Business As Mission

Introduction

Business as Mission (BAM) is a significant and growing dimension of the world Christian movement. God is using Kingdom businesses to bring about the transformation of individuals, families and communities for the glory of God.

What is a Kingdom business? A Kingdom business, like any good business, is a business that seeks to be profitable and sustainable. Furthermore, like any effective business, a Kingdom business is committed to excellence, operates with integrity, and has systems of accountability. But, the bottom line for Kingdom businesses goes beyond profitability. Kingdom businesses have a four-fold bottom line: spiritual, economic, social and environmental. Kingdom businesses are also committed to operating in such a way that they provide an organic context for evangelism and discipleship, mobilize and sustain prayer support, strive for the holistic transformation of individuals and communities, seek the holistic welfare of employees, model Christ-like servant leadership and embody Kingdom ethics.

BAM Defined: Business as mission is a strategy for the specific purpose of the transformation of people and communities: spiritually, economically, socially and environmentally – for the glory of God, through viable and sustainable businesses which have Kingdom of God values, purpose, perspective and impact (adapted from Youth With A Mission).

Why Is BAM Strategic?

• In regions of the world where Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism are dominant and where 90% of the world’s unreached/least-reached peoples live, 80% of the world’s poorest populations are found. Unemployment in these regions ranges from 30% to 80%, and it is even higher among Christian minorities.

• Economic development is a key global need. Job creation enables people to support themselves and their families, and is an important dimension of community transformation.

• The connection between poverty and disease is clear, such that impacting poverty can also impact community health

• The connection between poverty and social problems such as slavery, human trafficking and prostitution is also clear, and impacting poverty can impact these destructive social realities

• Many countries with large concentrations of unreached/least-reached people groups severely limit the activities of “missionaries,” but Christian business people can often freely serve

• By providing jobs for local Christians which makes it possible for them to support their churches (enabling these churches to avoid dependence on foreign support)

• Promotes environmental stewardship