2023 End of Year Report
The Marketplace Multipliers Strategy Team, comprised of talented leaders across North America, has continued to convene monthly to execute on the Marketplace Multipliers Vision to equip all Christians to integrate their faith, and influence their workplace by making disciples and unleashing the kingdom of God wherever they are.
To continue to ensure the Marketplace Multipliers movement advances with a strong operational foundation as we seek to further grow the ministry nationally and beyond, several accomplishments occurred in 2023:
- Our team welcomed a new Administrative Project Manager to assist with ongoing engagement and execution.
- We focused on further differentiating our ministry through a new brand development process still underway today.
- More Marketplace Multipliers’ testimonies are being shared through the development of a podcast strategy that engages key partners, such as Wesleyan collegiate leaders, pastors, and entrepreneurs.
- A Hispanic movement of Marketplace Multipliers is being launched with Arlynn Ellis’ leadership.
- Marketplace Multipliers are being equipped through our educational Starter Kit and other resources available online.
- PRaying On OFfense (PROOF) System was developed where leaders grow in their awareness of how God is already at work, and how they can steward their spiritual influence.
- With Dr. Wayne Schmidt’s leadership, pastors are being engaged to further advance the Marketplace Multipliers’ movement within their churches.
Distinguishing Marketplace Multipliers
It came to light early this year that the online world had become saturated with the term “Marketplace Multipliers”, making it difficult for interested parties to make their way to the resources we provide. With the invaluable direction of The Wesleyan Church’s Communications Department, the Marketplace Multipliers (MM) Strategy Team has spent much of the year navigating a rebranding process that will culminate in spring of 2024. We are excited to unveil the fruit of our labor, knowing this work will continue moving us in a direction that allows MM to better equip all Christians to integrate their faith and influence their workplace.
Podcast
One resource that’s been developed throughout the year is our monthly podcast, “Marketplace Multipliers”. Hosted by Strategy Team member, Jeff Clark, the podcast has quickly become a source of insight and inspiration through conversations with pastors, as well as leaders in the areas of church, business and academia. Engaging a variety of guests with varied backgrounds and professional experiences allows us to leverage others’ influence in their marketplace as they share with us their journeys of faith integration, making disciples and unleashing God’s kingdom. The episodes are 10-20 minutes in length, and are available on the MM website and all major podcast platforms.
Spotlight
Each “Marketplace Multipliers” podcast is made possible by the behind-the-scenes work of Coleton Pratt. A Junior at Indiana Wesleyan University, Coleton is studying Multimedia Communication with a specialization in Audio. He’d already been working in the world of radio and podcasting for two years before joining our team in the fall of 2022, and brings that expertise to every episode he produces. And yet, what we love most about Coleton is that he, too, is a Marketplace Multiplier, using his God-given gifts and skills to make disciples, equip the saints and unleash God’s kingdom in the world around him.
Mision Multiplicacion
Strategy Team member, Arlynn Ellis, is developing and leading a team of pastors and lay leaders from Hispanic Wesleyan Churches from across the U.S. to establish MM chapters in their regions.
Their Core Group meets monthly to develop the foundation of the team, understand the dynamics of their community, and recruit lay leaders from their congregations who can be leaders in the establishment of new chapters.
Mision Multiplicacion has divided into four teams that will enable them to be more effective, multiplying growth and identifying funding opportunities:
- Marketing
- Discipleship
- Chapters Development
- Grants
Arlynn was granted a membership with “Catchafire” that will provide help from a bilingual team to build a presentation packet for Mision Multiplicacion. This packet will include a myriad of resources for her to provide pastors and lay leaders as she continues to develop the Mision Multiplicacion team.
For more information about Mision Multiplicacion, please visit their website at misionmultiplicacion.com.
