Tag Archives: God’s will

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Do You Repeat The Same Mistakes?

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mistakeOne of my favorite verses in the Bible is Matthew 15:16. The disciples are asking Jesus about a specific parable and what it means. Evidently a little frustrated, Jesus replies, “Are you still so dull?”

While I am probably wrong for laughing at this, I cannot help it. I even hear it in my sleep sometimes!

Why is this funny to me? I hear Him saying it to ME after one of my many mistakes!

Series On Joshua

We are getting close to the end of a series about business lessons we can pull from the story of Joshua and the Gibeonites. If you have not yet read this short story, you need to do so now. It won’t take long! You can find it here – Joshua 9:1 – 10:15.

In this story, the Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the Israelites into making peace with them. In doing so, the Israelites disobeyed God’s command to destroy all people groups within the Promised Land. In my last post, we discussed that Joshua was so easily deceived because he did not seek God’s counsel, but instead trusted his own senses.

What Is The Connection?

So, you may ask, what is the connection between Joshua’s mistake and my favorite verse in Matthew? Quite simply, Jesus’ reply in Matthew leads us to believe this was not the first time the disciples had asked a question that they should have known the answer to. Evidently, the disciples had repeated this mistake several times, trying Jesus’ patience with them.

Joshua’s Mistake

To connect this verse to Joshua’s situation, we need to go back to Joshua 6. In the beginning of this chapter, Joshua sought God’s counsel on how to attack Jericho. After that victory, the next city to be attacked was Ai. Unfortunately, Joshua did not consult with God about this one. He made his own plans and the Israelites were soundly defeated.

When Joshua finally did seek God’s counsel, he was told about sin among the Israelites that brought on the defeat. Had Joshua sought God before the attack, he would have learned of the sin and been able to address it before the defeat! Joshua should have learned his lesson right there – seek God before a decision.

Joshua Repeats His Mistake!

The problem is that Joshua did not learn his lesson. Instead, he repeats the very same mistake when approached by the Gibeonites. All he had to do was to seek God and he would have learned of the deception. Like the disciples in Matthew 15, and like many of us, Joshua repeated the same mistake and had to face the consequences.

Application To Christian Business

I think the application to Christian business is fairly clear. When it comes to trying to do it all on our own, we are certainly going to make mistakes. That is unavoidable. Even when we KNOW what God wants us to do in a given situation, we will likely fail in the execution at times.

However, we must push to mature to the point where we do not make decisions on our own! We have a God that created the world in which our business operates. He has all business knowledge and is willing to share it with us (James 1:5) if we will only ask!

I encourage you to learn from Joshua’s lesson. Burn it into your mind that God is your CEO and you will not make any significant decisions without consulting Him. Commit to asking Him for wisdom before committing to a decision. He is faithful to guide you.

Have you made this same mistake multiple times before?

Why do you think it is so hard to stop and ask for God’s guidance?

What do you need to do to prevent making this mistake again?

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Do You Trust God Or Your Own Senses?

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God gave us our senses. With the ability to taste, touch, feel, hear, and smell, we are equipped to experience the world in which we live. The problem is that quite often, our senses can fail us. It is because of this fact that we should always look to trust God and His guidance for us. We should do this even when our senses tell us otherwise.

trust God

Trusting Your Senses?

This could not be more true than in the story of the Gibeonites and their deception of Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 9:3-13). Imagine standing there as you see the Gibeonites approach with the look of exhaustion and hunger. Picture their threadbare clothing and patched sandals. Try to think of how they probably smelled.

Now, as children of God, put yourself in Joshua’s shoes when the Gibeonites claim to be from a distant land seeking peace. Knowing God’s law regarding people from outside of the Promised Land, think about your natural response. Every input your senses are feeding to your brain tells you they are telling the truth. Their story matches with the evidence given.

What do you do?

Wrong Decision!

Well, obviously you have read the story. You know that Joshua and the Israelites agree to a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. They believed the evidence. While they did briefly question the Gibeonites on some of it, this was not enough to discern the truth. Instead, the Israelites locked themselves into peace with a people group that God wanted them to destroy.

Trust God In Business?

Can this happen in the business world? Don’t you and I face similar challenges everyday as we attempt to run our businesses as platforms for Christian ministry? I don’t know about you, but this story is very common in my world.

