The word platform may carry negative connotations.23 I do not equate the word
23 Most, if not all, BAM thought leaders recognize the need to eradicate shell companies, as
platform with the negative expressions of “cover” or “shell” businesses. Platform
businesses are legitimate, for-profit companies seeking to make a profit for access. There is not enough baggage in the word to refrain from its use in my opinion. People from a platform perspective are often hard workers.24 The typical platform perspective may see their identity as missionary first and engage in BAM for access even though this does not change their business or missionary practices significantly.25 Their articulation of the mission of God, defined narrowly, takes pre-eminent position above business objectives.
Luke Watson exported craft, local items from a restricted-access nation in Central Asia.26 Originally, the host country wanted them to be a major foreign exporter, but his company failed in his opinion because business fundraising was taking them away from ministry concerns.27 Ministry is separate from business objectives for Watson: “I came to Central Asia for business. What I found during this time of trials was solid hope.
I now recognize God’s true calling for me, which is to devote myself to his kingdom business.”28 Luke defines ministry as the Great Commission that reaches lost people and focuses on discipleship to teach them all that Christ commanded.29
Michael Cooper and Steve Pointer describe a Platform understanding as they
they are dishonest. For instance, see Lausanne Occasional Paper #59.
24 Ralph Winter, “Where Both Business and Mission Fall Short,” in Business as Mission: From Impoverished to Empowered, ed. Tom Steffen and Mike Barnett, Evangelical Missiological Society Series 14 (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2006). Winter, who I categorize as a Platform perspective, tells of his personal journey founding many business concepts in Guatemala and the United States.
25 Joseph Vijayam, “Innovation in Kingdom Business,” in Innovation in Mission: Insights into Practical Innovations Creating Kingdom Impact, ed. Jim Reapsome and Jon Hirst (Tyrone, GA: Authentic, 2007), 32.
26 Luke Watson, “Business in South Asia,” in On Kingdom Business: Transforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Strategies, ed. Tetsunao Yamamori and Kenneth A. Eldred (Wheaton, IL:
Crossway Books, 2003), 103.
27 Watson, “Business in South Asia,” 103.
28 Watson, “Business in South Asia,” 98.
29 Watson, “Business in South Asia,” 102.
historically interact with 17th century Puritan missions.30 They write, “BAM’s strategy focuses on utilizing the skills and abilities of business entrepreneurs to enter creative access countries ‘legimately.’”31 Also, they articulate business objectives that are subordinate to missions effectiveness and funding missions: “The objective is to create
‘kingdom businesses’ having the goal of utilizing profits for ‘kingdom work.’ One motivating factor for BAM is its attempt to address the dependency created by Western missions for Western financial resources.”32 They see business as a means but also a temptation to the 17th century Puritans, whom the authors suggest lost religious fervor.33 Cooper and Pointer summarize, “This chapter has suggested through the historical lens of the Massachusetts Bay Colony that there are inherent dangers to focusing on business as a means to missions.”34 In their historical work, the authors conceived BAM as primarily access or a platform for the work of ministry.
Michael Baer’s International Development Systems company mission statement is, “a real, for-profit company providing a real, for-profit service to its clients while simultaneously and seamlessly focusing on the support of church planting among unreached peoples.”35 Baer clarifies his opinion of Platform posture that “a ‘kingdom business’ is focused as an enterprise on evangelical mission goals and that it uses
30 Steven Pointer and Michael Cooper, “Seventeenth Century Puritan Missions: Some Implications for Businness as Mission,” in Business as Mission: From Impoverished to Empowered, ed.
Tom Steffen and Mike Barnett, Evangelical Missiological Society Series 14 (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2006).
31 Pointer and Cooper, "Seventeenth Century Puritan Missions: Some Implications for Businness as Mission,” 168.
32 Pointer and Cooper, "Seventeenth Century Puritan Missions: Some Implications for Businness as Mission,” 168.
33 Pointer and Cooper, "Seventeenth Century Puritan Missions: Some Implications for Businness as Mission,” 174.
34 Pointer and Cooper, "Seventeenth Century Puritan Missions: Some Implications for Businness as Mission,” 176.
35 Baer, “International Development Systems: A Case Study,” 195.
business as a vehicle for ministry.”36 Although Baer’s company saw exponential growth, the ultimate focus was world evangelization through the seamless marriage of business and ministry.37 Baer summarizes, “International Development Systems exists as a kingdom company by the grace of God. Its mission is focused on the eternal purposes of God in the world.”38
Ralph Winter articulated a Platform posture of BAM in his paper Where Business and Mission Both Fall Short for the Evangelical Missions Society.39 Most important for our discussion is his connection of the Cultural Mandate and the Great Commission.40 He affirms the Cultural Mandate was never rescinded by God, which therefore legitimizes business objectives.41 However, he uses World War II as a metaphor of how domestic activities (the Cultural Mandate) are radically modified by the military mandate (the Great Commission).42 He summarizes, “What I am saying is that, while the vast array of activities that can be included in a business or Cultural Mandate are good and important – and while the Cultural Mandate has never been rescinded – after the Fall of Adam the Cultural Mandate is no longer enough.”43 Therefore, there is a priority for the Great Commission, and the Cultural Mandate is modified to address access for the Great Commission’s objectives.
36 Baer, “International Development Systems: A Case Study,” 195.
37 Baer, “International Development Systems: A Case Study,” 196.
38 Baer, “International Development Systems: A Case Study,” 200.
39 Winter, “Where Both Business and Mission Fall Short.”
40 Winter, “Where Both Business and Mission Fall Short.” 285–86.
41 Winter, “Where Both Business and Mission Fall Short.” 285.
42 Winter, “Where Both Business and Mission Fall Short.” 285.
43 Winter, “Where Both Business and Mission Fall Short.” 285. For context, Winter also said the Great Commission mandate could not be totally heaven oriented. His perspective is that both missions and business often neglected the spiritual warfare of an intelligent enemy. The kingdom of God was in a dynamic fight against kingdom of darkness. Regardless if one wanted to free people from sin or poverty, an intelligent enemy was fighting against them, 285-287.
Joseph Vijayam argues for a Platform posture in “Innovation in Kingdom Business,” in Innovation in Mission. He writes that BAM promotes the kingdom of God as its priority, even its reason for existence.44 Therefore the business is a way of access for a kingdom purpose. Further Vijayim seems to argue maximizing profit gets in the way of pursuing ministry. He writes, “Profits should be plowed back into ministry in the first place,” and, “A kingdom business should undertake mission tasks separate from profit.”45 While Vijayam attempts to reconcile the business and ministry as a cohesive unit, he makes comments that override this possibility. For instance, he writes, “The leader or CEO of the business should see his or her role as primarily being a missionary in the marketplace and secondarily as a businessperson.”46 Therefore, Vijayam promotes a Platform posture for the business to pursue ministry.
These examples demonstrate a group of authors with three shared perspectives.
First, the mission of God has a priority on church planting, evangelism, and discipleship.
Second, business activities are helpful in gaining access to peoples and places for
legitimate means of the mission of God in church planting, evangelism, and discipleship.
Third, the mission of God has priority of importance over the business activities. I categorize this posture towards church ministry as the Platform posture.