Dale Neil, president of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), conducting a workshop at a regional conference of the ICCC held July 15-18 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston.
-Contributed photo
Mark Dawes, Staff Reporter
CHRISTIAN BUSINESS persons were earlier this month benefited from the visit of Dale Neil,
president of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC). Mr. Neil, a real estate developer from southern California, visited the island to address and conduct workshops at a regional conference of the ICCC held July 15-18 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston. He also used the visit to give encouragement and assistance to the newly-formed local chapter of the ICCC, which is headed by chartered accountant, Wilfred McKenley. A spokesman for ICCC Jamaica told The Gleaner that the organisation "is in the process of prayerfully strategising the goals and objectives" that will guide it as it seeks to become fully operational.
Unlike the Full Gospel Businessmen's Association, the ICCC is not an overtly proselytising movement. Nevertheless, Mr. Neil explained that its members are committed to propagating the gospel though they will do so as is prudent and expedient to do so.
SERVICES OF A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The ICCC, which is in 95 countries, offers the typical services of a chamber
of commerce. It differs with other
chambers as it seeks to partner with
various businesses to do commerce that
is undergirded by the principles of the Kingdom of God as recorded in the Bible. The membership services as listed on the ICCC's web includes:
A network of worldwide contacts enabling national and international ties with Christian businessmen and women.
Clearing House for recording and distributing information about products and services.
National and international conferences for fellowship, instruction and inspiration.
Teaching and training through conferences and seminars to develop the working out of Kingdom principles in the business world.
An ICCC magazine providing news, information and articles on a variety of issues.
The support of Christian projects by prayer, finance and the expertise of members one to another.
A Christian mediation and arbitration service.
An emergency clinic offering advice and counselling to members whose businesses are experiencing crisis.
The chamber, Mr. Neil explained, encourages win-win relationships and so it is not set up to facilitate selfish business initiatives.
TEACHING MINISTRY
A strong component of ICCC membership, Mr. Neil explained, is its teaching ministry. The Scriptures, he said, have many principles that if followed carefully would help to foster prosperity. Accordingly, the ICCC, he said, helps Christian business persons to better understand God's calling on their lives as business people; and their companies.
"The businessman," Mr. Neil said, "is called to do business just like how the pastor is called to minister to a congregation."
Business people, he said, "can have an effectiveness in a segment of society that the pastor will never be able to reach (with the gospel)."
The ICCC, Mr. Neil said, also trains its members in the logistics of carrying the gospel message and the discipline of being a servant and a leader.
Mr. Neil said the ICCC does not lobby governments but serves governments.
The ICCC works with governments without charging service fees. This is so, he said, in order to build the relationship between the organisation and governments.
EDUCATE ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Lately, the ICCC has been basking in the relationship it enjoys with the Government of the People's Republic of China. Mr. Neil disclosed that the Chinese administration invited the group to develop a 10-instalment series to educate the population on entrepreneurship. The series was entitled 'You Can Start A Business'. Mr. Neil explained that the ICCC developed the series with drawing heavily on biblical principles for doing business. The Chinese Government gave the ICCC the latitude to allude to the Bible as it sought to highlight a principle for doing business. He said the ICCC asked of the government that it allowed the series to be shown a major television station in China for four hours. The Government, however, was impressed with the series and showed it on TV
for 400 hours. Since the series was first screened in 1999, China has seen the
birth of at least 37,000 businesses, Mr. Neil said.
As the series grew in popularity, it was shown at 65,000 learning centres (also called distance-learning universities). Beginning this September, Mr. Neil said, the series will be shown to 40 million students attending that country's 1,000 traditional Chinese universities.
The Government, Mr. Neil said, is so pleased with the series, that it has commissioned the ICCC to develop another 10-part instalment on entrepreneurship. This, Mr. Neil said, is being worked on, and will be known as 'Developing A Leading Business'.
By its willingness to work with
governments without charge, the seeds
of the gospel are being planted to millions in China, he said.
