June 2006

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Volumes about the Christian marketplace or leadership principles are as common as investors chasing a hot stock. Books that focus on business as a missions strategy, however, are rarer than an unattended $100 bill on Wall Street.

GOD IS AT WORK: Transforming People and Nations Through Business Ken Eldred Regal 336 pp.; $19.99

But that is starting to change. God Is at Work is a helpful, user-friendly entry to this growing field.

Favorably quoting David Livingstone as saying, "Those two pioneers of civilization—Christianity and commerce—should ever be inseparable," author and venture capitalist Ken Eldred believes historical trends favor business as missions. Indeed, while millions of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists have heard little or nothing about Jesus Christ, they have heard much about Adam Smith and want to know more. For Christian entrepreneurs, economic globalization presents an opportunity not just to make money while providing needed goods and services, but also to make investments that will earn interest for eternity.

God Is at Work examines the principles and history of the movement. It provides examples of successful microenterprises and small- and medium-sized businesses, and discusses investing in such ventures.

Eldred, who has provided capital and oversight for a Christian-based call center in Bombay, is strongest on practical issues, but somewhat less so on theological and biblical concerns.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

God Is at Work is available from Christianbook.com and other book retailers.

More information, including an excerpt (.PDF), is available from Regal.

Ken Eldred is chairman at Parakletos @ Ventures.

More about Faith in the Workplace is available elsewhere on our site.

Our Money & Business page has more articles at the intersection of faith and work.

Other business-related articles include:

Neighbor Love Inc. | Christians in business have an honored place in God's plan.—A Christianity Today editorial (Sept. 13, 2005)

Dennis Bakke's Ode to Joy | The outrageous way in which an energy giant's CEO had fun at work. (July 7, 2005)

The Missions of Business | What can happen when entrepreneurs think they are missionaries first. (April 2004)

Compassionate Capitalism | How Christians are using fair trade to help the world's poor, missionaries, and shoppers. (Nov. 12, 2003)

Good to Great's Leadership Model Looks Familiar to Christians | The author of the bestselling business book says his findings on successful leaders led him to the New Testament. (March 14, 2003)

The Profit of God | Finding the Christian path in business. (Jan. 27, 2003)

Bad Company Corrupts | Michael Novak, theological champion of the free market, reflects on what recent business scandals mean for church and state. (Jan. 27, 2003)

The Wages of Secularism | New laws won't prevent another Enron. (June 04, 2002)

When Business Aims for Miracles | Minneapolis-St. Paul business professionals are some of the inner city's most effective "social entrepreneurs." (May 25, 2001)

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