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As society changes it is necessary to change the way in which we do ministry. The Church dominated model, where ministry is done almost exclusively in and through congregations, needs to be strengthened and further developed by empowering Christians to do ministry in their places of work and study! We spend most of our waking hours at work, or at school, or in our community and home. Furthermore, if we are honest, the majority of Churches do not equip and facilitate ministry beyond the interests of their congregational needs. This presentation was prepared for a group of international students on the African Leadership in Community Transformation school in Cape Town. I prepared it based on my experience as a minister in the marketplace. I serve as a chaplain to a large construction company (the Power Group http://www.powergrp.co.za). I hold a doctorate in theology and science and am an ordained minister in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa - so, this presentation draws together: - Theology - Biblical and scriptural injunctions on ministry - An understanding of economics and justice - Neuroscience (showing how and why we do certain things) - Research on the Church and the Christian faith You can find out more about me and my work at http://www.spirituality.org.za - please see the blog at http://www.spirituality.org.za/blogger.html
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Transforming Business toKingdom Business
Dr. Dion ForsterPower Group of Companies / Global day of prayer / Unashamedly Ethical
http://www.dionforster.com
A case study: Graham Power and the Power Group of Companies.
The company
• Started in 1983• Currently the largest privately owned
construction and development company in South Africa.
• Annual turnover of 1.4 Billion rand• 1500 employees.
The Power of One… God is the One!
A theology of work and worship:
5 Paradigms for Kingdom Business
Dr. Dion ForsterPower Group of Companies / Global day of prayer / Unashamedly Ethical
http://www.dionforster.com
Let’s get ‘real’ about our faith…
The Bar owner and the Church members…
What would we do if EVERYONE turned up?
DESTINY, WORK AND WORSHIP
Do not let your occupation block your destiny; instead, allow your destiny to shape your business by turning it into your ministry.
- Ed Silvoso
Your work and life for God’s purposes and blessing!
Paradigm 1 - God’s discipleship plan is for more than just individuals. (Matthew 28:18-20)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt. 28:18-20)
Doing your work for God’s purposes and blessing!
Paradigm 2 – Everything has been ‘redeemed’, and so it needs to be ‘reclaimed’ (Luke 19:10)
“For the son of man came to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10)
“For it was the Father's good pleasure …to reconcile all things to Himself…whether things on earth or things in heaven.” (Col 1:19-20)
Doing your work for God’s purposes and blessing!
• Paradigm 3 - God views every Christian as a minister, and so work can be worship! (Col 3:23-24)
“Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, working for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that you will receive your reward from the Lord; you serve the Lord Christ.” (Col 3:23)
The ‘worship switch’… ON or OFF?
Doing your work for God’s purposes and blessing!
• Paradigm 4 - God wants us to take light into dark places, and get salt out of the salt shaker. (Matthew 16:18-19)
“Upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell will not overpower it…” (Matthew 16:18-19).
Building the Church is what Jesus does… Taking his Kingdom and gospel all over the earth is what we’re commanded to do… - Ed Silvoso
• Paradigm 4 - God wants us to take light into dark places. (Matthew 16:18-19) cont….
• We’ve got the WRONG methodology!
Jesus’ methodology (Luke 10:2-9).
When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.’
….Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you,
…Heal the sick who are there
and
…tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.’
I will pay you a salary NOT to preach…
Preaching the truth without love is like giving someone a good kiss when you have bad breath. No matter how good your kiss is, all the recipient will remember is your bad breath!
- Ed Silvoso
Doing your work for God’s purposes and blessing!
Paradigm 5 - True transformation must be tangible and visible.
The Gospels recall two incidents when Jesus wept, once for a friend, and another time for a city. His tears show how deeply he loves individuals and cities (groups, structures etc.).
What would the most tangible and visible expression of God’s love be in your context?
What is REALLY good news to the poor?Remember the ‘methodology’ of Jesus… Bless, Fellowship,
Minister, Preach…
Doing your work for God’s purposes and blessing!
God’s discipleship plan is for more than just individuals. (Matthew 28:18-20)
The marketplace has been ‘redeemed’, and so it needs to be ‘reclaimed’ (Luke 19:10)
God views every Christian as a minister, and so work can be worship! (Col 3:23-24)
God wants us to take light into dark places. (Matthew 16:18-19)
True transformation must be tangible and visible
QUESTIONS?
DR. DION FORSTER
HTTP://WWW.DIONFORSTER.COMHTTP://WWW.UNASHAMEDLYETHICAL.COM
ECONOMICS AND KINGDOM BUSINESS.
Kingdom Business! Working for God’s purpose!
A few questions:
What is God’s purpose for Business?
What is the relationship between ‘the marketplace’ and ‘the Church’?
Kingdom Business! Working for God’s purpose!
The economy of God… Economics
Oikos (household) Nomos (to manage)
“The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Ps 24:1)
There is enough…. God expects us the ‘manage’ His ‘household’
What the world’s economy looks like!
A map of the world (land area)
The spread of wealth (a representational map)
The most impoverished places in the world (a representational map)
Christians in the world (a representational map)
A map of the world (land area)
Kingdom Business! Working for God’s purpose!
