Repurposing Business: New Hands-On Training Program for Faith-Based Business Owners Puts Theory into Action
How does God market? Few Christian businesspeople know. Looking at the product portfolios of companies led by Christians, few products have been inspired or developed in collaboration with God. Business as Mission is an increasingly popular topic at conferences and seminars. Such conferences can often be inspiring, yet leave participants with no frameworks for practical application. A Silicon Valley think tank re-launches a training program that provides the missing framework for applying Biblical principles in business. Its 10-week training covers what the Bible says about every facet of running a business.
Saratoga, CA (PRWEB) January 17, 2011
Are you tired of “Ready, aim…” then go to another conference? Ron Holt, a business owner in Northern California, says “You’re constantly going to seminars and conferences. You go away very inspired, but there’s no ability to put it into practice.”
Business as Mission is an increasingly popular topic at conferences and seminars. The blending of God and work is no longer a strange concept. What is rare, however, is practical application.
Brett and Lyn Johnson, founders of The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact, launched a training program eight years ago that provides the missing framework for applying Biblical principles in business.
The heart of The Institute’s program is an intensive 10-week training covering what the Bible says about every facet of running a business.
“For example, ‘How does God market?’” Johnson asks. “Few Christian businesspeople know. Looking at the product portfolios of companies led by Christians, few products have been inspired or developed in collaboration with God. Yet we are designed to co-labor with God. It is one of our earliest assignments.”
The Repurposing Business® training is geared to align businesses with their highest calling and their intended purpose. Headquartered in Saratoga, California, with business partners in India, South Africa and Indonesia, the Johnsons have led the training over the past eight years with more than 400 participants, locally and worldwide via webinar.
“We made a strategic decision eight years ago: we knew we could either attend endless conferences on faith-based business, or we could actually help companies do it. We chose to skip the conferences and focus instead on how to mobilize, train and deploy kingdom businesspeople in nations around the world,” says Johnson, who has more than 30 years experience working as a business consultant with Price Waterhouse, and as a partner with KPMG.
What makes The Institute different from other “business as missions” proponents is its practical experience. It is a business, led by businesspeople, and have repurposed 280 companies in the last eight years. After the 10-week training course, participants may Venture abroad as volunteers to repurpose businesses in developing nations.
What validated The Institute’s approach was the numerous participants who experienced life-trajectory changes from the training. Tish Holt, a recent trainee and business owner commented, “It is not just about information, but transformation: they are not just talking it, but living it… and the next generation is owning it.”
Based on its initial success, the Repurposing Business® training program is now available to any employee, entrepreneur or executive with a desire to integrate work and faith.
Lyn Johnson, who has run her own business for 21 years, sees the value of entrepreneurs and execs being able to dialog the practical application of Biblical truth to their companies. “From our very first work with mid-market companies the CEOs voiced their loneliness at the top. They commonly told us, ‘We have no one to talk to.’” The Institute has therefore opened their training to entrepreneurs and corporate leaders.
Dr. Joe Awender, a graduate of The Institute’s training who runs a healthcare practice in Silicon Valley, “Through implementing The Institute’s principles we have seen incredible healing miracles, financial wonders and ways to show God’s love to those in our sphere of influence. God cares about industry as much as he cares about missionaries.”
Hal Oates, CEO of Porthos Wine Concierge, went through the training many years ago and attributes his success to the application of the truths in his company. “Our revenues have multiplied five fold since I went through the Repurposing Business training and my peace of mind has multiplied tenfold since we made God the CEO of Porthos.”
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR INNOVATION, INTEGRATION & IMPACT, INC http://inst. net/services/repurposedself. html
At The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact, Inc., we believe business is a driver of societal transformation. We support a growing community of entrepreneurs-for-change, social (ad)venturers who are finding creative ways to use their business and professional skills to leave a positive footprint on the world. Contact us at: info (at) inst (dot) net
Repurposing Business—Transforming Society®
Repurposing Business Training http://repurposing. biz/consultant-training
A 10-week course that equips Christians with knowledge, tools and resources to repurpose businesses, using Biblical principles, into intentional contributors for societal transformation. Upon completion, participants, whether a business owner, entrepreneur or an employee at a large corporation, are competent in how to repurpose an existing business and how to influence their sphere of society. Competencies include: clearly articulating a business purpose that goes beyond making money; building upon the unique assets, skills and abilities of employees and partners; leveraging current placement in society; defining foundational principles (the often unspoken but basic beliefs upon which corporate culture is built) and meaningful ways to express them in day-to-day business; and planning and documenting a measurable score card for significant steps toward transforming a business and society.
About Brett and Lyn Johnson
In 1996 Brett and Lyn Johnson founded The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact Inc. With more than 30 years experience leading public accounting and management consulting firms, Brett has helped corporations from global multi-national to business start-ups and social sector organizations. He was a partner at KPMG Peat Marwick and at Computer Sciences Corporation, and for 14 years he worked at Price Waterhouse. His clients include Apple Computer, Amgen, Cisco, Chicago Tribune, Cost Plus world Markets, Pacific Gas & Electric, Shell Oil and others. For more than 20 years, Lyn Johnson has run a direct sales business. Her passion is to see entrepreneurs and executives, especially women, apply practical aspects of the Biblical truth to their companies. In recent years, the Johnsons have trained businesspeople to use business skills for God’s purposes. They have traveled to nations around world, helping local leaders repurpose their corporations. The goal is that a critical mass of transformed businesses in each city will work towards the transformation of that society.
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