ‘four bottom lines’: social, environmental, financial and spiritual. We sometimes refer to these as the 4Ps: people, planet, profit, and eternal purpose. Read more

4 Things to Know about How Business Fights Poverty

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In our series this month “Exploring BAM as Justice: Choosing Hope in the Face of Challenge” we’re taking a deep dive into the intersection of faith, business, and complex global realities. We’ll be looking at business as mission’s impact on poverty and justice issues across the globe. Here’s the first post with some essential points on how business fights poverty.

1. Poverty means more than just material poverty

Poverty in the biblical sense goes beyond lack of money and all its implications, although that’s part of it.

Christian development thinker Bryant Myers, in his seminal book Walking with the Poor, describes the nature of poverty as follows:

Poverty is the result of relationships that do not work, they are not just, that are not for life, that are not harmonious or enjoyable. Poverty is the absence of shalom in all its meanings. [1]

He took the biblical idea of shalom as the fullness of life that God intended before the Fall, where humans are in right relationship with God, self, others, and the rest of Creation.

Poverty, therefore, is the outcome of sin and brokenness in these four relationships.

Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert built on Myer’s framework for their book When Helping Hurts and their work at the Chalmers Center. They put it this way:

The question of ‘What does it mean to be poor?’ requires more than a simple answer. We are all poor in our own way, as we grapple with the brokenness in the four key relationships in this world. Poverty is not solely about a lack of money; it encompasses a lack of intimacy with God, a lack of sensing one’s own worth, a lack of community, and a lack of stewardship over creation. – Chalmers Center

We all suffer from different types of poverty; you can be financially rich but socially poor, or financially poor but spiritually rich because you know Jesus.

To fight different kinds of poverty, we need to create different kinds of wealth.

Business has a special capacity to create financial wealth, but also has the potential to create different kinds of wealth for many stakeholders, including social, intellectual, physical, and spiritual wealth. – Wealth Creation Manifesto, Affirmation #8

Business as mission enterprises have the opportunity to bring positive impact in all four areas of our broken relationships: relationship with self, relationship with God, relationship with others, and relationship with the rest of creation. Business as mission is a holistic mission model with the potential to create wealth and address poverty in multiple different ways.

2. Business is part of God’s design and is uniquely positioned to respond to poverty

Business is not evil, it’s not even neutral; it is part of God’s good design. [2] Of course, since the Fall when all things were corrupted by sin, business has the potential to do harm or be used for evil (intentionally or unintentionally). But, it can also glorify God and do good. That is part of God’s original purpose for business; He designed the enterprise of business to enable individuals, families, and human society to flourish. Read more

How the Church Can Engage in Discipling Marketplace Leaders

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by Dr. Phil Walker and Renita Reed-Thomson

There is a story told about a frog in a kettle. The frog is placed in a kettle of cold water. The frog does not notice that the water temperature is being turned up gradually until it is too late. He dies from the heat of the water, not realizing the danger he was in.

The Global Church is suffering from the “frog in the kettle” syndrome. As people increase in financial security, they tend to decrease their dependence on God. It is time to get the frog out of the kettle! In many parts of the world the local church has moved from an evangelical, spiritual force in the community to a closed off social activity in the corner. This move away from the vitality of government, education and business is slowly making the local church irrelevant to the community it is called to serve as a light. Like the frog in the pot, we are slowly reaching a boiling point from which we will not recover our critical role and calling. The dropping statistics of church attendance in both Europe and North America is alarming. Failure to make Jesus relevant in the marketplace will lead to a failure of mission. While business as mission has found a niche in the Christian community, it is not fulfilling its potential.

In 2004 the Occasional Paper on Business as Mission from The Lausanne Movement called on the church to disciple and release its members to be lights in the community.

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

In the same proclamation it called on the business people to live out their calling as Ambassadors, moving out of the four walls of the church into the four corners of the marketplace. Read more

BAM and the Church: A Case Study from Ethiopia

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This case study from the new BAM and the Church Report published by BAM Global showcases the process that one denomination in Ethiopia took to implement a workplace ministry throughout the denomination, following key leaders embracing the need to overcome theological challenges inherent in the church’s understanding of work.

Background

The Ethiopia Kale Heywet Church (EKHC), with 10,000 churches and 10 million members is Ethiopia’s largest evangelical denomination. In 2017, Pastor Yoseph Bekele was appointed to be the ‘Business as Mission Director’ for the Kale Heywet Church. Yoseph had previously worked in youth ministries across the country, even while running several businesses of his own.

When he started, Yoseph shared that businesspeople were considered ‘sinful people’ in his setting. There was no understanding of the purpose of business from a godly or biblical perspective. He also shared that while Ethiopia has a rich heritage and culture, it is poor economically. Therefore, sharing about work as worship and business as mission would be critical for Ethiopian Christians to understand the biblical call to work and how to do business that honours God, which can allow them to grow economically and to flourish in God’s way.

Outcomes to date

In the first three years of the program, from 2018 to 2021, Yoseph and his team of BAM trainers reached nine of the eleven regions of Ethiopia with the message of church-based business as mission. There are teams of trainers who help pastors understand the call of the local church to equip their members for the work of the ministry from Monday to Saturday. The leadership of the headquarters church of the Kale Heywet denomination has agreed that every local church should have a workplace ministry, just as they have a youth and women’s ministry.

