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Now that we have positioned ourselves to hear God’s instruction, and discovered the purposes of God in His call to more, we can begin to explore His process for planning. I feel the need to share – here at the beginning – that God’s way for planning is not like anything you may have experienced in the world.
There are many ways that the kingdom of God is contrary to the world (e.g., love your enemies, the greater serve the lesser). Planning is one of those things. In fact, planning as we know it – work breakdown structures, contingencies, etc. – have no place in the kingdom of God.
This is a hard thing for a process-oriented problem solver to share. I love planning. Task lists are my thing. It is hard letting go of what you are good at.
That is why, when God called me to the more of Workplace Ministry, the first thing I had to die to was my propensity to create and own the process. At first, I thought God’s issue with me was my desire to own and control. While that was something He would deal with, the bigger consideration was the method of planning itself. Read the rest of this entry »
You are not making disciples if the disciples you think you are making are not, themselves, making disciples.
I have been communicating this word of encouragement for years now. Someone finally challenged me on it – his conviction being that making disciples is reserved for a select group of Christians, that have been given a select group of gifts.
As I understand it, his concern is that I am encouraging disciple makers to expect others to pursue areas of giftedness that God does not have for them. I highly respect this man’s opinion and concern; and recognize that others may share it.
Our conversation has caused me to reexamine my position. I hope you will consider the following.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
The Great Commission means a lot of different things to different people. Some haven’t thought much about it. Others have assumed that their teachers and preachers were experts in its meaning.
I don’t expect you will make that mistake with me. In fact, I strongly encourage you to consider the meaning for yourself. Does our Lord’s commission – given with all authority in heaven and on earth – apply to you (and to everyone you are discipling)? Read the rest of this entry »
God showed Himself faithful and in charge, in 2016. Of course, this has always been the case; He was just more obvious about this past year.
- God handed the Spanish version of The Map Maker over to the Betania Baptist Church for publishing and distribution in Ecuador.
- God sent me to Ecuador to encourage and train Pastors and Workplace Leaders in Workplace Ministry; and surprisingly assigned me to serve as Dr. James Long’s dental assistant while I was there.
- God used Adam Simpson (and his team) to create a Farsi audio production of The Map Maker parable, Somebody’s Adventure – to encourage and edify Workplace Leaders in the Middle East.
- God sent me to Jordan to serve Syrian refugees, with the most dynamically loving church I have ever experienced. Please call me if you would like to hear more.
- God assigned another book project – The Lost Foundations. This has included online teaching and video recording of the lessons – something new for inLight.
I am confident that God is using each of these assignments to advance His kingdom in ways beyond our imagination. He is also using this ministry to shape the lives of Workplace Leaders literally across the globe, through our connections on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Locally, leaders in whom we are investing are making disciples that are making disciples – the most exciting thing to me.
Please be in prayer for the items above; that they would continue to bear fruit for our Father’s kingdom.
I hope to return to Ecuador and the Middle East in 2017, finish The Lost Foundations project, and become more active encouraging, edifying and equipping Workplace Leaders through social media. We will, of course, continue to focus on our local mission field – discipling those that God has placed in positions of authority for His kingdom.
Please pray for God to fill us with wisdom and spiritual understanding, that we might please and glorify Him in every good work. Read the rest of this entry »
I recently heard a successful business owner share his heart for his employees, and what he was doing to better understand who they were as people. One thing stood out to me: This owner’s heart was for their success – and not just success in their vocation.
This owner wanted to know how they defined success in the whole of their life – vocation, family, and personal/spiritual health. He also wanted to know what he could do to help them.
His comments got me wondering what our businesses (and church organizations) might look like if they were truly mission fields – and not just to the “customers”, but to the employees, as well.
Think about that for a minute.
Don’t be frightened by the prospect until you have considered it before God. Is He not your CEO? Does He not have access to cattle on a thousand hills? Is He not looking to and fro to show Himself strong on behalf of those that will be loyal to Him?
It will help to acknowledge that He is infinitely wise with His resources. If He truly owns “your” company, He will see to its success.
How does God measure the success of His company in regards to employee relations, if not by the way we love those He has brought under our leadership?
In his book, The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, John C. Maxwell encourages us: “… the best leaders desire to serve others, not themselves.” Servant Leaders lead in service toward others.
Workplace Ministry Tip: Every godly leader has the desire in their heart to serve others in their spheres of influence. Surrender to that desire and the Lord will give it to you (Psalm 37:4). In the process you will become the best leader you can possibly be.
Ask God to reveal the desire He has placed in your heart for your employees. Remember, He is a process-oriented problem solver, who will direct your steps in this adventure. Start with those that report directly to you.
Once you show them you care about their success – in their whole life – bring them into the adventure. Encourage and enable them to serve those under their leadership. Contact me (rob@inlightconsulting.com) if I can help you become one of the best leaders.
Humbly yours and forever His,
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. John 14:12
Have you ever wondered: Where are the “greater works” that God has made possible for His children? What must we do to walk in them?
Many will say that faith is the issue; the lack thereof. The greater works are for all who believe in Jesus. So, what then do we make of the faith of a mustard seed moving a mountain?
Are those that claim to believe simply deceived about their faith? Or, is something else contributing to our lack of greater works?
As we explore this possibility, keep in mind that God is raising up Christians in the workplace to be disciple makers and transformation agents – to lead others into this life. Furthermore, Jesus has given pastors and teachers, as gifts to the church, to encourage and equip them for this ministry.
So, how does a leader in the workplace (and the pastors/teachers leading them) become transformation agents?
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2Corinthians 3:18
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
No one can be an agent of transformation without first experiencing the transformative work of the Holy Spirit, through the renewal of their mind.
