Empowering indigenous leaders.  A lofty goal? A nice idea?  Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.  A biblical mandate?  An impossible task?  At Global Advance Marketplace both are non-negotiable, and are our focus and our heartbeat.  In the fall of 2007 House of Faith Ministries, a strong missional church movement with over three hundred churches in Ghana, invited Global Advance to come and train business leaders.   The conference went well and Ghanaian business men and women were taught and challenged to be better at business and more importantly how to integrate their faith into their work.  A great first step!   Ernest Ekuoba-Gyasi, a key church leader, was challenged to realize the marketplace potential of the people of House of Faith and what God would want to do through them for Kingdom purposes.  Specifically discussed was starting a Kingdom Business Network to be a ongoing monthly gathering of Christian business people for prayer, learning, fellowship, and growth.

Upon returning the second year for what would be a much larger conference it was discovered that there was also a healthy Kingdom Business Network up and running.  This was a big achievement!  Now, in addition to a yearly conference for impact there was also ongoing monthly process for personal and workplace transformation.  The following year saw a large conference event for three hundred thirty people and also saw the Kingdom Business Network participating in economic development by incorporating a Savings and Loan to make micro loans. Christian business owners providing a way for other Christian business owners access capital to grow and expand business.

Last year, another great conference, Global Advance also learned that the Savings and Loan is growing to full bank and a building was being purchased for bank use.  Wow!  A Christian bank to meet the financial needs of Christians, churches and the public – what a great way to impact culture and be salt and light!

A very exciting story of what God can do in the marketplace with willing people.  So, what’s next?  This year Global Advance Marketplace will return on a mission to increase even further the transformational impact in Ghana.   The marketplace conference will be followed by a full day of training select business leaders from across the House of Faith network of churches.  Twenty to thirty top people will be taught to teach their peers in subjects like “A Businesspersons Role in the Kingdom”, “Having a Workplace Ministry Plan”, “Your Work is Worship”, “Seven Mountains”.   After being given materials, taught, prayed for and then commissioned this group will return back to their home cities prepared to teach in churches, Sunday schools, business bible studies and wherever God may open doors.

Please participate through giving and praying for the U.S. team that goes in July to empower these African leaders to go and equip their countrymen in marketplace ministry.   To be Kingdom catalyst with a heart for the nations!