In addition to working through the local church leaders, BAM trainers are also bringing this message to youth leaders, women ministry leaders, children’s ministries, prison ministries, mission departments, and the many Kale Heywet Bible schools, while also passing on the teaching and training to other denominations. As part of the training, everyone learns that there are one or more critical outcomes from the three Great Directives—the Great Commitment, the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission.

The Great Commandment outcome is social. Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is about loving God whole-heartedly and loving our neighbour as ourselves. The Great Commission outcome is missional. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples, beginning in Jerusalem and reaching the whole world. But the outcomes of the Great Commitment, a universal call, is economic and ecological. For many Ethiopian Christians, this often comes as a surprise. Read more

The World is Open for Business

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by Jo Plummer

 

Bottom-line thinking

It is becoming more common for companies to plan for positive impact on ‘multiple bottom lines’. Rather than only measuring success as a positive number on the profit and loss statement—ie, the ‘financial bottom line’—businesses around the world are beginning to look for positive impact on social, environmental, and financial bottom lines. Social enterprises now aim to have a positive impact on multiple stakeholders—their employees, suppliers, the community, their customers, etc.—rather than focusing solely on returning financial rewards to shareholders. This ‘cutting-edge thinking’ is rediscovering God’s original design for business.

A business as mission (BAM) company is simply one that embraces all of this thinking about multiple bottom lines and multiple stakeholders. Crucially, it holds that God is the most important Stakeholder in the business, and that the purposes of the company should align with his purposes. Thus, a BAM company is one that thinks about how the whole strategy for the business—and the business model itself—can intentionally integrate mission.

BAM company owners start their businesses for a wide variety of reasons, including: to fight the evils of human trafficking, accelerate the task of reaching the remaining unreached peoples with the gospel, and tackle the problems of social injustice, environmental degradation, and dire poverty, to name a few. Annie started her business in Asia to provide alternative employment for exploited women, Anne started hers in Northern Europe to create jobs and connect with disaffected youth, and Mary started hers in the Middle East to more effectively share the gospel in one of the least-reached nations on earth.

The world is open for business

God has mandated humankind to be good stewards of Creation, to create resources for the good of society, to love God first and then love our neighbor, and to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Thus, a business as mission company includes spiritual transformation as a measure of business success, alongside social, environmental, and economic concerns—and has a special concern for the poor, marginalized, and unreached peoples. Business as Mission is:

  • Profitable and sustainable businesses;
  • Intentional about kingdom of God purpose and impact on people and nations;
  • Focused on holistic transformation and the multiple bottom lines of economic, social, environmental, and spiritual outcomes;
  • Concerned about the world’s poorest and least-evangelized peoples. 

Read more

Business as Mission and the Global Workplace

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by Jo Plummer

 

Introduction

Dallas Willard once said that, ‘Business is a primary moving force of the love of God in human history.’[1] Business, done well, is glorifying to God and has enormous potential to do good. Business has an innate God-given power to create dignified jobs, to multiply resources, to provide for families and communities and to push forward innovation and development in human society.

In the global marketplace today, we have an enormous opportunity to leverage this God-given potential of business to address some of the world’s most pressing spiritual, social, environmental, and economic issues. This is ‘business as mission’—a movement of business professionals using the gifts of entrepreneurship and good management to bring creative and long-term, sustainable solutions to global challenges. This movement of business people is growing worldwide; they are serving God in the marketplace and intentionally shaping their businesses for God’s glory, the gospel, and the common good. Business professionals are using their skills to serve people, make a profit, be good stewards of the planet, and align with God’s purposes; they are taking the whole gospel to the ends of the earth.

This paper aims to encourage businesswomen and men—whether entrepreneurs, managers, business professionals, or technical experts—that their gifts, experience, and capacity is a much-needed resource in global mission. In addition, it will exhort church and mission leaders to affirm and equip the business people in their networks and congregations so that they can effectively respond to the challenges in the global workplace today.

God gives us the ability to produce wealth

In Deuteronomy 8 we read that it is God who gives us the ability to produce wealth. He provides abundant natural resources so that we can use our creativity, talents, and hard work to provide for ourselves and innovate for society. Business processes naturally generate wealth and resources; companies are able to create good products and services for the benefit of communities. Business pushes forward innovation, helping societies develop; enterprises bring in new technologies, skills, and training to communities. Business, done well—not forgetting the Lord our God (Deut 8:11)—is glorifying to him.  Read more

Promising Breakthroughs and Innovations to Accelerate the Great Commission

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The business as mission community is contributing to a wider ‘listening process’ in the global evangelical mission community as part of our connection the Lausanne Movement. Lausanne also asked us:

What promising breakthroughs or innovations do you see that can accelerate the fulfillment of the Great Commission?

We received input from 25 global leaders on this question especially as it relates to business as mission, here are selected replies that highlight the main themes, including:

  • Prayer and networking that fosters servant-hearted partnership
  • Witness and discipleship in the marketplace
  • Mobilisation of business people – especially the next generation
  • Higher quality training and business incubation
  • Greater accessibility of funding for businesses
  • Media and technology bringing multi-faceted impact

What promising breakthroughs or innovations do you see that can accelerate the fulfillment of the Great Commission?