Many times, the gap between our hearing and doing greater works exists because we do not participate with the Holy Spirit in His renewal work. Consequently, the faith that comes from the word of God gets stuck in our hearts, failing to come alive in the greater works of faith.
So, how do we actively participate with our Transformer – the Holy Spirit? Read the rest of this entry »
Roughly ten years ago, God pushed me out of the corporate workplace; and stirred a desire in my heart to help Christian leaders find joyful, Spirit-filled ministry. Of course, I wanted to know how He expected that to happen. He told me:
Surrender to My purpose;
Sacrifice for My plan; and,
Submit to My power.
I did not realize it at the time, but later discovered that this process is found in Psalm 37.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37:4-6
God has placed a desire for joyful, Spirit-filled ministry in the heart of every Christian. That ministry may manifest through a pastor, business owner, elected official, teacher, homemaker, etc. It may look as expected (e.g., leading a church, running a business); and it may include rescuing unborn children, feeding the homeless, taking the gospel to the nations, etc. The common denominators are: God’s promise to give us these desires; and – now this is important – our being soft in the LORD (the literal meaning of “delight”). In other words, we must surrender to His purpose in the desires of our heart.
Furthermore, for God to give us the desires of our heart, we must turn over our plans (i.e., way) to Him; trusting Him to do what He desires with them. As followers of Jesus Christ, we can expect to encounter sacrifice – even suffering (Philippians 2:5-8); for His plan is as much about our transformation as it is about our desires (2Corinthians 3:18). Trusting Him in this way marks us as His heir (Romans 8:17). Read the rest of this entry »
It occurs to me that the lack of margin in our lives is more than a threat to our business, family and personal lives. It is one of the greatest threats to the body of Christ. Why are most Christians trapped in stale and unfruitful ministry? Because they do not have time to consider their spiritual growth; much less, make the changes necessary for it to actually happen.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2Corinthians 3:18
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
There is no time for transformation, so we resist it; much to our harm, and the harm of those in our spheres of influence. We are being conformed to the world by our worldly thinking. What has happened to us?
Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.'” Jeremiah 6:16
It seems we have lost the old ways. We have been slowly deceived into thinking that progress and promotion in the world is more important than our transformation into the very image of the glory of Jesus. How could we be so foolish?
As leaders in the workplace, it is time we set the right example for those in our spheres of influence. If we won’t lead them, how much more deceived with the church in America become? It is a sobering and fearful thought. Someone has to make the break. Why not us?
If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to deliver us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9
God has a purpose and plan for delivering each one of us from the overload we have allowed in our lives. Seek and you will find; ask and it will be given to you.
Workplace Ministry Tip: Ask the LORD to search your heart regarding this issue of overload. Start with Psalm 139:23-24. Lay hold of the desire God has put in your heart for the margin needed to grow in Christ Jesus. Contact me, at rob@inlightconsulting.com, if I can be of assistance.
Humbly yours and His forever,
God has a way for everything – including a Workplace Leader’s relationship with his employees. There have been many books – both secular and Christian – written on the subject. We read so much, sometimes we lose track of the more basic. As a quick reminder, consider these simple, but critical, principles:
The principle of making disciples: The Christian Workplace Leader should recognize that every person they hire is someone that God wants to use them (the leader) to disciple. No, this does not (necessarily) mean you have to spend 90 minutes a week with them in formal Biblical training. It does mean that, as the leader, you are responsible, in the workplace, for their spiritual growth.
The principle of peace: Peace in the workplace is evidence of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Even in the trial and tribulation of termination, the peace of God that transcends all understanding should be present – particularly in the leader. Furthermore, the leader is responsible for keeping the peace in the workplace; protecting the environment from unnecessary inhibitors to the Holy Spirit’s supernatural peace.
The principle of hope: Every employee should know where lasting hope is to be found – even those that are not followers of Jesus Christ. They need to learn that true hope is not found in their job or their paycheck. No one should leave your company without knowing, from you, this eternal truth. As you might imagine, it is best not to wait until their termination to share what you believe.
Workplace Ministry Tip: Reexamine your management policies and procedures in light of these principles. Make the necessary changes, and train your management team in their implementation. Inspect what you expect.
Contact me, at rob@inlightconsulting.com, if I can be of assistance.
Humbly yours and His forever,
All followers of Jesus Christ eventually recognize that there is a fierce battle being waged for the kingdom of God. It is the responsibility of Leaders in the Workplace to wade into the battle with truth, faith and courage; while encouraging others to do the same. God has promised to go before them, and be their rear guard.
The Scriptures hold great encouragement in regards to the battle preparations that have already been made, as well as the weapons that have been provided for our participation. There is nothing to fear. Those that answer the call to war will discover that David’s Mighty Men are but a shadow of what God has empowered us to be as His Mighty Men, Women and Children.
This lesson explores the Bible’s great encouragements for those engaged in the battle, and God’s way for fighting our enemies. Read the rest of this entry »
… that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him… that you may know… what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places… Ephesians 1:17-20
God intends to exercise His mighty power toward those that believe. Think about that for a minute. We are talking about the same power that He exercised in raising Jesus Christ from the dead! Who in their right mind would ignore such an offer – the exceeding great power of God in their personal, family and work life?
This leads us to a couple of important questions: Why aren’t we seeing more of God’s power in the Workplace? What can we do as Leaders in the Workplace to experience that power in our spheres of influence?
In this lesson, we will explore two sources of God’s power for ministry in the Workplace: Unity and prayer. Both are particularly important in our efforts to make disciples God’s way. Both may be familiar topics. My prayer is that you will not allow your familiarity to get in the way of God’s encouragement to you for the power that can be found in them.
It is the desire of His heart for you to walk in His power for ministry in the Workplace. He has put that desire in your heart, as well. Let’s go find it! Read the rest of this entry »
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