Experiencing God in Business, Leading with Purpose, and Why the Marketplace Is a Mission Field

Welcome to the Together for the Mountains podcast, where faith truly comes alive in the heart of Eastern Kentucky! Our mission is to see Eastern Kentucky transformed by Jesus, leaving it better than we found it, and inspiring Christ-followers, churches, and organizations to join this movement. We believe that revival won't just happen in church buildings; it will break out into boardrooms, break rooms, classrooms, and everywhere in between. This episode, featuring Craig Avery, founder of 210 Leaders, powerfully illustrates this truth.

Craig Avery, a board member for Together for the Mountains and a breakout session leader at our Summit, shares his incredible journey from a successful engineering career to equipping marketplace leaders. His story will inspire you to see your work as worship and your leadership as ministry, recognizing that God wants to use you "right where you are right now".

A Humble Beginning and a Profound Invitation

Craig grew up on a farm in Glendale, Kentucky, attending "dead churches." His professional journey began between his freshman and sophomore years of college when he was hired as the "peon of peons" at Fuller Mossberger Scott and May engineering firm in Lexington. He eventually became the firm's president. A pivotal moment came through a simple invitation from Buddy Miles Parker, one of the firm's founders and an elder at Southland Church. Buddy knew Craig and his wife were searching for a church and, at just the right time, invited them to Southland. Craig discovered that church "could be fun," marking the beginning of his spiritual journey and leading to 50 years of enduring friendships.

The Spiritual Marker: Losing It All to Gain Everything

Craig's firm grew to 325 people with offices in multiple cities before it was sold to Stantech in late 2007. He specialized in dams, even working on the levies in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. However, a significant spiritual marker occurred on November 10, 2008, when he was given the opportunity to resign or be fired from Stantech. He resigned. The next morning, he woke up feeling like "a nobody," ashamed that he had "chased money and titles" for so much of his life. This period of introspection led him to John 21, where Jesus confronts Peter after his denial. Craig felt God reinviting him, saying, "Now follow me." He reflects that getting fired was "one of the best things that ever happened" to him spiritually.

The Marketplace as the Mission Field

Craig emphasizes that the mission field is the marketplace. He poses a powerful "litmus test": "Do you conduct yourself at work where people want what you have, and I don't mean money, I don't mean titles, I mean you as the person?" God places people around us every day who "just need a touch." He encourages listeners not to ask God to bless their plans, but to find where God is working and join Him.

This concept was profoundly demonstrated during Craig's 18 trips to Indonesia, beginning after the 2004 tsunami. Working in a predominantly Muslim area where missionaries had been kicked out, Craig and his team were there as guests of the government to teach business. They were told not to use the word "love" due to cultural sensitivities. However, the power of showing love rather than just speaking it became evident. Craig recounted a man emotionally declaring, "I feel love in this place," because no one had ever done anything for him on his birthday, affirming the impact of their actions without explicitly mentioning their faith.

The most impactful moment came when Linda, a Muslim woman, publicly asked Craig and Mark to pray for her 22-day-old grandson in the intensive care unit. Despite the cultural and religious differences, they prayed with "a lot of Jesus this and Jesus that." Craig later learned the baby started breathing normally when they walked out. His major takeaway: "If you could fully engage business leaders in kingdom work, you'd change the world." They possess the leadership skills, networks, and resources necessary for transformation.

210 Leaders: Equipping God's Masterpieces

Out of this spiritual journey and the conviction that business leaders could change the world, Craig founded 210 Leaders. The name comes from Ephesians 2:10, which Craig paraphrases as: "Aaron, you are God's masterpiece. You're his masterpiece created for great works for him." He wants everyone to understand they are "perfect in his eyes" and that God has "great works in store" for them.

210 Leaders currently has 60 people in about 15 groups in the Lexington area. They focus on applying biblical principles to workplace issues, helping leaders lead well with integrity and honesty. The curriculum, largely written by Craig, includes series like "what the Bible says about work." The true power lies in the dialogue within the groups, where individuals mentor each other, sharing wisdom and learning from different perspectives, from younger millennials to experienced leaders. Anyone in business, regardless of their role, can benefit, the depth of God's love

Craig concludes with two profound insights into God's love:

•He highlights Ephesians 3:14-20, a powerful prayer where Paul asks that believers be empowered with inner strength, that Christ makes His home in their hearts, and that their roots grow into God's love, keeping them strong. It's a prayer to experience the "wide, long, high, and deep" love of Christ.

•Craig shares a personal experience from his emergency bypass surgery. During recovery, he felt a "river of love flowing over" him and heard God say, "I love you as much as I love Jesus" and then, "I love everybody else as much as I love Jesus." This serves as a constant reminder of God's immense and equal love for every person.

This episode with Craig Avery is a powerful reminder that your leadership, your business, and your influence are not separate from your faith. It's the very ground where God wants to move and bring transformation to your community. We are called to "go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore."

Let's keep saying yes, keep showing up, and keep believing that God is on the move, together for the mountains!