I can only assume you face the same thing. The deceiver could be a potential partner or a candidate for a leadership position in your company. Make the wrong decision here and you will likely pay dearly!

Other pitfalls could include vendors or even customers that appear one way and end up actually being something totally different. If you commit to these with enough resources before you determine the truth, the price can be significant.

What Is The Answer?

So what should we do to avoid these traps? What could Joshua have done differently that would have prevented him from making a treaty with the deceivers?

For the answer to these questions, I am only going to need four words. This is not that complicated, but the reward for following my advice here is huge. Here is the simple answer:

Slow Down. Trust God.

That is it. It really is that simple. It does not require spreadsheets or committee meetings. No focus groups or off-site retreats are necessary!

The Better Choice

Joshua could have simply told the Gibeonites that he needed some time to process their request. He could have said he would meet them back at the same spot the next morning. Then he could have gone into his tent and prayed.

I do not know how long it would have taken for God to speak to his heart about the deception. I really do not think it would have been long at all. But even if it was an extended period of time before he received his answer, wouldn’t it have been worth it?

Determined To Trust God

As I have mentioned here before, I have recently been going through a hiring process for a key member of our leadership team. I cannot convey in this post how critical this decision was to the future of our company. A wrong move here could be devastating.

As a result, and due to my ongoing study of this passage, I have been taking my time and praying more than I ever have for a decision. It took me just over a full month from start to finish to go through this hiring process, but I was determined to trust God to pick this candidate.

I don’t want it to sound like I was interviewing a bunch of deceivers. At the same time, you do have to sort through a lot of fluff and word-smithing to filter through resumes today. It is also difficult to discern the whole truth when talking on the phone, over Skype, and even in person. There were many times that I could have decided to trust my senses for a decision. Instead, I remained determined to trust God for the results.

One More Day

Even on what I thought was the last day of the process, I decided to wait again. My gut wanted to move forward, but I took one more day to pray and trust God to speak to me about the decision. Nothing changed, but the decision was that much clearer the next morning.

Now that I am looking back on the process, I am confident that my goal has been achieved! The new leader starts tomorrow morning and I am truly excited to have him as a part of the team. Only time will tell how good the decision was for both of us, but for right now I believe it will prove fruitful!

Good Advice

Let’s learn from Joshua’s mistake. Let’s apply his lesson to our business decisions. In your own situations, commit to slowing down before making a decision. Trust God to be faithful to give you wisdom and discernment. I promise you will not regret it!

Have you faced this dilemma before? Did you trust God?

How did it turn out for you?

What advice would you give someone else facing a similar question?

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Christian Business Blog – One Year Later!

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Christian businessI am going to interrupt my series on Christian business lessons from Joshua to celebrate! Exactly one year ago, I started this blog with no clue what would come of it! I knew I had a lot of pent-up thoughts and ideas from my experience trying to run our business as a platform for Christian ministry. I knew I wanted to try to get that message out to other Christian business owners and leaders. I did NOT know if it would work or not!

Well, as we all know (and often forget!), if we will surrender to God and just follow His lead, then we will usually find that He will surprise us! I can tell you from the past 12 months of doing this blog – this is still true! God is amazing and is able to show off!

Original Purpose

Here is my original purpose in writing this blog:

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I have started a new blog called Christian Faith At Work. I am writing it to business owners and leaders who are trying to figure out how to integrate their Christian faith into their businesses.

By including the resources I have accumulated over the past eight years of learning to use my business as a vehicle for ministry, as well as real-life examples from my experiences, I will teach the readers how to run their business from an eternal perspective.

They will not only learn from the resources I have gathered, but they can also interact with someone who is actually doing it, learning from my mistakes and victories.

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Some Interesting Statistics

Here are some stats from the first 12 months:

12 month stats

Just for kicks, here are the same stats from 6 months ago!

6 month stats

More Results!

I love looking at the growth over time, especially when I see results that cannot be quantified with statistics. One of my favorites is the opportunity God has brought in the form of a new friend in Chandigarh, India.

My friend Rajeev is a pastor and evangelist in Northern India. God has put us together for a specific purpose. I go into a little more detail here, but the bottom line is that I have been given the opportunity to teach believers in India (via Skype) on two separate occasions about taking their faith into the workplace!

