What is Business as Mission? ( BAM )

First, BAM or Business as Mission is the idea that there is a "calling" to business. Why, how and where do carry out my calling? How do I interaction with other people in the Body of Christ? How do I connect? Here is a brief introduction.

In 2004 a group of  believing global business leaders gathered, and after much prayer and work, wrote  The Lausanne Occasional Paper 54 They said that God is at work in a new way, all over the world, both in the market place and in the Church. This dynamic movement within the Body of Christ is based  on God’s love for the world and His call to His Church.  It is a new wave of activity that is closely linked with the work of the Holy Spirit throughout history.  It is a relevant strategy for the 21st century.  God is raising up a new work force of men and women from around the world.  These men and women are on a mission for God’s

glory in and through business.  Christian leaders in business, church, missions and  beyond have all concurred that God is at work and business as mission is  dynamically meeting the various needs of a world in desperate need of the whole Gospel.

In a nutshell:

• Workplace ministry or Marketplace ministry  can be done in any workplace and is vital component to BAM but is not, in itself, BAM
• Tentmaking is a way to earn a living while doing missionary work, but is not BAM
• A business owned by Christians may or may not be BAM activity
• Using business as a "platform" to send missionaries is not BAM, and many BAM practioners have questions about the integrity of this approach
• A Kingdom Business Professional is a believer serving his or her purpose in any worplace that may or may not be a BAM activity.

A BAM business is a business a real business, a purpose driven business, created and designed by entrepreneurs with the express -purpose of  serving their role to advances the kingdom of God, not to take anything over, but to full fill the great commission (Matt 28 19-20), using the gifts that some believers were given.

A fully grown and balanced  BAM organization has Six defining characteristics:

1.   It makes a profit

2.   It's enterprises engage the world by creating business

3.   It deliberately engages its believing and non believing employees with workplace ministry

4.   It deliberately engages the community where it lives and works as Ambassadors for Christ

5.   It deliberately engages its customers and venders knowing it overtly represents Christ

6.  It deliberately engages the local Body of Christ as a siblings in the body of Christ here on earth.

There are two kinds of BAM Organizations:

a. A Greenfield BAM organization ( a start up owned by believers designed according to BAM principles)

b.  A Brownfiled BAm organization (a business owned by believers started in the traditional way and having been redesigned.

A BAM activity also usually  has Chaplains integrated into workpliace ministrt, and intercessors integrated into the business processes of the company.

• The Lausanne Occasional Paper 54  is a great start to understanding BAM, because the concept is not clearly understood by everyone who is working at it.

 Here are some Great Resources:

• The Business as Mission Network
• The YWAM BAM Center
• The Regent Universiy's Center for Entrepreneurship
• BAM FAQs

BAM Books:

• Great Commission Companies
• God is at Work

I hope this is you jumping-off place. May God make your way straight and clear, and may the seed He planted in you produce a hundred-fold in advancement of God's Kingdom.

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Intercession and Prophetic Service to the Body of Christ

Intercessory prayer and prophetic ministry have always been present and at work in the body of Christ. Through some denominational groups believed they were alone in their pursuit of the Spirit of God, He was always at work, speaking through those with Ephesians 4"11-12 responsibilities to the body of Christ. I have see no scriptural or natural evidence that those with intercessory and prophetic callings are not on a different spiritual level than others; they are simply naturally drawn to focus on the heavenlies than most. Its very much like a fish pond I walk by every day.

The fish pond is situated so that I can almost always see to the bottom, and neither my shadow nor reflection falls across the pond in early morning or evening when I walk by. At first, it seemed that if I stopped to watch the fish, they all gathered to look up through the water to see if bread crumbs were coming. Later I discovered what was really going on.

Over time I realized that there were three fish, the same fish each time, that were focused upward toward the bridge whenever I passed. If I stopped, these three fish would exhibit rapid fin movement and excited shaking. This seemed to be what drew the rest of the fish, which were never really focused above the water line. After gathering, the rest of the fish would watch the first three fish. Though they could have looked up through the water as the other fish had done at any time, they remained focused on the first three fish.

It looked like most of the fish had learned that when these three fish behaved in a certain way, bread crumbs may be imminent.

The role held by these three fish have always been present in the body of Christ. Every Pastor has the praying church member who would come to them in private with a concern, an excitement, or specific information about what was happening "above the water line" which turned out to be very helpful. This has then been communicated by the pastor or priest, themselves directed by God, to the congregation or to indivudals as they saw fit.

Now that holistic ministry, workplace ministry, and ministry in the areas of seven mind molders are re emerging, Intercessory prayer and prophetic ministry will also reemerge, more widely available to the whole body of Christ than ever.

Praise God for the faithfulness and perseverance of those called to serve in this ministry, often in the quiet of the night when no one else is listening. Thanks, Father, for their willingness to serve You by serving the vision You have given to others.

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