BAM: It’s Not Exotic — Understanding Business as Mission

What Is BAM (Business as Mission), Really?

Over the years, I’ve encountered many people who struggle to define BAM—Business as Mission. And that confusion might be the biggest reason we don’t see more people engaging in it.

So let’s break it down clearly and simply.

1. BAM Is Business

Let’s start here:
BAM is real business.

• Real products
  
• Real services
  
• Real profit
  
• Real customers
  

This isn’t a hobby or a charity disguised as a company. BAM is about sustainable, professional, profitable businesses—run with excellence and integrity.

👉 In other words: BAM is just business.

2. BAM Is Mission

Let’s clear up another common misunderstanding.

When people hear “missions,” they often picture:

• Leaving home
  
• Raising support
  
• Serving as a full-time missionary overseas
  

But BAM is about mission—not missions.

What’s the difference?

✅ Missions (plural): Often location- or role-specific
✅ Mission (singular): Refers to God’s bigger purpose and activity in the world

Ask yourself:

What is God up to? What’s His mission?

BAM is business connected to God’s mission.

3. Connecting Business to God’s Mission

So how does your business align with what God is doing?

🌍 It could mean launching a business overseas to bless local communities
💰 It could mean using your profits for generous giving
👩🏽‍💼 It could mean job creation, especially in underserved areas
📉 It could mean helping to alleviate poverty or fight injustice

The key is this: BAM integrates business and mission seamlessly. It’s not a two-part effort. It’s one unified purpose—using business to serve, bless, and transform lives in the name of Christ.

4. Where Did the Term “BAM” Come From?

The term Business as Mission (BAM) originated in the 1990s, during a growing movement to rethink how Christians engage the marketplace for God’s glory.

The fuller phrase at the time was:

“The seamless integration of Business as Mission.”

It was never meant to sound exotic or elite. It was a call to remove the false divide between business and spiritual purpose.

In God’s Kingdom, everything matters—including your work.

Final Thoughts: BAM Isn’t Exotic—It’s Essential

If you’ve been waiting for a perfect definition of BAM before jumping in, this is your moment.

BAM isn’t a mystery. It’s not a side project. It’s not for a spiritual elite.
It’s for everyday entrepreneurs, professionals, and leaders who believe:

“My work is part of God’s mission.”