Missional Marketplace S1 E3: Your Work Is Part of God’s Story

Your everyday work has eternal purpose. The role you play in the marketplace is part of a story that is far bigger than any of us could imagine. Listen to this third episode of The Missional Marketplace Podcast as brothers, Erik and Darren Cooper, discuss God’s story that we all play a part in. Plus, hear from John Barrett with Project Rescue- a gospel centric anti-sex trafficking ministry that The Stone Table is involved with.

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Missional Marketplace Book: https://www.erikcooper.me https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/173…

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Transcription: 

Speaker 1 [00:00:00] I’m a person of faith. I’m in the marketplace. So how do I bring more of my faith? How do I bring more of God into my work story? Right. That’s a good question. Very good. It’s a good question. Right. But I think the better question really is, does my work story fit into the grand metanarrative of scripture? 

Speaker 2 [00:00:33] Well. Hey, welcome, everybody. Welcome to another episode of the Missional Marketplace podcast. 

Speaker 1 [00:00:39] We’re back for episode three, where they let us stay on the air for another episode. It’s amazing. 

Speaker 2 [00:00:43] Event. The the higher ups have not cut us yet. I don’t know. 

Speaker 1 [00:00:47] I don’t know who they are. 

Speaker 2 [00:00:47]  I don’t know either. 

Speaker 1 [00:00:48] But they’re letting us do this again. It’s amazing. 

Speaker 2 [00:00:51] I love it. Well, if you’ve taken this journey with us so far in episode one and episode two, it hasn’t been a very long journey yet, but we’re getting there. Slowly but surely. We should stay with us. Yeah, but if you’ve been with us in any length of time, you know that this podcast, Missional Marketplace podcast, is all about. What’s the tagline, Eric? 

Speaker 1 [00:01:10] Well, I’m going to read it off the board right over here. Right. It’s for. Oh, what, accelerating the great commission through the marketplace. Yes, there it is. Thank you. 

Speaker 2 [00:01:17] There it is. Accelerating the great commission through the marketplace. That’s what this podcast is all about. So we’re telling stories, right? We’re finding folks out there doing amazing things, whether it’s people in the marketplace or missionaries, pastors, all that kind of stuff. We’re just having a great time having some good conversations about all of this. And this season one in our first episode, we told you that we’re going to be doing seasons 12 episodes in this first season, right? Outlining a book that we found by this amazing author. We just found it. We found it. We don’t. It was in Barnes Noble somewhere, maybe on the 20% off table, I don’t know. But this amazing book called Missional Marketplace that you happened to Pen. 

Speaker 1 [00:02:02] That’s right. Yeah. Or type. 

Speaker 2 [00:02:04] Or type, I guess. Yeah. We’re not involved. Yeah. No, no. 

Speaker 1 [00:02:07] No. Be a lot of writer’s cramp. 

Speaker 2 [00:02:08] Yeah, for sure. Yeah. But no, the missional marketplaces book that you put together and that’s that’s really our framework for this, this first, the first season of the podcast. Right. And in episode one, if you’ve listened, we kind of talked a little bit about our story, kind of set the framework up a little bit. And then in episode to last week, we went. 

Speaker 1 [00:02:28] To church. 

Speaker 2 [00:02:28] Camp. We did. We went all the way to church camp, which if you didn’t grow up in church camp, oh, man, you you missed out, let me tell you. 

Speaker 1 [00:02:36] But actually, yeah. 

Speaker 2 [00:02:37] We talked about the sacred and secular divide. Right. It was a an awesome conversation. Really, really good stuff. 

Speaker 1 [00:02:44] Bromo tactical phobia, if you want to go back and review that episode. 

Speaker 2 [00:02:47] Yes, I’ve been trying to say that all week. Still can’t figure out how to say it. And so yeah. And so that leads us to to week three here for episode three where we’re going to be talking about the idea of work and the great story and in what you did in your book so beautifully is you kind of broke it up in these three sections, right? You have work and the great story you have work and the great commandment, right? And work and the great commission. That was kind of your outline, if you will, the way that you put it together. Right. And so today we want to step into that idea of work and the great story. Right. Which to me begs the question, what in the world is the great story and how does our work fit into that? Can you break that down a little bit for us and help us to understand and see how that can come to life? 

