Legendary former Baylor football Coach Grant Teaff and a panel of Southlake business leaders came together for a three-hour conference on Friday, January 25, at White’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake. The purpose of Mission in the Marketplace, as their mission statements reads, is “to encourage Christians to openly share their faith at work for the purpose of growing God’s Kingdom.”
Several of our GRACE staff had the privilege to attend and hear the remarkable Coach Teaff speak about his own mission in the marketplace and how we can each share our faith at home, at work and in our communities. GRACE Board Member, Traci Bernard, addressed attendees on the panel including Former Southlake Mayor, John Terrell, Former CEO of Del Frisco’s, Mark Mednansky, and President/CEO of L.I.F.E. Concepts, Veronica Cochran.
Despite his sometimes seemingly less than stellar roster, Coach Teaff is highly regarded for inspiring his teams to claim two Southwest Conference titles and appear in eight bowl games. Following a time of worship, music and comments from White’s Chapel Co-Pastor Dr. John McKellar, Coach Teaff touched on his four pillars of his faith.
- ATTITUDE/APPROACH to life: How you perceive the issues you face, and the impact they may have on your life and the lives of others.
- EFFORT: The more effort you invest in your life, the greater results you will see.
- SELF-DISCIPLINE/SELF CONTROL: The ways in which you manage yourself, in both good and difficult situations, will determine who you are and your potential for influence.
- The power of LOVE: Genuinely loving others and having the capacity to sincerely care is the most essential quality of a person of Christian influence.
Grant Teaff’s lengthy career as a football coach extends far beyond the football field. By walking the walk, Teaff is a preeminent example to his players, motivating them to develop into finer men in every aspect – better sons, brothers, husbands, fathers. In his most recent book, “A Coach’s Influence: Beyond the Game,” he contributes his wealth of knowledge and experience for the purpose of helping other coaches and individuals within the football realm deal with today’s social issues that they may positively impact their athletes’ conduct, development, and performance.
Members of the Southlake business community then participated in a panel to share the ways in which they express their faith in their everyday business dealings and the potential for impact those encounters can have. The four participating executives were:
- Traci Bernard, President of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southlake
- Veronica Cochran, CEO at the International Association of Administrative Professionals
- Mark Mednansky, former CEO of Del Frisco’s
- John Terrell, former Southlake Mayor and Vice President of Commercial Development at DFW Airport
It was a long and busy 18 months of preparations for the organizers to bring this non-denominational event to life, but 200 attendees are a definite confirmation the day was a wonderful success. A portion of the proceeds from Mission in the Marketplace go directly to support GRACE programs. GRACE is honored by the hard work, time, and loving effort of the number of people who spoke, attended, and spent many hours planning this inspiring afternoon. Planning for Mission in the Marketplace 2020 is already underway!
Event photos and video clips of the presentations are online at www.missioninthemarketplace.com.