The ability for believers globally to pray together by sharing information, prayer needs, and sharing answered prayers will lead to the greatest breakthrough.
HE

Acceleration = Movements. Incremental change will not reach the goal. So in every area we need to ask, “How do we make this simple, scalable, replicable, sustainable?” Movements can be facilitated through collaboration, networking and partnerships. When applied to prayer, resources, technology, equipping, etc. we will see greater breakthroughs. Since it requires increased humility, putting one another first, greater listening, etc. all these invite the Holy Spirit to do His work.
DS

The breakthrough will be when everyone sees their profession as that which can accelerate the fulfillment of the Great Commission. In addition to BAM efforts, another breakthrough is the several hundred thousand evangelical Christians working abroad for transnational corporations, government contracts, consulting gigs, university teaching getting the vision to share Jesus and disciple people. For example, I coached a group of 40 professionals working in North Korea a couple of years ago. There are a couple of hundred countries in the world, most of them non-western and they all want western technology, science, etc. Why not thousands of Christians at work living like Jesus everywhere. That would be a breakthrough – not only relying on traditional missionaries, but Jesus followers who live differently and beg the question for earnest seekers.
LS

Read more

The High and Holy Calling of Business and Breaking the Sacred-Secular Divide

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The business as mission community is contributing to a wider ‘listening process’ in the global evangelical mission community as part of our connection the Lausanne Movement. Lausanne asked us:

What are the most significant gaps or remaining opportunities toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20)?

We in turn received input from 25 global leaders on this question especially as it relates to business as mission. Four main themes emerged as leaders answered this question, which we will share in four blog posts through November.

The first theme was the need to continually break down the sacred-secular divide and affirm the high and holy calling of business. This is, as it turns out, is also foundational to all the other themes and consistently comes up in lists of priority issues for business as mission. To learn more about what the sacred-secular divide is and why and how we work to break it down, please read this introductory blog by Mike Baer.

Theme 1: The High and Holy Calling of Business and Breaking Down the Sacred-Secular Divide

Specifically in the context of BAM, I see a couple challenges that I believe we can address in the near future. One is the continued lack of the global church embracing the high and holy calling of business. This lack restricts the enlistment of disciple makers in business as mission, limits the equipping for this work by the church to church-centric training, and prevents the next generation from seeing the potential of working in business as a venue for global evangelism.
MB

From the perspective of the church, a huge gap remains the theological marginalisation of work as a sacred act of worship in the understanding and behaviour of Christians in their everyday context. Ministry still remains largely defined in “church-type” terms, and “ministers” still remain largely a professional “class” in the minds of most avowed Christians. This must continue to be addressed.
CS

Read more

Let’s Celebrate! Significant Growth Areas for BAM Over 20 Plus Years

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by Jo Plummer

Business and mission have been woven together in various ways through history since Paul the Apostle made tents in New Testament times and modelled Christian leadership in the marketplace. However, through the 1970s, 80s and 90s there was a grassroots growth of business professionals and entrepreneurs seeking to intentionally integrate business and mission, marking the beginnings of the contemporary tentmaking and then business as mission movements. At the very end of the 1990s and the early 2000s, there was a burst of activity around  business as mission: consultations, conferences, books, articles, the first websites etc. – and this kick-started greater momentum in the BAM movement, which has been growing to this day.

The Business as Mission Resource Team (who develop this website and blog) celebrate our 20th anniversary this month, having been founded in March 2001. We’re in a celebrating mood!

Two years ago, to celebrate about 20 years since the term ‘business as mission’ was first used and discussed, we asked a group of BAM leaders to share their view on what progress we can celebrate in the BAM movement over the last 20 years or so. We’re reposting it this month as part of our CELEBRATION series.

What are some wins, or significant growth areas in business as mission that we should note and be thankful for?

The movement has gained traction. People now understand the legitimacy and role of BAM in particular and the calling of business in general for the Great Commission. New organizations have been founded to address the gaps in the BAM movement such as mentoring, funding, events for promoting and networking, etc. More established older organizations have begun embracing BAM ministry by starting a division, department or group focused on BAM. The biggest win for me is the wider acceptance of BAM as a way to impact the world for Christ by the global Church (with a capital C). We still have a ways to go, but the progress has been significant. God has used the BAM movement to move the needle. – Joseph Vijayam, BAM Practitioner & Lausanne Catalyst  Read more

Celebrating God’s Purposes for Business

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by Jo Plummer

We have chosen the themes: CELEBRATE, CONNECT & CREATE for the upcoming BAM Global Congress.

As we gather the BAM movement together from every corner of the world, we want to:
+ CELEBRATE what God is doing through business around the world
+ CONNECT with a global network of collaborators
+ CREATE momentum for the future of business as mission

In March, as we prepare for the Congress next month (see information below), we are going to focus on the theme of CELEBRATE!

I believe that to do effective business as mission, we must start with a solid foundation of thinking about business from a biblical perspective. In other words, before we get to the ‘as mission’, we need to understand God’s design for business – and yes, celebrate it, because it is really good!

Celebrating God’s Purposes for Business

It is no secret that my favourite quote about business comes from Dallas Willard who said that, ‘Business is a primary moving force of the love of God in human history.’ [1]

Business, done well, is glorifying to God and has enormous potential to do good. Business has an innate God-given power to create dignified jobs, to multiply resources, to provide for families and communities and to push forward innovation and development in human society.

