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E3 Business & Professional Conference--2007 Anointing

April 9, 2007

By Eric Morley and Rudy Becton

The third annual E3 Business and Professional Conference was held March 22- March 24 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Indianapolis, IN. Themed “Anointed for Business,” this year’s conference brought in an A-list of speakers including: David Bernard, Cindy Miller, Todd Gaddy, Andy Smith, James Hughes, and many others. It was well organized with outstanding speakers, food functions, breakout sessions, general sessions, along with time for networking.

“The mission of E3 is to Empower and Equip Apostolic business and professional men and women with scriptural principles and practical skills, and provide opportunity for purposeful Exchange.” The three words in the previous sentence that are italicized are the “3” in E3.

On Thursday night, Bro. Jerry Jones, general secretary of the UPCI, greeted the banquet by recalling Alexis de Tocqueville’s travels of America and how he noted that commoners were embracing the freedom and were energetically spreading across the continent. Jones continued by saying the purpose of E3 is to begin to put together the two freedoms that we have--the freedom to pursue business and the freedom that comes from salvation.

The Keynote

David K. Bernard is founder and pastor of New Life United Pentecostal Church of Austin, Texas, out of which have come 10 additional works. He is also superintendent of the South Texas District United Pentecostal Church and President of Urshan Graduate School of Theology. He is the author of 27 books with circulation in excess of 600,000 copies and has been published in 35 languages and has ministered in 41 countries on six continents.

With accomplishments like these come high expectations. No one was disappointed.

Bernard spoke of how he has arrived to this point in his life with God’s direction. He established definite ideas on the role of professional men and women and the church.

He shared how each person needs to find their calling and then fulfill that calling without comparing it to others. He said that being in business is a calling, but each person must figure out what their larger purpose is in the Kingdom of God. While each person is going to be asked to give and sacrifice, it might not be the same as someone else, and others might not respond like they are called. Bernard used the example of Jesus telling Peter to love Him, and that it doesn’t matter how much Jesus loves John, Peter had to fulfill what he was asked.

As he spoke, he became very candid. He stated that at age 23 in 1980 he changed the major direction of his life. He had already changed from a mathematics-related career to law. He had always worked in the church and had a desire to give young people direction. While he was in law school he went to Beaumont, Texas to intern with a law firm during the summer. He was asked to speak in several churches and spoke several times in the few weeks he was completing his internship.

Upon arriving back to law school, he realized how much the contact with the churches meant to him. He told God that he did not seek a pulpit ministry but he would not run from it. This experience took him on a different life journey.

Bro. Bernard spoke of starting a church and discipling new converts and the normal struggles involved. He pointed out that the relationship between pastor and the professional can be rewarding to both the church and professional. (One of the businesses in his church donated a beautiful several page color program to the E3 conference.) He said their business has really taken off as it grew and that the church and the business both benefited from each other.

Amazing General Session
Pastor Alonzo Terry stated that one of the most untapped resources of the church is the individuals who work in the marketplace. It is a vital calling that leads to realized vision as talent-laden men and women transfer business acumen and drive to strategic evangelism. God has empowered those who are in business to fund the work of His Kingdom. It is a challenge to assimilate those who God has gifted and blessed in the marketplace to be a blessing to and in the local church.

He serves as Director of Black Evangelism Ministries for the Home Missions Division of the UPCI and founded Solid Rock Pentecostal Church 16 years ago in Atlanta. The relationships he has developed have contributed to the success of the church and the professional members.

As a college student and scholarship football player, Terry came into the church with a life-changing experience. As a developing professional, the transition was not an easy one. Several of his fellow athletes that came into the church did not make the transition. He challenged the church to make an all-out effort toward the professional. The benefit to the church and the individual will be of great importance.

The charge and challenge Terry gave is for the church to make an effort to partner with the professional for the good of the kingdom. The benefit of such a relationship will mean a greater accomplishment for the church and a more intense involvement for the professional.

Taste and See Snippets
Attendance at the conference was significantly down from last year. Most people thought the lower attendance was because the conference added Thursday night to its schedule and because the date was later in March, therefore pushing it into spring break for many people.

There was still a good number of booths and exhibitors including a Hammond organ dealer, the Azusa Street Riders, The Urshan Graduate School of Theology, Associates in Missions, Compassion Services International, Home Missions and Church-in-a-Day, and New Beginnings adoption services. There was also Crystal Creek bottling company from Charleston, Illinois that was giving away free bottles of water to promote their services of printing bottles with custom labels.

On Friday night there was an ice cream social in the exhibition hallway where the hotel served ice cream and attendees could socialize, network, and peruse.

Paul Povolni of VOPPA had strong sessions on marketing and branding. These were some of the best attended split sessions.

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Eric Morley is a law student in St. Louis, Missouri. Rudy Becton is the Special Projects Coordinator of the Division of Publishing for the UPCI’s World Evangelism Center.