Contact: Wesley Strackbein, Vision Forum Ministries, 210-340-5250, ext. 222

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Aug. 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- Vision Forum Ministries plans to give away more than $8,000 in cash prizes to winners of their Entrepreneurial Business Plan Contest on Saturday, August 12. The awards ceremony will be part of their first-ever Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Christian Families, to be held at the Gonzalez Convention Center on August 10-12, 2006 in San Antonio, Texas. The top award recipient of their Adult Business Plan Contest will come away with a $5,000 cash prize. Vision Forum will also give away $500 to the winner of their “Captain of Industry Award,” which will go to the young entrepreneur sixteen years of age or younger who submits the top business plan.

“The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well among Christians in our day, and it’s our goal to recognize and encourage those entrepreneurs who are approaching business God’s way,” explained Doug Phillips, director of Vision Forum Ministries and founder of the Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Christian Families. “Our 2006 Business Plan Contest is an exciting part of our inaugural bootcamp, and we are pleased to be able to reward the hard work and creativity of several outstanding applicants.”

More than one thousand participants are registered to attend the Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Christian Families in the Alamo City. The mission of this three-day event is to cast a vision for entrepreneurship that highlights the testimony of independent businessmen who embrace biblical principles and include their families in their work.

“Hudson Taylor once observed that ‘God’s work done God’s way will never lack for God’s supply,’” noted Phillips. “This is a truth that every Christian entrepreneur must recognize -- that God will reward those who honor His principles of wealth-building and business finance. We seek to encourage our Christian brothers to embrace this view -- to see the hope and freedom that comes when men pursue business ventures in accordance with biblical ideals. Our presentation of these awards is one small way in which we plan to communicate this message at our first event.”

Featured speakers at the Entrepreneurial Bootcamp will include Dr. James Leininger, founder of Kinetic Concepts, Inc.; Nick Logan, CEO of Cornerstone Bancard; Joel Salatin, agriculturalist and founder of Polyface, Inc.; Wade Myers, CEO of RealManage; and Arnold Pent III, partner in Pent Energy LLC.

Bootcamp passes are $125 for adults, $85 for students. A Family Pass is $450. Space is limited. To get more information about the event, including a complete list of session topics, visit: http://www.visionforumministries.org/events/eb/001/.

To interview Doug Phillips about his vision for the Entrepreneurial Bootcamp, contact Wesley Strackbein by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 210-340-5250, ext. 222.