In Deuteronomy 8 we read that it is God who gives us the ability to produce wealth. He provides abundant natural resources so that we can use our creativity, talents, and hard work to provide for ourselves and innovate for society. Business processes naturally generate wealth and resources; companies are able to create good products and services for the benefit of communities. Business pushes forward innovation, helping societies develop; enterprises bring in new technologies, skills, and training to communities. Business, done well – not forgetting the Lord our God (Deut 8:11) – is glorifying to him.  Read more

Business Is a Holy Calling That Should Be Affirmed by the Church

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by Kara Martin

It is now three years since the Global Consultation on The Role of Wealth Creation for Holistic Transformation and subsequent publications. During August and September 2020 we will have a series of articles on wealth creation, reflecting on the eleven affirmations in the Wealth Creation Manifesto, which now exists in 17 languages.

Affirmations 3 and 4 of the Wealth Creation Manifesto focus on the fact that wealth creation – business – is a holy calling that should be affirmed by the Church:

3. Wealth creation is a holy calling, and a God-given gift, which is commended in the Bible.
4. Wealth creators should be affirmed by the Church, and equipped and deployed to serve in the marketplace among all peoples and nations.

The Wealth Creation Manifesto is a document the Faith–Work Movement (FWM) has needed. An example to illustrate… I was asked to speak at an august seminary in the United States during their Mission Week. There was a lunchtime seminar attended by 70 students and staff on the topic of business as mission, where I was joined by the second guest for the week, an experienced business missionary.

In his introduction, the head of the missions’ centre outlined the value of business as a platform for missionary activity, and that this was the only way to get into some areas of the world. He invited me to respond. I felt fear and trepidation as I rose to speak, wondering if I would have the courage to say what I needed to at this point.

I explained as gently as I could that the concept of business ‘as a platform’ for missionary activity was both an outdated concept, and a failed strategy. I talked about Mark L Russell’s excellent research into ‘fake’ businesses and their impact: loss of money, lacking credibility – reflecting poorly on local Christians, lacking integrity – suggesting Christians can’t be trusted, and creating suspicion – not just about Christians but about the gospel.

Thankfully the other speaker then explained how he had started out creating a business as a platform, had failed, cost money, and created suspicion. He had then realised that business is the mission, in its own right. He went on to build a successful business, creating networks and a good reputation, lauded by the local government, and with the opportunity to openly witness to staff, their families, customers and suppliers.

The Real Warning About Money

Part of the misunderstanding about the capacity of business to be mission, is a poor theology of money. Money is considered evil and many Christians are cautious about even bringing up the subject. However, it is the love of money that is evil; and wise stewarding of money is a Christian’s responsibility.

In seminaries, there is a reluctance to talk about money in leadership programs, and many church leaders outsource responsibility for finances to others in the congregation. A better understanding of the church as a workplace, and money as a tool to be used by God – just like buildings, programs and gifted people – would greatly enhance the ability for a pastor to lead well, and to equip others to influence well; and for both groups to escape the temptation to love money.  Read more

Creating Wealth for God’s Glory and the Common Good

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by João Mordomo

It is now three years since the Global Consultation on The Role of Wealth Creation for Holistic Transformation and subsequent publications. During August and September 2020 we will have a series of articles on wealth creation, reflecting on the eleven affirmations in the Wealth Creation Manifesto, which now exists in 17 languages.

The first two affirmations of the Wealth Creation Manifesto focus on the fact that wealth creation is an overflow of God’s nature, and people are created in God’s image:

1) Wealth creation is rooted in God the Creator, who created a world that flourishes with abundance and diversity.
2) We are created in God’s image, to co-create with Him and for Him, to create products and services for the common good.

These affirmations dwell in the convergence zone between theology and economics, and they serve as the biblical-theological foundation for wealth creation. God is the creator (Gen. 1:1 – 2:4; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 104; Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11) and owner (Gen. 14:19; 1 Chr. 29:11-12; Ps. 24:1; 1 Cor. 10:26) of the universe, and it is his desire, will, and plan that the world and the people therein flourish with abundance and diversity (Gen. 1:28; Ps. 72:1-7; Prov. 28:20; 2 Cor. 9:8; Rev. 7:9). This is the Old Testament concept of shalom, which theologian Cornelius Plantinga beautifully describes as

The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and delight – a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be. [1]  Read more

Shaping Our Views on Wealth, Wealth Creation and Wealth Creators

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by Mats Tunehag

Wealth. That can be a tricky word. There are many connotations in English and the word ‘wealth’ is not always easy to translate into other languages. For many it is mainly about money. But that is only partly true. One can be financially wealthy and socially poor with no friends.

There are different kinds of wealth: financial, social, intellectual, cultural, and spiritual. Wealth can be created, shared, hoarded and destroyed. Hoarding is condemned, and destruction is certainly not commended!

Sharing is good and it is often encouraged. But there is never any wealth to be shared unless it has been created. Wealth creation is actually both a godly gift and a command. [1]

Our views on wealth, wealth creation and wealth creators are important.

