Renita and Michael Reed-Thomson

Vision

Reclaiming the Redeemed Marketplace: There is a need throughout the worldwide Church for greater integration between what is considered “sacred” and “secular” in our daily working lives.  Jesus has redeemed the marketplace, but the Church has not yet fully reclaimed it.  Ninety-nine percent of our members are engaged in the marketplace, comprising the systems of business, education, and government, yet most have not connected their faith to their work. We believe that the “purpose of Sunday is Monday” – we gather together as the Church (the people of God) to be equipped for living out reconciliation as the church scattered throughout the week. When we connect our faith to our work, there is great potential for the church to have an impact missionally, economically, environmentally, and socially in our communities and nations. We believe that work should be done as an act of worship.
 
Businesses also offer a long-term, sustainable solution to poverty-related issues, as they provide jobs and ongoing salaries.  I have been blessed to utilize my experience since 2005 in business development across Africa, working within churches and denominations to develop workplace discipleship ministries. Just as every church has a children’s, youth, or women’s ministry, we help each church to start workplace discipleship ministries.  We also help build the capacity of business owners through training, mentoring, and advocacy, leading to increased income, job stabilization, and the creation of new jobs. Our research has shown that a workplace ministry can help a church grow numerically and financially, businesses thrive, and jobs are created, ultimately benefiting the community through honest business practices and economic growth.  
 
I feel blessed to be part of this work and am excited to see what God will do in and through the global business as mission movement.

Mission

Discipling Marketplace Leaders is a mission with a message and a ministry with tools.   

It is a mission with a message as it seeks to help the local church understand its role as an agent of healing to a fractured world. This is achieved as every local church becomes a center for training and discipling its members to be ambassadors and ministers in the marketplace.  

It is a ministry with tools through training materials and processes designed to be implemented through the local church gathered, to help disciple and equip members to be effective ministers in the marketplace as the Church is scattered.   These tools are designed to help every member understand that work done “as unto the Lord” is an act of worship (Colossians 3:23).

We train and equip churches to teach a healthy theology of work, Kingdom-focused wealth creation, and stewardly wealth management.

DML Vision Statement:  Discipling Marketplace Leaders envisions every local church discipling every member to be the church in every marketplace so that all may flourish.

DML Mission Statement:  Discipling Marketplace Leaders educates, equips, and empowers the local church to establish a ministry that disciples every believer to live out work as worship and mission.

DML is working in 20+ countries across Africa, as well as in parts of Asia and Central America.