Speaker 1 [00:03:37] Yeah, yeah. I hope we can do that over the next 15, 20 minutes here. But really, when we talk about the great story, we’re talking about the metanarrative of scripture to use, you know, the overarching story, the meta narrative of scripture. And I think for me, you know, a lot of the faith and work conversation that I had been a part of that I had heard of, or I think maybe even to say it more clearly are instinctive questions, right? Are like, I’m I’m a person of faith. I’m in the marketplace. So how do I bring more of my faith? How do I bring more of God into my work story? Right. That’s a it’s a good question. Very good. It’s a good question. Right. But I think the better question really is how and I think it’s backward. Right. I think really the better question is how does my work story fit into the grand meta narrative of scripture? So we don’t really invite God into our story. We do invite got into our story. But really, ultimately, we have been invited into his story. And I, I don’t think this is a minor distinction. And so when I talk about the grand story, I’m talking about the story that God has been writing since the beginning of time before us. Before us, after us. Right? Like so if we are people of faith, really the better question is how do I fit into what God is doing in the world and how does my day job fit into what God is doing? 

Speaker 2 [00:05:06] That’s a that’s a beautiful way of thinking about it, because so often when it comes to the work conversation, it’s, you know, what, what is my calling? You might ask, what? What am I supposed to do with my life? What, what do I want to do when I grow up? Like those are the conversations that we have. It’s all about what we can do, what we can put on to this world or or in our story. Right. And what I love about what you’re saying is that. A We are a piece of a much grander narrative, a much greater story that allows us to to see it. I mean, it just what it does for me is it goes, man, I play a part in something that’s way bigger than myself. And whenever you can be a part of something that makes you go, you know, this is bigger than me, yeah, some beautiful things can begin to happen. You know. 

Speaker 1 [00:05:54] We actually get bigger by getting smaller. Like, we actually get invited into something greater by becoming smaller. 

Speaker 2 [00:06:00] Yeah. And that’s just a love, that idea. And that’s helped me so much as I continue to think about work and what I do and what I offer as to just be able to go, man, this is this is bigger. Bigger than me, bigger than me. And so well, in the book, you actually kind of you you put this through the lens of a famous historical figure, somebody that we might know, maybe that might not know. Copernicus can’t even say his name, but. 

Speaker 1 [00:06:28] Certainly. 

Speaker 2 [00:06:29] Copernicus. Copernicus. Yeah, it is. It’s it’s a it’s a tongue tie for me for some reason. But Copernicus, what does he or what is his story have to do about God’s great story? Kind of framed that up for us a little bit. 

Speaker 1 [00:06:42] Yeah. Maybe take you back to eighth grade, you know, science class a little bit. But really, you you may remember Copernicus or the Copernican revolution is a term that we hear a lot, right? Copernicus was this scientist in the 1500s that came along and said, Hey, I want to bring something to light here. I don’t think the earth is the center of the universe. 

Speaker 2 [00:07:07] And it was a heresy. 

Speaker 1 [00:07:09] It was actually it actually not not it’s really framed a lot of times through science versus religion. But but it was really a much bigger story than that. Nobody liked hearing this. Right, because you go out and you look up even into the night sky and and you could see the stars in the moon, in the sun, everything. Right, right, right. It just looks it appears that it revolves around the earth. But Copernicus came along and he kind of messed with everybody and he said, hey, I think I can finally prove that that we are not the center of the universe. Right? That we are actually a somewhat small and maybe inconsequential planet. We revolve around the sun with some other planets. But not only that, we are kind of just this small rock in the middle of this vast galaxy and it really screwed with people. 

Speaker 2 [00:08:01] Oh, man. Could you imagine, though, like you’ve believed this one thing about existence and life and just where you are and the planet and the whole the whole thing. Maybe even maybe you’re somebody back in the day wasn’t even thinking about this kind of stuff, but he comes in and just shakes up this this very foundation of of what you know and what you think. And he goes, hey, let’s let’s maybe think of it a little different. And, man, that that could have really messed with some people. 

