Life is loud! So many things shout for your attention; work, friends, news, noise.
But if you want peace, you have to slow down. You need to make space for the one voice that truly matters: God’s voice.
He is speaking all the time. The real question is: Are you listening?
The Practice of Listening
To hear God, you must be still.
Think about all the things you might miss because you are not quiet enough.
You have to cut out the noise of life. Sometimes, this means removing distractions, even if they aren’t evil.
Your heart needs to be ready to hear from Him. You should pray: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
We must make this our daily posture. Give yourself margin, and you will find that God is personal and right there. Maybe for you it’s a walk. Or a chair. Or a few quiet minutes before the house wakes up. The place matters less than the posture.
We see Jesus’ routine in Mark 1:35, “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”
Say “Yes Sir” Before You Understand
Once you hear His voice, the next step is simple: listen and obey.
Obedience means caring more about doing what God asks than understanding why He asked it. You trust the Creator of everything and respond with obedience.
When you hear His voice, the only answer needed is, “Yes Sir!”
You must trust Him, even when the instruction makes no sense. This deep obedience is what truly matters.
The Bible tells us to trust Him with our whole lives: “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:6.
When we listen and obey, we build a deeper relationship. Jesus said: “You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:14.
You can trust God completely because His way’s better. He is able “to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20.
The Gifts of the King
When you allow Jesus to be your King, and you simply listen and obey, you discover immense joy and freedom. This simple way of life is so much more full.
The Holy Spirit brings gifts of peace and joy. Jesus wants your joy to be full.
He said: “Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” John 16:24. He also promised: “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:11.
When you walk with God, He gives you peace that sustains you, even when life is hard.
You don’t have to obsess over rules and boundaries when you’re focused on following Him. You feel safe and sound in His love.
This life is like a race. Run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus.
The best gift is simply more of His presence. It’s better than anything else. Walking with Jesus is where true freedom is found. When you are fully satisfied in the Lord, you feel set free!
Explore the Solomon Foundation Conference’s powerful insights on living purposefully: from shaping a lasting spiritual legacy and fostering meaningful relationships to mastering effective listening and understanding financial stewardship. Discover practical wisdom from all the notes from this year’s conference!
Ken Idleman – VP and Relationship Manager
No matter how old you are, it’s not time to let go.
Renew your commitment to live a legacy.
Live a spiritual legacy. Right now you are determining your legacy. It’s not the last 5th of our lives, it’s right now.
“Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.” Psalms 92:14 NLT
“But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.” Philippians 1:22 NLT
If alive and breathing, God is not finished with you yet. Live your life now to leave a spiritual legacy.
What’s the most important legacy you can leave? Is it money and trophies or the intangibles that define your most significant legacy?
We live our lives day by day, as for me, character, conviction, compassion, and church.
Character
“Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.” Proverbs 22:1 NLT
Humility and integrity.
Humility. Ex of Jesus born in the small town of Bethlehem and buried in a borrowed tomb.
Do you exude and communicate humility? In speech, in posts, in actions, and in reactions.
Integrity- who you are when no one is looking
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NLT
Do you consistently tell the truth?
“So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.” Ephesians 4:25 NLT
Right now, are you keeping secrets?
More than ever people care about their appearance but hide.
Convictions
Joshua declared choose this day who you will serve but as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.
“Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:2 NLT
Teach our convictions by both precept and example.
Asking each grandchild on your deathbed, “Will you meet me there?”
The world calls right wrong and wrong right. Marriage has been redefined and bathrooms reassigned.
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12 NLT
Jesus was moved by compassion and followed compassion by His deeds and acts.
Bob Goff, Love Does
Take your grandkids to the rescue mission to serve. Enlarge the hearts of your church.
Church –
“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.” Acts of the Apostles 20:28 NLT
When parents and grandparents are all in, children will get there in time. Often it’s a grandparent who influences a child spiritually. The kids who stayed faithful through college often had faithful grandparents who were involved and committed to the local church.
Rosenberg Book – Join the Club. How do you get people to live healthier lives? People don’t change by desire, information, or guilt but people change and grow through community. The people we choose to spend time with impacts who we become and the legacy we leave.
