It is 50 years since the 2nd Vatican Council started. It has been a major influence on the church’s beliefs and praxis, and will be for generations to come.
The Council lasted for three years; they met for four sessions in the autumns of the years 1962 to 1965, with committees doing a lot of work between sessions. 2400 bishops and 500 experts were involved.
Without being presumptuous, we may consider the 1st and 2nd Global Think Tanks on Business as Mission, BAM, as a similar process. Global thought leaders and practitioners met in 2004 and will meet again in April 2013. (BAMthinktank.org/CONGRESS)
The BAM think tank is now facilitating conversations and research in over 30 national, regional and international working groups, with many hundreds of BAM practitioners and experts – from every continent – participating. (See also endorsements enclosed below)
Pope Benedict XVI commented on the texts and the results of the Second Vatican Council:
“It is a clear that this commitment to expressing a specific truth in a new way demands new thinking on this truth and a new and vital relationship with it; it is also clear that new words can only develop if they come from an informed understanding of the truth expressed, and on the other hand, that a reflection on faith also requires that this faith be lived.”
Alluding to Benedict’s text:
- BAM is not a new truth, but we are committed to express specifics truths in a new way – for our day and age, with a view of serving generations to come.
- BAM and a changing world demands new thinking, and a new and vital relationship with BAM and the Church.
- The BAM concept and eco-system must be expressed in new words, but it presupposes that we deepen our understanding of God, the world and our mission; insightful and helpful BAM communication must come from an informed understanding of the truth expressed.
- BAM requires praxis, and the BAM think tank is not an academic ivory tower deliberation. We are reflecting on BAM praxis, and we are listening and learning from BAM practitioners, who are living out their faith in business.
Pope Benedict writes that “new life developed and new fruit ripened” and continues: “Forty years after the Council, we can show that the positive is far greater and livelier than it appeared to be in the turbulent years around 1968. Today, we see that although the good seed developed slowly, it is nonetheless growing, and our deep gratitude for the work done by the Council is likewise growing.”
The 2nd Vatican Council was in many ways instrumental in a major paradigm shift. BAM is also about a paradigm shift and these shifts take time, they are intergenerational. But good seeds have been sown and are growing, also during our Global BAM Council 2003 (when the process started) to 2013.
It is my prayer that the BAM think tank will see “new life developed and new fruit ripened”, which will invigorate the global BAM movement.
We know that at times we will achieve less than we have hoped and planned for. But it is equally true that God is able to do more than we can imagine through the think tank process.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21, NIV)
To learn more about the BAM think tank, click here –> http://bamthinktank.org
Endorsement of the Global BAM Think Tank & the Global Congress
I believe the Global Congress will be the largest assembly of BAM thinkers in the history of the world. Al Caperna, Business Owner & Director, Call2Business
The Global Think Tank on BAM is not only timely, but sorely needed to refresh the movement’s vision and to maintain and accelerate its momentum. Neal Johnson, Ph.D., has had an extensive and unique thirty-year career as an attorney, banker, educator, business consultant and entrepreneur domestically and internationally. He is the author of “Business as Mission: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice”, IVP Academic.
In undertaking a global assessment and thorough analysis of the BAM movement, the Global Think Tank on Business as Mission serves as a catalyst to engage the Church and help it maximize business activities in order to bless the nations, extend the Kingdom of God and glorify its King. Dr. William H. Jones, President, Columbia International University; Board Member, Coca-Cola Consolidated; Board Member, Correct Craft
I applaud the Business as Mission Think Tank for their efforts to enrich and invigorate the worldwide BAM movement through a yearlong global assessment and I am hopeful that the resulting resources and tools will be employed by the body of Christ to carry the name of Jesus around the world. David Beasley, Former Governor of South Carolina; Fellow, Harvard University Kennedy School of Government; Chairman, Center for Global Strategies
The BAM Congress provides a unique opportunity for those involved in business to meet together and I would encourage all to participate, especially Iranian Christian Leaders. Rev Edward Hovsepian-Mehr, Church Pastor and Superintendent of the Council of United Iranian Churches
The Global Think Tank on Business as Mission will address important issues such as the role of business leaders in finding solutions to human trafficking and equipping Churches to support men and women serving in the market place. Ram Gidoomal CBE, Board Chairman, The Lausanne Movement
The Gospel of the Kingdom, as manifest through business and professional services, is truly unstoppable. And the 2nd global think tank will accelerate the BAM movement. J Gunnar Olson, Founder and Chairman of International Christian Chamber of Commerce
The BAM movement is a powerful witness to the Lordship of Christ over all aspects of our lives. After more than a decade of application, important issues and learning should be considered and reflected upon. Critical thought leadership and prayerful deliberation will ensure that BAM matures to be even more relevant and useful in the Kingdom. Edwin Keh, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Works also with Yale and Harvard on governance and capacity building in Africa. Until April 2010 the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Wal-Mart Global Procurement.
The 2nd Global BAM Think Tank is going to be a significant gathering of like-minded followers of Jesus who are focused on Kingdom impact. I would urge you to participate in this important event. Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, Chief Executive Officer/Secretary General of World Evangelical Alliance
I wholeheartedly affirm the strategic conversation flowing from the Global Think Tank on Business as Mission and look forward to how this will infuse fresh thinking and new ideas that will benefit everyone engaged in the priority one task of blessing the nations. Steve Moore, President Missio Nexus, representing 35,000 evangelical missionaries deployed by more than 190 agencies and churches in North America
I fully endorse the Global Think Tank on Business as Mission and look to the day when we give equal honour to business leader, missionary, and pastor alike. The Revd. Canon Mark Oxbrow, International Director Faith2Share
I urge business people and missions leaders to participate in the BAM Think Tank and help the global BAM movement strengthen its orientation to action and creation, to God’s glory. Doug Seebeck, President of Partners Worldwide; Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
The Business as Mission Think Tank is a unique and highly strategic initiative that will magnify BAM’s impact even further by assessing the global BAM movement and mobilizing, strengthening and equipping BAM practitioners from the global church to glorify God and serve all peoples in and through business. Philip Green, Former CEO of P&O Nedlloyd and United Utilities PLC; Chairman, BakerCorp, Non-Executive Director, Carillion PLC; Chairman, Sentebale; Trustee, British and Foreign Bible Society
In COMIBAM we are currently hard at work to help the church, mission agencies and mission training entities and the missionaries to understand BAM, and get equipped to implement BAM strategies. It is with joy and expectation that we receive the invitation to this global dialogue and we commit to be fully engaged. Decio de Carvalho, Director Ejecutivo/Diretor Executivo/Executive Director,COMIBAM Internacional
The Global Think Tank on Business as Missions will have a critical role in identifying how business and professional Christians can bring a welcomed and valued resource to cross-cultural contexts for the sake of extending the kingdom of God. Jerry Rankin, President Emeritus, International Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention, Director, Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies at Columbia International University
I really welcome the think tank on BAM. Our shaking world needs valid, sustainable values and principles. I am sure the global think tank will make BAM movement stronger than before. Dr. Arto Hämäläinen, Chairman of Pentecostal European Mission (PEM), Chairman of World Missions Commission of Pentecostal World Fellowship (PWF)
I recommend the Business as Mission Global Think Tank as an important and viable process for deepening the knowledge about and the use of this God-given tool for advancing His Kingdom. Bertil Ekström (PhD) Executive Director of the World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission