Volumes about the Christian marketplace or leadership principles are as common as investors chasing a hot stock. Books that focus on business as a missions strategy, however, are rarer than an unattended $100 bill on Wall Street.

But that is starting to change. God Is at Work is a helpful, user-friendly entry to this growing field.

Favorably quoting David Livingstone as saying, "Those two pioneers of civilization—Christianity and commerce—should ever be inseparable," author and venture capitalist Ken Eldred believes historical trends favor business as missions. Indeed, while millions of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists have heard little or nothing about Jesus Christ, they have heard much about Adam Smith and want to know more. For Christian entrepreneurs, economic globalization presents an opportunity not just to make money while providing needed goods and services, but also to make investments that will earn interest for eternity.

God Is at Work examines the principles and history of the movement. It provides examples of successful microenterprises and small- and medium-sized businesses, and discusses investing in such ventures.

Eldred, who has provided capital and oversight for a Christian-based call center in Bombay, is strongest on practical issues, but somewhat less so on theological and biblical concerns.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

God Is at Work is available from Christianbook.com and other book retailers.

More information, including an excerpt (.PDF), is available from Regal.

Ken Eldred is chairman at Parakletos @ Ventures.

More about Faith in the Workplace is available elsewhere on our site.

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