Did you know that “Creative Strategic Perseverance until the results are achieved” is one of Team Expansion’s great passions? I sat down with a couple serving through a business organization in southeast Asia, but this isn’t your everyday office job! (Note: BAM = Business as Mission)
What does your business do?
We are an adventure tourism business. We live on a rural island in Southeast Asia with incredible tourism potential and world-class surfing. Besides surfing, we offer hiking, snorkeling, spearfishing, and rock climbing. Currently, almost all of our customers are short-term trips for churches and believers. We offer Churches a creative access way to engage with an unreached people group, share their lives, stories, and learn about CPMs (church planting movements).
What do local people think of your business?
Local people, and especially our host families LOVE our tourists. They frequently tell us how our tourists are so different from the other tourists that come. Our guests are friendly, dress appropriately, and respect the local people and traditions. This has given us opportunities to share why our tourists are so different, because many of them follow Jesus.
Do you employ/partner with any nationals? What does that look like?
A role we see for our business is being able to provide a springboard for local church planters so they can start their own BAM’s. We also employ local people, but they are usually contracted on an as needed basis, like our host families. Mostly we employ locals as tour guides, chauffeurs, boat drivers, and security.
How has your business allowed you to build relationships with nationals?
One of our core values as a business is to put ourselves in a position of need to rely on nationals. We especially rely on the knowledge and expertise of our national friends. Also, since our tours sleep in the homes of local people, this has allowed us to build excellent relationships with our host families and their villages. We get to spend a lot of time in one place, building trust relationships with people in the village.
In what ways do you see your business as ministry?
Our business is our ministry. Everything we do as a business is to put us in contact with people and tear down barriers people have to the gospel. When we go into a village for the first time, we explain to the village leader about our business and ask them about the area surrounding their village. Are there any interesting things to explore like waterfalls, large rocks for rock climbing, beaches, etc.? We always get their permission before bringing in groups. When we go into a village with a group, we are looking for people who are interested in talking about spiritual things so we can invite them to study the Word together. I think it is also very unique that we get to minister to the believing tourists that come out, teach them about unreached people groups, how to do Discovery Bible Studies, and how to apply what they are learning back home.
What affect is your BAM having in the country where you live?
The place we are living is over 99.9% Muslim. Many people have never even met a believer before. Our BAM is able to bring Muslims in contact with believers for the first time. Also, one of the biggest needs that exist on our island is jobs. There are very few jobs so our tours are able to provide income for our host families and contacts that we work with. Some of the people we work with are very poor and our guests are a tremendous blessing to them.
What spiritual attacks do you experience as a result of your BAM?
The opposition to Christianity is very strong on our island. People are usually very friendly but can also be very suspicious about why we are there. Satan has already built many walls in the hearts of these people.
How can believers in the States get involved in supporting your BAM?
Come on a tour! Come and experience this beautiful island and share your life with the people here. Help us break down these barriers and reveal Christ’s love. We are only able to gain access to these places because of our guests!
