Top Reasons for Business As Mission

Presenting these ideas at the Tulsa Workshop was great. I'm thankful I had the opportunity. I hope this is just the beginning of a growing and exciting movement called Business As Mission (BAM), or using business people and business in general as a tool to expand God's Kingdom. It makes so much sense in today's world.

Here's a few of the reasons why....

1. BAM provides a model for sustainable missions, overcoming chronic problems of dependency in developing countries and encouraging greater stewardship of money worldwide.
2. BAM takes much needed and sought after business expertise, technology and capital from the developed world to developing countries creating greater economic justice.
3. BAM creates jobs! And with it empowers and gives dignity to many lives.
4. BAM grows the local economy and blesses the nation.
5. BAM provides access to many locations and relationships, especially the increasing number of nations now considered closed to missionaries.
6. BAM presents the gospel by word through meaningful relationships.
7. BAM presents the gospel by deed.
8. BAM enables local funding of the church.
9. BAM taps into a highly underutilized yet highly capable resource in the church - businesspeople. They get a chance to give more than just their money but their lives as well.
10. BAM is a valuable partner for more traditional mission efforts lending towards desired holistic ministry efforts.
11. There's a great opportunity in our world today. Business is going global, mission shouldn't be left behind.
12. BAM helps economically blessed Christians fulfill the commands of Jesus - see Matthew 25:40 and surrounding verses as well as 1 John 3:17.

For those of you who heard my story of The Source business mission project in Jinja, Uganda, you'll be able to apply each of the above points easily to that effort. If you would like to hear the story yourself you can order the cd here. I also hope to write the Source story up more formally in the coming months to be published. I'll let you know when it will be available.

May God conceive new mission efforts and move in more businesspeople to serve where He is already working in this world. May BAM help to fulfill the Great Commission given to us by Jesus. May BAM bless the lives of needy people throughout this world.