What is the Christian Business Meet-Up?

Joel Gerdis
By: Joel Gerdis
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For most of my history with The Content Squad, I have had a role that was primarily focused on our client's strategic goals. In January, I was commissioned into a new role with our company. I still get to work with our clients on a monthly basis, but now I also get to go out in the community and tell people about who we are. My new title is Brand Evangelist. Part of my new job description required me to start a "Tribe." For those of you who are familiar with marketing guru Seth Godin, his book called "Tribes" has an overarching premise that states:

"Lasting and substantial change can only happen through a united group of people, a tribe, and this tribe can only be created by a person, a leader, who connects the group through a set of goals or ideas."

Faith in the Marketplace

My job was to create a Tribe that connected a group of people around a central idea and goal. A tribe cannot just be centralized around an idea or no change will occur because no goals are established. The idea I desired to see a Tribe established around is that of faith in the marketplace. The goal is seeing Christians throughout the city of Louisville united around a common idea and goal of moving beyond general guidelines and principles of faith and encourage every believer to invite God into their work and partner with Him in every facet of what they do. The outcome I hope for is a city transformed by a large community of believers who want to see God's Kingdom come to earth.

I approached our leadership team in February and asked for their permission to start a Christian Business Meet-up. The response was unanimous and we were able to launch our first meet-up on March 22, 2016 at Macaroni Grill on Hurstbourne Lane here in Louisville, KY. The result was a sold-out gathering of 55 enthusiastic believers who wanted to see God work through them in the marketplace. Our first speaker was Gregg Dedrick, past President of KFC and co-founder of Iron Bell Ministries. Gregg had spent over 30 years in corporate America with Pepsi-Co, Tricon, Yum! brands and most recently with KFC, and it wasn't until the latter part of his career that he saw God begin to work through him on a consistent basis. Gregg spoke about how our work is worship unto God and how He desires to partner with us in life, work and every moment of our day. He shared some key insights that helped him shift from what seemed like God using him occasionally to using him on a daily basis. We are excited to have Gregg give part two of his talk next week at the next Christian Business Meet-Up, Thursday, April 14 at The Iron Bell. Click here for more information or to register.

It's for the employee to owner, or the custodian to the CEO. All believers are welcome. We will be having new speakers and venues throughout the year and look forward to seeing a tribe emerge that has a common purpose of seeing their businesses and communities changed through God's power at work through us. I love that our company started this. I hope other companies come alongside us and champion this. This is not sponsored by any churches or ministries because for this to work, I really believe we need businesses to lead the charge. You can contact me if you are interested in helping or promoting the meet-ups. You can reach me at joel@themarketingsquad.com. I am so excited about seeing the thousands of Christians in this city come alive to partner with God, not only for their workplace but also their local communities and neighbors.

Many of us are familiar with the passage in Jeremiah 29:11 that says:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

In the context of that verse, the people of Israel are in exile in a foreign land and God gives them a decree to be people who are focused on the prospering of the city they are in. Most of us have not considered Jeremiah 29:7, which says:

"Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

Prospering is much more than economic growth. It is also spiritual. My desire is to see people come to know God and seek first His kingdom, then everything else will be added.

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“For we are what He has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” -Ephesians 2:10
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