Speaker 1 [00:08:28] Well, and, you know, the church banned his books and his writings for like 200 years, you know, and it was it was a fascinating story of how science and culture kind of and religion kind of collided together. But nobody nobody liked this. Right. Because it is somewhat offensive. It is humbling to think that we are not the center of the universe. 

Speaker 2 [00:08:47] It does take humility exactly. To find. 

Speaker 1 [00:08:50] That. And so when we had this conversation about the grand story of the great story of God, we have to have that kind of Copernican revolution where we realize, Hey, I am not the center of a story that I am writing. I’m not the main character of this story that I’m writing about myself. I’m actually part of I revolve around or I or as I like to say it, we are beloved members of the supporting cast in this grand narrative that God has been writing really well. Not really. I mean, legitimately since the beginning. Yeah, literally since the beginning of time. 

Speaker 2 [00:09:21] Yeah. And again, I love that idea because it takes some of the pressure off of us to to feel like we have to do these things. There’s this one job that I have to do, this one thing that I have to do. And if I don’t do it, the wheels fall off and everything doesn’t, you know, it’s like. 

Speaker 1 [00:09:39] Like I’m the hero of the story. I don’t do what I’m called to do. This whole thing’s going to fall. 

Speaker 2 [00:09:43] Apart, right? Yeah. Because if if we’re honest about it, right. That this the way that we view what we do every day, right, in our passions and our what we feel is our calling. But then when we begin to, to to buckle under the pressure of that. Right. Like there’s so many people that just walk around with was they’re almost stressing out over it. Right? Like, it’s just it’s overwhelming sometimes. But when we can simply shift this. This minor thing. Yeah. And just go, oh, man, we’re part of a bigger story here. I mean, how can I. How can I play a role in it? Yeah, that’s a beautiful thing. 

Speaker 1 [00:10:19] Yeah. And it’s not that we’re not important. It’s not that our gifts, I mean, we are beloved members. God made us for a reason. He did make us for a purpose. So. So this isn’t to say that we don’t carry a purpose, but that. Purpose is derivative. It’s a derivative purpose. It is it is meant to reflect something much larger than ourselves. And I love this old this old quote by count Nicholas von Zenz and Dorff. 

Speaker 2 [00:10:43] Oh, man, I’m not going to be able to say that’s right. I can’t even say Copernicus. 

Speaker 1 [00:10:48] Well, I would say that three times fast. Right. But but he said, preach Christ, die and be forgotten. Right. Like that doesn’t really go on bumper stickers very well. Like we don’t that doesn’t energize us to go out into our day. It’s it’s humbling. It’s somewhat offensive. But I’m telling you, Daryn, it’s actually the way we were created to live. We were created to pour all of ourselves into this grand story of our redeemer and our creator. It’s how we were made. It’s where we find our purpose, and it’s where we will ultimately flourish. Preach the gospel, die and be forgotten. Don’t make this about yourself at the center. And if you want to find some new and redeem purpose and we’re going to talk about this over the next few weeks, then then take yourself out of the center, put God back in his rightful place. And I’m telling you, your work life will explode with new and redeemed. Meaning. 

Speaker 2 [00:11:41] Man, that’s really that a preacher out there that’ll preach right there and in and that’s a yeah that’s I’m fine. And I need to take a minute on that because again, it goes against, like you said, that doesn’t fit well on a bumper sticker because we’re all about legacy. We’re all about how can I extend my, you know, I want generation after generation to remember who I am. Right? And I think that does happen. Right? I mean, obviously, that happens all throughout history. But but for us to to to get up every day to say, God, how can I you know, what does it look like for me today to simply surrender that idea? Like, I’m going to work today, I’m going to do the best that I can with the time I have, with the finances I have help me to to spend those things wisely. Right. And then step into your day and do it each and every day. And yeah. He says it’ll preach Christ day and be forgotten. Yeah. And that’s just man, that’s just beautiful. 

