Expanding BaaM: Business As A Ministry
By Partner Tom Sharp
Through God’s grace, I was called earlier this year to develop a presence for C12 Business Forums in the greater Sacramento region. C12 is the world’s largest peer-learning community for Christian CEOs, business owners, and executives. Operating in more than 160 major metropolitan areas and guided by over 240 full-time Chairs, C12 serves 4,600 members across 5 continents. Through CEO and Key Player Forums, C12 integrates work, life, and leadership transformation, equipping leaders to steward a Business as a Ministry (BaaM) vision and build great businesses for a greater purpose.
While C12 has enjoyed tremendous growth—both domestically and internationally—over the last decade, the Sacramento region has not had a C12 presence since 2018. But God is at work in this area, and that is changing. I have answered the call to grow the awareness of C12 and help connect Christian CEOs and business owners to “build great businesses for a greater purpose.”
The Impact of Barnabas on the Intersection of Business and Ministry
Through time as a Partner with Barnabas, my eyes have been opened to the tremendous number of ministries doing exceptional work in this area—and beyond. Attending the 2025 Barnabas Kingdom Ecosystem Summit in March placed a shining light on all the great work being done to transform the greater Sacramento area. I can’t encourage those of you reading this enough to attend the 2026 Conference! With God’s guiding hand, I hope to contribute to this growing movement of God in this area through the expansion of C12 in Sacramento.
Having started and managed my own financial planning firm for 30 years before selling my practice last year, I am keenly aware of the challenges CEOs and business owners face just to succeed in business. Transforming a company into a Business as a Ministry (BaaM) can be even more challenging. And BaaM can be defined very differently from one leader to another. To some, it means being bolder about sharing their faith with employees, vendors, partners, and even investors, all of which can bring challenges and trepidation. For others, it can mean incorporating workplace chaplains into the fabric of the company to care for believers and non-believers alike, both in the workplace and at home. It can also mean establishing a whole new set of ground rules for making significant business decisions.
I have learned that leaders limit their potential when they lead from isolation. That is why thousands of faith-driven, results-minded CEOs and executives meet in C12 Business Forums monthly to both encourage and challenge one another. These powerful groups of peers work together to make better decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and create solid plans for business growth—all while striving to create eternal impact far beyond the bottom line. C12 leverages the power of peers to deliver world-class business resources, faith-driven content, and one-on-one coaching in a confidential environment of 12–15 members.
A typical monthly forum incorporates the C12 “5-Point Alignment Matrix,” which focuses on Operations Management, Organizational Development, Financial Management, Revenue Generation, and Ministry—a similar approach to how we assess and advise many of the ministries we help through Barnabas.
Where WIll God Move Next?
I take to heart the words of Billy Graham, offered several decades ago: “The next great move of God is going to be through the believers in the marketplace.” As one local pastor summarized so well, “We get them for 45 minutes every Sunday; you get them for 40 hours a week.”
Much like the ministries we serve and guide at the Barnabas Group, I believe that when business leaders can eliminate the roadblocks holding them back from their business goals and spiritual growth, those businesses can be free to impact local ministries and improve the community as a whole.
About The Author: Tom Sharp
After a 30-year career managing his financial planning practice in Gold River, Tom sold the business in early 2024 to explore where God wants to use his skills next. With a passion for helping organizations “Get Stuff Done,” Tom brings experience in coaching, operations, and leadership. Tom’s expertise spans diverse aspects of leadership, from facilitating complex acquisitions to motivating team members to serving as a business development consultant. He is a six-time member of the Ameriprise Chairman’s Advisory Council and in 2004 was inducted into the Ameriprise Hall of Fame for his excellence in sales and client satisfaction.
A graduate of CSU, Sacramento, Tom has lived in the Sacramento area for 40 years. He and his wife, Raelynn, reside in Folsom, where two of their three children live nearby, while their youngest lives in Seattle. In his free time, Tom enjoys spoiling their two golden doodles, spending time with family and friends, and playing pickleball regularly.