Business support group opens Canadian branch
How to be both Christian and successful
By
Alan Doerksen
Special to ChristianWeek
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON–A Christian business group is establishing itself in Canada with a message that flies in the face of "prosperity gospel" preachers.
According to Alan Ross, president of Fellowship of Companies for Christ International (FCCI), monetary wealth means nothing in heaven, and is not nearly as important as Christian relationships with others while on earth.
FCCI is a U.S.-based Christian business group that has been active for 20 years and operates in 12 countries. Late last month the first Canadian branch (called Fellowship of Companies for Christ Canada) was launched at a conference in Niagara-on-the-Lake. As the keynote speaker, Ross focused on how Christian business leaders should build "covenantal" relationships with their employees and clientele.
Conference organizer Henry Van Boxtel also played a key role in establishing FCCC. The group "was born out of a felt need," he says. Although several Christian business groups currently operate in Canada (such as the Canadian Christian Business Federation and Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship), none focused specifically on company owners and managers. Van Boxtel was involved with FCCI when he worked in the U.S., and felt it was time to start a Canadian branch.