Speaker 1 [00:12:44] Well, and there is this longing for legacy, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I don’t think that’s a wrong thing. But we were made to to pour into the legacy of our maker and our creator. Right? Like our stories were meant to be part of his. You know, I remember that the closing song of the of the musical Hamilton. Mm. You know, it’s his wife singing about his life and, and she says, you know, who lives, who dies, who tells your story? She’s talking about her husband, Alexander Hamilton, who lives, who dies, who tells your story. And it’s that longing for legacy that’s not a bad thing. However, I would tweak that a little bit. Right? Who lives? Who dies? Who tells his story? Who tells God’s story? Yeah. And that’s what we were made for. And if you want ultimate legacy, then, you know, we actually get big by getting small. 

Speaker 2 [00:13:33] Yeah. Yeah. And it is the Copernicus. Copernicus, man. I’m going to struggle with the burden. Okay. She said it. Yeah, you got it. It is that idea, right? Where it’s like that is somewhat offensive. That is a little bit of flipping some things on its head a little bit. 

Speaker 1 [00:13:47] Right. 

Speaker 2 [00:13:48] But that’s what’s beautiful about this this idea. And so I guess if if we weren’t meant to just invite God into our story, but we’re invited into this this great story that we’ve been talking about since the start of this podcast is this great story. This great story. Maybe the next question that everybody’s seen this or what is that story? You’re like, okay, kind of break some of that down a little bit. How does that fit into what we’re talking about today? So it is. 

Speaker 1 [00:14:18] Yeah. That yeah, really like know if you think about it all all these superhero movies right if you notice now that they’re doing like these origin stories, so they all go back to that, to the origins. How did this superhero get created and. Right. And really, you know, we talk about origins and endings in the book. Right. But we need to understand the where did all this start? Where is all of this going? And then how does who I am and what I do each and every day fit into that? Right. And so there’s much smarter people than me, trust me. There’s much smarter than people me who have gone into great detail on this. Right. This is this is historic stuff. I’m going to give you a quick overview that I’ve cleared through some theologian friends of mine, and I’m clear that there’s some theologian friends of mine. But but really, you can break the great story of God down into four main acts. Some break it down into five. But we’re going to talk about it in context of four today. Right. Creation, fall, redemption and restoration. So those are the four main acts creation, fall, redemption and restoration. I’m just going to walk you through each of these real quick over the next couple of minutes here. But really, if we if we go back to the beginning, what’s the origin story? The. Origin story of creation was Adam and Eve were created. They were put in the Garden of Eden. It was this paradise. It was this paradise, this perfect paradise. And the reason it was a perfect paradise is because man and God physically dwelled together. They tabernacle the word tabernacle is the the dwelling place of where God and man come together. Right. So, Eden, all of creation was this temple, this dwelling place, and God physically was present with mankind and with his creation. So God’s image bearing creation were living in the fullness of his loving presence. They were reflecting His glory as image bearers and fulfilling their human vocation to cultivate and care for God’s world. That’s that’s the way things were made. That is the origin story. That is where we are fully alive and fully human. When God and man are with, they are dwelling with one another. But then something happened, right? Genesis one was awesome. Genesis two was awesome. And then we get to Genesis three. I mean, we’re just three chapters into the Bible, right? And everything falls apart. And what happened was Adam and Eve, in their desire to be like God or to be God, they, they, they actually they overstep their bounds. So we were made to to reflect God and they wanted to instead be God. Right? And that that sin created separation. Right. So so the fall was about separation. God’s presence cannot dwell with that kind of rebellion where sin is present, God’s presence cannot be. And so there was a breaking there was a breaking of this ultimate perfect creation, a separation, a removal of God’s presence, which is death, right? So now all of a sudden, mankind dies, creation dies, there’s thorns and thistles. There was this disconnect between the realm of God and the realm of mankind. The tabernacle was broken, right? But God wasn’t content to leave it there. Right? Like he could have just said, You guys blew it. I’m gonna go start all over again like that. Yeah, but that’s not our God, right? So redemption. We get to the third act. Redemption since Genesis three. Since Genesis three, since that moment of the fall God has been pursuing has been coming after us, his broken creation, to reunify this connection and to make all things new again. And that started if you go if you walk through the the metanarrative of the Old Testament, right? If if we look at the Old Testament that started with a man named Abraham and then it became a people, the people of Israel. And God kind of reopened this portal, so to speak. Right. If we want to think in in science fiction context, you reopen this portal between the realm of God and the realm of man through Abraham, then through Israel and before the fall. Right. All of creation was the temple, it was the tabernacle. But now God reestablished it first, and it was first reestablished in this tent called the Tabernacle that went with them as they wandered through the wilderness. And then it became a physical building, the temple, when they inhabited Jerusalem. But God’s presence, it rested over the Ark of the Covenant. Right. The priests couldn’t even go in, except once a year, if you remember those stories, because that was like the very presence of God. This portal had been opened between God in hand again, but because of sin and rebellion, right? Like there had to be a very cautious process for reconnecting, right? And so this law that the law was given to be a temporary guardian, Paul calls it it was a guardian until Christ came outlining how people should live. And sin was dealt with by a series of of animal sacrifices and offerings. 

