The Avodah Forum

The Community I Could Not Find

During my 35+ years in the business world running small companies, I yearned to be part of a group of peers who were wrestling with the same challenges I faced in my business. I felt isolated and struggled to find good advice to help grow my business.

In 2003, I found what I thought was the answer when I was introduced to an organization which hosted hundreds of peer advisory groups across the country. The concept was so exciting I went through their training and was chosen to start a group. While it was a great experience and helped fill part of the void, I soon realized something significant was missing.

The problem with my peer advisory group was that we could not talk about the very thing that mattered most, God. It also was during this same period of my life that I was wrestling with how to integrate my faith and my work. Fifteen years later, I have found the answers I was looking for and want to share them with other business owners in an environment that sustains significant long-term impact.

The Community that Christian Business People Need

After founding and leading the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics for the last eight years, it has become apparent that there is a need to build small, private communities of qualified Christian Business owners who can work together to grow their businesses based on the principles God has given us in the scriptures. They need to discover how to weave God’s principles into the DNA of their organizations to bring about more flourishing to the communities God has called them to serve and, in return, more flourishing to their own organizations (Jeremiah 29:7).

The Avodah Forum is such a place: a limited community of peers who share the same faith, vision, and values, applying biblical principles and insights to real-world problems to create businesses that glorify God, serve the common good, and further God’s kingdom.

This program is designed specifically for CEOs, presidents, and business owners who are involved in the day-to-day operations of their companies—leaders who are seeking transformational change in their personal lives, their organizations, and the communities their organizations serve.

Learn more about The Avodah Forum by clicking the link below or contacting me at hwhelchel@tifwe.org.

I encourage you to make time to be a part of this community that I believe will transform your heart, your life, and your business forever.

Hugh Whelchel
Executive Director, IFWE