World changers

Integrating Faith and Business

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 21:04:22 +0000

Gordon Govier

Integrating Faith and Business

Life is fragile, and all that we value can be taken from us in a split second. That was the realization that led Mark Washington to invite Jesus Christ into his life. It happened just after he had broken up with his girlfriend and survived a car-bike smash-up.

“The people that hit me with the car thought for sure I was dead when I flew over the car,” he said. “I wasn’t but it sure shook me up.”

Today Mark helps business school students look at the broader issues of life as the national coordinator of ��ñ��’s MBA Ministry, a part of Graduate and Faculty Ministries. He also works with ��ñ�� business students at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Integrating Faith and Vocation

Working with business students energizes Mark because MBA students clearly are intent on becoming world changers. “MBA students by virtue of where they will be working, will have significant impact on the world one way or another,” he said.

��ñ��’s ministry vision is to see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed. MBA Ministry is focused on developing Christian leaders who seek God in both their professional and private lives. ��ñ�� currently has MBA chapters in 17 of the top business schools.

During a recent sabbatical, Mark visited and conferred with leaders of nine national organizations that focus on integrating faith and vocation. Based on these visits and input from ��ñ�� staff, student leaders, and alumni, Mark spearheaded a new, five year strategic plan for MBA Ministry that will develop better resources for training students and double the number of chapters in business schools.

His vision for integrating faith and vocation also extends beyond business schools. “I would like to see communities of world changers develop for students after they graduate,” he said. “Because historically, the way change occurs is not through individuals but through communities.”

Catalytic Events

One of the best opportunities to focus on the integration of faith and vocation is the annual Believers in Business (BiB) Conference, which will be held this year on February 14-15 at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Hosted by the Yale School of Business Management Christian Fellowship (affiliated with ��ñ��), and an advisory board of MBA students from 13 other business schools, the BiB conference presents strategies to help business leaders live out their faith in the marketplace. Mark has played a key role in developing the BiB conference into a national gathering for Christian business students.

��ñ��’s commitment to integrating faith and vocation extends back many years and includes national Marketplace Ministry conferences in 1980, 1983, and 1986. More recently, Mark helped lead Business as Mission and Business Changing the World tracks as a part of ��ñ��’s triennial Urbana student missions conferences. Integrating faith and vocation was also a major focus of ��ñ��’s Following Christ conferences, hosted by Graduate and Faculty Ministries in Atlanta in 2003 and in Chicago in 2008.

��ñ��’s theology of serving God in the marketplace through ethical business practices has attracted interest not only from individual business students but also leaders of business schools who want to present a solid ethical component to their program. “��ñ�� has some unique things to offer for MBA programs, including a theology of the workplace and business,” Mark said.

Finding His Own Way

Having experienced, as a new Christian, the disappointment of working for Christian business owners whose business practices did not reflect their Christian values, Mark developed an early appreciation for the integration of faith and vocation as a powerful witness to those both inside and outside the business community.

Mark’s first contact with ��ñ�� was Jack Irvine, a long-time volunteer staff member in California, who he met through his church. He was amazed that Jack would spend several hours at a time with him every week, talking about the Christian faith. “Here’s a man who is not a part of my family, loving me, caring for me, nurturing me, and seeing something worthwhile in me,” he marveled.

“Seeking to learn more about integrating faith and vocation, Mark left California and entered a dual degree program at North Park Theological Seminary, in Chicago. While working on a Master of Arts in Theological Studies and a Master of Business Administration Degree, he was also hired as the seminary’s Director of Admissions.”

As Admissions Director he negotiated partnerships for the seminary with ��ñ�� and other organizations, and began attending ��ñ�� meetings. He got an insider’s perspective on the fellowship and as he considered his career options after seminary, he began to think about joining ��ñ��, which he did in 2003.

Mark reflects on how God has been at work in his own life, integrating faith and vocation, and is thankful for a job where he can see God doing it again and again in the lives of MBA students who are committed to living out their faith in the marketplace.

News Keywords

MBA Ministry

World changers

Celebrating with our Fabulous Staff

AD-16225 — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 15:14:09 +0000

News

Alec Hill, President of ��ñ��

Celebrating with our Fabulous Staff

Bob Fryling, our Vice President and Publisher of ��ñ�� Press, describes our triennial National Staff Conference gathering of 1,400 staff in St. Louis last month as the “best we’ve ever had since I’ve been on staff.” That’s saying something – Bob has been attending such events since 1969.

