A Spiritual Growth Industry

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Small groups are helping Christians bring faith to bear in the for-profit world.

by Brad A. Greenberg | posted 4/11/2007

Topics:	Facilities, Meeting, Strategy, Values, Vision
Filters:	Director, Pastor, Start
Purpose:	Fellowship
References:	Matthew 5:13-16
Date Added:	April 11, 2007

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Employers have even more latitude. They can begin a chaplaincy, hold Christian-themed corporate retreats, sponsor summer Bible camps for employees' children, and establish scholarships to selected Christian colleges, says Dacus.

But Dacus notes the limitations. "It has to be voluntary, and no employee can ever be punished for not participating in a religious-based activity."

Many Christian workplace fellowships are served by ministries like ICWM, the Fellowship of Companies for Christ, and Christian Business Men's Committee.

A refreshing example

At the Coca-Cola Company, Christians have congregated for a weekly Bible study for as long as anyone can remember. What was a small group now numbers 429 people at the global headquarters in Atlanta and in field offices. Coke—which recently promoted the creation of affinity groups such as the African American Forum, Hispanic Employee Forum, and Women's Forum—has quietly supported the Coca-Cola Christian Fellowship, which began in 2001.

The global headquarters fellowship meets in an open conference room each Wednesday during lunch. Members host occasional lectures after work led by successful Christian business leaders. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the fellowship donated supplies, furniture, food, and clothing to a colleague's extended family. And when an executive assistant's daughter was hospitalized near death after a car crash, the fellowship asked its members for prayer. She recovered.

"The No. 1 thing a Christian can do is live our faith, so people can see our faith coming through. That is going to be the biggest witness. It is not through banging on a person's door and saying, 'The only way to heaven is Jesus Christ,'" says Steve Hyland, director of retail merchandising for Coca-Cola North America and leader of its Christian fellowship. "It's living it versus saying it."

Brad A. Greenberg is a religion reporter for the Los Angeles Daily News.

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USER REVIEWS

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April 17, 2009 11:44 PM

Francisco Isabel (Registered User)

After reading this article, I can understand how I have "miss the boat" at my work place. We have become shy christian in the workplace. We can do it too !!!