“ BAM (Business as Mission) is joining God’s mission by the deployment of gifts and resources through commercial activity, recognising the ‘whole of life’ nature of our faith, as we live and work in communities we are called to.” (Audrey)
Through business and education, Bevan and Audrey discovered that serving real community needs accelerated their acceptance and opened doors for relationships to develop.
When Bevan accepted the role of country director to establish a new SIM entity, he and his wife Audrey faced an immediate decision. To live in that particular country, they required business visas and one option was to get a ‘cover visa’ from another organisation where they would be listed as employees of that organisation, but only on paper.
Because they wanted to establish SIM there, they knew they needed a reliable platform for others to join them. They also wanted their visa to reflect their intention to be genuine in all aspects of their lives and service, so they decided to establish a genuine business.
When the COVID pandemic arrived three months later, Bevan and Audrey had a lot of time to research needs and business ideas with their team online. The vision for a vocational training school was then born.
“We thought vocational training would put us in touch with a lot of people and help meet the needs of the young population, especially those in the largest unreached people group, and also young people in the church.”
There was very little paid employment among church congregations. They tended to have minimal finances and relied on donations from overseas.
“If we could train young Christian people so that they could get a job, they could in turn support their church,” explains Bevan.
The training academy was then established. Its vision was to offer a wide range of short courses based on different professions and practical skills.
God continued to provide in different ways, including assistance from those with business knowledge.
“Another mission organisation put us in touch with a woman who was very skilled in navigating all the bureaucracy. Another provision was the waiver of the bond to start the business – normally it would cost around US $50,000, but because of COVID we didn’t have to pay this,” remembers Bevan.
Sadly, COVID was very serious in the country, and later a military coup took hold of the nation.
Bevan recalls, “It was devastating and still is today. Young people were no longer interested in vocational training. Now they wanted language skills so that they could leave the country and work elsewhere. This was heartbreaking for us because we wanted to help build into the country, but we adapted the academy to teach languages.”
As the language school progressed, Bevan and Audrey sensed acceptance by the local community who appreciated what they were doing for the youth. They didn’t see them as a threat but as neighbours, customers of their businesses, and contributors to society during difficult times.
“People really valued education and respected the teachers. It was a very natural way of being part of a community, while at the same time, providing a service,” reflects Audrey.
This opened doors to conversations about matters of faith, including sharing on significant Christian events, such as Christmas. One of their past student’s Buddhist parents still regularly attend events at the church they attended.
Bevan and Audrey saw their own role as supporting and working alongside pastors and leaders in the local church. Through the academy, they had opportunities to equip church leaders with valuable skills and knowledge that could be applied in ministry, passed on to others, and used to build credibility within their communities.
“Our friend was a church planter who went to a new area with his wife. They were completely shunned because of their Christian faith,” explains Audrey. “The wife was a skilled weaver. So we gathered some support from our church and supplied her with a loom. Suddenly they weren’t just the Christians anymore. She was now the weaver and could teach others to weave. This brought both acceptance and an income.”
God continued to bring business minded people across their path at the academy.
Bevan tells, “In our church, one man was working as an executive in a company, another had a renovation business, one more was the CEO of a Korean company. They were Christians doing their jobs – I guess you could say they were PIM (professionals in mission). They were a big resource to us and knew instinctively what would and wouldn’t work.”
The academy team had ministry skills but no previous business experience, so the input from these people on cultural aspects of employment, local laws and how the money system worked was extremely valuable.
Bevan and Audrey have seen how business skills, professional expertise, and practical service can create opportunities for relationships, community acceptance, and gospel witness.
“We think BAM accelerates acceptance within a community,” says Bevan. “People see the value you’re bringing, and that creates opportunities to walk alongside them in meaningful ways.”
The academy continues to adapt to changes in personnel as team members come and go and responds to changing needs as the country situation changes.
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)
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