How can business benefit society, and serve Gods purposes? That’s in a nutshel where Business as Mission (BAM) is about. In my part of the world, Europe, this question is capturing peoples’ imagination. Of business people, church planters and mission workers. 

Paul Unsworth, Brick Lane, London

Church planters & renewers get involved with social entrepreneurship. I interviewed Baptist pastor Paul Unsworth in London, he started a quality Coffeeshop in Brick Lane, which is a busy, popular street in a multicultural neighbourhood in East London. In Amsterdam Johannes van den Akker is starting a modern-day monastery. This faith community will start a beer brewery and a city garden. These church planters want to build relationships with those far from faith and church; sharing lives and beliefs. They see their businesses as ‘from community to benefit the community’ giving them ways to connect in a natural way with society.

From donating to investing

Jaap Jan Verboom

Within European capital funds and development organisations a change is going on: from donating to investing. Some reasons are a retreating government, but also a different view of aid where there is more focus on empowering people – and see business as one of the ways to do this.

Jaap Jan Verboom guides companies within ICCO (development organisation of the main Protestant Church in NL) and shared how he sees potential to bring about structural changes in developing countries, through business cases.

Piet Brinksma, president Foursquare Netherlands

How does God view work & business?

Foursquare international has embraced BAM as one of their mission’s strategies. This is a sign of a broader movement: Christian are rediscovering the biblical views on business, work and holistic mission. Jesus came on earth to bring life to our souls, but also to build His Kingdom on earth. Let’s follow our Master!

It’s a joy and privilege to interview such great people. Some of them are swimming against stream, because they discover new ways to build His Kingdom.

God is up to something – He is up to some serious business!

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