Worldview matters and ideas have consequences. One can compare the health and wealth of people and nations with the same culture and language like South and North Korea, and West and East Germany. We can witness how a potentially rich country like Zimbabwe has gone from being a bread basket to a basket case in southern Africa. The oil rich Venezuela is another tragic example of how disregard for basic wealth creation principles has destroyed a country. [2]

We do not see wealth creation as simply a means to make some people rich. To the contrary, we ask, “what really helps the poor?” Instead of asking “what causes poverty, we ask “what causes different kinds of wealth to be created?’

It is a fact that aid – a form of wealth distribution – does not lift people and nations out of poverty long term. Wealth creation does. The biggest lift out of poverty in the history of mankind has happened in our generation. [3] This has been achieved not through aid but by trade; wealth creation through business. This is demonstrated by the escape of hundreds of millions from dire poverty in both India and China since the 1980s.

One cannot tackle poverty without a determined pursuit of wealth creation. [4]

So, what is the role of wealth creation when it comes to the holistic transformation of people and societies? What are biblical principles and the teaching of the church? What lessons have we learned throughout history and around the globe about wealth creation, especially through business? How is wealth creation related to justice, the poor, human trafficking and creation care?  Read more

Wealth Creation Manifesto: Affirming the Role of Business People in God’s Plan for the World

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The Bible talks about wealth in three ways; one is bad and two are good. Hoarding of wealth is condemned. Sharing of wealth is encouraged. Wealth creation is both a godly gift and command, and there is no wealth to be shared unless it has been created. But all too often the issue of wealth creation is misunderstood, neglected, or even rejected. The same thing applies to wealth creators.

The Global Consultation on The Role of Wealth Creation for Holistic Transformation aimed at addressing that. During the Consultation process in 2016 and 2017 we discussed various aspects of wealth creation, including justice, poverty, biblical foundation, wealth creators, stewardship of creation and the role of the church.

The Wealth Creation Manifesto below conveys the essentials of our deliberations before and during the Consultation and is now available in 17 languages. It has been just over three years since the Manifesto was first published, with the aim of bringing a much needed affirmation for wealth creation within the global church. It also provides concise biblically-based principles for entrepreneurs and business people in their God-given role as wealth creators (that are then unpacked in 7 full papers on the topic).

This month and next, we are revisiting the Manifesto, with articles covering the eleven affirmations. To kick off this new series, below is a reminder of the Manifesto itself. You can also read a version with bible references here.

CWC Manifesto Cover 200
Background

The Lausanne Movement and BAM Global organized a Global Consultation on The Role of Wealth Creation for Holistic Transformation, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in March 2017. About 30 people from 20 nations participated, primarily from the business world, and also from church, missions and academia. The findings will be published in several papers and a book, as well as an educational video. This Manifesto conveys the essentials of our deliberations before and during the Consultation.

Affirmations

1. Wealth creation is rooted in God the Creator, who created a world that flourishes with abundance and diversity.

2. We are created in God’s image, to co-create with Him and for Him, to create products and services for the common good.

3. Wealth creation is a holy calling, and a God-given gift, which is commended in the Bible.  Read more

Business as Mission and the Global Workplace: Part 2

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by Jo Plummer

First published as an Advance Paper for the Lausanne Global Workplace Forum.

Bottom-line thinking

It is becoming more common for companies to plan for positive impact on ‘multiple bottom lines’. Rather than only measuring success as a positive number on the profit and loss statement—ie, the ‘financial bottom line’—businesses around the world are beginning to look for positive impact on social, environmental, and financial bottom lines. Social enterprises now aim to have a positive impact on multiple stakeholders—their employees, suppliers, the community, their customers, etc.—rather than focusing solely on returning financial rewards to shareholders. This ‘cutting-edge thinking’ is rediscovering God’s original design for business.

A business as mission (BAM) company is simply one that embraces all of this thinking about multiple bottom lines and multiple stakeholders. Crucially, it holds that God is the most important Stakeholder in the business, and that the purposes of the company should align with his purposes. Thus, a BAM company is one that thinks about how the whole strategy for the business—and the business model itself—can intentionally integrate mission.

BAM company owners start their businesses for a wide variety of reasons, including: to fight the evils of human trafficking, accelerate the task of reaching the remaining unreached peoples with the gospel, and tackle the problems of social injustice, environmental degradation, and dire poverty, to name a few. Annie started her business in Asia to provide alternative employment for exploited women, Anne started hers in Northern Europe to create jobs and connect with disaffected youth, and Mary started hers in the Middle East to more effectively share the gospel in one of the least-reached nations on earth.

The world is open for business

God has mandated humankind to be good stewards of Creation, to create resources for the good of society, to love God first and then love our neighbor, and to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Thus, a business as mission company includes spiritual transformation as a measure of business success, alongside social, environmental, and economic concerns—and has a special concern for the poor, marginalized, and unreached peoples. Business as Mission is:

  • Profitable and sustainable businesses;
  • Intentional about kingdom of God purpose and impact on people and nations;
  • Focused on holistic transformation and the multiple bottom lines of economic, social, environmental, and spiritual outcomes;
  • Concerned about the world’s poorest and least-evangelized peoples. 

Read more

Business as Mission and the Global Workplace: Part 1

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by Jo Plummer

First published as an Advance Paper for the Lausanne Global Workplace Forum.

