From the Editor
by Bill Gaffney

I want to personally welcome you to the October edition of the CBN-USA National newsletter. This newsletter is under new management. Well, it isn’t really but we caught your attention! We want to build the excitement and hopefully provide you something on a monthly basis that you will want to read for valuable information.

I am Bill Gaffney, the new newsletter editor. Dozens will assist me, I hope, including Mark Snow, our National Marketing Director, Mary Beth Burney-Lewis, our National Membership Director, Tina Boyd, our web person and regular contributions by Brian Benson, our co-founder.

I say dozens because we are looking for all of your contributions as well. What would we like? Here is a list, though certainly not all-inclusive:

• Events and Happenings from your regions
• Nominations for featured member of the month. This should be a person who goes above and beyond in service to CBN-USA and it doesn’t have to be someone whose name we hear or see every day.
• Article contributions, from you and other authors, especially those pertaining to marketplace ministry.
• Helpful business hints. These should be short submissions everyone can use. See this month’s for an example.
• Special Marketplace Ministry events and conferences you are aware of, that other people might be interested in.

I am sure you all can come up with much more that would be of interest to CBN-USA members and non-members. All submissions and suggestion should be sent to newsletter@cbn-usa.org.

Did all of you catch the non-members mention? Let’s share the wealth and let others in on our little secret. Please forward this newsletter to other Christian business people you know.

I hope you’re all looking forward to exciting things. Remember this newsletter is a work in progress. (Thank goodness, as I wouldn’t want anyone to expect me to be perfect.) You will see many changes and improvements over the next few months.

Bill

Notes from the Founder: “The Vision for the Christian Business Network”
by Brian Benson

Hello everyone,
A big THANK YOU to Bill Gaffney for taking on the task of coordinating this newsletter. In our lives of “busyness” that you will read about later it is an ever growing challenge to find someone willing to take on additional responsibilities especially on a volunteer basis.

What do you think CBN-USA will be 5 years from now- 10 years from now- 15 years from now? It’s a bit scary to think that far out in the future, but it is truly exciting when you know that God is in complete control. CBN-USA started a little over 6 years ago and has grown from 1 chapter in Powell Ohio with 30-35 attendees to 20 chapters and ~380 members across 3 regions. We have just recently completed a 3 phase project in conjunction with ABBA Enterprises to develop:

1. A formal marketing and communication plan
2. General operating documents for chapters, regions, and national
3. Templates for chapter and regional start ups
4. Financial models and analysis for future growth

This was all done to make sure CBN-USA members get a reliable and consistent product in their membership. I believe that if we stay true to our mission that God will continue to bless this organization and its members. I don’t honestly know if CBN-USA will turn out to be a truly national organization with hundreds of chapters across the country or will fade away in short order, and as long as Gods will is done either is fine.

Based upon the many calls we receive from people across this country (and others) wanting to start something similar in their respective areas, I tend to think that God has big plans for us as an organization. I hope that you are reaping great benefits from your affiliation with CBN-USA and that you are spreading the word among your Christ following associates. If God wants our organization to grow and bless fellow Christians in the market place its really our responsibility to make sure that everyone within our circles of influence are introduced to this opportunity to network, fellowship, feed and be fed among fellow believers in the workplace.

CBN-USA is currently a 100% volunteer army so you can be sure that your dues are all being used to add value to your membership. With that in mind please let your local leadership know if there is anything we can do as an organization to bring additional value to your membership in CBN-USA .

Have a red letter day!
Brian Benson
Founder

GROUNDZ 4 LIVING - Truly a (Godly) Dream Come True!

From the editor:
We, in CBN-USA Dayton are so blessed and excited to be part of this new ministry. By new I mean it is just a few months old and most likely the first of it’s kind in the country. At least we can’t find anything like it and many of us have asked national leaders in marketplace ministry. But I will let Ken share the story of Grounz4Living.

"Groundz4Living" is a literally a dream come true. Back in January the Lord showed me in three separate dreams what He was calling my wife and I to the Marketplace to do. He showed me how He wanted us to reach out to those who would work, shop and live at "The Greene", the Towne Center being built in Beavercreek, Ohio. We had never heard of anyone doing what God was calling us to do, opening an office in a retail setting to share the Love of God.

So after 29 years as a pastor, we resigned our church and salary, formed a non-profit corporation, and launched out into the deep to follow Him in this new call upon our lives. Since that point we have seen God do some of the most amazing things in the formation of this new ministry. We began the day The Greene opened to the public, August 24th, meeting the managers of each store. As we share with them that we are there to bring "a hope and a future", (Jer 29:11), to those who will come to The Greene. And each one has received us openly and expressed how glad they are that we will be there for them.

This has happened faster than I could have ever imagined, but it just shows me how much God is in it!

We have been blessed to be a part of CBN-USA and God has truly used those in the two chapters that I attend regularly to bless me far beyond anything my wildest dreams!

God has been speaking to the Church about getting outside the 4 walls; in fact I preached that message for years from my own pulpit. Now I see how it has taken this call in my own life for me to truly understand how much God wants to reach the Marketplace. And the very exciting plan He has to reach "The Greene". There are many other ways that He is trying to share with us about reaching into the Marketplace with His Love and Presence. Plans that He so wants to lead us in, and bless us as we simply yield to Him!

