6 Lessons from the BAM Global Summit
This blog was written by Abigail Hoogstra, BAM Canada’s Community Specialist. Hoogstra, being the newest member of the BAM Canada team, has been learning all things BAM since she started with us at the end of April. We appreciate her fresh perspective, and her eagerness to learn.
Where are you at in your understanding of Business As Mission (BAM)?
You may be well immersed in the world of BAM and will be familiar with much of the content of this blog. If that is the case, I’d encourage you to continue reading to see what stands out to you!
On the other hand, you may be new to this whole world of faith and business integration. You don’t know much about BAM but are curious to learn more.
I was in that position only a few weeks ago. On April 27, only my second day of work, I attended the 2023 BAM Global Summit. The event catalyzed my understanding of BAM, as I attended sessions, listened in on business case stories, asked questions during Q&A, and even had the opportunity to do some virtual networking.
Here are the top 6 things attending the event taught me about BAM:
1. BAM is not a cover for traditional missions.
BAM is not a covert means for missionaries to gain access into a restricted country with unreached peoples. Instead, BAM is an integration of legitimate, profitable, scalable businesses and Kingdom-minded, transformational faith.
One speaker at the conference stated that his business underwent many searches, and background tests by local authorities. If his business was not a BAM business but simply a cover, the authorities would have found out, the business shut down, and the owners sent out of the country.
2. BAM’s founder is God.
While I assumed that the co-founders of BAM Global were the leaders of BAM, I discovered that they did not come up with the concept, nor start the movement.
They may have played a part in establishing support for the work, but God has been transforming the nations through business since the beginning of the world.
3. BAM is a movement.
BAM does not have
a templated structure,
an outlined strategy,
or a running count of members and businesses established.
Everyone doing the work of BAM has accepted God’s call to advance his Kingdom and are actively working in that pursuit. God is moving in and through businesses, changing cultures, shaping societies, and fulfilling his purposes at this very moment.
4. BAM is a community.
Within this movement is a network of relationships. People are united to partake in God’s redemptive, transformative work in this world through business. This shared goal establishes the foundation for fellowship, encouragement, and shared wisdom that fosters strong relationships.
It was amazing to hear business leaders share their stories, soak in the lessons God has taught them, and witness their celebration of all their brothers and sisters doing business elsewhere in the world.
5. BAM is expansive.
I had no idea how true this was in so many ways!
Geographically, BAM spans the globe, reaching the unreached in all corners of the world.
Demographically, BAM is incredibly diverse, made up of all peoples from almost every continent (maybe not Antarctica).
As for industry, BAM businesses manufacture handbags, operate media companies, serve coffee, and do everything in between!
6. BAM is not only for entrepreneurs.
While on a networking call during the summit, I met both a seminary student and an architect, neither of which, to my knowledge, currently run their own business. But both were part of the event.
These people carried the purpose of serving God’s Kingdom with them in their work as a student and an architect.
So whether you are a…
receptionist
hairdresser
lawyer
cartographer
landscaper
…or anything else, you have skills and abilities to apply in a missional business setting. You are welcomed into this transforming work of the world.
Now these are only 6 of my many takeaways from attending the event. If you would like to learn more about BAM:
Watch Mike Baer speak on Biblical Foundations for Business from the 2019 BAM Conference
Read one of BAM Global’s reports
Or join our BAM Canada network to gain access to exclusive resources and connect with like-minded Canadians in business!
Want to network for more Kingdom impact in our BAM Canada Network community?
Check out our private Network.
Sign up for our newsletter, here.