Scott Taube – VP and Relationship Manager
Cruise Communion. Not autopilot.
When our church gathers we get a chance to lift Jesus high. Not for tradition’s sake but to lift Jesus high. No autopilot but a place to meet Jesus. We do it every week but can do it every day.
Worthy – of value.
Is there anyone else who is worth it? No, not one.
Focus on worth. Jesus, you are worthy. Without you nothing. Not even hope. With Jesus all things.
Doug Crozier – The Importance of Relationships
The DNA of TSF is all about relationships first.
Help everyone you can. Yes, first leadership. The biggest risk in a church loan is not running out of money but moral and/or leadership failure.
How’s the eldership structure? Different models work just to understand the rules. A leadership meltdown is when the senior pastor and elders don’t agree. Have the processes written to determine who is in charge and how to process disagreements between the lead pastor and the elder board?
TSF invests almost $1 million each year to keep great relationships in place. They partner with some of the top organizations in the US.
1 As the talker, how did you feel about yourself when you were talking and your partner wasn’t listening to you?
2 As the talker, how did you feel about your partner who wasn’t listening to you?
3 As the non-listener, how did you feel about yourself when you weren’t paying attention?
Wasting time. Worthless. Rude
4 As the non-listener, how did you feel about your partner who was trying to talk while you were ignoring them?
Indifferent.
Not mouthing words back. Your cell phone can do this. More than an inanimate object.
B The STABLE body position more than triples your listening effectiveness.
S = Squarely face the other person
T= Tip your head occasionally
A = Activate your facial expressions
B = Bring a barrier-free focus
L = Lean forward
E = Engage your eye contact
“The distance between the speaker and the listener communicates the depth of the conversation.”
Move from 25% to 75% retention.
Quieter the second time because people actually listening. Loud homes don’t have good listeners.
2 ways to stay in control and still show respect.
Give them the rules; answer honestly.
Meet them standing up. Standing vs sitting is 4x in length.
2. Secret #2: Ask More Brave Questions.
Don’t pretend like nothing happened. Ask braver questions. 7 years and 25 years are divorce pain points because you stop asking real and brave questions. Not how’s your stake. Keep relationships close for the long haul.
Ask questions that make a difference in life. What’s been the happiest moment in your life?
Make a list of brave questions.
Go beyond the superficial.
Questions for a team:
What do you like about working here?
What do we do that inspires you?
How do I get in the way of you doing your job?
How to ask questions and listen for responses. Who would you like to have a stronger relationship with?
How can you use brave questions to have better conversations with them?
a. Brave Questions start with the five W’s or the one H. Who, what, when, where, why, and how.
b. Characteristics of a Brave Question
1 Questions that go deeper than informal chit chat. Questions that cannot be answered by one word like “yes” or “no”
2 Questions that make each of you think. The answer may not be right on the tip of your tongue.
3 Questions that reveal more information than normal. Questions that reveal answers you don’t already know.
4 Questions that might be a little risky to ask and a little risky to answer in the sense that they encourage more openness and transparency than everyday conversation.
3. Secret #3: Use Empathic Listening.
A. Warmth: You choose to bring an attitude of acceptance and understanding to the conversation, no matter how you feel or how busy you might be.
B. Focus: Keep the focus on the speaker until he or she is fully finished. Don’t bring the focus back to yourself too quickly, saying such things as “that reminds me of…” or “let me tell you about…” / Communicate they are valuable. It’s not about you.
Book: Contact the first 4 minutes
Don’t be awkward in the first 4 minutes.
Listen vs hear. Listen is psychological and based on a decision. Some people are too selfish to listen.
C. Positive reinforcement: Encourage the other person to keep on talking by saying such things as “Yes … uh huh … I see” and using the nonverbal STABLE behaviors.
D. Question-asking: Minimize your use of questions that can be answered by one word such as “yes” or “no.” Ask questions that start with “what, when, why, who, where, and how.”
E. Paraphrasing: Rephrase the speaker’s key points by saying something like “what I’m hearing you say is…” or “if I understand you correctly…”
F. Matched intensity: If the other person is concerned, you show concern. If the other person is lighthearted, keep it lighthearted. You don’t necessarily show the same emotion as the other person but you want to match the intensity of his/her emotion.
