Virginia Beach, Virginia - Over 80 leaders throughout the United States and five countries convened at the Founders Inn in Virginia Beach IN October to here speakers and other leaders discuss current trends in marketplace ministry. Leaders from over 54 organizations attended including CBMC International, Fellowship of Companies for Christ, International Christian Chamber of Commerce, Business and Professional Network and many other groups that work among Christians in the workplace.

"This was a time of hearing the Holy Spirit reveal what He was doing in the marketplace. Our speakers gave us a clear call to intercessory prayer and the need to prepare for major changes in the world over next twelve months," said Os Hillman, Director of Marketplace Leaders. Summit organizers felt the Lord was directing the conference to have more focus on intercessory prayer.

The first evening Tim Philpot, President of CBMC spoke to the leaders about the need for intercessory prayer, unbeknownst to the organizers that this was to be his message. Later, the International Director of Intercession for the nation of Nigeria, Emeka Newankpa, was a last minute attendee and spoke to the leaders about the need for understanding the spiritual realm of intercession in business.

Other presentations were given by James Lockett, international lawyer and Vice President of International Christian Chamber of Commerce regarding the major changes going on in the world economies and provided a spiritual relevance to the days we live. Shanti Feldhan, President of The Joseph Project 2000, gave a thorough presentation on the Y2K crisis that will be a result of the year 2000 computer glitches. Additional speakers made presentations to the leaders about the "Joseph Calling", a movement in which God is calling for business leaders as "Joseph's" and what that means, evangelism and discipleship in the marketplace, and how the internet can be used to unify the movement among marketplace groups.

Unity and the sharing of information and resources was another major theme of the summit. Leaders committed themselves to working together for a common vision. Practical ways in which this could be done were discussed in round table format the last morning of the summit. The summit ended with an emotional time of prayer, repentance and sounding of the Shofar as a symbol of the leaders desire to reflect Jesus Christ in the marketplace. For a complete report on the conference visit <www.aslangroup.com> Audio tapes of the summit are available.

The Center for Entrepreneurial and Economic Development conducted a 12 day seminar in Singapore in early November. The theme of the event was "Placing the Heart of Missions into Business" The Keynote Speaker was Landa Cope, Dean of the College of Communications at the University of the Nations, who challenged the group to KNOW God first before any initiative to disciple a Nation through business. Knowing God will help us to think differently about our world. Most Christians in business believe like Christians but THINK like pagans. Once we SEE God we will be able to SEE the world as He SEES it and we will know how He wants it changed.

Tom Jennings, Missionary Businessman, shared his story and exhorted the group to first LAY FOUNDATIONS before doing evangelism in unreached people groups, otherwise the evangelistic effort will be like a building that topples over because it had no foundations. The Foundation is a knowledge of the Kingdom of God through the character and witness of incarnational Christians who can share their faith in a culturally sensitive and relevant fashion. Very often the most effective method for "incarnating the Kingdom of God" is through marketplace activity.

Kaylan Das of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies encouraged the business people to "place the heart of missions into business" This is done BEFORE one goes to the mission field. Zealous Missions people who think they can launch a business on the missions field as a means for entry into restricted countries are seriously mistaken. The business must be well established and have a track record that can be evaluated before permission will be granted by governments for the establishment of a business in their country.

Dwight Nordstrom, stated that failure in business does not necessarily mean failure in ministry. Four out of five business fail before five years of operation. It can be a natural consequence of a risky economic environment. One has to have the attitude to persevere in the context God has called you to be in. It is okay to fail and start again. He now has a new company that has seen tremendous growth in employment. There are Bible Studies at the plant and a small church meets there. Because of the economic benefit the company brings to the country there is a lot more freedom to share the gospel.

Please contact <CEED_UofN@compuserve.com> for more information on future seminars.

Mike McLoughlin, the author of the Scruples Web Site shared on this topic at the Marketplace Leaders Conference in Virginia Beach. He saw the challenge of marketplace ministry as both an evangelistic challenge in terms of the Great Commission (Matt 28:18) and a challenge to worship God through our work which is from the Creation Mandate (Genesis 2:15) To meet this challenge Christians have to clear the hurdles of a poor reputation in the marketplace; lack of respect from the church; lack of revelation of how the truth applies to their context; lack of teaching and fellowship resources; emphasis on rules rather than relationships and a general lack of healthy Christian role modest in the marketplace.

