ELMIRA, ON-The Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCCC) is bringing a Christian workplace contest to Canada.

The competition is based on a survey administered by the U.S.-based Best Christian Workplace Institute (BCWI), which aims to "help Christian workplaces set the standard to be the best places to work in the world."

After two years of positive response from the Christian community and strong support from Christianity Today in the United States, BCWI is working with CCCC and the Bridgeway Foundation to open the contest to ministries north of the border.

"We’re looking for 100 participant ministries in the first year," says CCCC chief executive officer John Pellowe.

Winners will be identified and honoured at the annual CCCC conference at the end of September, and profiled in the November/December edition of Faith Today. Finalists and winners will be able to use an appropriate logo which should help with recruiting and fundraising, says Pellowe.

"The category of winners will depend on who registers," he adds, anticipating that many missions, parachurch ministries, schools, denominations and churches will be eager to take advantage of the professional analysis the survey provides.

Each ministry that participates in the survey is able to test the strength of its "people practices" and receives a report that details its strengths and weaknesses.

"They get an excellent report that will help all participants build their workplaces and increase employee satisfaction," says Pellowe. "In the U.S., the BCWI has noted a correlation between high scores on this survey and ministry growth and effectiveness."

To participate, an organization must be based in Canada, have more than 10 full-time employees and have an explicitly stated Christian mission and purpose. Membership in CCCC is not a requirement.

Registration for the contest runs until August 1 (www.bcwinstitute.com/ca). Surveys will be conducted between July 1 and August 31, 2004.