4. Listening Exercise
A. Select a discussion partner. Decide who will be the Empathic Listener and who will be the Speaker.
B. If you are the Empathic Listener, ask your partner one of the following Brave Questions. If none of the questions interest or suit you, feel free to ask your own Brave Question.
1) What was one of your greatest learning experiences in life?
2) If you could change anything in your work/world, what would you change? Why?
3) What goals or dreams do you hope to accomplish in the next 5 to 10 years?
4) What gives you the biggest headache as a pastor or as a person? The biggest joy?
5) What are the occasions in your life you were the happiest? Describe them.
C. If you are the Empathic Listener, make a conscious effort to use all 6 of the empathic listening skills.
Way better than correcting listening behavior is reinforcing when they do it right.
Little known formula.
Multiplied by your willingness to.
Willingness.
Be careful of your expectations.
You treat people exactly as you see them.
The way you treat people impacts their response.
True story: Locker numbers versus believing it was their IQ.
Rosenthal: sputters or sluggers?
Boss: You’re a gift or you’re a screwup.
Have a great to have you on board mentality.
What’s the hardest type of people for you to listen to? How can you show more willingness to listen?
Resource special available on the cruise:
1) Book: The Payoff Principle: Discover the 3 Secrets for Getting What You Want Out of Life and Work
2) Book: Brave Questions: How to Build Stronger Relationships by Asking All the Right Questions
3) Book: PIVOT: How One Turn in Attitude Can Lead to Success
4) 88-minute DVD: From Vision to Payoff
Speaking and coaching information: Call or email Dr. Z
When I ask you to listen, listen. Hear me.
Jerry Harris
Publisher The Christian Standard
The Restoration Movement / Independent Christian Church
Book: Creatures of Habit by Steve Poe
Gatherings for those without a network. Understanding the peculiarities of leading a very large independent church.
1801 Cain Ridge Revival.
John 17 – Jesus’ Prayer
1 Truth. Sanctify them in truth. Your word is truth.
2 Unity. That they may be one.
These two points are held in tension with one another. One without the other leads to falsehood.
3 Evangelism. So that the world will know.
Everything else is downstream from this. 60x baptism is talked about and every time it’s connected to salvation. Do Bible things in Bible ways and call them by Bible names.
Communion weekly. Acts church example of when they meet together.
The things we argue about, we can debate, because the Bible is the word of God and Jesus had called us to build bridges. The restoration movement was created not to be a group of churches but a way of thinking and believing regardless of the title you place on the church.
Nondenominational churches were 2% 50 years ago now 13%. Southern Baptists are 10%. Nondenominational churches are now the majority.
1801 second great awakening at Cane Ridge. 15% of the American population went to church and then after this 50%. The source of The restoration movement was Cane Ridge Church. All authority in the church is local. We can have different opinions. It’s up to the local elders of the church. We are that God’s word is truth and we as brothers and sisters can go to the word.
If we fight with each other the world looks at us as a joke. We have to learn to be united.
Darren taught Solomon of the 600,000 brothers and sisters of color in the restoration movement.
David Johnson baptized many.
Fred Gray. Pivotal role in the civil rights movement. Fred is a pastor who convinced Rosa Parks to sit in the front row.
Unity matters. Unity doesn’t mean agreement. We can disagree agreeably.
Nations University.
The Christian Chronicle.
God is opening doors in the restoration movement.
We don’t have to give up an inch of ground to create unity.
ChristianStandard.Com free – empowers churches and leaders to have what they need. News in the movement. Best practices. Digital database of the Christian Church. Resources for communion meditations. 1717 studies Sunday school material. Christian Standard can use our help.
Doug Crozier – The Powers of Partnerships.
Intro: Doug sees potential in your church that you didn’t even see yourself. A franchise player. Give him the ball and he will either make the shot or pass it to someone who will make the shot. Uses finances to build the kingdom.
Who is the Solomon Foundation?
We are a church extension fund exclusively serving the restoration movement church.
90% of churches in America can not get a bank loan. Banks don’t understand churches as well as not wanting to foreclose on God.
