All people have economic needs, and Business as Mission (BAM) provides an avenue through which missionaries are able to work within the business sector while helping to address not only the spiritual needs of the people but also practical needs. Since its inception, PIONEERS has emphasized non-traditional missionary methods, and BAM is one of most common expressions of an entrepreneurial philosophy of ministry. BAM provides access to engage in ministry among unreached people groups and allows PIONEERS’ workers to pursue the mission of initiating church planting movements among them.

PIONEERS workers are serving globally in various BAM initiatives. At a recent symposium, there were over 40 different business ventures represented. Here are a few examples:

• English schools • Coffee shops • Farms • Handcrafts • Information technology • Sales and marketing • Leadership training • Import/export • Clean water • and much more

There are many models of business as mission. PIONEERS workers are not required to follow any specific model but are encouraged to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the counsel of field leadership and to observe the unique context where they are serving. This level of flexibility attracts entrepreneurial self-starters who are confident in the unique calling God has placed on their lives and can handle the challenges and ambiguity of working in business in a cross-cultural context.

In addition to Websites such as businessasmissionnetwork.com that offer resources on BAM, there are several books that offer good starting places for understanding BAM:

Tentmaking: Business as Missions by Patrick Lai (Paperback - Sep 1, 2005)

Business as Mission: The Power of Business in the Kingdom of God by Michael R. Baer (Paperback - Sep 1, 2006)

On Kingdom Business: Transforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Strategies by Kim-Kwong Chan, Clem Schultz, Sonia Chou, and Ken Crowell (Paperback - Jul 28, 2003)

God is at Work: Transforming People and Nations Through Business by Ken Eldred (Hardcover - Jun 11, 2005)

Marketplace Christianity: Discovering the Kingdom Purpose of the Marketplace by Robert E. Fraser and Mike Bickle

Business As Mission: From Impoverished to Empowered (Evangelical Missiological Society) by Tom A. Steffen and Mike Barnett



For more info on BAM and PIONEERS —and how you can get involved—call 1.800.755.7284 or e-mail