Introduction

Dallas Willard once said that, ‘Business is a primary moving force of the love of God in human history.’[1] Business, done well, is glorifying to God and has enormous potential to do good. Business has an innate God-given power to create dignified jobs, to multiply resources, to provide for families and communities and to push forward innovation and development in human society.

In the global marketplace today, we have an enormous opportunity to leverage this God-given potential of business to address some of the world’s most pressing spiritual, social, environmental, and economic issues. This is ‘business as mission’—a movement of business professionals using the gifts of entrepreneurship and good management to bring creative and long-term, sustainable solutions to global challenges. This movement of business people is growing worldwide; they are serving God in the marketplace and intentionally shaping their businesses for God’s glory, the gospel, and the common good. Business professionals are using their skills to serve people, make a profit, be good stewards of the planet, and align with God’s purposes; they are taking the whole gospel to the ends of the earth.

This paper aims to encourage businesswomen and men—whether entrepreneurs, managers, business professionals, or technical experts—that their gifts, experience, and capacity is a much-needed resource in global mission. In addition, it will exhort church and mission leaders to affirm and equip the business people in their networks and congregations so that they can effectively respond to the challenges in the global workplace today.

God gives us the ability to produce wealth

In Deuteronomy 8 we read that it is God who gives us the ability to produce wealth. He provides abundant natural resources so that we can use our creativity, talents, and hard work to provide for ourselves and innovate for society. Business processes naturally generate wealth and resources; companies are able to create good products and services for the benefit of communities. Business pushes forward innovation, helping societies develop; enterprises bring in new technologies, skills, and training to communities. Business, done well—not forgetting the Lord our God (Deut 8:11)—is glorifying to him.  Read more

10 Pressing Issues to Address in BAM in the Next 20 Years: Best of BAM Blog

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AND THE AWARD GOES TO...

Our goal is to provide the BAM Community with great content and resources. Each year we do a summer roundup of articles which have stood out in the past 6 months.

Below is the “Most Popular Post” for January to June 2019.

Please enjoy and thanks for following!

by Jo Plummer

This year marks around 20 years since the term ‘Business as Mission’ was first used and discussed amongst a growing group of like-minded people around the world. Of course, there were pioneer BAM models before that time, not to mention the fact that business and mission have been integrated in many different ways since Paul the Apostle made tents! However, for this modern iteration, the cohesion and an international conversation around this concept really started around 20 years ago.

I like to think of this pioneer generation and what has followed as ‘BAM 1.0’. It is amazing to reflect on all God has done in our global community in the past couple of decades! Now, as we look forward to the future, we want to explore the theme of ‘BAM 2.0’ for a new series of posts on The BAM Review blog. In the coming months, we’ll discover where we’ve got to and the issues we still face for the future.

To prepare for this series, we asked 20 leaders who have been engaged in business as mission for between 10 and 35 years to tell us what they believe are the most pressing issues we must address if the BAM movement is to be even more fruitful for the next 20 years… and beyond! While this isn’t a scientific survey across the entire BAM community, it does represent wisdom from a collection of leaders who have served long in our movement.

Here are the 10 overarching issues that were identified by these leaders, in no particular order:  Read more

Transforming the Church, One Engaged Business Person at a Time

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by Larry Sharp

Over the years I have had various business owners and executives travel with me as I’ve coached and supported companies around the world. On one particular trip, the VP of a Fortune 500 company came with me and some others to a former Soviet Republic country. He had gone on many mission trips, built churches, passed out tracts, and tutored English – all good things! But in Kazakhstan he helped Kazakh believers and expats with business mentoring on topics like making financial projections, contract law, and international marketing. On the trip home he told me that he finally saw how his skills can be used to build the kingdom of God. “Where are we going next?” he asked, after a short time of reflection at home.

I have had many experiences like this, witnessing firsthand the moment business people have felt affirmed and become engaged in using their skills and experience in business as mission. They go from seeing their contribution as limited to PRAY or PAY, and start to realise they can be actively involved – i.e. PLAY! And there are multiple ways for people to get engaged.

For the first time she saw that her business ability and position was a God-given asset.

A young fellow about 30 years old heard me speak in a large mega-church in Pennsylvania. He asked to meet with me and said, “All this is new to me and I don’t think my wife will want to move outside the state, what can I do?” After finding out he was the owner of an SEO company with 14 employees, I said absolutely – and you don’t even have to leave your computer. He has been a wonderful contributor to business startups in unreached areas of the world.

On another occasion, I spoke in a church in the Philadelphia area one Sunday morning. The pastor seemed open to all I spoke about that morning but the real encouragement was talking to several business people afterwards. One woman was a chemical engineer, a former Proctor and Gamble manager who supervised the development of Pampers. She joined our team and helped us with our “product development” when we were just getting going as a BAM consulting group.  Read more

Reasons to Celebrate! Growth of BAM Over the Last 20 Years

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by Jo Plummer

This year marks around 20 years since the term ‘Business as Mission’ was first used and discussed amongst a growing group of like-minded people around the world. At the very end of the 1990s and the early 2000s, there was a burst of activity around BAM: Consultations, Conferences, Books, Articles, the first Websites etc. – and this kick-started greater momentum in the BAM movement, which has been growing to this day.