In 1995 there were only 6-10 churches in the restoration movement over 1000. Today 320+ over 1000. Build it and they will come.
We want to build relationships with churches and their leaders. When looking at a church for a loan TSF starts with the pastor, the eldership, and the structure.
It is more than lending money, we are here to help when needed. The bottom line is we are here to help the church get to the next step. Banks want a return on their investment.
TSF CORE VALUES
Honor God
Help people come to know Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior
Help our investors get a great rate of return
Help churches get to the next step
Have fun!
We are more than a lender:
Creativity
Networking
Resources
Partnerships
Coaching
Visit the church that just built what you are exploring and learn what they did wrong.
Granting is part of our DNA.
TSF has granted out to churches and pats church organizations over $13 million in 12 years. TSF plans 1.2m granting back this year.
OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTHS
Only the 4th CEF to go over $1 billion in total assets and will be #3 within the next year or two.
Fastest-growing CEF in American history.
Exceptional financial track record
Met all regulatory requirements since we started 13 years ago
TSF will probably be the 3rd largest later this year. No FDIC but all 50 states are auditing them. Audit in March. Legal counsel files in all 50 states. 4-month process. We want the best. Not a mom-and-pop shop audit. High level of accountability.
Our financial strength
Managing liquidity well
Exceptional loan portfolio and performance
TSF has funded some of the fastest-growing churches in America
TSF is not about rate chasers, they are looking for long-term partners. 400 loans in books. 850 loans in history. Less than 10 loans are struggling.
TOTAL ASSETS GROWTH
Total Asset Growth in 2023 of $68 million
Annual Growth In 2023 was over 6%
Exponential Growth over the last 12 years
Loan Growth
Closed 90 new loans, completed 8 internal ref’s, and completed 45 maturities in 2023
Funded almost $136 million in 2023
Current Loan Pipeline of over $285 million
62 projects in process
We have funded over 400 churches
We have funded over 850 loans in our history
INVESTOR GROWTH 2023
Over 7,200 investors
Over 11,200 accounts
Almost $970 million on deposit
Equity Update:
Approximately $74 million of equity
Capital Ratio is approx. 6%
Completed over 35 Gift/Leasebacks
LIQUIDITY
Approximately $60 million in cash
Another $60 million in investments
Liquidity Ratio approximately 8%+
$101 million lines of credit
$73 million balance
Goal to raise more funds to build churches and pay down line of credit.
PLANNED GIVING
TSF Is a 509A
We developed a planned giving strategy in 2021
$100 million goal in 5 years and over $30 million to date.
Donor-advised fund. Planned giving.
Exponential Church Growth
Real Life Ministries – Idaho
242 Community Church – Michigan
Ekklesia Christian Church – South Carolina
242 was the only church in fasting growing churches in America 7 years in a row.
Matt Wilson will probably be fastest fastest-growing in the third century.
UPCOMING BIG BOXES
Real Life Ministries, Tomball, TX (Houston)
The Faith Center, Tucker, GA (Atlanta)
Trace Church, Colorado Springs, CO
COMMITMENT TO AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH OF CHRIST
Over 80 loans for over $120 million.
Over $100 million funded
Overall commitment is $200 million.
THE SOLOMON CENTRE
Home of TSF
Partnership with SECC
Largest Food Bank in South Denver – SECOR
CASA
Lifeline
Southeast Counseling Center
Triad
A Generous Legacy
The 20x factor
Capital ratio. 5% chaotically ratio of assets.
Equity – your partnership makes equity available allowing us to grow the kingdom 20x.
Lend 20x.
5% capital
100m equity to be built.
2b can be lended. Helping 1000 churches.
What we offer:
Donor-advised funds. 6-7% plus funding churches and ministries.
Designated funds
Field of interest funds.
Partner with TSF to grow God’s kingdom.
Kingdom builder. Minimum 250k. 6.75% for 4 years.
GREAT PROGRAMS
Certificates for 6 months, 1, 3, 5, 7, & 10 year
IRA Rollovers, New IRAs, SEPs
403(b) for churches
Donor Advised Funds
Currently 7200 investors.
Kingdom Impact.
Over 180,000 more people in church every Sunday.
