Hall of Fame Village Faith Leadership Event spurs partnership between business and faith

CANTON − Thursday's ForeverLawn Faith Leadership Event at Hall of Fame Village featuring Tim Tebow and the Rev. Craig Groeschel, founder of Life.Church, has the support of a group of churches and business owners who are calling on their peers to embrace "faith forward" leadership.

Steve Miller, CEO of Millwood, a lumber and pallet manufacturer, and Ken Ferguson, a software executive and president of the Alive Festival, recently discussed The Lookout, a new effort formed to encourage business owners and other community leaders to invest in pragmatic mission projects as a way to advance their faith.

Because business leaders have a natural platform, they have an obligation to become more actively involved in the well-being of Stark County, Miller said.

"My personal belief is that the community is the responsibility of the business later," he said. "Church pastors have influence on a community, but when it's outside the church walls, when it deals with the marketplace, the business leaders need to step up in their role and take the authority that they've been given."

Business owners have a natural platform, he said.

"If you tell people that you're a business person, you immediately have status," he said. "The normal community has treated that as a perk versus a purpose. God has given us that platform with that position. It's not a perk. There's a reason we have it."

An example of "faith forward" leadership, he said, can be found in the story of Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy businessman who offered his own tomb for Jesus' body after he was crucified by the Romans.

Ferguson, who purchased the Alive Festival in 2023 with his wife, Susan, said the Hall of Fame Village is supportive of the concept of bringing the faith and business communities together for a common mission.

"They're like, faith and football goes well together," he said. "For too long, we haven't stood in our place in the community. We've been told by the world, you know, stay neutral when it comes to faith and politics. Well, we totally agree on the politics side. But if you call yourself a faith forward leader, then you need to stand up and be counted and not be neutral."

What is The Lookout in Canton?

Miller and Ferguson said The Lookout is the brainchild of Eric Klein, who secured office space at the Constellation Center at Hall of Fame Village for business purposes but decided it would have better use as a gathering place where business leaders could focus on impacting the community.

Five companies and at least 10 area churches are involved in Thursday's event, which also features special guests the Rev. Mike Cameneti, pastor of Faith Family Church which has campuses Jackson Township and Akron, and Bishop F. Josephus "Joey" Johnson of the House of the Lord in Akron.

"There's guys that are demonstrating their faith in the workplace in amazing ways," Ferguson said. "But unless you're in the company, you don't know who they are, you don't know what they're doing. The Lookout's mission is to get the business community to focus on Stark County and, as we do that, set that example and then be connected."

Ferguson the goal of The Lookout is more than membership.

"We're not asking people to join our group, but we are trying to set the example and set the standard that says if you join a group, join the group for your community," he said.

"Southeast Canton has 48% unemployment. Where's the business leaders in that community that take responsibility for that? I don't care what your wealth level is, there's issues in the community that need to be addressed," he said.

"For the most part we want to sit back and say, 'The pastors ought to do something about that' or 'The government ought to do something about that.' You're the business leader. You've got the status. What are you doing with it? So, that's kind of the model that we're creating. With this event, we just came alongside of the Hall of Fame. It's their event."

A limited number of tickets are still available. General admission ($79), reserved seating ($99), Golden Circle access ($150), and a meet-and-greet opportunity ($250), which includes interaction with Groeschel and Tebow. The event is at 7 p.m.

To learn more, visit www.hofvillage.com.

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Hall of Fame Village event spurs a new business and faith partnership