Business as Mission

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Business as Mission is a term applied recently to Christian businesses begun across cultures with the purpose of making a Christian difference in that setting. There have always been Christians in business and often during history, business has been used as a means of access to various nations, as a means of influence within various nations and as a means of supporting other Christian activity.

Business as Mission in today's environment, however, aims to be more focused and intentional in what it tries to do.

Firstly, while it gives access to many nations where missionaries are not allowed, it is not simply an entry strategy. If it is simply a cover for missionary activity otherwise forbidden, it lies outside the definitions used within the movement itself.

Secondly, it is not designed to provide a platform for people to operate from, whether the business performs well or not. In other words, in its purest form, business as mission is not a venture supported financially long term from outside of the business. The aim is to become viable and profitable.

Thirdly, business as mission has a clear aim of making a difference where it operates. The differences include providing employment, exhibiting Christian principles in the operation of business, modelling best practice and contributing to the local economy. The theology is a kingdom type of theology that considers the effect of faith on the whole of life, not just for individuals but for communities as well.

Business as mission is a rapidly growing form of cross cultural service, in broadest terms a subset of tentmaking and also with roots in the growing global awareness of marketplace approaches to Christianity. A wide variety of businesses are established in many settings and a number of major organisations now utilise business as mission as a key activity of their agency.

In the Lausanne consultation at Pattaya in 2004, one of the issue groups was devoted to Business as Mission. Their statement can be found online.

[edit] Additional Readings

• Patrick Lai, Tentmaking: business as mission, Authentic 2005
• Yamamori and Eldred, On Kingdom Business, Crossway 2003
• Rundle and Steffen, Great Commission Companies, IVP 2003

[edit] External Links

• Business As Mission Network: News, resources, and tools to turn good business into a great ministry.
• GlobeServe Business Network is "a network of Christian businesses who are using the remarkable creative power of business as mission to spiritually transform their communities and nations for Jesus."
• Business as Mission Blog is a blog produced by the GlobeServe Business Network featuring "thoughts on the intersection of business as missions, forming Great Commission companies, etc."