Clarifying Business as Mission Objectives

The following is another excerpt from the BAM Survey 2007 Report. The BAM Survey 2007 Report is an in-depth assessment of the state of the Business as Mission movement based on survey responses from 497 people in 38 countries. You can purchase an electronic copy of the BAM Survey 2007 Report for $14.99 here.

Business as Mission Companies Create Eternal Value Through Strategic Management

Whereas evangelism, profit, and (to a lesser extent) mission to the developing world were the historic points of contention for the Business as Mission movement, BAM leaders have built a foundation on these elements and are now working to clarify the principles under which Business as Mission companies operate. This focus on clarification has become necessary as Business as Mission is one of many strategies in existence that mixes general business activities with evangelism and ministry efforts aimed at unreached people groups. Though similar in nature to strategies like tent-making, micro-enterprise, micro-development, and workplace ministry, there are important distinctions between each in terms of intentions, methods, means, and outcomes. Irresponsible mixing of terms and tenets has leads to confusion and distraction and ultimately hinders the Business as Mission movement from gaining further momentum.

Currently the Business as Mission movement does not have a systematic, integrated approach for defining, organizing, and analyzing methodologies, and metrics that drive kingdom impact. Through our research, we are able to draw on the collective experience of Business as Mission leaders and lay the foundation for the development of an applicable framework for transforming strategy into action.

Clarification of Objectives

Not all Business as Mission undertakings will or should have the same objectives; nor should BAM practitioners rule out the possibility that their operations will be used for some type of transformation that they did not plan for. This is important because integrating specific BAM objectives (whatever they should be) along with the business’s financial, creative, and productive goals requires clarity in order to maintain productivity towards accomplishing all goals.

Our research shows that, according to respondents “Very Familiar” with Business as Mission, the most agreed upon objective of BAM is to Build the local economy and bless the nation^[1] (Table D). The second most agreed upon objective is Providing access to many locations^[2]. Survey data also indicates that making a profit, evangelizing and targeting the developing world are key objectives of the movement.

These objectives highlight the perceived advantages Business as Mission adds to the goals of traditional, donor-driven mission efforts – a self-funded vehicle that provides creative access to evangelize and minister to unreached people groups. However, they also highlight the need for further refinement of how strategic Business as Mission objectives are formulated and set. Behind each objective identified in the survey lies an assortment of motivations, interpretations, and expectations for fulfillment. These factors further magnify the complexity of Business as Mission and can make it difficult to know how day-to-day activities and operations contribute to the strategic BAM objectives.

In talking about Business as Mission goals we must resist the tendency to become myopic in our orientation. Ultimately, we are not in control of whether or not we accomplish these goals. Thus, Business as Mission goals and objectives must be understood as guidelines that describe the potential for kingdom impact that BAM companies have. Our discussion of factors that contribute toward these goals is aimed at furthering the Business as Mission movement’s understanding of what experience has shown to be effective.