We are exploring the theme ‘where we’ve got to and where we still need to go’ on The BAM Review blog in the coming months. You can read the introduction post ‘10 Pressing Issues to Address in BAM in the Next 20 Years’ for more about the topics we’ll be covering during this series.

Before we dive into the challenges ahead, we asked some of the same BAM Leaders to share their view on what progress we can celebrate in the BAM movement over the last 20 years or so. What are some wins, or significant growth areas that we should note and be thankful for?

Reasons to Celebrate: BAM Leaders Reflect

The movement has gained traction. People now understand the legitimacy and role of BAM in particular and the calling of business in general for the Great Commission. New organizations have been founded to address the gaps in the BAM movement such as mentoring, funding, events for promoting and networking, etc. More established older organizations have begun embracing BAM ministry by starting a division, department or group focused on BAM. The biggest win for me is the wider acceptance of BAM as a way to impact the world for Christ by the global Church (with a capital C). We still have a ways to go, but the progress has been significant. God has used the BAM movement to move the needle. – Joseph Vijayam, BAM Practitioner & Lausanne Catalyst  Read more

10 Pressing Issues to Address in BAM in the Next 20 Years

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by Jo Plummer

This year marks around 20 years since the term ‘Business as Mission’ was first used and discussed amongst a growing group of like-minded people around the world. Of course, there were pioneer BAM models before that time, not to mention the fact that business and mission have been integrated in many different ways since Paul the Apostle made tents! However, for this modern iteration, the cohesion and an international conversation around this concept really started around 20 years ago.

I like to think of this pioneer generation and what has followed as ‘BAM 1.0’. It is amazing to reflect on all God has done in our global community in the past couple of decades! Now, as we look forward to the future, we want to explore the theme of ‘BAM 2.0’ for a new series of posts on The BAM Review blog. In the coming months, we’ll discover where we’ve got to and the issues we still face for the future.

To prepare for this series, we asked 20 leaders who have been engaged in business as mission for between 10 and 35 years to tell us what they believe are the most pressing issues we must address if the BAM movement is to be even more fruitful for the next 20 years… and beyond! While this isn’t a scientific survey across the entire BAM community, it does represent wisdom from a collection of leaders who have served long in our movement.

Here are the 10 overarching issues that were identified by these leaders, in no particular order:  Read more

Multiplication: Why the BAM Movement Needs You!

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by Jo Plummer

December 2018 marks four full years of the new Business as Mission website and the launch of The BAM Review blog and today marks the 100th Edition of The BAM Review email, that has been going out to our subscriber list twice a month since January 2015!

With these milestones to celebrate and the end of another year approaching, I thought I would take some time to reflect on Business as Mission – read Part 1 here…

Part 2

Aha Moments

I remember reading an email from a businessman a few years ago in response to a previous suggestion by Mats that the ‘as mission’ in business as mission could eventually be dropped. This person had recently connected with the global BAM community and was newly inspired by the ‘as mission’, and thus he strongly lamented the suggestion that it could be abandoned in the future. ‘Business as mission’ could never, in his view, be condensed back down to mere ‘business’ because for him that meant old ways of thinking about his vocation that had nothing to do with his faith or God’s kingdom work.  Read more

Reflections on Business as Mission: For the 100th Edition of The BAM Review

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by Jo Plummer

December 2018 marks four full years of the new Business as Mission website and the launch of The BAM Review blog. We have now been posting one or two BAM blogs weekly for almost 208 weeks, and with the addition of a few posts from our old website catalogue, we have now posted a total of 461 blogs on this site!

In addition, Tuesday 18th December will mark the 100th Edition of The BAM Review email, that has been going out to our subscriber list twice a month since January 2015!

With these milestones to celebrate and the end of another year approaching, I thought I would take some time to reflect on Business as Mission with an additional response to the article by Mats Tunehag ‘Why We Need the Term Business as Mission, But Maybe Not Forever!’ – continuing on from Ross O’Brien’s response of last week.

I will round out this two-part article with the suggestion that the business as mission movement is like the bricks and mortar in a wall – and that we will need more of both in order to grow to full strength in the future.  Read more

The Cultural Mandate and the Great Commission: The Power of Integration

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by Will Sorrell

Conference centers fill and coffee carafes empty at countless Christian conferences each year. Recently, faith and work1 as well as business as mission (BAM)2 have been popular themes. They are similar in scope, seeking Gospel renewal and redemption in and through the vehicle of work. Nevertheless, these interrelated fields do not intersect nearly enough.

A recent article from Mats Tunehag, co-author of BAM Global Movement, describes the business as mission movement as upheld and driven by three biblical mandates: the Cultural Mandate (Gen. 1:28), the Greatest Commandment (Matt. 22:37-39), and the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). He precisely states that those engaged in BAM must keep all three at the forefront of their intentions, their businesses, and their missions. This is a helpful framework, but does not always materialize in a balanced way. It is not difficult to imagine some BAM entrepreneurs and tentmakers3 placing emphasis upon the Commission over the Cultural Mandate.

Faith and work invites Christians to see the God-ordained value in their existing vocation. Work that promotes human, environmental, and economic flourishing is indeed worship, and we must treat it accordingly.