Thank the Lord
From the very first night, it was apparent that we were in for a special week. The Lord blessed us with His presence. The theme – Jesus the World Changer – set just the right tone. The prayer time following the talk by Paula Fuller, our Vice President and Director of Multiethnic Ministries, was remarkable. Many of us simply didn’t want to leave a place that felt like holy ground.

Personal Highlights
Each of us had our own special moments at SC14. Mine included:

Honoring 40 Year Staff
In our 73 year history, 24 staff have served 40 years or more. Amazingly, 16 of them were present at SC14 (pictured above). The standing ovation simply would not end. They really felt the love!
New Staff
I must confess being caught off guard by the number of staff who stood during my welcome to newbies on the first night. SC14 was the first National Staff Conference for about a third of the participants. In this photo, staff are praying for our new Black Campus Ministry Director, Donnie Lawrence.
John Ortberg’s “Saturday” talk
In describing the sadness of Good Friday and the joy of Easter, John explored what happened to the disciples on the day in between. This is one of the most profound messages I’ve ever heard. John is the Senior Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Brent Campbell’s Testimony
Brent is a student leader from University of North Carolina Wilmington. When confronted with racial hatred, he responded with remarkable grace in a way that drew national media attention. His comments were only six minutes long, but they left a deep impact.
Roaming with Rudy
One evening, our board chair, Rudy Hernandez, and I wandered around together. As we sat down to dinner, I watched him transform back into the staff member he was 25 years ago. It was a joy watching him engage with campus staff.
Neal Jordan’s Testimony
A Cornell graduate of 1955, Neal won us over with his very first line: “I’m an artifact.” His recollection of his peers and campus staff was touching. Remarkably, chapter members continue to enjoy reunions.
International Student Video
As a professor, I hosted international Bible studies for many years. Hence, the story of two students — one Burmese and the other Sri Lankan — co-leading a study at the University of Montana affected me deeply.
La Fe Leadership Team
Orlando Crespo invited me to lunch with the Le Fe Leadership Team. It was exciting to hear about Le Fe’s recent national conference (Mi Gente) in Tampa and future plans. The Lord is really moving in the Latino community.

Thanks to Our Conference Hosts
While there are many people to thank, I want to focus on three.

Paul Tokunaga served as Conference Director. Behind the scenes, his steady and wise touch was evident everywhere. Four days before the conference began, his mother passed. Given the option of missing SC14, he chose to come (the funeral was held post St. Louis). In addition, in December he tore three of the four muscles in his quadriceps, which impaired his mobility but not his spirit.

Kylene Hong led conference operations. Coping with the now infamous “polar vortex,” she had to deal with innumerable last-minute flight concerns. In addition, she had to solve a wide variety of logistical concerns in a new setting.

Lisa Espineli Chinn served as Program Director with an incredibly deft touch. Pastoral and Spirit-led, she created space at just the right times for reflection, confession, and healing. Her ability to combine rich spirituality with humor blessed us all. In this photo, with co-emcee Chris Nichols, she is showing off her “tattoo” (a creative promotion for our new arts ministry) and her muscles.

One final photo, here I am holding one month old Wally Fick. Wally is the son of Kimberly and Charles Fick, staff at Cornell, the alma mater of Neal Jordan. Charles, Kimberly, and Wally drove 25 hours through the “polar vortex,” in order to attend SC14. What a fabulous time we all had together at SC14!

News Keywords

World changers

National Staff Conference

Focusing on our Campus Mission

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 16:20:47 +0000

News

Gordon Govier

Focusing on our Campus Mission

More than 1400 staff members from across the country gathered January 7-11, 2014 in St. Louis for our triennial National Staff Conference. The focus of the conference was on ��ñ�� world changers, taken from ��ñ��’s Vision Statement: “To see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed.”

As attested by numerous stories on our website, students and faculty whose faith in Jesus Christ is planted and nurtured through the ministry of ��ñ�� are called to change the world, and they respond. World changer stories were shared by video and by personal testimony, and are posted online by ��ñ��'s Twentyonehundred Productions.

SC14 is the largest staff conference in ��ñ�� history, as ��ñ�� has been going through a dynamic period of growth in the past half-decade. ��ñ�� has more than 900 chapters on almost 600 campuses and staff working with more than 38,000 “core” students and faculty (those who participate in more than 50 percent of all activities).

��ñ�� family and friends were able to follow SC14 on social media via Facebook and Twitter and experience inspiring reports on campus ministry.

News Keywords

World changers

Campus Ministry