This document discusses business as missions (BAM) as a strategy for holistic transformation of communities spiritually, economically, and socially. BAM involves using business skills to build relationships, bless communities, fund local churches and ministries, and provide an entrance for the gospel. It can empower the impoverished, create jobs, and teach business principles and independence. The document provides examples of how BAM has been implemented through training, microenterprise development, and sustainable investment projects.

2. Map of AfricaMap of Africa

4. Difference between Marketplace Ministry
vs. Missionfield Businesses
• Tentmaker-the practice of Christians who support themselves financially by
working as an employee
• Marketplace ministry / Breaking down the walls of the "sacred" and the
"secular" / On the job relational evangelism
• Take your "natural giftings" and use them not only in the secular arena here
but let them become sacred there- such as academics, health care, counselor,
tailor, baker, musician, etc.
• Business AS missions- / - the business IS the missionary enterprise / it
involves "job making" as a part of its vision
– Self sustainability for the ministry- referred to a Business FOR missions – For
Favor of God
– Self sustainability for the individual and community
Defining Evangelistic Commerce

5. Business as Missions
What does it look like and why is it so relevant today?
• Sought after on the missions field- How average business people, can
bring their business skills and greatly impact world evangelism and the
transformation of communities
• A strategy for the specific purpose of the transformation of people and
communities; spiritually, economically and socially - holistic
empowerment
• Builds relationships / Blesses the local community broadly/ Blesses
the local church specifically/ Grows a viable and sustainable business
• Rebuilding infrastructure within the church and community for
expansion of the church.
• An entrance for the gospel through business into the 10/40 window.
• Business as Missions- from giving to self sustainability- it will even
change how ministries are funded globally

6. Effects and Outcomes of Business as Missions
• Builds the Kingdom- spiritual and political development
• Kingdom principles that oppose the corruption eating
away at the foundation of Africa, which has been on all
levels- government, church and business
• Redeveloping and transforming society in God’s name
• Empowering the church for multiplication and sending out
missionaries

7. Avenues for the Gospel (Market place Ministry)
• Relational evangelism
• Empowering the impoverished
• Unwrapping talents and
restoring creativity in war torn
areas
• Modeling Bible based business
principles
• Enhances partnership in
business community and
ministry
• Targets high unemployment
rates and can especially help
the orphan and widow
population
• Voice in the society
• Churches planted
• Funding other ministries
• Jobs created- dignity restored
• Economic, social, or
community development
• Excellent product or service
provided that helps the
community
• Strengthening marginalized
church and persecuted
believers- discipleship of
individuals

8. Avenues for the Gospel (Market place Ministry) cont.
• Partners with local church in
ministry
• Helps local entrepreneurs
engage in economic spheres
• Increased personal giving to
church and missions
• Stability and understandable
role in the community
• % of profit available to grow
business and enhance impact
• % of profit available to help
fund other local ministries
• % of profit or use of salaries to
benefit peoples income
(widows, orphans, etc)
• Teaching independence and
work ethics - people will value
what they have to pay for

9. Avenues for the Gospel (Market place Ministry) cont.
• Micro-enterprising: Provides business knowledge,
experience, and skills
– Small scale employment-micro entrepreneurs often
work alone or with unpaid family members
– Hard Work-The simplicity of equipment and lack of
division of labor makes for much manual production
– Minimal capital input- Total investment ranges from
$75 for sewing machines to several thousands for larger
businesses like fish farming
– Local market- micro enterprises serve the needs of their
neighbors and their communities

10. Avenues for the Gospel (Market place Ministry) cont.
• Micro-enterprising: Provides business knowledge,
experience, and skills
– Despite the small size and limited market of these businesses,
micro enterprise is the largest and fastest growing part of the
private sector. It is of immense importance to the economy of the
developing world in the following ways:
• Employing 30-70% of the labor force in developing world countries
• Offering job opportunities to minority groups, women and the
uneducated
• Providing needed products and services at a local level
• Supplying the larger scale industries with raw goods.

11. Avenues for the Gospel (Market place Ministry) cont.
• Encouraging the entrepreneurs not only to give- tithe into the
church/ but no go and help another, teach them what you’ve
done, pass on the blessing, give of your time and skill, learn
to impart
• Place of education in conjunction with business
advancement: HIV training, literacy, and accountability
– Systems- record systems and accountability in pay back teach
educational skills and the value of the business
• Enabling independence rather than strengthening dependency
– Danger: Feeding independence and individualism. Good to
develop self identity, gifts, motivation, creativity), and THEN
impart it to others, always with Kingdom building mindset.
Independence if carried too far can defeat the vision or corporate
business and church expansion.

12. Ways of Implementation on the Field
• Training trainers in business / Schools of business- taught
in the community churches / FOG staff as liaison
• Micro enterprise development / Farms concept- create own
committee and own bank and own culturally relevant
policies
• Investment with ongoing return- as it’s reinvested in
ongoing business projects
• Empowering individuals and communities in sustainability
(ABCD)
• Ministry sustainability- like sustaining FOG

13. Getting Started
• Skills – Come and train trainers to do what you do
in a simple way
• Teach business skills and sound business
practices- record keeping and accountability
• Money- investment – into indigenous bank
"committee" to start business projects on the
ground- agriculture, poultry, pigs or goats,
tailoring, mechanics, carpentry, fish farming, dress
rental

14. Getting Started cont.
• Invest and support FOG in larger self-sustaining projects-
"fish pond fund"…..to help support the orphanage and
other ministry projects
• Monthly support sponsor to get involved in FOG ministry
concepts- training and equipping nationals to be sent north
for church planting and community development in self
sustaining projects (light of the gospel into Muslim
countries, is also fighting terrorism- as a spiritual army)

15. Additional Resources / Questions and Answers
• God is at Work-Transforming people and nations through business by Ken Eldred
• On Kingdom Business - Transforming missions through entrepreneurial strategies
by Testunao Yamamori and Kenneth A. Eldred
• Business for the Glory of God -The Bible’s teaching on the moral goodness of
business by Wayne Grudem
• Business as Missions -The Power of Business in the Kingdom of God by Michael
Baer
• Great Commission Companies by Steve Rundle and Tom Steffen
• Business as Missions - From Impoverished to Empowered by Tom Steffen and
Mike Barnett
• The Gods of Business - The Intersection of Faith and the Marketplace by Todd
Albertson, MBS, PhD
• Tentmaking - Business as Missions by Patrick Lai
• Profit for the Lord by William J. Danker