July 2006

From the Director: RCE Seeks to Serve

RCE Director Dr. John Mulford The opportunities in kingdom business are vast, so the Regent University Center for Entrepreneurship seeks to serve as a catalyst to stimulate and support the work of others through sponsorships, partnerships and strategic alliances. We highlight some of these activities in this newsletter—the Albania Conference, our joint research project with the ICCC, our SIFE team projects, and curriculum development and potential strategic partnership with Nehemiah Project International Ministries. In each case, by combining our resources and expertise with that of others who share a common vision, we are able to accomplish together much more than any of us could accomplish by ourselves.

One example is seen in our relationship with the newly formed School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship (GLE). Already, our position as part of the new school has brought new opportunities. More...

Project Spotlight: Albania Conference Bears Fruit!

Rich Hunter and Dr. Gary Roberts Inspired by the RCE Business as Mission (BAM) conference in 2005, Rich Hunter (MBA '96) and School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship professor Dr. Gary Roberts decided to do a similar conference in Albania. The conference, held in Tirana, Albania June 9—10, 2006, taught the fundamentals of how Biblical business principles can be applied to influence and transform society. It was natural for RCE to come alongside to sponsor and support this work.

The impact of the Kingdom Business conference was immediate. Saviola Shakollari and Elton Baxhahu reported immediate benefit from applying the management principles taught at the conference in their organizations. They were transformed by the knowledge that their work is a ministry field and provides important opportunities to demonstrate the love of Christ. Another conference attendee was visibly moved... More...

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RCE and Nehemiah Project International Ministries Collaborate

Patrice Tsague, NPIM Chief Servant Officer

A part of the Regent Center for Entrepreneurship mission is to equip and train Kingdom entrepreneurs. RCE and Nehemiah Project International Ministries (NPIM) are exploring a partnership to develop curriculum for Christian entrepreneurs in developing countries. NPIM has already developed a certificate program on Biblical Entrepreneurship, which is currently used in the United States and in Cameroon, West Africa. The curriculum provides comprehensive training in the area of stewardship and business growth and development. The courses cover principles and practices of Biblical Entrepreneurship, and planning a Biblically-based business. More...

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Regent SIFE Competes in Kansas City

The Regent University Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team, a 2006 US Regional SIFE Champion, competed with other regional winners at the SIFE USA National Exposition, May 21-23 in Kansas City, MO. The Regent SIFE team overcame considerable adversity to be able to compete, yet completed nine projects during the year and presented its work with orphans in the Ukraine, disadvantaged women in India, and helping high school students in Katrina-affected New Orleans to a panel of judges consisting of top CEOs from around the country.

Regent SIFE's service to the community and hard work was recognized by Sam's Club recently. Tom Storm, Merchandise Manager of the Virginia Beach Sam's Club, visited Regent June 8 with members of his executive team to present a grant to the Regent SIFE team from a corporate grant fund. (More...) Generous gifts such as these enable SIFE to serve the community and the nations!

Congratulations Regent SIFE on the grant and on a great year!

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RCE Undertaking Joint Research Project with ICCC

Gunnar Olson, ICCC founder From May 31 to June 3, RCE founder Dr. John Mulford participated in the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) IGM in Altensteig, Germany with several hundred business people from member nations. Dr. Mulford shared some of the latest RCE research initiatives and proposed potential joint ventures with the ICCC to founder, Gunnar Olson, current International President, Dale Neill, and ICCC board members. One project was initiated as a result of discussions with Jan Sturesson of Sweden and Gehard Rauch of Germany. RCE is hosting a virtual research forum that will develop and test measures of the “kingdom health” of cities, regions and nations. The measures will cover a wide range of spiritual, economic, social and political factors viewed from a Biblical perspective. These measures should help an area detect trends in its health and take appropriate action to enhance positive trends and mitigate negative trends.

Click here for information on the ICCC's next conference, to be held this October in Jerusalem!

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Event Highlight: Executive Roundtable, July 19

Executive Roundtable participants RCE Executive Roundtables consist of small groups of ten to twelve business and ministry leaders with a heart for giving time and talents to improve the economic and spiritual condition of disadvantaged populations around the world. Kingdom Business (which includes Business as Mission – BAM) is a response both to the mandate of stewardship over creation as well as the mandate of the great commission to all nations. God is calling business people from around the world to Kingdom Business.

Roundtable topic areas generally address RCE’s focus on research, dissemination, equipping, and facilitating, and include lively discussion and debate on current and planned initiatives and projects. Students and executive project leaders also share business plan ideas and updates. Roundtables are a great way for executives to experience firsthand what RCE and its partners are doing, to share business expertise, and to get involved. More…

Please contact the Center if you are interested in participating.

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New on RCE Website: Blogging!

RCE is pleased to announce the launch of blogging on regententrepreneur.org! Our blog, beginning July 17, provides fresh, real-time information from actual, in-country kingdom entrepreneurs doing business around the world. Learn business-as-mission practices and explore challenges and opportunities as our bloggers encounter them! If you are practicing Kingdom Business in a developing nation and are interested in being an RCE blogger, please contact us. More...

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Nation in Focus: Albania

The country of Albania is a small, mountainous country about the same size as Wales or the state of Maryland. It has a coastline on the Mediterranean and its land frontier with Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, and Greece traverses some of the wildest mountain scenery in Europe.

(Sources: www.bbc.co.uk; Painting for the Peace, Agim Zajmi, www.albanian-art.com)

Population: 3,581,655 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Tirana
Major language: Albanian
Religions: Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%, Evangelical 0.7% (note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice; some statistics show 22% non-religious)
Currency: lek
Main exports: textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco
GNI per capita: US $2,080 (World Bank, 2005)
Unemployment: 14.3% officially, but may exceed 30% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25% (2004 est.)

(Sources: www.cia.gov and www.joshuaproject.net)

Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. Agriculture, which accounts for about one-quarter of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment, to clarify property rights, and to consolidate small plots of land. Energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment, which make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment... On the positive side: growth was strong in 2003-05 and inflation is not a problem. (Source: www.cia.gov)

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Did you know...?

Small businesses make up over half (52%) of the US Gross Domestic Product. There are 7.73 million small and medium-sized business, of which the majority (76%) have fewer than 10 employees! (Source: www.factme.com)

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Don't miss this opportunity!

In April, RCE launched an online networking group created for the purpose of connecting people with a passion for Kingdom Business. Through this network, people connect for expertise, mentorships, career opportunities, internships and more.