List of possible activities for the fellowship

Outcomes:

 

This is just a start…

• New life in Christ and the ability to lead others to Christ in the marketplace context

• Integration of faith and vocational worldviews, leading to more ethical behaviors

• Support in the community to not be seduced by power, greed, pride, ungodly ambition or other elements present in the business school environment

• Connection to the larger Christian business community 

• Positive impact on business and wider communities, including issues of biblical justice and compassion

• Vision for balanced lives of work, play, family

 

Research of IVCF on what makes a fellowship grow:

• Vision for Growth

• Concerted Prayer for the Vision

• Leadership Development toward the Vision

• Quality Large Group

• Targeted Small Groups (e.g., spouses, internationals)

• Attractive New Student Outreach (with good follow up)

• Strategic Evangelism

 

Activities:

• Evangelism/Service to the wider community

• Speakers for pre-/evangelism:  Mark W has a list; faculty/admin may have contacts

• Small Groups

• Groups Investigating God

• Purpose Driven Life

• The Question of God

• Alpha in the Workplace materials

• Christianity 101 series

• Evangelism: possible grant for up to $2.5K from IVCF

• Evangelism training: IV resources; Willow Creek workplace evangelism pastor; other para-church pastors

• Business/mission trips to Asia with IVCF

• Healthy relationships speaker

• Set up a ‘summer reading’ book table with books that give Christian perspectives

• Free Bibles

• Social events of various kinds (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter as possible times)

• 2X2’s or One-on-one meetings, e.g., lunch

• Anonymous prayer request box

• Free tutoring for internationals, or conversation partners

• Fundraising events: e.g., competition with other fellowship

 

Fellowship (community building)

• Booths at visit days for incoming students

• Contact with incoming students over the summer

• Contact with returning 2nd years over the summer

• Movies

• Progressive or potluck dinners (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter as possible times)

• Retreat: at an alum’s, at a camp, at a retreat center

• Prayer groups: before classes; for 10 minutes between classes at a given location; over meals

• Service activities (Habitat for Humanity; fundraiser for non-profit; tutoring; the poor)

• 2nd year send off

• Inclusion of spouses/families

• Delegation of tasks to 1st years

• Email prayer requests

 

Discipleship (spiritual formation)

• Church listings on www/handouts and organized hosting of 1st years (one year local churches were enlisted to provide transportation/host a meal afterwords)

• Mentoring 1st years, e.g., interview practice

• Small Groups: Thematic/Bible studies, gender specific, prayers

• Speakers for discipleship (main audience = followers of Christ); professors

• Retreat: at Terrill’s, at a camp, at a retreat center

• Prayer groups: before classes; for 10 minutes between classes at a given location; over meals

• Service activities (Habitat for Humanity; fundraiser for non-profit; tutoring; the poor)

• Weekly email devotional

• Activities with other fellowships: grad, law school, other MBA programs

• Organized accountability small groups (2-4 people)

• Spousal groups

 

Integration

• Case studies of workplace issues from a Christian perspective [possibly with local biz person presenting a real case]

• Bible studies on relevant issues for MBA’s

• Co-sponsored with other MBA fellowship(s)

• Co-sponsored with other student clubs

• IV staff leading events: Mark W; John Terrill [National Professional Schools Ministry director]

• Mentor program

• Attending local business ministry parachurch events

• Alumni panels on topics of interest

• Panel with Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu business leaders

 

Life and heart issues

• How can I learn to worry less?

• How do I juggle work, family, church, relationships, and finances?

• What does it mean to be committed?  (spiritual disciplines and boundaries)

• How can I know God’s will for my life?  (career, relationships, ministry)

• What does it mean to be in the world and yet not of the world in business?

 

Marketplace Issues

• How big a price is too big to pay to get into a place of influence?

• Can Christians in business fundamentally influence and change the way business is conducted?

• What defines success? (career, relationships, ministry)

• Employee-Employer Relationships (Hiring, Firing, Organisational Review)

• How can I achieve servant leadership? (confidence vs. humility)

• Ethics

• Ethical Investments

• What does it mean to be an Entrepreneurial Christian and Christian Entrepreneur?

• Honesty & Deception

• Dealing with failure

• Performance and placement anxiety

• Pride/humility

• Control

• Power and temptations

• Constant mobility

• Ambition

• Biblical vs. organizational values

• Handling politics

• Leadership

• Relating to authority

• Stewardship of gifts

• Stewardship of material resources

• Financial planning seminar

• Justice

• Identity (child of God vs. i-banker)/esteem/affirmation

 

 

Evangelism

• How do I be radical for Christ in a business setting?

• What are appropriate ways to share the gospel with colleagues?

• How far should I go in sharing my faith in the workplace?

 

Others

• How much is enough?

• Are Christianity and capitalism incongruent?

• How should faith affect my standard of living?

• How do you establish boundaries among peers?

• How do I maintain my spiritual discipline when life is so busy?

• What does it mean to be in a Christian “dating/marriage” relationship?

• When is anger okay?

• What does it mean to have a just war?

• What is worth Working for?

• Business as Mission movement: quadruple bottom line

• Competition without Compromise

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Believers in Business Topics

• The love of God and the pursuit of profit

• Love and the competitive drive

• People needs and profit obligations

• Humility and the ego of success

• Family and work

• Charity and wealth

• Faithful witness in the "secular city"

 

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