Page 8 - Mission Journal

Missions in Picture business entrepreneurs for a variety of
reasons. Business entrepreneurs create jobs,
make contribution to the communities and
help improve their livelihood. At the same
time, they earn opportunities to demon-
strate how God loves people by serving their
staff, suppliers, customers and all their
families with God's heart. BAM is
transformational.
BAM is not business as usual, missions as
usual, fake business, or profiteering. BAM is
related to but is more than business for
mission, tentmaking, or Christian-owned
Jeffrey Lee
business. BAM is holistic, establishes natural
relationship, provides access, promotes
SfK Ministries- economic development, creates jobs,
supports local churches and carries out the
Synergy for the Kingdom great commission intentionally and
creatively. BAM is highly effective. But, it is
Equipping and Empowering Missional Businesses not easy. Because running a business itself is
quite challenging and it is more challenging
to run it as missional business that is
I never forget the strong impression that I mission with integrity. Many of these intentional about pursuing holistic transfor-
received from a business in Bangkok, businesses are located in the least evange- mation in the lives of people they serve
Thailand: Nebia House. With an initial lized and/or poorest nations. They take a through Kingdom impact. Frequently,
capital investment of approximately holistic approach in serving stakeholders and missional entrepreneurs lack not only
$15,000, the business produced 45 jobs. communities to meet their needs as well as business management knowledge and
This fact alone was quite impressive, but the to impact and transform the lives of people leadership skills but also access to patient
jobs were not for ordinary people, but for they serve, including their staff, their capital to grow their business.
ladies who were involved in prostitution. families, their suppliers, their customers and
They felt hopeless and undignified when the community they serve. To them, their Thus, SfK Ministries has been established
they were in their former vocation, but now business is their mission. to equip and empower these missional
making hand-made dolls, they have
businesses.
regained their dignity and found hope again. Lausanne Movement adopted BAM as a
This business produced not only economic form of holistic mission in 2004. BAM has
What is SfK Ministries?
transformation but also social transforma- since been defined, refined and adopted by
tion in the lives of these ladies. numerous churches and mission agencies
Furthermore, these ladies were naturally throughout the world. BAM Global Think
exposed to Christian faith through active Tank has been formed and has played a
interaction with the Christian leadership pivotal role in developing resources to be
team of the business, producing spiritual available to many who are interested in SfK stands for Synergy for the Kingdom
transformation as well. The impact was BAM. BAM is particularly effective in nations (of God). SfK aims to produce synergy for
holistic transformation. This business has a where Christianity is persecuted or illegal. It God's Kingdom by working together with
missional purpose and is called a missional is because these national governments are like-minded people and ministries in
business or business as mission (BAM). It often hostile to Christianity or Christian supporting missional businesses in Asia and
was one of the factors that have given birth missionaries, but they welcome genuine Africa with financial and intellectual capital,
to SfK Ministries.

What is a missional business?

Missional business, also known as
business as mission or BAM, isa fully
functioning legitimate business owned
and/or operated by missional entrepreneurs
who intentionally integrate business and

8 Mission Journal