Over 75,000 baptisms.
2023 Big Goal
Raise 300m (previously 150 was the highest raised).
Renew Your Mind and Your Mouth
Dr. Alan R Zimmerman
You were born to win but conditioned to fail.
Example of a huge elephant and a small rope.
Barracuda with a market smashing the glass over and over until conditioned to fail.
Through exposure to repeated negative comments.
Through exposure to repeated negative examples.
You unconsciously adopted the negative.
An average parent tells their preschooler 434 negative comments daily and about 10 positive.
TV today vs TV a couple of decades ago. We drift so far. It’s no longer shocking. We adapt to this new normal.
Over time, you may have subtly gotten addicted to the negative, started telling yourself Mind Binders, and acted accordingly.
Don’t feed yourself mind binders!
I can’t remember names. If I agree to pay $100 per name you would. You can always remember names you just don’t have the motivation.
Are you in good shape? Not really. Injured? No.
Behavioral congenital.
Arm out to the side. Thumb down. Push your arm down. Negative thoughts. The body reacts. Close eyes. I’m a child of God, empowered by the Lord.
Book: Your Body Doesn’t Lie.
Nobody cares.
I’m not good enough.
I can’t remember names.
I can’t do it.
I’m self-conscious.
I can’t take any more of this.
I can’t lose weight.
God is not pleased with me.
I don’t think I’ll ever…
I’ll never get ahead.
I’m not strong enough.
I’m too old to change.
I can’t help but worry.
I don’t like my job.
If I don’t do well, I’m a failure.
I’m not very good at speaking.
I’m not as smart as a lot of people.
I should be better than I am.
I just can’t seem to get going in the morning.
I have a poor memory. I keep forgetting things.
I’ve got too much work to do. I’ll never get finished.
I can’t seem to save any money.
I don’t seem to have much patience.
I don’t have the energy or enthusiasm.
I’m over the hill and past my prime.
I’m a failure because I don’t see the fruit I see in other churches.
I’ve always been this way. That’s just the way I was raised.
I just have to settle for what I have. Things aren’t going to get any better.
I get nervous around strangers. I can’t think of things to talk to people about.
e. Behavioral kinesiology shows the connection between our words and our behaviors.
Displacement Principle: You can’t have two thoughts in the same mind at the same moment.
The more positive thoughts you put into your mind, the more negative thoughts get pushed out.
3 How to RENEW your mind. (or defeat Mind Binders)
Put in great scriptures!
Problem vs Blessing Method. The positive but.
I’ve lost my job BUT…
My hearing is poor BUT…
Either focus on the problem or the blessing.
a. Remember, you can change who you are, where you are, and what you are by changing what goes into your mind.
b. Use the displacement principle. Put in healthy Biblical thoughts.
c. Affirm yourself.
d. Use the positive “but” to counteract the negative. Use the problem versus the Blessing method.
4. How To RENEW your mouth.
Life and death in the power of the tongue.
3M study. 9x as many negatives in the workplace.
Takes 7 positives to overcome 1 negative.
7 compliments for each criticism.
COMPLAINTS – “You can do a 100 things right and not hear a darn thing about it.”
No one says they can’t stand their job anymore all they hear is compliments.
When you go home at night how do you react? CEOs watch TV and have a drink.
When was the last time you watched TV and felt good about yourself?
Even the weather is a 20% chance of rain not an 80% chance of sun. Negative.
Become aware of Killer Statements
Killer Statements communicate “I don’t believe in you, or your ideas, or your potential.” They include such statements as:
Get real.
Our church is different.
That’s not our responsibility.
That’s not my job.
We’re too busy to do that.
It’s too big of a change.
We don’t have enough help.
We’ve never done that before.
Things aren’t that bad around here.
These people are never going to change.
If it weren’t for some of those elders.
God would never bless that.
Why change it? It’s still working.
You’re right, but…
We’re not ready for that.
We could never raise enough money to…
It isn’t in the budget.
It’s more trouble than it’s worth.
That’s not practical.
Let’s give it more thought.
We’ll pray about it (when it is used as a stalling technique)
What would people think?
We’re getting by without it.
That’s what you can expect from those people.
It’s never been tried before.
