“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8 [ESV])

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 [ESV]).

When people say “yes” to Jesus as Lord and Savior, they are essentially signing up for a 24/7 full-time Christian experience. Now, before your brain begins to create images of “bible-thumping” and “fire and brimstone speeches,” take a deep breath and remember the essence of Jesus’ message from the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20): The Sower’s job was simply to seed the field. He was not in charge of making it grow. Jesus confirmed this when He said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” (John 6:44a [ESV]).

As a full-time Christian, Jesus lives inside you through His Holy Spirit. So, wherever you are, He is there too (“I am with you always” per Matthew 28:20).  That means if you work anywhere outside a church environment, you are essentially in Marketplace Ministry. To live an authentic Christian lifestyle in any environment, you cannot segment your life into categories where Jesus is not present. HOW to do that is a common question – especially within environments that are anti-Christian or anti-religious in general.

The question should really be “why?” rather than how.  Jesus made it very clear that we are to “make disciples of all nations” (Mat 28:19) and be “salt and light” (Mat 5:13-16) within our sphere of influence. The early church did that well through relationship-building conversations, not pulpit-pounding messages.

The “Marketplace Adventures with Jesus”© course is designed to prepare you to enter the workforce after you graduate with a foundation for how to comfortably be a disciple of Jesus at work, and in any environment you find yourself in, without the anxiety of feeling like you have to “sell Jesus” everywhere you go.  It’s sooooo much simpler than that!  Instead, you get to show up at work as who you are, and also who you are transforming into (sanctification is a life-long process! [Phil 1:6]), during your growth adventures with Jesus! 

Program Overview:

Your time will be divided between live Zoom class sessions (2x a month over 4 months), reading course books, watching teaching videos, and other homework exercises to create an opportunity for you to track your own transformation by the end of this group program. In addition, you’ll also have an immersive experience through a Marketplace Mission Trip.

Expected Outcomes:

• Develop an Adventure mindset to manage the ups and downs of life more easily, and maintain peace and joy through Jesus in any circumstance
• Actively collaborate with Jesus to positively affect others within your sphere of influence
• Learning to seamlessly integrate their faith into every area of your life – especially your “marketplace” role (work, ministry, or whatever full-time activities you do outside of your personal life)
• Understanding how the Early Church developed lifestyle evangelism habits that made Jesus attractive to the world around them without having to “sell” Jesus.
• Understanding how to manage Christian persecution and criticism in a godly way
• Learning to partner with Jesus in His restoration activities all around you
• Understanding the importance of maintaining alignment with Jesus through Biblical principles
• Learn how to position yourself to receive Jesus’ blessings and promises
• Grow in knowledge about a) Spiritual Blessings, Inheritance, Promises, and Favor, b) Fear and Wisdom, c) Loving others well, d) not putting God in a Box, and e) recognizing Divine Appointments and Stewarding Your Gifts
• Know how to step into your Kingdom authority to partner with Jesus within your sphere of influence
• Embody a daily Marketplace Mission Trip lifestyle of Praying, Appreciating Others, Knowing What You Believe, Serving Others, and Speaking for Yourself

All of those outcomes will generate these benefits within Your Personal & Professional life:

• Security in Jesus offsets feelings of needing to compete with others (Phil 2:3)
• Being justified in Jesus prevents you from sinking into self-condemnation when working through pruning seasons during Jesus’ sanctification process in every area of your life (Rom 8:1)
• A profound sense of belonging to Jesus blocks seeds of rejection from taking root within you during challenging situations with others (Isaiah 49:15)
• Deep self-worth counteracts feelings of insignificance based on other’s reactions or decisions (1 Peter 3:3-4)
• Confidence in Jesus’ sovereignty over your life stops fear from interfering with the plans He has for your future (Prov 16:33)
• Trusting in the Father’s Heart and His immense love for you will prevent triggered responses to control people or situations, and instead allow you to serve them with joy based on Jesus’ leading (Mat 23:11)

Registration: Groups are formed as needed (12 people maximum in a group).  You can create your own small group to grow together or join a group individually.

To register to attend one of the upcoming groups, fill out the form below expressing your interest in the group program and someone will get back to you when a new group is being established. 

You’ll also be added to Shift Inc.’s newsletter list to keep up with other opportunities to move towards your personal and professional growth goals.

Course Books:

1. “Crazy” Might Be A Blessing In Disguise by Kris Castro (ISBN: 9780984985562)
   • $14.00 + Shipping (click here to order it)
2. Who I Am In Christ: A Devotional by Neil T. Anderson (ISBN 9780764213809)
   • Various prices depending on Used vs. New (https://www.bookfinder.com)
   • Amazon (click here)
3. Restoring All Things: God’s Audacious Plan to Change the World through Everyday People by John Stonestreet and Warren Cole Smith (ISBN 9780801000300)
   • Amazon (click here) or use Bookfinder.com
   • You will be scanning the whole book, but only focusing on a few chapters within it.
4. Marketplace Mission Trip Workbook by Mike Henry (ISBN 978195494351)
   
   14. $14.99 — For an additional 25% off coupon (use: STUDENT25), click here.