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Business as a mission (BAM) is a topic I am very familiar with. We have a couple in my church that is heavily involved in an organization that uses BAM to reach areas of the world that are generally closed off to missionaries. The organization helps local Christians in a foreign country start a business. They are then able to share Christ to their employees, sometimes start a bible study, and often share Christ with their customers, depending on how restrictive the political environment is. In my personal life, BAM is applied by sharing Jesus with my coworkers. Many of the individuals I work with are from other countries and those who are native to the US are not having Christians speak with them about their need for Christ, yet all who have accepted Christ as Lord are called to be a witness (English Standard Version Bible, 2016, Mark 16:15-17). I grew up with this command taught as a priority, so it simply has been part of my life since I became a Christian.
While I have heard a lot about BAM, I had not realized there is a formal framework for implementing this approach. Johnson and Rundle (2016) define BAM as a business that is designed to make a profit but also created to be used as a way to share Jesus, whether that is within one’s own country or in foreign countries. The idea is to develop one’s influence in the area they live in a way that points people to Jesus. It emphasizes that one’s Christian life and business life are not separate, but one. It also emphasizes that the business is intended to be profitable. BAM encourages the hiring of those who are not Christians for the purpose of spreading the gospel. BAM has been successfully used to reach Muslim nations where typical missionary activities are not allowed (Stefan, 2020).
The outcome of my project could be used for BAM initiatives. Internet of Things (IoT) devices are being used worldwide. Scripture instructs us to share Jesus with every nation (English Standard Version, 2016, Matthew 28:19). Creating a solution that can be used worldwide provides Christians the opportunity to implement this solution in a business model, providing not only services to not only medical facilities, but adapting it to a variety of customers. This is similar to how Lydia used her business of making purple cloth (English Standard Version, 2016, Acts 16:14-15). Rundle and Lee (2022) refer to this as a social enterprise, which is where a business can be established that seeks to further the gospel while meeting a need. Having and application that meets a need will provide Christians an opportunity to share Christ while also providing a better tool for managing IoT firmware.
The BAM model focuses on created businesses that are profitable (Hadley, 2012). Scott et al. (2010) agrees as a business that is not profitable will soon go out of business. An enterprising business that wants to incorporate IoT management also needs a strategy for additional profits and customer interaction, a key for providing opportunities to share the gospel. This can come from providing additional support, such as managing the database, updating firmware files, and managing the network and server. Some medical facilities may not have a full-time IT staff member, providing opportunities for a small enterprise business to gain necessary income while opening the doors to share about Jesus. The key is to ensure the Christian life is never a separate part of living, but is part of every aspect of who we are.
English Standard Version Bible (2016). Crossway Bibles.
Hedley, S. (2012). Business as mission: A comprehensive guide to theory and practice. by C. Neal Johnson. downers grove, illinois, USA, InterVarsity press 2009. pp. 528. $35.00. Mission Studies, 29(2), 224-225. https://doi.org/10.1163/15733831-12341244
Johnson, & Rundle, S. (2009). Business as mission: a comprehensive guide to theory and practice. IVP Academic.
Adams, S., & Sherlock, J. (2010). Business as Mission: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice. Christian Scholar’s Review, 40(1), 131-133.
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?u…
Stefan. (2019). Business in Islam: contextualizing business and mission in Muslim-majority nations. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
In 2001, Business As Mission (BAM) was founded by Lynn Green, Mark Plummer, and Jo Plummer based on the increased interest in local businesses using God as a primary focus. Business As Mission developed itself into a business whose focus became building relationships between businesses, teams, and individuals with the same goals. Business As Mission (BAM) has recently been described by C. Neal Johnson (2021) as “A for-profit commercial business venture that is Christian-led and intentionally devoted to being used as an instrument of God’s mission to the world.” “The mission is worked out in and through the business, through its activities, through the products and services, and through relationships” (Plummer, 2018).
Throughout my final project, I have made it a goal to find ways to create a safer environment for police officers. The method of completing this task that I have been focused on is a surveillance system that would ultimately create a safer environment for responding officers. I have also focused a little bit on better, more appropriate responses from officers. A safer environment and efficient responses will then lead to relationship-building opportunities between the police department and the public. This opportunity directly coincides with the goals of BAM. BAM is about creating opportunity through relationships and building those relationships to create a successful business.