Speaker 2 [00:19:32] All kinds of things. 

Speaker 1 [00:19:33] Yeah. 

Speaker 2 [00:19:33] Yeah. Steps and. 

Speaker 1 [00:19:35] Exactly. It was a process. Right. But God was God was pursuing. He was coming after. Yeah. And so all of this, though, was just a foreshadow. It was just a foreshadow. And and what happens in the New Testament is enter Jesus Christ, the perfect and final sacrifice for our sin. You know, when Christ died on the cross, what happened? We’re we’re recording this just before Easter. Like tomorrow is Good Friday. Yeah. So there was a ripping when Jesus died on the cross, there was a ripping or a tearing of the curtain that separated the holy of holies, God’s physical presence from the rest of the temple. Right. As a symbol that, hey, all of this is over, and now Christ has broken through, right? The temple veil was torn, and grace bursts into the world and begins to reawaken all those who put. Their faith and trust in Christ. So Jesus took what sin had created this this kind of careening towards death and this this destruction of all creation and mankind. And he reversed it. Right. And now things are beginning to come back to life and Christ is bringing back all that sin had destroyed. So that that is chapter three and then chapter four and we’ll close here. Right? Is restoration now? Where is this going? See through Christ. God and man can once again be reunited with they can be with one another. And together again, God is restoring all things to himself through Jesus Christ. And we now, today can be the first fruits of that coming kingdom. It’s like, you know, it’s spring right now. Right. And I walked out in the front driveway last night. I looked over and all of the buds were starting to bloom on the trees in. 

Speaker 2 [00:21:25] My house, too. 

Speaker 1 [00:21:25] Yeah, it’s awesome. I love this time of year. Other than Claritin. 

Speaker 2 [00:21:29] Yes, yes. 

Speaker 1 [00:21:30] Allergy meds. Right. You know, but but it is it’s a picture of what Christ has done that we are the the buds on the trees saying that spring is coming. But one day the scripture tells us Christ will again physically now return and complete the great story. So we will fully dwell as in Eden, there will be a new Eden. We will dwell together again as originally designed with God, the realm of God and the realm of man will come together again. We see this and Revelation 21 says The dwelling place of God is with man. So, so I say all that to say, like I get excited about that. Right? But like we live in this we live in this chapter that theologians call the already, but not yet. Right. Like the kingdom has come, but it is not yet fully filled. And that’s the chapter of the grand metanarrative that we live in and that our everyday work finds its place and purpose inside of. And we’re going to unpack that more next week. We’re going to talk about just that theology of work one on one and kind of get down into some of the more practical aspects of how our work now fits into that great story. But if you don’t understand that story, if you’ve never heard that story, explain that way. That is the story, the story of God. And you were made to live and flourish and work in the context of that story. You have been invited in and your work has been invited. Yeah. 

Speaker 2 [00:23:00] Yeah. So well, first of all, thanks for for taking us on that journey through that because that does set up that what is that story questions so well and and it does take it full circle and I guess when when you when you you say what does my work have to do with that? Right. It’s everything. 

Speaker 1 [00:23:20] Everything. 