Right now, we are planning a third session where the audience is made up of pastors! This way, we can multiply the teaching! If you had told me six months ago that this was going to happen, I would have laughed at you! I cannot wait to see where God takes it from here.

Top Posts

Here are the top ten posts after one year:

1. Why I decided to walk away from the family business…

2. Pursue The Gifts You Have, Not The One’s You Want

3. Reason 2 (of 5) to Run Your Business According To Your Christian Faith

4. Taking Action – Owners Manuals For Life!

5. Have You Thought About Walking Away?

6. 10 Warning signs you are NOT a good leader – part 1

7. What Is Christian Ministry?

8. How To Create A Life Plan Document

9. Is Lack Of Excellence Excusable In Christian Business?

10. Why You May Not Like Tim Tebow!

If you are new to this blog, I encourage you to stick around for a while and see if there is anything you can take from it to apply in your workplace. If you have been here awhile, I thank you for your support! I pray you have learned something during your time here.

Give me your thoughts about the material you have enjoyed the most to this point.

Also tell me what you would like to see more of in the coming months!

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The Bible: Does The Enemy Know It Better Than You?

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How well do you really know the Bible? If tested on your Bible knowledge, do you think you would score in the top percentile, in the middle of the pack, or would you likely be embarrassed at your score? If someone came to you today and asked where he should look in the Bible for instruction on a certain topic, do you think you could point him to the right spot?

bible

Bible Illiteracy

Unfortunately, too many Christians are not very familiar with the Bible, even though it is THE book upon which we should base our lives, both here and in eternity. While most recognize that this is a real problem, too few are actually willing to do anything about it. This is truly unfortunate – mainly because our enemy does not have the same problem.

This is my fourth post in a series of lessons from one story in the book of Joshua that we can take and apply in Christian business. The story is about the experience Joshua and the Israelites had with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:1-10:15).

Lessons From Joshua

We have already learned the following lessons from this story:

1. Don’t relax after a victory; be prepared to face the enemy. (Read here)

2. The enemy sometimes comes as roaring lion, sometimes as slithering serpent. (Read here)

Now I want to give you the third lesson we can learn from this story:

The enemy knows the Bible (better than you) and will use it to his advantage.

God’s Commands

Let’s look at how this lesson is illustrated in the story of the Gibeonites and their deception of Joshua and the Israelites. If you read Deuteronomy 7:1-6, you will see that God intended ALL of the nations of the Promised Land to be destroyed. Not a one of them was to be left alive. This is very clear.

However, if you read further in Deuteronomy 20:10-20 (especially v.15), you will notice that God allows for peace with other nations – those OUTSIDE the land that He is giving them as an inheritance.

Joshua knows this Scripture and is fully aware that he and the Israelite army must destroy all of the cities in the Promised Land. He is also aware that he must first offer peace with those outside of this area.

Gibeonites’ Knowledge

What Joshua did not know is that somehow, the Gibeonites also knew of this law. As a result, they used it to their advantage to achieve protection. Had they simply come in peace without a disguise, they knew they would be destroyed. Had they attempted to fight the Israelites, they figured they would end up destroyed like the other cities Joshua’s army had faced. Their only hope was to convince the Israelites that they were from outside of the land of inheritance, and were therefore eligible for peace.

Our Application

How does this apply to us today, as Christians in business?

If you are in business as a Christian, you already know that there are obvious ways to ignore the Bible and make more money. You probably know many ways you could bend a rule here or there and see quick results on the financial statement. You don’t do these things because you know they are wrong and the decisions are clear.

Unfortunately, there are times when the decisions are not so clear, when the enemy sneaks up on us and we are presented with decisions we are not prepared to make. Decisions made when unprepared are rarely the right ones. Too much is left to chance.

Jesus’ Example

When Jesus faced direct temptation in the wilderness, He answered with Scripture (Matthew 4:1-11). He was obviously prepared. If He is our model (1 John 2:6), then shouldn’t we be prepared in the same way?

In Deuteronomy 6:1-9, we are told to remember God’s commands, teach them to our children, and repeat them wherever we go. These commands are not to leave our hearts or minds. If that is the case, shouldn’t we take more time to learn them?

