This website uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some of these cookies are used for visitor analysis, others are essential to making our site function properly and improve the user experience. By using this site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Click Accept to consent and dismiss this message or Deny to leave this website. Read our Privacy Statement for more.
Print Page | Contact Us | Sign In | Register
Our History

About ICCC

A MAN AND A VISION – J GUNNAR OLSON

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The vision of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) was formed and plans were made to lay the foundation in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

The aim being to put the Kingdom of God as the first priority in our business lives and to teach and train men and women to respond to the biblical challenge of a walk with Christ in the market place.

The founder of ICCC, J. Gunnar Olson, often teaches about “a release under the Lordship of Christ”. Drawing on insights and wisdom from walking with the Lord in his own business life, coupled with the foundational Word of God.

Gunnar wants to show that, through the redemptive work of Jesus, there is indeed a freedom from slavery to be experienced also in our professional and business lives.

A prophetic start

At the end of 1984 a conference was held in Örebro, Sweden, with the theme “Big Brother or the Kingdom of God?” This conference, with Intercessors International, became the platform from which Gunnar shared for the first time his vision and dream of an International Christian Chamber of Commerce. “I had carried the vision for several years, but now the Lord showed me that the time had come to take a bold step and dress the vision in Words. 

Close to the time of the conference, and full of fear about making a mistake, I cried out to the Lord for a sign.

The Lord answered my heart’s cry and encouraged me, through an American businessman who called from Paris and wanted to see me at Arlanda Airport in Stockholm. He would fly in just over lunchtime and return later the same day. When meeting him at the airport he said, “Now is the time to speak what you have in your heart. And this shall be your sign!” When I asked him “what are you talking about?” he answered, “I don’t know.” As he spoke, he reached into his briefcase and handed over 2,000 lapel pins. This is today the ICCC symbol.”
This was the first in a series of prophetic confirmations, which led to the initiation of the ICCC.“ 

 

CHRIST IN THE MARKETPLACE

ICCC is today represented in all continents of the world with members in 75 nations.

“When looking back on the history of ICCC, I feel as if I have had to run as fast as I could in front of a big train, so as not to be run over”, says Gunnar. “I am deeply touched and humbled when thinking of all the loving work performed by the members of the International Board and members in individual countries.

“The members of the ICCC are individuals with a calling to the market place in businesses and corporations.”

“Today we are a world-wide network with contacts enabling national and international ties with Christian businessmen and women, but our calling is like that of Joseph: God has given us a Joseph calling for our time and for the time to come.”

What about ethics?

Gunnar talks about a walk of faith in obedience to the Word of God without losing sight of professional excellence.”


 The experience of following the Lord Jesus in this walk is as dramatic as it must have been for the Jews in slavery under the Egyptians. As with the Israelites under Moses, we find that the hardest part of the walk from slavery to freedom is to get the “slavery mentality” out of us. But also to discover that the freedom under Christ is real, not just religious jargon.”
From a biblical perspective there are no real ethical standards unless they demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit resulting from our walk in obedience to God’s Word. “This is key, unless we are satisfied with our own good works, which amounts to nothing before the Lord”.