Let’s form a committee.
People won’t like it.
It won’t work here.
What you’re really saying is… (followed by a negative analysis)
We don’t have the money, equipment, room or personnel.
Has anyone else ever tried it?
That sounds good in theory, but…
It’s impossible.
We’ve always done it this way.
Let me think about that, and I’ll get back to you (and then they never do).
Which Killer Statements have you heard before?
Heard most frequently?
Most demoralizing, disruptive?
Challenge to say zero killer statements in the next meeting.
Volunteer to hold both arms out and instructor push down. 3rd party thinks negative thoughts for 30 seconds. Instructor try again.
Then the whole crowd had negative thoughts but the instructor whispered positive thoughts. 30 seconds. Repeat in your head, you’re a child of the most high king.
Second example.
Send a person out of the room and close the doors. What if you don’t know their thoughts and their thinking? Test arms for strength. Ask questions. As an example of negative. Born think in your head she is a jerk. Job thinks she’s great. Private thoughts, do they impact the person?
The subconscious mind is a processor and not a truth detector.
Matthew 5:21-22 message.
MOUTH WASH
If you can’t go 24 hours without a … you’re addicted to …
Learn to STOP yourself.
If you say things you wish you hadn’t, even if you ask forgiveness, they’ll always remember.
c. How to renew your mouth by defeating Killer Statements
Be an Actor, not a Reactor.
Do not catch the other person’s disease.
I don’t let him decide how I’m going to behave.
Why do you treat him nicely when he treats you poorly? I’m an actor, not a reactor. I don’t let him decide how I’m going to behave. I won’t be a jerk when someone else is. Holy Spirit filled people don’t react.
Don’t allow negativity to take over.
“No matter what you say or do to me, I’m still a worthwhile person.” Neutralize negativity by remembering your identity in Christ.
Resource special available on the cruise:
Book: The Payoff Principle: Discover the 3 Secrets for Getting What You Want Out of Life and Work
Book: Brave Questions: How to Build Stronger Relationships by Asking All the Right Questions
Book: PIVOT: How One Turn in Attitude Can Lead to Success
88-minute DVD: From Vision to Payoff
Watch your thoughts.
They become words.
Watch your words.
They become actions.
Watch your actions.
They become habits.
Watch your habits.
They become character.
Watch your character.
It becomes your destiny.
Steve Cuss
Discovery Christian Church in Broomfield Colorado.
Taking charge can be a spiritual gift or a mark of anxiety and a desire to take control.
If you don’t want to speak, stop speaking and look at someone. They will often speak up.
What if I make a mistake? This year you’ll make plenty of mistakes.
When I don’t know what to do, I feel stupid. When I feel stupid, I feel exposed and like everyone is looking to me.
Do I feel responsible for everyone’s experiences? When I see you yawn, I feel responsible.
Chronic people pleaser, I get anxious if I’m not pleasing everyone. When feeling fluttered you become disconnected with yourself. And you get disconnected from people. You get disconnected from your awareness of God. Anxiety puts you in a false reality.
You learn and grow through mistakes. There is no manual. Notice anxiety rising. Instead of catching it, you put anxiety back where it belongs. Be a connected presence with people in the worst moments of their life. Define yourself in the moment. Ask, do you want to catch your breath instead of reactive?
Being managed by anxiety vs managing it.
The space in me
The space between me and the other
The space inside the other
The space between others
2 The pattern of a fight is often the same but the pattern is boringly predictable. It can be mapped like a chess game.
3 People pleasers. Thinking what were they thinking? Worry for someone else to change their behavior.
4 Pastors often in this space. I can ruin a party just by showing up. It’s the funniest thing until God’s police officer shows up. No one’s able to have a bad day if another person is having a bad day.
What someone else thinks is not my business.
How many times did Jesus say let’s get out of here? Mark 1:35, very early in the morning.
Also Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus felt no compaction to be understood.
Mary and Joseph tried to put anxiety on Jesus when He was lost but he identified himself.
God is sovereign in the third space.
Forth space. Jesus in front of a mob.
First space. Take responsibility for yourself so you catch it far less from others. You’re less likely to spread it also. The only thing you have to offer the world is a well self.