Our Responsibility

Having a ready word from the Bible can give clarity to an otherwise murky situation. On the other hand, if we are not familiar with Scripture, the enemy can use it against us. He tried this with Jesus, but was unsuccessful because Jesus was prepared. If the enemy were to come at you today in your business with a twist on God’s Word, how would you fare? Would you feel confident in your response?

Determine today that you are going to take action steps to improve in this area. If this is a strength of yours, turn to someone else and encourage them to join you!

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The Enemy: Serpent Or Lion?

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This is my third post in a series of lessons from one story in the book of Joshua that we can take and apply in Christian business. In the first post, I set the stage for the series by briefly summarizing the story of Joshua and the Gibeonites. In the second post, we discussed how we should not relax after a victory. Today, I want to talk specifically about the enemy that Joshua and the Israelites faced and how we can learn from their experience.

enemy

Multiple Enemy Attacks

If you look back at other times during the Israelites’ journey to the Promised land, beginning in Exodus, you will see where the enemy came after them on multiple occasions. In most cases, the Israelites were simply attacked by the enemy in a straightforward way (Exodus 14:5-10; 17:8, Numbers 14:45; 21:33).

However, in the case of the Gibeonites, the Israelites were not attacked head-on. Instead, the enemy came to them in disguise. Instead of lining their armies up against those of the Israelites, the Gibeonites used stealth to execute a “sneak-attack” of sorts. In the end, this was even more effective for them!

Second Lesson

The second lesson we can learn from Joshua’s experience with the Gibeonites is this:

The enemy sometimes comes as roaring lion, sometimes as slithering serpent.

Two Examples

There are many examples in Scripture where the enemy (the devil) attacks the people of God. We can cite examples from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. There are two specific instances that come to mind that illustrate my point very well.

Likely, you can recall the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, when Satan appeared to them and tricked them into eating from the Tree of Life, an act that God had forbidden.

Later, we see Satan approach God and get permission to attack Job and his family. In this case, Job’s entire family (except for his wife) is killed along with his livestock.

Scripture On The Enemy

In both of these cases, the enemy was intent on opposing God and doing harm to his children. Some people may say that this only happens in the Old Testament, but here are a couple of verses from the New Testament that say otherwise.

In 2 Corinthians 11:3, it says this:

But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete and pure devotion to Christ.

Later in 1 Peter 5:8, it says the following:

Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

Sometimes Serpent, Sometimes Lion

I am not sure exactly what you believe about Satan, the devil, the enemy, etc., but I personally believe the Bible is clear that he exists and is opposed to God, and therefore His children (us). Sometimes he will attack us as a lion would, but other times he sneaks up on us like a serpent. This is not only true back then, but is also true today.

Because this is true, we cannot assume it will always be easy to identify the enemy when he comes at us. Unlike Joshua, we need to be prepared for a lion or a serpent!

You Will Be Attacked

In business, this can mean any number of things. As you strive to use your business as a platform for ministry, you must know that the enemy is going to come after you. It is simple fact that your efforts to share God’s love through your business is in direct opposition to the enemy’s efforts to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Knowing this, you must therefore expect attack.

This attack can come in several forms, but it will not always be obvious. When it is obvious, I think it is easier for us to do battle. It may not be any easier, but at least we know what we are dealing with.

On the other hand, like the Gibeonites did to Joshua, the enemy may come to you in disguise. There may not be any recognizable danger. In this case, your only defense is to remain in close relationship to God so that He can steer you through it.

Relationship Is Best Defense

In fact, our best defense against the attack of the enemy is always to remain in close relationship with God. In some cases, He may help you avoid the enemy’s attack. In other cases, like with Job, He will be there to see you through it. Either way, it is safest when you are connected to Him and His wisdom and peace.

Have you seen the enemy as a lion and a serpent in different situations?

How has your relationship with God been a help when attacked?

What action step do you need to take in light of this lesson?

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Don’t Relax After Victory!

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One of my favorite movies (that I should not have seen) was The Devil’s Advocate with Al Pacino (the devil) and Keanu Reeves (the good guy). The scene that makes the movie (watch here) is at the very end after Reeves’ character chooses good over evil. Within minutes of this ‘victory’ comes the inevitable praise from a reporter who showers Reeves with flattery. As soon as Reeves turns his back, the reporter reveals himself as the devil in disguise (Pacino) and it is clear he is going on the attack again.

victory

Gibeonite Deception

In my last post, I told you that we are going to discuss the Gibeonite deception from Joshua 9-10. Leading up to this story, you will remember that Joshua and the Israelites have just cleansed their camp of the sin that brought defeat.