Ken & Cathy Becker
Groundz4living - "Called to the Marketplace" Jer. 29:11
P.O. Box 292645
Kettering, Ohio 45429
937-60-HELP-U
(937-604-3578)
groundz4living@earthlink.net

"The Addiction to Busyness"
by Bill Gaffney

This is a piece I wrote for the men of our church that I thought probably applied to most of us as business people.

Some of you may have already heard this story but I want to share it again. I once read an article by Gloria Copeland. She was talking about her and Kenneth's early years. Kenneth had just started graduate studies at Oral Roberts along with his pastor duties. Gloria had almost sole responsibility for their two young children. She was concerned about burn out and when she was going to find time to spend with God. She heard Oral Roberts teach one Sunday morning on making a commitment to God. Gloria decided she was going to commit to reading the Four Gospels and Acts four times in three months. Try doing that some time. She said she did accomplish the goal and God blessed her with time each day and more. Ouch!! Does it mean I have to make a commitment?

Busyness and not having enough time is not a societal problem (well, it is, but not in the few short lines here.) but rather a personal addiction. Yes, you heard me right. It is an addiction, just like alcoholism, drugs, eating, sex, whatever. It is our way of avoiding feelings, looking at ourselves and spending alone (not lonely) time. I once read something very profound by a recovering addict. He said that sexual lust, or for that matter any kind of lust, is actually a cover for the lust we all have for God.

So why don't we lust after God? I contend that we are really fearful of what we might find. The operative word is might because nine times out of ten what we find is not half as bad as our fear makes it out to be. Fear, after all, is false evidence appearing real. And, if we truly trust in God then we should trust Him to take us through that fear to the rewards on the other side.

But let's get back to the addiction for a moment. One of the by-products of the physical part of any addiction is the buzz we get from ingested or self induced (they all tend to end in ine) chemicals. Are you getting a mild stimulation (you might not even be aware of it.) from having to be on all the time? Do you crave that excitement and activity, and even the panic caused by an unreasonable deadline? We are, for the most part, adrenaline or excitement addicts. We go from high to high and are wiped out in the middle. It is no wonder we don't seem to have time (nor really desire sincerely that time) to spend with God, spent in seeking Him, spent in Godly relationships with other men, spent asking Him what areas of our life we need to work on.

Or maybe not. Maybe we are just overwhelmed and there is nothing we can do about it. Uh oh. That leads us back to God, doesn't it?

I want to finish with another story. A few years back I shared a Shabbat (Sabbath) meal, with a number of friends, which was lead by a Messianic Rabbi. He said that it was just about impossible to shut out all of modern society and practice a totally God devoted (my words) Sabbath. In Yiddish that would be termed narishkeit, meaning nonsense or foolishness. We choose to let those things in. That is called self-will. Once again we are not relying on God, an interesting concept for Sabbath.

So the question is, are you ready to stop the addiction or do you want some more practice?

Bill

BOOK REVIEW: "First Impressions, Creating WOW Experiences in Your Church"
by Bill Gaffney

Another CBN-USA member lent me a book over the weekend called “First Impressions, Creating WOW Experiences in Your Church” authored by Mark Waltz.

The first thing I will say about the book is WOW. Waltz is pastor of the Connections ministry at a mega-church in Granger (north of South Bend, where the real Golden Dome is), Indiana. This book came out of their church’s experience in working with first time guests and members to improve the impressions of the church and cause it to be inviting. In addition Mark takes this experience on the road speaking at conferences.

While the book is geared primarily toward the church environment, there are many applications and suggestions that are easily adaptable for business. One thing I particularly liked is the author doesn’t try and reinvent the wheel. There are many common sense suggestions we either forgot or have not thought of. He also pulls suggestions and material from other sources, in particular using some things from Rick Warren’s SHAPE program.

I would recommend this book highly, whether you use it for your church or your business or both.

Bill

Helpful Business Hints

Do you use a contact manager or a sales force automation package? I've been told SugarCRM is the top of the line and it is FREE! Now you can’t beat that for a deal. This tip came from James Cox of Early Express.

Looking for a nice little newsletter with tips on parenting, marriage, finances, etc? Try Wisdom’s Edge at www.wisdomsedge.com. It is a weekly publication.

Regional Happenings!

On September 12th the Dayton Region held another exciting Business Showcase at Living Word Church.

The evening started out with a new member’s orientation that was attended by 15 people. Several of the Dayton Servant Leadership team gave presentations on a variety of topics around CBN-USA as well as answering questions. This first time orientation was well received and worth the time to get the new members acclimated to CBN-USA.

After that the Business Showcase started. There were 30 exhibitors and over 100 in attendance. The evening included hors d’ouerves, praise and worship led by a local recording artist and a Christian comedy act.

We had 4 new members join that evening, a first for a business showcase, and 2 first time exhibitors join in the next couple of weeks. Pictures of the event are below.

We are planning our next event for early in 2007 and working on making it a joint event with Cincinnati.

Please tell us about special events your region has done and/or participated in so we can highlight them in the newsletter. E-Mail them to newsletter@cbn-usa.org