Speaker 2 [00:23:20] It’s everything. So it really does go, oh, now I see how this is playing, how my everyday work plays out into this great story in such beautiful, beautiful ways. Yeah. And so yeah. So thank you for taking us on that journey through that story today. And, and like you said, as we wrap up and what we’ve been doing the last couple of weeks is, is walking through these these missional moments, talking with some folks that are doing some amazing things in the in the world, whether it’s here locally or all around the world. And we’re just saying, hey, tell us tell us what you’re doing. And our hope is on these is that it inspires you. That’s right. It’s not that their way is the only way or how you have to do it. But it is a it is a way that they are allowing their work to be a part of the great story. That’s right. And so we hope that this inspires you. So let’s dove into this week’s missional moment. 

Speaker 1 [00:24:16] For this week’s Missional Moment, we talk to my good friend John Barrett from Project Rescue, a gospel centric anti-sex trafficking ministry that we have been involved with for quite some time. 

Speaker 3 [00:24:28] 25 years ago, David and Beth, founders of Project Rescue, walked into a red light district over in Southern Asia and saw 100,000 women and children that were being sexually exploited in forced prostitution. A few weeks later, got a call that some of the women wanted to come out and some of the women were attending a church service put on by Project Rescue and our leaders there in the country asked if we could start a hope. And, you know, as it tends to be, David basically said, of course we can. He says that’s a pretty much everything, you know, bar none. And so with that, with the first kind of thousand dollar check that was sent over, Project Rescue was launched with that first home. And there was 37 little girls that came into that home, and that’s what launched Project Rescue. 

Speaker 1 [00:25:16] Now, we know there are a lot of incredible anti-sex trafficking and anti-slavery organizations out there doing incredible work around the world. But one of the things that makes Project Rescue unique is they’ve been. That Gospel Copernican revolution we talked about this week. They haven’t just invited Jesus into their work. No, their entire anti-sex trafficking work revolves around the finished work of Jesus. 

Speaker 3 [00:25:43] Compassion for compassion sake is incomplete. We really that faith element, that Jesus element, that’s the X factor in all this. And so that’s what we want to make sure with Project Rescue. That is the foundational piece. 25 years ago when we launched and here we are today, 25 years later, we would say that is the fulcrum around which everything moves for Project Rest. 

Speaker 1 [00:26:06] Like most other ministries of its kind, a Project rescue has been driven by donor dollars. But in recent years they’ve realized the power of the marketplace not just to fund their ministry, but also as part of the impact of the ministry itself. 

Speaker 3 [00:26:21] We’ve realized over time that, you know, the marketplace could be an answer to a lot of things. You know, some of the things we just talked about, which is the dignity in providing jobs for the women and children and men that we serve. But more than that, even there is such a a sustainable sustainability element to what Project Rescue’s looking to do that is really become grafted into our best practices, which, you know, we look at ourselves, Project Rescue, as almost a ministry, a an incubator, if you will, and we can start them out and we can help them. But through the marketplace is really where they’re going to find their sustainability. 

Speaker 1 [00:26:59] Many of the greatest marketplace innovations have emerged from the darkest of times, from problem solving. And during the global pandemic, Project Rescue embraced the problem this dark season of our global history to actually launch and create new marketplace initiatives that are launching them, even to this day, into new waters. 

Speaker 3 [00:27:22] During COVID, we launched what we called the forever free camping. And basically what that was was a giant marketplace investment, that project rescue made into what became a Project Rescue business, which was, you know, the local ministry that we invested in have this idea. They said, hey, we’re going to we’re going to build some storage sheds, we’re going to get some livestock, we’re going to get some land, we’re going to go crops on it. And we’re going to turn this into a business and we’re going to harvest the crops. We’re going to harvest the milk, we’re going to take them to market, we’re going to sell it, and we’re going to have this sustainability that, you know, that we’ve never had before. And what’s amazing is, is it worked and it worked well. 

Speaker 1 [00:28:01] And when you find something that works, you want to multiply it. And now Project Rescue is replicating these models all over the world and the various places that their ministry touches. 