Think of every leader you can think of who represented Jesus without being well. They bring colossal abuse and damage to the church. How about you and I live differently and let that be my evangelism? Jesus was the person you could be yourself around while simultaneously wanting the best version of yourself.
Anxiety in the plural vs singular. Anxieties. What kind is it? Every anxiety has a different playbook. Depression is different than grief.
Depression. Wake up in the wrong end zone. Medicine can help. Steve wakes up first and goals every day. People with depression have difficulty with their chemicals, not their faith. Draw blood to see. If you struggle with depression it’s not a matter of talking about it but an underlying medical condition. If you need mental health medication thank God for His medicine.
Trauma. The meaning you make from a real situation in your past. Trauma lives in your body. PTSD doesn’t feel safe unless in a safe place in the room.
Grief. A real loss in your past that triggers your present and your memories. Grief is like a weather pattern or tornado without an agenda. It shows up as long as it wants. Accept it and permit yourself to grieve. Year 4 was hit by a truck.
Acute Anxiety. A real life and death moment that passes quickly. Driving a calm yourself after.
Reactivity: A false need that feels real at the moment. A permanent IV. Unaddressed false needs. If you don’t like me, let’s meet more for you to get to know me.
Reactivity is generated by:
Assumptions
False Expectations
False Beliefs
False Needs
If I was a people pleaser, I’d become affected by their false expectations.
What is an assumption you hold about yourself that is unreasonable?
When have you placed an expectation on someone unattainable?
You can learn when someone is putting an expectation on you that you can not live up to. I’m not being rude, I’m being clear. Better to let you down right away. I know God hasn’t called us to ___, so I’m letting you know now.
Have one eye on the agenda and one eye on the anxiety in the room. Everyone is walking around with an invisible bucket of anxiety and just looking to dump it on someone.
Our anxiety disconnects us from God. Relax in God’s presence.
“Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” Jacob, in Genesis 28
When you’re so wrapped up in your circumstances you don’t recognize the Lord when He is standing right next to Him.
Where do you first notice chronic anxiety?
Spinning mind.
Racing heart.
Tightening body.
How are you doing? Are you just a good avoider of pain and not really know?
You don’t worry your way to peace. Hand your anxiety over to the Lord.
Reactivity
Some people get bigger (must have the last word, dominate, step in, fix, etc.) Listen to fix vs listen to learn.
Some people get smaller (stop speaking up, hope they are not called on, get quiet, etc.)
When someone violates your values you want to destroy them not connect with them but that’s not our call as Christians. We are to love our enemies.
When you are the only one of your kind in the room you work harder at staying human-sized. Notice in the meeting who has become the predator and who has become the prey. When anxious do you get bigger or smaller?
Your Unique Sources of Reactivity:
What do you think you need in any given moment that you don’t actually need?
To be understood? To have more money? To be comfortable?
5 Core False Needs:
Control
Perfection
Having the Answer
Being there for people
Approval
Perfectionism – give permission to be a rookie. Send an email with 6 errors on purpose and hit send.
Having the answer. Manage anxiety about feeling stupid. When you know the answer but don’t have to tell. The church will survive.
Being there for people. Your need to be needed. It’s okay to ask for help. You attract chronically needy people.
Shift the list. 5 character traits. Who is in control? Who is perfect? God is always in control. He is perfect. He has the answer. He is there for people. He approves.
Rest in God’s presence vs you being in control.
Shalom. Well or wellness. Righteousness in Christ. Relax in this in our daily reality. God invites us to relax in His presence and be human-sized.
Relax into God’s presence by focusing on being human-sized!
A simple prayer.
Jesus died so I don’t have to ____ anymore.
Relax in His presence and trust Him with the work.
The Power of the Gospel
It reverses the flow of health and sickness:
Human behavior: sickness invades healthy groups
Gospel behavior: healthy people infect unhealthy groups
Jesus got close to sinners and they were infected by His righteousness. Jesus didn’t catch leprosy the lepers caught healing.
God with me,
God ahead of me.
God with us.
Enter into the work God is already doing.
Calendar exercise. “GOD WITH US – meet with ____”
Recognize God is already in this room and God is in the person. See Him as a child of God. Treat Him a certain way regardless of how the other person treats or sees you.
