Lausanne World Pulse – Perspectives Articles – A Global Overview of the Business as Mission Movement: Needs & Gaps
January 2009
Business as Mission (BAM) is part of a wider global movement that recognizes and responds to God’s call to the whole Church taking the whole gospel to the whole person in the whole world. BAM is a relatively new term, but is based upon biblical concepts. The BAM concept is holistic in nature and content; it is built upon the truth that God has the power to transform people and communities spiritually, economically, socially, and environmentally.
BAM does not accept the unbiblical and pervasive paradigm of a dichotomy between sacred and secular, where “church” or “missionary” work is considered a spiritually superior “full-time ministry” and doing business is considered less “spiritual”—or worse. In the last fifteen years the BAM concept has spread across the world and the number of BAM initiatives has grown dramatically.
However, there are still major needs and gaps in the global BAM movement. This article will attempt to identify and briefly elaborate on a few of them. The following nine points can be used for prayer, discussion, planning, and action.
1. Vision Impartation
We have many reasons to rejoice and praise God for the growth of the global BAM movement. However, there is still a major need for further and wider vision-casting. Since BAM is a triangular drama which involves church, business, and missions, the BAM vision needs to be imparted among these three constituencies, especially targeting church and mission leaders and Christians in the marketplace.
2. Concept Clarification
In particular, through the global BAM Think Tank (which worked under the auspices of Lausanne), a widely-accepted definition has emerged and gained strength:
Business as Mission is about real, viable, sustainable, and profitable businesses; with a Kingdom of God purpose, perspective, and impact; leading to transformation of people and societies spiritually, economically, socially, and environmentally—to the greater glory of God.
Graphically it may be illustrated like this:
In a limited business paradigm, the primary or sole focus is on maximizing profit for the owners. The growing corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement emphasizes accountability to society as a whole for the “triple bottom line” impact of social and environmental outcomes, as well as financial results. BAM affirms all of these, but also includes a fourth bottom line—intentionally revealing and honoring Christ and seeing him transform lives through business. BAM is CSR+, as it were. Unfortunately, there is sometimes a confusing misuse of the term BAM. Let’s be clear: BAM is not “Business for Mission,” a fundraising activity facilitated by the profits generated by business. Neither is BAM “Business as Platform” (i.e., an attempt to obtain visas to do “real ministry”). Rather, genuine BAM is the practice of business as a calling and ministry in its own right—a manifestation of the Kingdom of God.