Speaker 3 [00:28:13] So we are in the process of purchasing land in a few different locations now and we are going to emulate this process in different cities across Southern Asia as well. And we’re already seeing I’m going to look and just tell you some numbers on this. Some of our ministries are they have the expectation that they are going to become within 18 months, 50% sustainable. So, for example, there’s a ministry that is $14,000 a month that it costs to support them. And they feel like within 18 months that about 7000 of that can be underwritten through the goats and the buffaloes and the crops and the things that they take to market. And on top of that, the women in the red light districts that we serve are getting jobs outside of the district, helping on the farms, helping take care of the goats and the buffaloes, helping transport things to market, helping with the sales within the market. So it’s become this amazing, wonderful business, if you will. That’s great that it’s providing financial support. But even more than that, it’s providing job opportunities for the women and children that we endeavor to serve. And it’s just a it’s a beautiful thing. 

Speaker 1 [00:29:22] It’s amazing what God can do through the marketplace when we see it as part of the grand narrative of God’s great story. So I’ve asked Jonathan to encourage you today, if you’re a marketplace believer out there and you’re going, How can I make a difference? I’m just one person. Here’s what he has to say to you. 

Speaker 3 [00:29:39] For Project Rescue. The church giving has is a stabilizing point for us. However, when I connect with certain businesses or certain businessmen, I was amazed. Just recently I talked with one businessman who basically he committed in the last two weeks, he said 90% of my assets, I just committed to Project Rescue. That is going to be exponentially more than probably we’ve done in five years whenever that time comes. And that’s one person I’ve just been blown away to see the impact that one person made. And I just I would say four or five years ago when we were, you know, at times struggling to make ends meet in terms of financially, I just felt like, man, there’s just not enough out there. And I look now and I said, there’s so much out there to be had I just if people can be kingdom focused and and they can. Be inspired to give. There’s no shortage of what we can do. 

Speaker 1 [00:30:34] There is no shortage of what we can do for the kingdom. When we embed our marketplace story in the great story of God. If you want to know more about Project Rescue, you can go to Project Rescue dot com. This is an incredible ministry and I cannot recommend them highly enough. That’s this week’s mission or moment. 

Speaker 2 [00:30:59] Man. I love that story and what Project Rescue is doing. 

Speaker 1 [00:31:03] The amazing things. 

Speaker 2 [00:31:03] That to life and said such an amazing way such a great organization and and so thanks we hope that was an encouragement to you today. And thanks for taking a minute to listen to this podcast. And we would love it and really encourage you to go out to share this podcast with a friend and to rate and review on the Apple Podcasts or anywhere that you are listening to this. That is a huge help. It just spreads the word a little bit about this. Yeah, and that’s huge for us as a new podcast and as we’re trying to get our legs on this one a little bit. So share it with a friend rate and review is a huge help for us. Huge help. And and like we said in the start of this podcast, this first season is all around the Missional Marketplace book that you’ve written. Eric So where, where can everybody find that? Where can they pick it up? This is what it looks like if you’re watching on YouTube and all that good stuff. 

Speaker 1 [00:31:53] It is, yeah. Some some product placement here. Right, exactly. Now, Missional Marketplace, there’s a link at the top of our website. If you go to the stone table dot org, I think it’s a little banner that pops up at the top there. You can also go to Eric Cooper. Eric with a K, Eric Cooper dot me and that will link you there as well. Or you can go right out to Amazon, Amazon.com or where other books are sold online. We’ve got this in paperback, we got it an e-book and we even did an audible version. And God bless you for editing that. 

Speaker 2 [00:32:25] We did. 

Speaker 1 [00:32:26] Oh, it was fun. You had to listen to my droning your older brother’s. 

Speaker 2 [00:32:30] Droning voice for. I read I’ve read the book now 28 times. 

Speaker 1 [00:32:34] It’s right. 

Speaker 2 [00:32:35] That’s right. That’s right. Anyway. 

Speaker 1 [00:32:37] But that that if you’re if you’re interested in that, we just want this sincerely to be a resource to you. This is not about getting on the New York Times bestseller list. I don’t make any money off of this. This is just about pushing the work of God forward and encouraging those of you who are in the marketplace that who you are and how God made you is part of God’s story, his great story. Right. And so we just want to encourage you with that today. So join us next week. All right, the Missional Marketplace podcast, accelerating the Great Commission through the Marketplace. We’ll see you next time.