Meanwhile, the rapidly growing faith and work movement—in the United States and elsewhere—heavily emphasizes societal renewal. Faith and work invites Christians to see the God-ordained value in their existing vocation. Work that promotes human, environmental, and economic flourishing is indeed worship, and we must treat it accordingly. However, faith and work integration must not neglect the charge to make disciples locally and globally.  Read more

Wealth Creation and the Stewardship of Creation

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Intentional Stewardship

Along with the spiritual, financial, and social bottom line, the environmental bottom line is an integral measure of a God-centered successful business. The subject of this series is wealth creation for holistic transformation. The work of wealth creators includes sharing the Good News of salvation through Jesus, improving the financial wellbeing of society and the staff within their companies, providing the dignity of work and the stability that ensues from meaningful long term employment, developing a society where we love each other as we love ourselves, and providing the clean energy, water, air and land on which we live. The wealth creator acknowledges this inextricably linked web of relationship with Christ, society and creation.

Environmental stewardship, then, is not an add-on. It is not part of a marketing plan to ‘look good’. It is a God-given command to steward his creation. By affirming one’s business and passion for wealth creation as an important part of the business ecology and an instrument in meeting the cultural mandate, creation will be restored and opportunities for wealth creation will be seen. Each business run by wealth creators has a specialty, a God-gift, and points of excellence that can be applied to a pressing environmental issue. A transportation company can work on innovative fuel efficiency and improve transportation of needed medicines. A restaurant can source its food stocks with care,[i] and reduce food waste by supporting the food bank with excess, then composting the rest. An office can install passive cooling, energy efficient lighting and provide incentives to reduce commuting or increase the use of less polluting transport for their employees. Companies have the advantage of scale and resources to do much good quickly. Environmental discipline is financial discipline (conservation of resources), social discipline (respect of local communities and the resources under their stewardship), and spiritual discipline (obeying God’s commandment to steward the earth). The bottom lines are integral and are split into four for convenience, but not in practice. A company is not truly profitable until it affects a positive return in each bottom line. Stewardship is intentional and requires discipline to carry it out. Sustainable living is to ‘aim for a full, just and responsible enjoyment of the amazing gifts that our generous God has provided for us.’[ii] Read more

Beyond God Bless You and Merry Christmas

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by Mike Sharrow

I grew up in Alaska, in a melting pot of transient people and cultures (there are only 17 of us genuine Alaskans). I embarked on college then early career pursuits at a Fortune 50 company in Chicago where Christianity in the workplace was peculiar and I first wrestled with my own “sacred versus secular” frustrations. Then, in 2006, I moved to Texas and was surprised to find out that “everybody [practically] is Christian here!” At least, I heard a lot of Christianese and there was even a Christian business chamber of commerce.

What Does it Mean to Be a Faith Driven Entrepreneur?

Blown away by this apparent oasis of fellow sojourners in business and the Kingdom, I began to ask every entrepreneur I could “So, what does it mean that you’re a Christ-follower running your business?” With every answer my heart sank.

The top 5 answers I received representing scores of in person surveys:

1. I’m not afraid to say God Bless you or Merry Christmas!

2. We pay people fairly, treat people well and tell the truth (slow clap)

3. We do a good job and I give a fair bit of money away to a lot of good causes

4. Everybody knows I’m a member of Acme Really Christian Church and vote for the Bible believing political party (which I didn’t know that party existed)

5. Can’t you see the fish on my business card!?

I concluded too many people confuse being American or, in this case, Texan, with being citizens of the Kingdom of God operating as called and commission ambassadors stewarding business assets of our Father’s Holding Company for His purposes and His glory.  Read more

Three Lessons from The Good Book on Business

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If Christian business leaders would accept their significant role in the Kingdom, we could transform the world! However, two current cultural paradigms hold back Christian businesses and prevent them from fulfilling their purpose: The secular idea that business is just about making money, and the Christian cultural idea that business is really a second-class occupation, subservient to the institutional church clergy.

Dave Kahle addresses these challenges in his book The Good Book on Business and helps us grow in our understanding of the importance of business in the Kingdom of God. Beginning with the first words God spoke to Adam and continuing through the entire Bible, Kahle shows that business was, and is, God’s first choice as a venue through which to interact with mankind, take care of people, grow character and faith, and channel God’s power and providence. Here are a three take-aways from the book for those wondering what the Bible has to do with their business:

1. God at Work

At the start, there is the foundational truth that God himself is a worker, as shown through His creation of the universe and culminating with His creation of humankind. God created humankind in His image, and so it is His intent for us is to also be workers, and by extension, to be involved in business.  Read more

God in Your Foundational Statements

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by Dave Kahle

There is a certain power and attractiveness that accrues to those folks who take a stand and publicly express it. That’s called leadership, and the world is full of people looking for a leader. There is something compelling about a person who is committed to a cause that is bigger than just himself, who has the courage to declare that commitment not only for himself but on behalf of those in his sphere of influence, and to do so publicly for anyone who wants to hear it. The impact can be incalculable — spreading across geographies and dripping down into several generations.

Of course, we’ve all seen this principle in our lives — significant people influencing multitudes with the strength of the commitment to a cause. My mind leaps to Billy Graham on the positive side, and Hitler on the negative. These are grand-scale examples, but there are scores of others in our families and communities who don’t get the same level of notoriety, but for whom the principle is just as operative.

Read more