So, let’s ask the questions again… What is God’s purpose for Business? What is the relationship between ‘the
marketplace’ and ‘the Church’? Clearly, there is something wrong with these
pictures!
Jesus’ “Mission Statement”
Lk 4:18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
But, is there enough for all of us?
Sustaining the world!
• Brown, Lester 2008 (Plan B 3.0 – Mobilizing to save civilization)
• Brown, Lester 2008 (Plan B 3.0 – Mobilizing to save civilization)
Sustaining the world!
• Brown, Lester 2008 (Plan B 3.0 – Mobilizing to save civilization)
Sustaining the world!
Military spending (a representational map)
The difference between development and growth… GREED!
Growth is frequently motivated by greed!
An example. South Africa – an upper-middle income country…
• Julian May (2002:2) states, • “South Africa is an upper-middle-income
country with a per capita income similar to that of Botswana, Brazil, Malaysia or Mauritius. Despite this relative wealth, the experience of the majority of South African households is either one of outright poverty, or of continued vulnerability to becoming poor. Furthermore, the distribution of income and wealth in South Africa may be the most unequal in the world.”
The strongest economies on the continent…
• (Gauteng is bigger than Morocco!) KZN is bigger than Sudan and Tunisia…)
• 23rd strongest
economy in the world!
BUT!
• “…Poverty, unemployment, housing shortages, inadequate education and training, illiteracy, health needs and numerous other problems still stand in the way of progress and prosperity and improved quality of life…”(FW de Klerk in Webb 1994: 120)
Consider this!
AIDS deaths in the world (a representational map)
The spread of wealth (a representational map)
The most impoverished places in the world (a representational map)
Christians in the world (a representational map)
Changing the way we do business (for the Kingdom’s sake!)
Two basic problems (there could be more):
The problem of Greed in business!
The problem of the Church that doesn’t understand God’s role for business!
Two basic thesis:
• Thesis 1: Greed is part of human nature (it is ‘hard wired’)…
A few basic facts about GREED and the Brain.
• Greed is ultimately part of human nature…• Max Otte supports his statements with some scientific studies, as
expected from a professor. Among others he describes an experiment where students were asked questions concerning financial investments while having their heads in a MRI scanner.
• One of the questions was whether they wanted 100 dollars now or rather 110 dollars in 4 months. The MRI scanner then showed which parts of the brain were especially active during the answering of the questions. Every time, the test subject was “greedy”, i.e. wanted the 100 dollars immediately, the cerebellum exhibited a high level of activity. In the history of evolution the cerebellum is a very old part of the brain which is also found in reptiles—one could say it contains our primary rudimentary instinct. However, those test subjects who decided for the 110 dollars in 4 months exhibited a high level of activity in the cerebrum that is used for conscious thinking.
The ‘old brain’
The 3 basic questions of every ‘old brain’
• Survival is key…– Can I eat it? Will it eat me?– Can I mate with it? Will it mate with me?– Can I recognise it? (recursive loop)…
• BUT, not only survival, but efficiency!• However, it is clear that there are some
individuals and systems that change this cycle…
Thesis 2: Because of survival and energy efficiency there MUST be a
value transaction to change behaviour.
• The question is…• What is the VALUE?• Can ‘healthier’ values be facilitated or taught?
A case study: Graham Power and the Power Group of Companies.
The company
• Started in 1983• Currently the largest privately owned
construction and development company in South Africa.
• Annual turnover of 1.4 Billion rand• 1500 employees.
This shifts in Graham’s life:
• A conversion to the Christian faith in 1999• Wealth and money in 2000 / 2001 Graham
Power Charitable Trust.• The formation of the Power Group Charitable
Trust Fund
Some implications:
• Personally no longer motivated by greed:– Wealth is capped– Has entered into a ‘higher’ value proposition
obedience to the principles of the Christian faith.– Examples:
• Gives away 51% of personal income• Chose not to list the Power Group
• The company can make decisions based on a bigger value transaction.– The 100 year dream– The Group’s purpose ‘To improve the lives of people in
Africa through infrastructure development’
Where the Church misses the point…• Business is NOT just a cheque book for
Church ministry!• We focus almost exclusively on ‘individual
discipleship’ “For the son of man came to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10)
• Congregations and ‘the Church’• Pastoring only ‘the saved’ & missing ‘the lost’
A reminder: The 5 paradigms for Kingdom Business.
God’s discipleship plan is for more than just individuals. (Matthew 28:18-20)
The marketplace has been ‘redeemed’, and so it needs to be ‘reclaimed’ (Luke 19:10)
God views every Christian as a minister, and so work can be worship! (Col 3:23-24)
God wants us to take light into dark places. (Matthew 16:18-19)
True transformation must be tangible and visible
The Power Group
Internal Kingdom Strategy: Disciple Transform the Spiritual Climate (Prayer and
intercession) Evangelise Work can be worship! Choose!
The Power Group
External Kingdom Strategy Reclaim Transform Evangelise
People Systems
QUESTIONS?
Transforming Business toKingdom Business
Dr. Dion ForsterPower Group of Companies / Global day of prayer / Unashamedly Ethical
http://www.dionforster.com
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