Israelite Victory

Immediately after this cleansing, God gave them victory in their second attempt to conquer the city of Ai. They even built an altar to God and celebrated victory with burnt offerings. Finally, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law to the entire assembly of Israel. It appears they were in a good place in their relationship with God.

Israelites Tricked

When we pick up the story in Joshua 9:1, word has spread to the other kings in the area and they are preparing for battle. However, the Gibeonites come up with a ruse and trick the Israelites into thinking they are not local, but from a distant land. For this reason, Joshua and the Israelites agree to a peace treaty with them.

Within days, Joshua learns that the Gibeonites are in fact local to the area. He quickly realizes that he has violated God’s command not to make peace with those in the Promised Land. At the same time, he knows his word is his bond and he cannot break the oath he made. He is stuck with the Gibeonites and trouble is coming.

Lesson #1

As I told you in my last post, there are many lessons in this story for Christian business leaders. The first lesson we will discuss is this one.

Do not relax after victory. The enemy is coming.

Relaxed After Victory

You see, Joshua and the Israelites were just coming off of a great victory. They felt good about their relationship with God and they were relaxed. Unfortunately, this was a prime times for the enemy to attack. They were simply not expecting it.

The same is true for us in the business world (or in life in general). There are many times that we experience victory. It may be a hard-won contract for a huge account. It could be a heat-case with a customer is settled and a raving fan is created. Maybe it is something as simple as a relationship with a co-worker is mended.

Protection After Victory

The victory itself is not our focus. It is the moment after the victory that we must protect.

Sure, we can celebrate our victory. There is nothing at all wrong with that! In fact, it is really necessary to re-energize us for the next battle we will face.

No, the problem is not the celebration of victory. It is the lowering of the defenses that is the danger.

Remain Vigilant

We must get in the mindset that recognizes opportune moments for the enemy to attack us. It is during these moments that we must be on guard. We must protect ourselves from attack.

You may be thinking that this is unfair – that this mindset will not allow you to relax enough to celebrate. That is not true. Just be wise about the times immediately following a victory and don’t put yourself in a position to be caught off guard.

Rules For Protection

You need to think about your own set of rules for post victory protection, but I believe I have one example that would have served Joshua well. Consider the following personal rule for Joshua: Do not make any decisions immediately after a victory without first praying about it and sleeping on it for one night.

If that was all Joshua did to protect himself after victory, how do you think the results would have changed? Don’t you think God would have directed him to the right decision?

Challenge

I challenge you to come up with some of your own rules. They really need to be closely related to your weaknesses. This is likely where the enemy will attack you. For Keanu Reeves’ character, his weakness was vanity and the devil went after him there. What is yours?

Do you know where you are vulnerable after victory?

What can you do to protect yourself from attack in this area?

Have you already experienced this issue and can share about it?

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Are You Prepared?

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You are walking into a classroom and the teacher at the front of the room asks everyone to take a seat as she announces that she is handing out a test. Maybe it is a pop quiz or just a regular test that you forgot about. It really is irrelevant – you know you are not prepared. Immediately this sense of dread comes over you and you wonder what you will do. Then you wake up.

prepared

The Dream

I am sure you have had the dream. Everyone has likely had it at one time or another, in one form or another. Some even experience it as a recurring dream. It is certainly not a dream that you enjoy having because of that intense feeling of dread that always comes with a knot in the pit of your stomach.

Unless you just enjoy that feeling, you hate these dreams. The one thing you know you would hate even more than one of these dreams is for this to happen in real life. To face a test in real life, knowing that you are not at all prepared, is a scary thought.

Application?

Even if this is true, what does it have to do with Christian business owners and leaders?

Actually, this dream has a lot of application in the lives and businesses of Christian leaders. Before we discuss that, let’s first take a look at Scripture.

Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. – James 1:2-4

A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. – James 1:12

Testing Our Faith

If you are not familiar with the first chapter of James, then you need to take a couple of minutes right now and read it HERE. As you can see, James starts right out talking about trials and testing of our faith. Then, in verse 12 above, he mentions the reward we will see when we pass the test.

