African culture has a rich tradition of storytelling, a thread that weaves together culture and wisdom, passed down through generations. Be inspired by this 8-part video series, showcasing the stories of entrepreneurs on our continent who have each embraced their unique callings in the African marketplace.
About this Course
- 8 Sessions
- 1 Course Workbook
Called to Work explores eight faith-based principles for living out your faith in your workplace and business environment. Experience real stories of how the gospel is practically transforming businesses across the African continent.
- Immersive mini-documentaries: Step into the journeys of African entrepreneurs working in diverse industries across Africa.
- Biblical teaching: Following each story, two pastors unpack the scriptural principles exemplified in the episode.
- Interactive workbook: Delves deeper with thought-provoking questions to reflect.
Get a sneak peek of the workbook using our preview feature below.
Course Breakdown
- Frequency: We recommend doing a session weekly or bi-monthly, but feel free to go at your own pace.
- Time: We recommend setting aside 2 hours per session to allow for robust discussions.
Introduction
Find out what it looks like to take a leap, trust God along the way, and let your faith lead your business.
Session 1: Called To Create
How would it change your perspective on work if you truly believed that what you do is part of your calling as a Christian? In this session, we consider the calling to glorify God and enable human flourishing in and through business and/or entrepreneurship.
Watch the uplifting stories of three trailblazers (Sandy Barlow and Peter Howie, co-founders of Seattle Coffee Co., and contemporary artist Philip Barlow) who recall their 20-year journeys of highs and lows in business, and God’s faithfulness along the way.
Session 2: Opportunity comes with Responsibility
Do you find yourself falling into the mentality that your success is purely a result of your own hard work and good decisions? This session addresses the difference between ownership and stewardship, and why an understanding is crucial for the Christian entrepreneur.
We feature Kwabena Owusu-Adjei who shares his story on how growing up in both Ghana and the UK has given him a unique outlook on life. Convinced that with great opportunity comes great responsibility, he is passionate about finding (and financing) entrepreneurial solutions that bring systemic change to African economies.
Session 3: Don't Worship Work
Have you found yourself making unhealthy (not God-glorifying) sacrifices for the sake of achieving your goals in business? In this session, we explore the temptation that awaits every entrepreneur – that of crossing the line from work as an act of worship, to work as the object of worship.
A successful career demands deep commitment – the kind of dedication that can easily take over your life. But we learn from James Gitoho, an award-winning architect, and his wife Valentine, a chartered accountant who has travelled all over the world, that this does not need to be the case. They have mastered the art of doing excellent work without becoming slaves to it.
Session 4: Excellence Matters
If entrepreneurship is a divine calling that reflects the image of God, and is also an act of worship, then the topic of this session is clear – excellence matters. Do you value excellence to the glory of God as a principle in your business efforts?
We draw from Alfred Okugbeni’s story where he shares his vision for the haulage and logistics industry in West Africa. Believing that a worthy witness of God demands excellence, he has worked for more than 15 years to raise the standard – one truck, one customer, one technician at a time.
Session 5: Redefining Success
Would you agree that a successful Christian entrepreneur is one who works for eternal treasure through faithfulness in handling the temporary treasures of this life? In this session we see that the biblical definition of success goes far beyond the balance sheet.
Learn from the tale of two brothers (Louis and Stefan Greyling) who chose to walk away from a multi-franchise family business – to redefine success in the used-car industry. And as their staff and clients attest, they truly put people before profit, every day.
Session 6: Beauty from Ashes
In this session, we talk about the unavoidable seasons of disappointment and pain in the life of every entrepreneur, and see how God often uses adversity and failure for His glory and our good. Thinking back to a time in your working life where you felt discouraged – how did that experience teach you more about yourself and about God?
We learn from Sam Houlie, who went through tremendous trial in his experience of the 2004 demise of African Bank. Yet his story is about much more than personal resilience in the face of public failure. It is a powerful testimony of how God used the despair and ashes of one family – to bring hope and beauty to many.
Session 7: Loving your Neighbour
Do you see your business or the work that you do as a possible answer to someone else’s prayer for daily bread? This session explores what it means to love our neighbours in and through our work.
Follow the story of one man’s journey from a notorious Nairobi slum to becoming an award-winning advocate and founder of a top ten law firm in Kenya. Nelson Ashitiva is passionate about creating opportunities for others to prosper – through hope and hard work, not handouts.
Session 8: Business as a Calling
In the final session of this series, we talk about how business can be a powerful vehicle for reaching people with the gospel. Would you consider it important to first meet people’s practical needs through products and services before attempting to share the gospel?
We meet Dr Dennis and Irene Tongoi, a passionate couple whose convictions have been refined by real-life experience. They challenge conventional perceptions about the interaction between entrepreneurs and the church. As they would put it, ‘It’s not putting a marble in a glass of water, it’s putting a drop of ink in a glass of water – it changes everything.’
Preview the Workbook
The guide unpacks the core principle of each session and presents you with reflective questions that will enable you to contemplate and envision how these principles can be applied to your work or entrepreneurial context.
Course Overview:
- 8 Sessions
- 1 Course Workbook
Group Access
$120/year
This course is included in our marketplace ministry toolkit, Business Fellowship in-a-Box, available on RightNow Media.
Multiply the Impact
Called to Work is a featured course within Business Fellowship in-a-Box.
If you want to see your church or group flourish in their marketplace callings, Business Fellowship In-A-Box is your turnkey solution. Hosted on RightNow Media, this toolkit contains everything you need to ignite a thriving marketplace ministry.
For $120 a year, your group can journey through Foundations together and enjoy access to:
- Three additional courses to deepen faith-work integration.
- Facilitator’s Training to equip leaders to guide discussions effectively.
- The wider RightNow Media library for ongoing discovery.
