What is BAM and Why We Do It?
"Business as Mission is about real, viable, sustainable and profitable businesses; with a Kingdom of God purpose, perspective and impact; leading to a transformation of people and societies spiritually, economically and socially - to the greater glory of God" - Mats Tunehag
I will be teaching preschool in Budapest, Hungary, where the school is being organized as a Business as Mission (BAM). It's okay if you don't know what a BAM is, when I started preparing to go to Budapest I didn't either. But now that I do, I know that it is going to be an amazing way to impact so many more people with the gospel!
The purpose of having the preschool as a BAM project will be to generate cash to help support the other outreaches our team in Hungary is already doing.
Some of those events/activities/programs are the following:
- English Camps and Clubs
- Discipleship
- Church Partnership and Pastoral Training
- BAM training
- New BAM projects
Business as a Mission makes sense on so many levels and its role in modern missions is impactful and becoming more important every day.
- It can generate income that allows a mission to sustain itself.
- It allows missionaries to enter closed countries because they are a valid part of a valid business.
- It generates income that allows a mission to expand outreach past the BAM’s walls.
- It allows Christians to speak into the daily lives of non-believers on a regular, consistent basis outside of the Church.
- It creates a safe environment for ministering to non-Christian employees.
- It creates a place where Christians can work together daily and benefit from the encouragement that being with other Christians in the workplace can bring.
So why doesn’t the school just pay my salary?
On a micro level, this makes sense; however, on a macro level, it is important to look at the bigger Kingdom picture. My personal financial support in America allows our team to take the income from the school and minister more holistically to the entire community in our area. In other words, when you financially support me and the preschool ministry, you allow the money we receive from the neighborhood to return to the neighborhood for Kingdom purposes.
In time, the school will be able to pay a portion of my support; however, everyone on our Hungary team will always be asking people to come alongside us to support the mission since the needs of the Hungarian people are so great and their income is so small.
The BAM program is smart, effective, and uplifting to all who are involved in or who benefit from it. I look forward to becoming part of our BAM program in Hungary and furthering God’s Kingdom among the people of Budapest.