If you have taken the step of faith and committed your life to following Jesus, then you are not a stranger to trials or tests. As Christians, we face them all of the time. In some cases, these tests are small ones. Other times, the tests seem like they are going to crush us.

We Are Being Prepared

What I am not sure most Christians realize is that these trials and tests we face daily are actually meant to help us get prepared for future tests and trials! And those are designed to get us prepared for more tests in the more distant future. It goes on and on!

Final Goal

Look at James 1:4 again. James says that that final goal is for us to be mature and complete, not lacking anything. In Romans 8, Paul says that God’s goal for us is to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus. That is a tall order!

To be honest, I am not a Bible scholar and cannot tell you exactly what that means. I do think I understand that the general idea is that God is using the trials in this life to mold us to look more like Jesus.

If that is true, then we really should face our trials with joy, knowing they are moving us closer and closer to the end goal of looking more like Jesus. While it sounds crazy, this really should be our approach.

Pray To Be Fully Prepared

Let me add another facet to this idea. Following James’ instruction to consider these trials as joy is not our only responsibility. As hard as that is, I think there is a tougher step we can, and should, take. This step may seem unrealistic to you, but I am sincere in offering it as heartfelt advice.

I believe we should pray for God to expose us to the full extent of the trials He has in mind for us. While this sounds like asking for punishment, I actually see it as a sincere effort to be fully prepared for a future test.

Not To Be Found Short

Just like the dream I mentioned earlier, we all hate facing a test that we are not prepared to face. In the same way, I do not want to face a future test or trial for which I am not prepared. If the trial I am facing right now is meant to prepare me for that future test, then I want to go through the full preparation I can!

That means I want the full extent of this current trial so that I am not found short later. I want all the preparation He has in mind for me so I am ready for whatever lies ahead.

Does that make sense?

Prayer Changes, Too

If you understand my reasoning and agree with it, then this means your prayer life should likely change dramatically. Not only should it change your prayers involving the trials you are going through, but it should also change your prayers for others.

Rather than praying for God to lift suffering and stress from our lives, we should be praying that He gives us the strength to go through it. Rather than praying for relief, we should pray for endurance through the trial and understanding that we are being prepared for the future.

Application to Christian Business Leaders

Assuming you are still following me with this line of thinking, let’s quickly apply it to Christian business owners and leaders.

First, we will face many tests and trials in the course of trying to run a business. The world does not like Jesus and every effort we make at spreading the Gospel through our businesses will be met with serious opposition (think Chick-Fil-A). If we are going to face these trials, then we really need to be prepared for them.

Second, while these trials may not be any tougher on us than what others may face, our trials often have consequences that affect many more people. If we are diligent in facing these current trials with the mindset of being prepared for future ones, we will have greater impact for eternity on those around us.

Finally, if we will face these tests with joy as James instructs, those that are watching us today will gain hope. Whether we recognize it or not, people are watching. Whether we like it or not, we have a responsibility as Christ’s ambassadors to represent our King in the best way we can.

I am really interested in your response – what are your thoughts?

Can you see yourself praying for the full extent of a trial?

Have you already experienced this? Tell us about it.

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Where Are The Christian Leaders?

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How many of you are disillusioned by the overall lack of Christian leadership in our world today? Where are the Christian leaders? First of all, I recognize there are exceptions. Folks like Dan Cathy (CEO of Chick-Fil-A) are still out there standing up for what is right, but they are clearly the minority.

Even in our government and schools, there are exceptions. These are not the people I am talking about today. They are doing their part.

Christian leader

Where Are The Christian Leaders?

My question is really targeted at the Christian business leaders today. Why are there so few bold Christian leaders in the business world these days? Why is Dan Cathy’s stand so uncommon? What has kept potentially bold Christian leaders from stepping onto the field and making a difference for eternity?

I must confess I am not sure of the answers to these questions. It could be fear on several levels. Maybe it is uncertainty about what to do and how to do it. It could even be simple laziness. I really do not know.

What To Do About It?

The better question for us is this – what are we doing about it?

See, I get a lot of grief from my extended family because I really do not pay much attention to the news. I am frequently the last to know about things going on in the world around me. When I learn about current events, they are not so current!

