Business Flying High on a Wing and Prayer

The great commission provides motivation for success of ministrytravel.com, among nation’s growing number of businesses meshing profit and prayer.

Wylie, TX (PRWEB) October 11, 2005 -- Since Jesus’ run-in with the moneylenders in the temple, ministry and business have been uneasy bedfellows.

Today some Christian businesses, like MinistryTravel.com(www.ministrytravel.com)—a discount travel agency solely for mission-minded individuals, churches, organizations and businesses—are unashamedly meshing prayer and profits in ways that give Christians and business a good name. And, with compassionate conservatives running the White House, Christian businesses are on the rise with between 500,000 to 600,000 in operation—accounting for 10 percent of all U.S. corporations (Time, Aug. 2005).

MinistryTravel.com has built a strong reputation of integrity on providing the best possible fares and service, offering a large assortment of destinations and knowing the travel industry. However, keeping “real” its ministry roots and knowing how to serve the evangelical community are core ingredients, they believe, responsible for the impressive number of tickets they sell and for doubling its revenues every year since its doors opened five years ago.

Mission agencies are trusting MinistryTravel.com with the unique complexities that come with planning international mission travel; customers include the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, Northwest Medical Teams International, East-West Ministries, and TEAM, among many others. In addition, MinistryTravel.com has arranged international travel services for most of the mainline denominations and such large churches as Lakepoint Church, Rockwell, TX; Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA; and Shadow Mountain Community Church, El Cajon, CA.

“Missionaries and ministries need to pack every penny of expenditure with value and service,” said President Beth Banfill, who co-founded MinistryTravel.com with her husband Frank in 2000. Before MinistryTravel.com, Frank and Beth were staff members of the international mission organization, Global Missions Fellowship (GMF). During their tenure, Frank helped facilitate international church planting campaigns in 40 countries over five continents. Frank is also the president of MaxPoint Ministries (www.maxpoint.org). In 1999, Beth started GMF’s in-house travel agency and supervised booking itineraries for more than 100 mission teams each year. She has worked in the travel industry since 1992 and held a management position with the well-known American Automobile Association (AAA).

During a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony in Wylie, Texas, MinistryTravel.com and its guests bathed its new headquarters in prayer and fellowship. Candid and posed pictures of Africans, Asians and Eastern-Europeans hung in the new entry way on freshly painted walls. More than for decoration, the framed photos reflect important mission fields stretching across the globe: An old man places an empty fishing net over his bony shoulder. Smiling children in war paint and tribal dress move to the beat. And, more children wearing tired expressions and wicker baskets on their heads return from a long day’s work.

This heart for evangelism is prominently communicated in word and deed throughout MinistryTravel.com. The opening page at www.MinistryTravel.com displays Matthew 9:37 and 38: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers in the harvest field.” In addition, monthly chapel services are held for its employees, who also receive a week of paid leave for mission work each year. “The goal has always been to advance the Great Commission!” said Beth.

The Banfills live in the Dallas area with their two children, and attend Meadow Baptist Church in Plano, TX.

For more information, visit online at www.MinistryTravel.com.

Media interested in coordinating interviews with MinistryTravel.com President Beth Banfill should contact Gregg Wooding, president, I AM PR public relations, (972) 567-7660 via cell, (972) 429-0724 office.

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