FAQ

BAM is a worldwide movement in which God is using for-profit businesses as an integral part of ministry and discipleship. The movement takes on many names—such as “Kingdom business,” “Great Commission business” and “for-profit missions.”

BAM is becoming an integral part of many Bible translation projects, which are incorporating for-profit businesses to:

• Provide more sustainable support services.
• Allow access to regions where missionaries are not typically welcome.
• Stimulate the local economy.
• Create income for local churches and translation organizations.
• Provide a sustainable way for local Christians to be involved in translation.

In 2007, JAARS adopted an initiative to include BAM as one of our support services. Our BAM team now offers coaching, start-up loans and business expertise to businesses that exist to support Bible translation.

To learn more about BAM, please submit our online contact form.

You can learn more about the BAM movement through any of the following resources.

Books

• Great Commission Companies: The Emerging Role of Business in Missions, Steve Rundle and Tom Steffen
• God is at Work: Transforming People and Nations Through Business, Ken Eldred
• On Kingdom Business: Transforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Strategies, Ted Yamamori
• Business as Mission: The Power of Business in the Kingdom of God, Michael R. Baer
• Business as Mission: From Impoverished to Empowered, Tom Steffen and Mike Barnett

Web Sites

• YWAM Business as Mission Resource Centre
• Business as Mission Network

JAARS adopted the BAM initiative in 2007.

Currently, four people coordinate the BAM initiative. We also have a growing number of business-minded volunteers, who share their expertise as needed.

We currently provide support services to businesses in Eurasia, Asia and Africa.

We support businesses that exist to further Bible translation. Many businesses are being run for this purpose, including fields such as:

• Information technology support
• Media production
• Conference centers
• Property management
• Handicrafts

As a nonprofit organization, JAARS cannot provide support to for-profit businesses not controlled by our organization. Therefore, we have created a subsidiary corporation, wholly owned by JAARS, to handle the for-profit aspects of BAM. This corporation is called “Word Access.”

By creating this subsidiary corporation, we are able to use business to support Bible translation and meet the legal requirements of a nonprofit organization.

We hold businesses accountable during every step of business planning and implementation. Before we provide a loan, experienced businesspeople evaluate a company’s business plan and provide input. The company is required to have a local board of directors, which will serve as our contacts for ongoing accountability.

In addition, we receive and review regular financial statements to find early signs of difficulties. We also connect each business with one or more experienced businesspeople, who provide ongoing coaching and assistance.

We do risk the possibility that some businesses will not succeed, and our loan investment in them will be lost. To mitigate this risk, a portion of all loan repayments is set aside as a reserve to cover potential losses.

Though business development is always risky, we believe the risk is necessary to advance Bible translation in many areas. Our team works to minimize this risk by providing sound business planning, coaching and training to each business we support.

We provide loans to new businesses for three main reasons:

• To meet legal and tax requirements.
• To ensure that managers take the business seriously and make its success a priority.
• To provide funding for more businesses as each loan is repaid.

We charge a reasonable interest rate on loans for two reasons:

• To cover operating expenses for the BAM initiative.
• To encourage repayment of loans; often, interest-free loans are not viewed as “real” loans that require repayment.

In some areas, the businesses we work with can get loans at local banks. However, in most of the areas we work:

• Loans come with an extremely high interest rate.
• Banks require a great deal of collateral.
• Funding is only available for very small or very large loans—and not the medium-size loans which many businesses require.

Yes, running a business can distract workers from their translation duties. However, in many cases translation projects could not exist without an accompanying business. For example, in some areas, translators are not granted visas without a viable business reason for entering the country. Creating a business can often be the only means of providing access to these restricted countries.

In addition, businesses can provide a platform for translation teams to connect to the community. Through running a business, translators can often accelerate their language learning, build relationships, teach literacy, increase economic development and build credibility in the community.

While businesses do require a great deal of time and effort, they often provide irreplaceable benefits, including:

• Sustainability. Through for-profit businesses, Bible translation and support work can move forward without dependence on funding from an outside country.
• Involvement of local people. Businesses allow local people to take part in the Bible translation task—often instilling a sense of pride and ownership in the project.
• Access. In some areas, translators are not granted visas without a viable business reason for entering the country.
• Credibility. By running an ethical, trustworthy business, missionaries can provide a solid example of Christian principles—especially in regions where businesses are known for corrupt practices.

Our greatest current need is for people who will:

• Pray for guidance and wisdom for our team members.
• Volunteer their time to mentor new businesses. We especially need businesspeople with international and entrepreneurial experience.
• Help fund our revolving loan project, which will provide start-up capital for businesses supporting Bible translation.

Yes. If you have extensive entrepreneurial experience, especially international experience, we would love to hear from you. We are currently looking for volunteers who can coach and mentor businesses—both at start-up and in ongoing relationships. If you are interested in volunteering for short-term projects with BAM, please submit our online contact form.

Yes. We are currently looking for part-time volunteers who can provide legal, financial and business expertise. If you are interested in volunteering part-time with BAM, please submit our online contact form.

Yes. We would love to talk with you about partnering your business with a Bible translation team. Through strategic partnerships, your company can facilitate business growth, economic development and translation work in areas otherwise inaccessible to Bible translators. For more information, please submit our online contact form.

Please use our online contact form to request more information about BAM.