July 1999 Update
* * *
Integrating Faith and Work - They're Actually Doing It! * * *
This Scruples Update Issue is
brought to you by The Institute for
HEADLINES:
2. US News &
World Report magazine features spirituality & business in its May, 1999 Issue.
4. More Conferences
than ever for Christians in the Marketplace!
5. Christianity
& Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) or Network marketing – The Good, the Bad & the
UGLY!
9. Faith At Work
features Relational Bible Studies for THE workplace
The Third Annual
Marketplace Leaders Summit will unleash a global Marketplace Ministry vision in Atlanta,
Georgia September 14-16, 1999. Is this not an unique time in Holy History? With Y2K, the
global economy, the Euro, Kosovo and the conflicts between nations, are not major changes
coming? Do change and instability present opportunities to share life in Christ? How is
God preparing business people to respond? God is moving in the world in ways we've never
seen. He is calling us to impact our world more than at any time in our history. Formal
marketplace ministry groups have increased from 25 to 580 in ten years' time. Christians
are using the workplace as a launching pad for ministry. Business owners are committing
their profits to Kingdom concerns.
God is calling leaders
internationally to come together and corporately seek the mind of God. He is showing us
how to plug into His vision individually, corporately and collectively in our ministries.
There are things we can do better together than we can individually. Finding those common
denominators and giving ourselves opportunities for dialogue and implementation are the
reasons Marketplace Leaders exists.
Key Note Speakers will
include Landa Cope, Dean of communications at the YWAM University of the Nations; Os
Hillman, Marketplace Leaders; Emeka Nwankpa, Director of Intercession, ICCC for Nigeria;
Mary Whelchel, Author, Speaker and Radio Host and many more marketplace leaders in the
Breakout Sessions.
Come join us for a
time of refreshing and teaching before the Leaders Summit.
Registration Fee Only - Note: Pre-Registration Closes August 1. $175 per person by
August 1, $225 after August 1. Married couple $325 by August 1, $375 after August 1.These
rates are for summit sessions only and do not include lodging or meals. Off-site lodging
and meals must be handled by registrant. Additional charges will apply if you stay
off-site and desire to eat meals with the summit group. All fees must be paid in U.S.
dollars, by check, money order or major credit card. To register by phone or for more
information, call 770-442-1500, or visit our web site at <www.marketplaceleaders.net>
Check out <http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/990503/3spir.htm>
The article presents a
Corporate America that may be in the midst of a “Damascus conversion”. It charts
the growing trend of Boardroom interest in spirituality. A Boeing manager thinks corporate
spirituality will give the company a competitive edge over rival Airbus. "If your
people aren't allowed to bring their whole selves to work–body, mind, and
soul–then you're not going to win," he says.
The Harvard Business School Bulletin has also done an extensive look at this phenomena. Six Harvard Alumni and three Faculty offer their insights into the “ensoulment” of business. One contributor observes, "What we're seeing is an increasingly felt need for people to integrate the spiritual dimension of their lives into what they do for most of the day. People are starting to realize that if they're going to spend a good part of their lives in the office, they'd like that time to be spiritually as well as materially rewarding." Visit this link for the article: http://www.alumni.hbs.edu/bulletin/1999/april/spirit.html
What do you think God
is up to? Why is there this interest in
spirituality in business? Why the incredible
growth in Christian marketplace ministry over the past decade? Is God preparing the marketplace for a movement of
His Spirit? Is He raising up a body of marketplace believers who can share His love and
encourage true worshippers to worship in spirit and truth?
Jesus said, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers
will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the
Father seeks.” (John 4:23) Is now the “time” that God has chosen to
‘restore the marketplace to His economy” What
does God’s economy look like? What is
His mandate to us as marketplace Christians? Let us know. I would be interested in your
thoughts about what is going on. We need a global vision for the Marketplace for the next
50 years. In Habakkuk 2:2 God says to the prophet, “Record the vision and inscribe it
on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. For
the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal, and it will not
fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it
will certainly come, it will not delay.” (NASB)
Mark your calendar for
these events:
i.
Hineni Montana Conference – Making a Difference in Your Business and in the
Rest of the World. August 1-4th, 1999. Lakeside, Montana.
Hurray Registration deadline is July 15th, 1999.
Contact Janica Williamson at hineni@accessone.com
or phone (206) 242-8461.
ii.
International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) USA - "Strengthen Your
Armor". Saturday through Monday, September 11-13 in Atlanta. Visit <http://www.wowi.net/conference/ibc.htm>
For more information or e mail
<icccusa@worldnet.att.net>
iii.
Fellowship of Companies for Christ International (FCCI) 's annual Fall conference "The Courage to Stand". In Laguna
Niguel, California. September 12-16,1999 You may register by any one of the following
ways: Phone (800) 664-3224 or (770) 457-9700 Fax (770) 457-6123 e-mail: <Irene@fcci.org> or
register online at <www.fcci.org>
iv.
"From Relationship and Confidence to Success" International Conference of
Christian Businessmen In Mukachevo, Ukraine September 16 -19, 1999 Please register by
contacting us at tel/fax 38 044 516-8055 tel 38
044 534-4395 e-mail : <alex@uacb.kiev.ua>
Registration should be made no later than August 15, 1999.
v.
