Stephenville's Seven Mountains of Societal Influence

In 1975, Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade, and Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth With a Mission (YWAM), had lunch together. It seems God simultaneously gave each of these change agents a message to give to the other. During that same time, frame Francis Schaeffer was given a similar message. That message was that if we are to impact any nation for Jesus Christ, we would have to affect the "Seven Mountains" that are the pillars of any society.
These Seven Mountains are Business, Government, Media, Arts and Entertainment, Education, the Family and Religion. 

1) EDUCATION: From Tarleton University to area Day Care centers, there are Followers of Christ, people with great spiritual influence working in every building, teaching, impacting the young and impressionable lives of many of our young people.

2) BUSINESS: From the smallest mom and pop shop to the Fortune 500 companies that call Erath County 'home,' because the average American spends up to 70% of his/her life in the workplace, shouldn't we, as Follower of Jesus, do as He did in the Marketplace - a place where He spent much of His time and did many miracles and parables?

3) RELIGION: Though we may not worship our Lord in the exact same way, God is looking at the hearts of those who claim to follow Jesus. Like the early Church that "turned the world upside down," we can have a similar impact on our community only when we have had our minds renewed to the fact that if we have a job, we have a ministry. Imagine, if Workplace Ministry were taught - not as a bolt-on evangelism program that lasted a few weeks but, rather as a way of life. Consider this: If 100 employed Members of a congregation of several churches were to somehow impact the lives of a combined 20 co-workers every week - even if only through private prayer - that's an increase in 200 souls that were NOT reached by a preacher in a pulpit somewhere. This ministry is, in my humble opinion, every it as important as anything that goes on in brick and mortar Christianity. If you're EMPLOYED, you've been DEPLOYED.

4) FAMILY: The Church is the people, not the buildings or denominations; "Two or three gathered in My Name," Jesus said. A man and his wife are a microcosm of The Church as we know it. Our community is only as strong as The Church and The Church is only as strong as its families. If your church  services have become a destination attraction, it's time to take a second look at the Lordship of Christ in your own home. As a part of the state's Twogether in Texas marriage enrichment team, I would venture to guess the lack of faith on the home-front is a major weakness in our nation.

5) ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT: Years ago, while working as Marketing Director for the Stephenville Chamber of commerce, I was asked on many occasions to address classes at Stephenville High School and at Tarleton. I never failed to close each presentation with a few words about the One redeemed my life, Jesus Christ. I wasn't talking about Religion or a church... I was talking about someone I know personally. Year after year, I was invited back to address another group of students. Concerned friends would ask, "Aren't you afraid they won't invite you back?" My response was always the same: "It doesn't matter. What matters is how my testimony impacts those seated before me." I took advantage of every opportunity. Whether someone is an actor, a dancer, a singer, a performer of any kind, let's take advantage of every platform we are provided with. It's God who opens those doors... what are we to do with that moment?

6) MEDIA: As a man with an online ministry the past 14 years, I know what it's like to reach multitudes of Christians on a daily basis. Wouldn't it be just like our Creator to create a method by which we could impact the lives of scores of people every day with His inspired Word? Be it radio, cable TV, billboards, t-shirt designs, computers and bumper stickers, the sky's the limit where proclaiming God's Kingdom is concerned.

7) GOVERNMENT: I will never forget the time I had dinner with our area's State Representative and his wife when they visited our house church meeting one night several years ago. We were so impressed to hear him talk about what a big part of his law-making process included prayer and seeking the Scriptures from the old Bible that was already in his desk when he first went to Austin. Our former Mayor was a co-worker when I was with The Chamber. One afternoon, she approached me requesting prayer when she was wrestling with the decision of leaving her Chamber post and running for Mayor. These are good people, doing their best to involve their God in the process of governing. That's good, but can it be great? Consider this next time you cast a ballot, or run for office.

I left The Chamber after 5 years, the last six months as Interim President, taking a position as a Workplace Chaplain, a job I'd dreamed of doing nearly 20 years prior, and had been doing in an unofficial capacity here in town and in my previous job in Arlington before moving here. I've been serving in this capacity nearly seven years. During this time, I have been called upon to speak on the topic of Faith at Work in San Antonio, Dallas, Grand Saline, El Paso, Austin, and elsewhere. I've spoken at Christian Chambers of Commerce, Churches, and at outdoor festivals, too. I'll be the MC at this year's Tipping Point Conference in San Antonio, April 18-20, and I'll be speaking on the topic of Faith in the Workplace on Saturday night at that gathering. CLICK HERE

Please, prayerfully consider the mountain, or mountains, on which you've been placed. Are you doing all you can to advance God's Kingdom there, growing where you're planted? If you need help, just ask. I am always available.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Workplace Chaplain

Founder, The Church @ Work

miketummillo@me.com