The Internet has great potential to meet this need. It is estimated that by the year 2002, 320 Million people will be surfing the net. This is why it is very important that Ministries serving Christians in the marketplace have an internet presence. The Scruples Web Site has developed a tremendous amount of resources for Christians in the marketplace and provides a forum for discussion and discipleship in an online Community. Everyone is welcome to join the community. Although Scruples is sponsored by YWAM marketplace Ministries (A Ministry of YWAM BC) it is "public" property and everyone is welcome to participate and take ownership of the site.

As I have researched information for the Scruples Directory for Marketplace Ministry I have seen a picture emerging of a global movement of God in the marketplace. Of the 501 organizations listed in the directory, I received a founding date from 158. Of the 158, 69 or 43 percent were founded in the last ten years. The same is true for publications. Of the 244 books listed at Scruples, 149 or 61 percent were published in the last ten years.

Although most of these organizations and publications are based in North America or Europe there are indications THAT THIS MOVEMENT IS HAVING A WORLDWIDE IMPACT. The International Christian Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1985 in Belgium. Since then its membership has grown to include 80 countries. I understand that the Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International is close to reaching its goal of having members in 200 countries. Also emerging is the Europartners movement in Europe and the Christian Business Men's Committee has members in over 60 countries worldwide. Professional Organizations such as the International Christian Medical and Dental Association and the Nurses Christian Fellowship International are following suit with affiliates in many countries. Christian Enterprise Development Organizations that work with the poor such as the Mennonite Economic Development Associates and Opportunity International are also seeing growth in their membership especially in developing nations. God is certainly on the move in the marketplace and he is calling for Christians to rise up and take their positions as his ambassadors of love to a broken and corrupt business world.

If you are interested in a copy of the Directory I still have some left. The Cost of the Directory will be $19.95 U.S. including shipping. To request a copy send me an e mail at <scruples@csi.com> and I will send you a copy of the directory with an invoice. You can preview the Directory at the Scruples site: <http://www.scruples.org/web/directry/directry.htm>

Dates of Interest:

a. December 29th, 1998 to January 3rd, 1999 - Following Christ/Shaping Our World, Ministry in Daily Life Marketplace Event. At Chicago, Hilton & Towers downtown. Sponsored by InterVarsity Graduate & Faculty Ministries, InterVarsity Press, and supported by a variety of Christian organizations such as Christian Legal Society, Christian Medical & Dental Society, Christians in the Visual Arts, Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities, etc.. The focus is on the ministry as Christian in the various academic disciplines and careers shaped in current graduate schools of the USA and Canada. For information contact Lynn Walrath at InterVarsity, USA. <grad98@ivcf.org> The URL is <www.grad98.org>

b. Current Trends in Business & Missions Seminar. January 4th to 9th, 1999 at Heritage College and Seminary in Cambridge, Ontario. (Near Toronto) Mike McLoughlin, of YWAM Marketplace Mission, will be leading the event. Topics will include: The Twenty First Century Missionary will be a marketplace Christian. Principles in Bridging Business and Missions. Business Missionary Models from the Bible. Historical Precedents in Business and Missions. Please contact Scot Forbes for more information at <sforbes@odyssey.on.ca>

c. Moral Business; God's Business; Tough Business. Marketplace Seminar. Saturday, February 13th, 1999 at Regent College, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Featuring Janet Anderson; John Beckett; Steve Brinn; Alec Hill & Gordon T. Smith. As you dialogue with theologians, business practitioners, and ethicists and others working in the marketplace (business and professional), this conference will: help you get in touch with the real tensions faced by business and professional people, tensions you face, and you will discover just how tough business relates to loving God and neighbor; assist you in gaining a biblical basis for business ethics and for ethical businesses; inspire you to experience everyday life in the marketplace as prayer and as ministry; show how business is not just a platform for mission but is part of God's mission in the world today. Contact <initiatives@regent-college.edu> for more information.

Mike McLoughlin, Director
Youth With A Mission, Marketplace Ministries

Web Site: http://www.scruples.org