At the event, At Work on Purpose (AWOP) honored Transformation Trailblazer award recipient Amy Sherman

CINCINNATI, July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- At Work On Purpose (AWOP) hosted its annual XL Summit 2024 at Grace Chapel in Mason, Ohio, on July 12. The event drew 250 Christian workplace leaders from around the world, coming together to connect, collaborate, and celebrate citywide workplace ministry and transformation efforts.

"More than at any time in our ministry's history, the concept of a citywide community of working Christians is coming of age," said Chuck Proudfit, AWOP Founder and President.

The summit began with worship led by Sadell Bradley, Pastor of The Warehouse Church in Over-the-Rhine in Cincinnati, Ohio. Shortly after, John McCarthy, CEO of AGI Management and Founder of The Purpose Promise, led the first panel of interviews. The interviews highlighted stories of working Christians making vocational contributions that have become a blessing to individuals, organizations, communities, and industries.

Brogan Orcutt, the founder of Inner Trek, served as an example on the panel of how God uses work as a discipleship tool for those who integrate their faith and work. Michelle Smith, Founder of Faith, Freedom, Life, shared how she was inspired to start the organization during a challenging time when her son was incarcerated. Feeling isolated during that time, she turned to God and began Faith, Freedom, Life to support families in similar circumstances. Through her efforts, the organization has successfully fostered healing and restoration within hundreds of families affected by incarceration. Last, Chris Young, Founder and President of The Good Place Institute, continued the discussion from the context of Biblically grounded organizational development. Young shared deep application of how he works to equip leaders so that organizations can thrive, people can flourish, and so that communities can prosper.

The latter part of the Summit celebrated citywide workplace ministry and transformation efforts, connecting the dots between vocational and cultural flourishing.

Landon Martin, Vice President of Business Development at Trophy Awards Manufacturing, shared how Trophy Awards broadened its vision through the concept of Total Appreciation. This innovative approach now offers ways to recognize employees using the five love languages, significantly enhancing the company's positioning.

Next, continuing the theme of appreciation, the Transformation Trailblazer Award was given to Amy Sherman of the Sagamore Institute. Through a feature story in "Christianity Today" magazine, Amy brought global visibility to the AWOP ministry more than a decade ago. Proudfit explained: "[Sherman] has been instrumental in helping us understand At Work on Purpose as a ministry advancing both vocational and cultural flourishing—similar to two sides of the same coin," he said.

After receiving the award, Sherman shared multifaceted insights from her books "Kingdom Calling" and "Agents of Flourishing." In addition, Sherman shared "what's next" in the faith at work movement. She first recognized that many people are making the "connection between Sunday and Monday." She added: "The movement now has matured to the point where we need to be leaning into some of the big issues that really are at the intersection of business and society," she said. "As a movement, we have to be thought leaders at the table where these big issues are being debated."

After honoring Sherman for the monumental difference she has made in the AWOP ministry, Proudfit spoke further about how vocational work can be used for the flourishing of the city, in particular when Christians come together for collective effort.

In a panel discussion exploring that topic, Proudfit spoke to Denis Beausejour, Bryan Holland, and Ford Taylor. Beausejour was a former executive at Procter & Gamble who was called into pastoral ministry. As a spiritual city leader, and author of "The Biggest Idea Ever," Beausejour shared impactful stories that have shaped him, and his vision for the Church across the city of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Holland is CEO at the Genesis at Work Foundation and a former leader at Holland Adhaus. Holland spoke about how Genesis at Work finds meaningful work for individuals with special needs, which ultimately enriches lives and businesses. His story reminded attendees of the inherent dignity and value of work for everyone. Next, Taylor shared how he has leveraged his transformational leadership training, which he's used as a consultant, not just to improve performance in organizations, but to organize and equip Christians for transformation in cities.

Proudfit and Taylor shared how they are bringing this work to cities across the nation through City Impact initiatives. These initiatives are organizing and mobilizing Christian workplace leaders to collaborate for city flourishing, through the sectors of business, education, government, congregations, and nonprofits. Lucretia Bowman, Executive Vice President of Community Engagement at City Gospel Mission then prayed over and commissioned leaders who are a part of this City Impact Initiative locally in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Annually, the XL Summit equips leaders for citywide Kingdom impact and transformation, and this year was no exception. The event concluded with a heartfelt song by Emily Duffy, a participant in one of the Genesis at Work programs.

Proudfit summed up the 2024 XL Summit as "marking the moment when citywide workplace ministry emerged as a global movement for the Church at work."

About At Work On Purpose (AWOP)

At Work On Purpose is a pioneer in the workplace ministry movement, advancing the citywide workplace movement around the world. Headquartered in Blue Ash, Ohio, more than 12,000 working Christians from the private, public, and social sectors are a part of the AWOP community in Greater Cincinnati alone, with thousands more in the AWOP network globally. For more information on AWOP and its specific initiatives, visit http://www.atworkonpurpose.org or call 800-513-9580.

Media Contact

Laura Jackson, At Work On Purpose, 800-513-9580, ljackson@skillsource.com, https://atworkonpurpose.org/

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SOURCE At Work On Purpose