God provided each person with very specific talents, and he wants every person to use their talents for good in His name. God also wants each person’s talent to be used to create change. The change created by people should benefit mankind and be made in the name of Jesus. Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (NIV, 2011). BAM is the next step for people entering the business world who are ready to create change. With relationships between BAM, local businesses, police departments, and places of worship, there would be a great community relationship which will only benefit all who are involved.
Plummer, J. (2018, August). Business as Mission.
https://businessasmission.com/get-started/#tab-id-1
Johnson, C. (2021). Povertycure.
https://www.povertycure.org/learn/issues/entrepreneurial-spirit/business- mission
Tarwater, J. (2022). Business Ethics: A Christian Method for Making Moral Decisions (Vol. 25). J. Coram Deo.
Phillips, S. W. (2020). Police response to active shooter events: How officers see their role. Police Quarterly, 23(2), 262–279.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1098611119896654
Holy Bible (2011). New International Version.Matthew 5:9
Business as a Mission (BAM) is the idea that God has given people jobs in society and that these
jobs can be used as tools to spread God’s will (Plummer, 2015). BAM encourages the concept that anyone, with any job title can use their job to improve spiritual needs. Integration between work and the Bible enforces the idea that since all work is given by God, anyone who fulfills their work and points the results towards God is influencing others. The key to BAM is to be intentional about integrating one’s work with a desire to show others Christ’s love. BAM organizations should not be motivated by money (Rundle, 2012). Non-Christians should see the work as a representation of Christ, not a way to profit off of God’s sacrifice.
Colossians 3:23 states, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Implementing this verse into one’s occupation will inspire the worker to point his work to God. Furthermore, Matthew 25:40 states, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Christ compels us to work with others in mind. Utilizing one’s occupation to show the love of Christ is a simple way to meet the physical needs of others while also maintaining a spiritual connection with God.
The research that I am conducting has implications on database optimization and energy
conservation. Energy conservation is a major concern in the modern world. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy states that reducing energy has impacts on saving money, creating jobs, stimulating the economy, conserving nature, and reducing pollution (ACEEE, 2020). Energy conservation reduces health costs and improves the quality of life for many people in the United States (Constible, 2018). The Bible gives direct commands to keep the earth and maintain it. In Genesis 2:15 the Bible states, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Additionally, Numbers 35:33a states “You shall not pollute the land in which you live.”
The use of technology has grown rapidly over the last thirty years, but even in Biblical times there were examples of ancient technology in use. Some examples include Solomon’s building of the temple, the use of metal working to create biblical artifacts, and the building of Noah’s ark. Although these forms of technology are ancient, it was clear that each of these technological uses were fulfilling a part of God’s intended plan. Furthermore, God is the ultimate Creator of all things. Creating new applications in the field of technology further utilizes the creative minds that God has given people in a way that can influence and aid others.
Combining energy conservation with database optimization provides a way to keep the earth whole, as the Lord commands, in a way that integrates with technology. The field of Green IT is one that is rapidly growing in corporate needs as industry professionals seek ways to gain the same performance metrics while reducing cost and energy consumption. Many tools such as environmental web blogs, interactive simulations, and advocacy campaigns have made great strides in furthering the use of green technology (Murugesan, 2012). However, there is very little research performed on the green technology impact of database query optimization. Since database optimization has been primarily focused on creating faster throughput, there has been little concern regarding the affect certain data query types have on system energy. Using query optimization and energy conservation together fills this need while also addressing commands given by God in the Bible.
References
ACEEE. (2020). Saving Energy Improves Americans’ Health and the Environment. Washington , DC; ACEEE. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.aceee.org/sites/default/files/ee-improves-environment.pdf.
Constible, J. (2018, February 22). Energy efficiency saves lives, avoids huge health costs. Be a Force for the Future.
https://www.nrdc.org/bio/juanita-constible/energy-…
Murugesan, S., & Gangadharan, G. R. (2012). Green it: An overview. Harnessing Green It, 1–21.
https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118305393.ch1
Plummer, J. (2015, January 20). What is Business as Mission?. Business as Mission.
Rundle, S. (2012). “Business as Mission” Hybrids: A Review and Research Agenda. CBFA, 15(1), 66–79.