Another Great Resource
We continue to promote, distribute and utilize the Marketplace Multiplier Starter Kit curriculum to support pastors and chapter leaders as they lay a foundation for their new or existing Marketplace Multipliers chapters to build on. This collaborative effort between MM and Groundswell is available to purchase for a nominal fee, and is comprised of the following topics:
- Live the Mission
- Abide in Christ
- Build Relationships
- Make Disciples
Sukmay Yei, Assistant Pastor of Eastern Hills Church, has been trained on and utilizes the Starter Kit in her MM ministry. She had this to say:
“Thank you, Lord! In the past year, the Lord has continued giving me opportunities to mentor people in ways to integrate their faith in marketplace. And as usual, ‘marketplace’ in my context means ‘from everywhere to everywhere.’ Four disciples have completed the Marketplace Multiplier Starter Kit Training this year, and now they all have this spiritual tool handy to bless people around them whenever they are! A few encouraging moments that are so precious:
- One of the four just retired from the medical field, and is now very intentional in her retirement community sharing the Gospel and harvesting. She is also very sensitive in seeking people in her community to start a ‘Discovery Group’. She has encountered rejections, but thank you, Lord, for her faith! Those rejections have not stopped her from moving forward.
- Another one used to be in the business world, and then in full-time ministry for awhile before sensing God’s call to return to the business world again! She is very mindful of her role as an ‘undercover minister!’ And thank you, Lord — even though she is new in her ‘not faith-based’ workplace, she is already having opportunities to pray with clients.
- Right after finishing the Marketplace Multiplier Training, another one of the four was deployed as a missionary to work in a persecuted country, and she, too, knows – she is an ‘undercover minister!’ For reasons involving her safety, we cannot get any updates from her. But we know she draws on the Lord’s wisdom to apply the Starter Kit’s training effectively and safely in her very special context.
I praise the Lord that we are in a country that can share Him with freedom. I also praise the Lord that because of that freedom, we can be well-equipped to proceed with caution when serving in places with no freedom at all! Together let’s thank the Lord for His mercy, and praise Him for all!”
PROOF
In February 2022, Strategy Team member, Jeff Clark completed his doctoral work on “Third Level Leadership: When A Leader Prays On Offense”. This, combined with years of working with leaders in various contexts, led to the PRaying On OFfense (PROOF) System.
“Praying on Offense” is as easy as 1, 3, 2! When you pray on offense, you commit to:
- Take spiritual ownership of 1 space God has already placed you in,
- Embrace a deep sense of calling to 3 people who are already in that place, and
- Regularly engage in the 2 sides of prayer.
PROOF is helping people from a variety of contexts naturally infuse spiritual influence in places beyond the walls of the church. A book with the same title will be published in the spring of 2024, along with additional resources that can help all people with a hunger to grow in prayer and spiritual influence.
New Face on the Team
In February 2023, MM Strategy Team Leader, Carrie Whitcher, connected with Bethany Paterson regarding the role of MM Project Manager. Stepping onto the trail that was initially blazed by Kelli Robinson, Bethany has been quite an addition to the team, caring for the administrative duties that push the mission forward. She has found MM to be a natural extension of who she is, as she finds such joy in helping people become all God created them to be!
Bethany and her husband, Rob, have been church planters for over twenty years, and her roles both in and outside the church have been largely administrative and educational. This was especially true in the season that she served as Assistant to Global Partners’ Director of Mobilization. She brings that “Identify, Equip & Deploy” energy to the Strategy Team, knowing that the sharing of the gospel was never meant to be reserved for clergy alone.
“I’m delighted to serve with a team that understands every believer is created for, gifted for, authorized for and accountable for ministry, and works to resource people to that end.”
Exciting Upcoming Events
As a way of advancing the Marketplace Multiplier movement and related resourcing of Marketplace Multipliers closer to home, there are three MM Church Conferences planned throughout 2024! What a tremendous opportunity for pastors and potential lay leaders to be encouraged and inspired to continue to ignite this ministry! Mark your calendars now and be watching for the opportunity to register as each event approaches.
- April 11-13, 2024 ~ College Wesleyan Church, Marion, IN
- October 4-5, 2024 ~ Hispanic Conference
- October 11-12, 2024 ~ LifePoint Church, Waldorf, MD
2024 Goals
- Finalize and launch re-branding of Marketplace Multipliers
- Invest in advancing the design of the MarketplaceMultipliers.com website
- Explore social media presence in collaboration with Global Marketplace Multipliers
- Continue to engage Marketplace Multipliers through a variety of engagement opportunities, including but not limited to “Lunch & Learn” sessions
- Partner with The Wesleyan Church to formally explore engagement in the FOLLOW Conference, engaging young adults in the MM movement
- Produce booklet and video vignette to socialize the MM purpose and drive ongoing engagement of pastors and lay people in the movement