Strategic questions surface more and more frequently as global business as a mission (BAM) movement evolves into a truly global (all countries) effort. The focus can be on sending more expatriates to lead the BAM initiative in other countries.
Business, like all life, is created by God for the glory of God and the goodness of mankind.
When exploring this question, I want to bring you back to the basic principles of the modern BAM movement (and actually, BAM through age). First, business, like all life, is created by God for the glory of God and the goodness of mankind. In other words, God uses it and uses it to call out many people. Second, God’s heart is for nations, ethnic groups, all peoples for the whole earth.
The Great Committee (Matthew 28:18-20) and one of their fellow poems (Acts 1:8) reveal that all people, especially those who have not reached the Gospel (those who have no easy access to the Gospel), should remain at the heart of the efforts of BAM today. Using these two principles as port lights allows us to arrive at strategic and biblical answers to questions that are perfect for creating a business that serves God’s mission.
At first glance, the honest answer is “both.” Certainly, God calls His whole church to reach all people. Acts 1:8 tells us that God’s people were given the power of the Holy Spirit to be his “Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and his “witnesses” until the end of the earth.
Many communities around the world do not have local followers. There is no way to know who Jesus is. It will need it across cultural and geographical boundaries for good news to reach those people. If God was clearly agitating you for Bam in a particular place, I would first say that to reach certain untrusted people. The intent here is not to discourage you.
Not fewer individuals are willing to plant their businesses culturally or close to the culture.
Not fewer individuals are willing to plant their businesses culturally or close to the culture. The BAM Blog and BAM Network resource libraries have many resources that help you do that effectively. And the following principles regarding partnering with people who know the cultural context well will keep you well.
But I think the scale starts to tilt when we dig deeper and zoom out and see the strategic focus as a business-creating move. When the goal is a lasting change (socially, spiritually, environmentally, economically), weight depends on empowering the nation. This is not to dismiss the important role of expatriates, but to recognize that the future of BAM depends on the strategic change to greater mobilization and equipment of people already embedded in culture and context.
The future of BAM relies on strategic changes to mobilization and equipment of people already embedded in culture and context.
So, what does this actually look like? Let’s solve the rationale, role and blueprints for moving forward.
Bible cases for multiplication through local people
The Great Committee (Matthew 28:19-20) sets the tone. Jesus did not stay in one place to oversee the growth of the early church. He trained local leaders. Paul followed the same model and planted the church, but quickly transferred his leadership to local followers (Titus 1:5). The principle is simple. The outsiders may start, but the insiders will multiply.
Similarly, expatriates can trigger a new regional BAM movement, but true cultural transformation is taking root as the public captures the vision, takes ownership and moves it forward.
Why focus on the people? There are four important reasons.
Cultural ency and trust
The citizens have an innate understanding of the language, habits and social dynamics of their region. These factors are crucial for building relationships, establishing trust and major culturally relevant businesses. Expatriates can take years to develop basic levels of insight. In contrast, the public already holds many of these keys, making business and disciple opportunities easier and fluidly navigable. Sustainability and Scalability
As BAM Global Chairman Mats Tunehag points out, important initiatives are needed to intensify the BAM shock. Foreign-led companies often lead to arithmetic growth. One business at a time. However, the nation can catalyze geometric growth. When one nation succeeds, it creates a ripple effect and encourages others to follow suit. Bob Bush of IBEC Ventures reflects this idea, highlighting that state-led companies in Brazil have increased faster than foreign-led initiatives. This model is not just sustainable. It’s scalable. Overcoming economic and political barriers
In many restricted or challenging environments, foreigners face additional hurdles beyond basic language and cultural challenges. This is Visa’s problem, foreign investment restrictions, and cultural skepticism. The public bypasses these obstacles. Local businesses are unlikely to attract negative attention from authorities and often access capital through local investors and businesses. As Bush shares, the heart of Brazil’s Ibec’s excellence thrived precisely as it was led by locals who understood how to maneuver in economic, spiritual and political environments. Long term existence
The Undeniable Truth – Most foreigners eventually leave. Expatriates often serve abroad for a limited period of time, as the reason for their family, their health, whether it was their season of life, or whether it was their plan. The citizens will stay. They are homes. They are disciples, leaders and expanding long-term leaders for decades. If BAM has a generational impact, the public must be at the forefront.
Expatriate role: Catalyst, not carrier
Foreigners can catalyze local visions and showcase new ideas, technologies and opportunities.
Despite the focus on the public, expatriates still play an important role. As Mats Tunehag points out, foreigners can catalyze local visions and showcase new ideas, technologies and opportunities that the public may not have encountered.
Bob Bush further emphasizes that expatriates are often networking and connect national Bam practitioners to global resources, investors and mentors. As foreigners step into the role of consultation and equipment, their values increase through the people they empower.
However, the caution is clear. The experience of trying to lead the BAM effort without cultural preparation or collaboration often experiences failure. As Steve Rundle, Professor Emeritus at Biola University, I gave a brief statement to me.
Collaboration: BAM’s future blueprint
The model is important.
The future of BAM is neither/or–it is both/and. But the model is important. This is the possible route forward:
Foreigners as catalysts: Enter new regions, launch businesses and equip local leaders. It focuses on mentorship and coaching. Citizens as multiplier: take ownership, expand your vision, and embed business deeply into cultural contexts. Co-ecosystem: create an environment where foreigners and citizens work together in partnerships to share knowledge and resources. Over time, foreigners move into the role of advisory, and the public leads the accusation.
Realistic example: Buildings from inside
IBEC Ventures experience in Brazil provides concrete illustrations. Rather than relying on expatriates to launch the BAM initiative, I invested in training six National BAM coaches. Within a few months, it will have four BAM businesses, with the aim of expanding to 20-25 businesses within a year.
This rapid growth is ignited by local ownership, but it was not possible with a foreign-driven control model.
Movement, not instant
The people represent the future of this movement.
At the heart of this, BAM is not about temporary success stories, but about long-term change. The people represent the future of this movement. They have the potential to create lasting economic, spiritual, social and environmental impacts in ways that foreigners cannot fully replicate.
But foreigners remain essential catalysts, sparking initiatives and empowering local leaders. When both groups work in tandem, they light the fire if necessary, and if the people continue to burn it, the outcome is a move that can change the nation for the glory of God.
Conclusion
So, where should our focus be? With a sincere nod to the spirit of collaboration, I believe that the future mission is to equip the people. It empowers the local community. And if that’s necessary, foreigners will become sparks that will ignite the flames. Together, they form the backbone of the global BAM movement, with the power to transform communities and industry as a whole, for the Kingdom.
Originally published by The BAM Review. It was reissued with permission.
Mike Bear was one of the early leaders of modern business as a mission (BAM) movement. He began his career as a pastor and church planter. Fifteen years after the pastor, Mike was led by business, where he gradually began to discover the possibility that business followers could bless the community, evangelize what was lost, and spread the kingdom of God. Today, Mike is the CEO of the Third Path Initiative, the online BAM Education Resource, a strategic coach for businesses in the staffing industry, a podcast host and YouTube content creator, and a speaker of BAM Conferences, and an author of 10 books. He and his wife Cindy live in the mountains of western North Carolina (USA) and enjoy seven grandchildren.