Right or wrong, I am like this because I feel like it is mostly a waste of my time to watch things happen when I feel I have no opportunity to influence them. I would rather spend my time working on things I can impact. I would rather read or learn something that I can apply tomorrow in a way that impacts someone for eternity.

Get Intentional!

I am not advocating everyone boycott the news (necessarily), but I am saying we all need to spend more time intentionally becoming the people God created us to be. I do not believe God created us to be people who know all that is going on in the European economy, but are doing nothing here to impact people for their eternal life.

So…having said all of that…let’s get back to the question at hand:

What are we going to do about the lack of effective Christian leadership in the business world today?

We Are The Christian Leaders!

It is my humble recommendation that we do everything we can do to add one more Christian leader to our own surroundings – ourselves! We cannot shirk this responsibility and hope someone else sees the need. That has not worked so far!

No, instead we must become the most effective Christian leaders we can be with the talents and strengths God has given us. For some, you are in a position of leadership over hundreds or even thousands of people already. For others, you may be the only person under your leadership right now. For most, you are in between.

A Journey That Takes Time & Effort

We do not become effective Christian leaders by climbing on a desk and announcing to the world that we are finally ready to take on that role. No, the process of becoming effective in your Christian leadership is one that takes time and effort. In fact, there is seldom an announcement. More often it sneaks up on you after years of preparing.

Please remember that our model for this journey has never been on TV, has not written any books, and is without a social media platform. Those people that had waited generations for Him to take the helm as their leader instead rejected Him almost as quick as He opened His mouth to cast the vision. The ones that ended up following Him were mostly rejects themselves.

If you are up to the task, follow along with me for the next several posts. We are going to be looking at material from the C12 Group that will give us some basic building blocks of effective Christian leadership. While there is no silver bullet for becoming the leader God designed you to be, the building blocks I will share with you should get you headed in the right direction.

Are you on the path to becoming a Christian leader in your circles?

What are you doing to intentionally move down that path?

Can you give an example of a Christian leader you are modeling after?

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Broken Is Better!

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A friend of mine told me today that he is going to have a doctor take a look at his foot next week. Evidently, he has been experiencing pain for the past several years due to one of his toes being misaligned with the rest of his foot. As painful as that sounds, the solution sounds worse. To fix his problem, his foot will have to be broken and the toe realigned!

broken

My Business Is Broken

If you have been following this blog for the past few weeks, you may have noticed the several times I have mentioned the challenges I am facing in my business. I am not going to take the time to go into the details about the trouble I am experiencing. Instead, I am just going to say that my business, in a way, is broken.

I have lost two key members of our team and had to shift three others into new jobs. All this has taken place in the last 30 days. We are not in any significant danger, but we are certainly facing headwinds that make it tougher to see the bright side right now.

During all of this, my day-to-day role has changed dramatically. Rather than being in a position to cast the vision and guide the ship, I have had to move to the engine room to help with the basic operation of the business.

Temporary Limitations

The role change I have experienced is not life-threatening. In fact, there have been some benefits to getting involved at a deeper level in the operation. The problem is that I have not been able to spend the necessary time on the bigger picture issues where I believe God has called me to focus.

When I think about this picture in the short-term, it is easy to get frustrated. I know God has called me to impact people for eternity through this business. He gave me strengths and talents that can be used to accomplish this. Unfortunately, while I am knee-deep in the details of the day-to-day operation, I cannot operate in these strengths.

In the short-term, it looks like God is taking me out of the game. Is it possible He made a mistake in allowing our company to be broken?

Broken Foot

Let’s go back to my friend with the foot problem. The doctor is telling him that he has a solution to his problem. The solution is for his foot to be broken and the bones realigned. Then the doctor will put that broken foot in a special boot for six to eight weeks to heal.

If my friend goes through this process, he will wake up after the surgery being in worse shape than he was before the surgery. Activities that just caused a little pain before the surgery will now be impossible to do. His mobility will be much more limited for those six to eight weeks of healing than it was before the surgery.

Does that mean the doctor was wrong?

Long-term vs. Short-term

No! It is clear to all of us that my friend must look past the recovery period to see the reward. He is not going through this procedure for the short-term. His goal is to enjoy a long-term picture without the limiting pain he was experiencing before.