Mennonite Economic Development Associates CONVENTION 1999. November 4th-7th. Visit
www.meda.org Plan now to attend Convention
'99 at Norfolk, Virginia . Feature Speaker: Peggy Wehmeyer, ABC World News Tonight
religion reporter.
vi.
"His World... our Workplace” Cosponsored by the Canadian Tentmaker
Network and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Nov. 5-7, 1999 at Muskoka Baptist
Conference in beautiful Northern Ontario, Canada. Check out the conference website at
www.rocklake.com/citw. Email: ontario@ivcf.dar.com
There is a lively
debate happening at the Scruples Marketplace Ethics Forum <http://www.scruples.org/_ethic/00000018.htm>
Some Article Posts to wet your appetite -
i.
These systems squeeze transformational relationships into transactional ones. T. B.
7/9/99
ii.
God’s purpose for us in business is relationship – relationship with God
and with others unto transformation. Christians in MLM must not fall into the trap as
seeing every relationship as a business opt. Mike McLoughlin 7/9/99
iii.
Is MLM right for a Christian? It
depends! Some tips on doing it right from
someone who has been there! B. T. 7/9/99
iv.
MLM turns normal people into hawks at
church on Sunday S. F. 7/9/99
v.
The biggest reason why you hear so many horror stories is that the new consultant
has not taken the time to become properly trained M. E. on vacation in Hawaii 7/9/99
vi.
Staying in a place of accountability is important. Mark Baxter 7/9/99
vii.
Some will suggest that network marketing benefits the one at the top at the expense
of the one at the bottom, but so does any business on earth. G. C. 7/9/99
viii.
I do it BECAUSE I really believe in my product. Debra 7/9/99
ix.
It seems to me most often people are not selling product but they are selling 'me
selling product'. David 7/9/99
This is the discovery
of The Godly Business Women, A New Magazine for Christian Women in the Marketplace.
“God has given us all responsibilities where we have to make decisions daily. Whether
it is in the home, the workplace, or our finances, we are making decisions that affect us.
Though many of the articles in the magazine are geared towards business issues, our goal
is to encourage educated decision making and harmony in women's lives whether they are in
or out of the work place. All Women are Business Women. That is what we have found out
through all of our research.” For more information contact Kathleen Jackson P.O. Box
181004 Casselberry, FL 32718-1004 Phone (407) 696-2805
Or (800) 560-1090 or e
mail: <info@godlybusinesswoman.com>
or visit
http://www.godlybusinesswoman.com/index.html
Another magazine for Christian Women in the Marketplace
is Kim Koteles Women Today, Check out <http://www.womentodaymagazine.com> or e
mail
<wtm@ccc-van.crusade.org>
The Institute is a
faith-based consulting company that helps
The National Center
for Laity in their summer issue of Initiatives features the story of the Mondragon complex
in Northern Spain. It is one of the largest
companies in Spain with over 13 billion US $ in annual sales and 30,000 employee-owners. While many large companies are downsizing their
workforce, Mondragon is creating 4,000 new jobs. The
company ethos is based upon traditional Christian virtues and neighborly economics. For more information visit these links.
“Bible Basics ...
for the next generation” by Nancy Boyle
This collection of
bible studies answers the question: What are the core teachings we need to pass on the
next generation? Studies are drawn from Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Sermon on the Mount and Acts.
“We are new to the business world
after many years of missions and would like to know what other businesses do about
tithing. We are seeking counsel from those
who are more experienced in the ethics of Christian business and what we want to learn
about is what do others do? Does a business
tithe from it's total income or from it's profits? We
are talking about the business here and not the individual staff. We are just wondering if there is some sort of
"common standard".
What answer do you have? Do you have a common standard you go by in making
your giving decisions? Some people charge
that tithing is legalism and that Jesus was our tithe so we are not required to tithe any
longer. What do you think? Do you tithe? What teaching resources have you found helpful in
understanding the issue of tithes, offerings and other giving both in the NT and the Old
Testament?
The 1999/2000
Marketplace Ministry directory will be available in September for the Marketplace Leaders
Conference. It is a compilation of ALL the Listings at the Scruples Web site. Over 650 Marketplace Ministries will be listed in
this year’s directory including an extensive listing of Business and Missions
Ministries. We will be offering the Directory at the conference for 50% off the regular
price of $19.95. Please let me know if you would like to have a directory delivered to you
at the Conference so I can make sure I bring enough copies.
You can order the Directory by sending an e mail to scruples@csi.com with the subject heading
“Scruples Directory Request” If you
are not going to be at the conference you can order the directory and I will send you an
invoice when I ship it to you. The $19.95
price includes shipping!
The Scruples Update
Newsletter is brought to you FREE from the Scruples for Marketplace Christians Web Site. Scruples is an Internet gateway Site for
Marketplace Christians. It is full of helpful news, information, directories and reference
guides for Christians in business, professional practice or career employment. It is
located at <http://www.scruples.org> To
subscribe to the Scruples Update please send an e mail to <scruples@csi.com>.
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