Folks, the same is true of my business. I cannot see into the future to know what God has in mind for my ministry through this business. I have no idea exactly what He is up to in allowing it to be broken for this time.

What I do know is that He is up to something. In the meanwhile, He is giving me peace and support from those around me that I have not experienced to this degree before.

What Is Broken Will Be Fixed

It is crystal clear to me that what is broken now will eventually be fixed. Not only that, but it will be better than it ever was for His purposes! I must suffer through the short-term limitations and frustrations just like my friend in the boot. However, when the pieces come back together, I believe our impact will increase exponentially!

One last point…our lives work the same way. Often, life throws us unexpected challenges. Things happen and we are broken in ways we never imagined.

While it is easy for us to lose hope and fall into desperation, we should instead press into God and have faith that He is going to put us back together. God is faithful to do it. Not only that, but we will be better after the surgery than before!

Has your business (or life) been broken?

Can you see the long-term benefit?

If you have been through this, will you share with us?

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What Is A Ministry Superstar?

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Recently, I wrote a post called, “How Do You Become A Ministry Superstar?” that generated a variety of responses. Some of the comments and responses questioned the idea of a “superstar” and the negative characteristics that are commonly associated with that term. In an effort to clarify my picture of a ministry superstar, I thought a follow-up post was in order. I hope the following will shed more light on how I see a ministry superstar.

ministry superstar

C12 Group Material

In my earlier post, I borrowed the following three characteristics of a ministry superstar from a talk given by Buck Jacobs, founder of the C12 Group. In this talk, Jacobs was trying to communicate the need for Christian business owners and leaders to step up and use their businesses as platforms for ministry. Here is how he described those who have done this in a huge way:

    1. Ministry Superstars have a God-focused company mission statement. These mission statements point to God as they clarify the reason for the existence of the company and serve as tools to aid in the decision-making process.

    2. Ministry Superstars lead! These stand-outs are not the type to stand back and wait for direction from someone else. They are intentional and choose to take action on their faith. You will not find mere pew-warmers in this group!

    3. Ministry Superstars have an intimate, daily quiet time with God. Someone that fits in this category does not allow dust to accumulate on their Bible. They are so in tune with God because they are intentional about reading and studying the Bible and spending time in prayer every day.

What Other Qualities?

Assuming this is a valid list of characteristics, what type of person do you think you will find in this group? If these qualities are present to a fairly high degree in the members of this group, what other qualities do you think you will find?

Well, this is not an exact science, but I have an idea of what other qualities I think we would find. We are looking at a group of individuals who spend daily time reading and studying the Bible, truly seeking to do God’s will in their lives. As a result, the odds are high that these people recognize the need to follow the example of Jesus (1 John 2:6).

Other Ministry Superstar Traits

Following that logic, let’s take a look at the rest of the traits we could use to describe these ministry superstars.

1. They have an eternal perspective (John 6:27).

2. They submit to the Holy Spirit to seek and save that which is lost (Luke 19:10).

3. They are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

4. They are obedient – fulfilling the Great Commission and the Greatest Commandments.

5. They come to serve, not to be served (Matthew 20:28).

Though this is not an exhaustive list, I think you can get a good picture of what a ministry superstar looks like. We are not (necessarily) talking about someone in the limelight with media attention focused on their ministry.

No, these people that we are describing could be business owners with just a handful of employees or they could have thousands. The size or fame of their ministry activity is totally irrelevant! It is more about their effort and activity in relation to their God-given potential.

Willing To Trade

A true ministry superstar understands that this life is a small segment of their eternal existence. They are willing to trade immediate reward for eternal treasure. They accept that, while still on earth, the following may or may not result from their Christian ministry:

    1. Recognition, here and now.

    2. Prosperity, here and now.

    3. Friends / Reputation, here and now.

    4. Rest / Comfort, here and now.

While any (or all) of these results may occur for the ministry superstars during their life here on earth, these are not their focuses or goals.

Ministry Superstar’s Ultimate Goal

The ultimate goal of a Ministry Superstar is really only one thing. It is one simple phrase spoken by Jesus when telling one of his many parables.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” – Matthew 25:21

Do you consider yourself to be on the path to becoming a Ministry Superstar?

If not, what parts are you missing?

Do you know a ministry superstar from whom you can learn?