Breakout 2 – Melissa Allen – Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
A Renewed Vision for Church Finance
ROADMAP for A Renewed Vision for Church Finance
Qualities to look for in a church finance team member
Financial best practices
Metrics
Taking a leap of faith
Qualities to look for in a church finance team member.
Integrity top priority. Above reproach. No question of integrity. Not looking for loopholes or technicalities.
Financial expertise. Banking experience, accounting experience, formal or informal. Proven to make sound financial decisions both personally and professionally. The world’s view and God’s view doesn’t always align.
Heart of a Teacher. Presents the facts in an understandable way. Trustworthy. Engageable and break down complicated.
Trust in leadership. Hard for some financial people. Present the facts and wise counsel even when it doesn’t make complete 100% financial sense. Lean into the trust of leadership.
Creative. Willingness to think outside the box. Say yes to what God is calling you to do.
Financial Best Practices.
Review financials monthly. Review offering and cash balances at a minimum. Are you overspending to money coming in?
Prepare an annual budget. Budgeting and forecasting is essential. Break it down into a plan.
Helps you understand where you are today
Forces forward-thinking & planning
Plan for expenditures
Compare actuals to budget
Quarterly vs annual budgeting
Going to Walmart without a list means you will spend more.
If cash flow issues then move to a quarterly budget.
Start simple.
3 categories of spending
Fixed: Break spending into fixed items such as rent/mortgage.
Semi-discretionary items
Fully discretionary items
Ongoing financial program for church attendees. Teach people how to handle God’s money, God’s way. 5-10% of churchgoers tithe regularly. 3% if true 10%. Teach the Word and invite you to a program.
Community groups Bible study or classes. People don’t give because they are drowning in debt.
Metrics.
3 years trending plus annualized for this year.
Offering per attendee
Attendance growth %
Expense coverage %
Debt service to income %
Debt per attendee
Cash reserves on hand
Metric: Offering per attendee
Total offering
Average attendance
Benchmarks
The average across the U.S. is $20/attendee/week
$30+/attendee/week is healthy
Metric: Attendance Growth %
(Yr2 Average attendance – Yr 1 Average attendance) / Yr 1 Average attendance
Benchmarks
Upward trending
If not, then why?
Metric: Expense coverage %
Total Income / Total Expenses
Benchmarks
100% minimum
Like to see 105%+
This is including loan payments.
Metric: Debt Service to Income %
(Monthly payment X 12) / Total Income
Benchmark
• 35%
Metric: Debt per Attendee
Total Amount of Debt/Average Attendees
Benchmark
• $5,000 per attendee
Metric: Cash Reserves on Hand
(Operating Cash on hand + Rainy Day Savings)
/ Average Monthly Income
Benchmark
• 3-6 months
Taking a Leap of Faith
Realistic growth projections. How much can we grow in our new space? What do we need attendance to be to get there? What’s the population pull? How much does the size change between current and future church locations?
Partnering with Tenants. A 12-month lease in place to be counted. Stable income. Make sure all expectations are clear upfront. What does the ramp period look like to being full?
Cash on hand. 3-6 months of operating reserves. 10% of the loan amount on hand.
Capital campaigns. Inside or outside the church. Good idea to get the church excited about the next step. Ask.
Final takeaways. Call to action.
Reach out to the TSF team. They want to help.
Your RVP is an amazing resource. Get connected with someone a step or 2 ahead of you.
Do you have a trusted financial advisor?
Questions:
Cash accounting to accrual-based accounting?
Who reviews financials? What are controls? Separation of duties.
Credit card best practices? It’s convenient. Potential oversight. Need budget in place. Spending levels in place. Summarizing and reviewing expenses into costs. Points can be a nice benefit. Using points for Christmas parties or bonuses.
Outside vs inside bookkeeping. Good to start outsourcing with an expert as a resource. Could even be a volunteer. The next step is to hire an in-house accountant to focus on these financials.
Quickbooks is a great resource. Online version.
Thank you for checking out my notes from The Solomon Foundation Conference. To learn more about The Solomon Foundation and what they can do for your church or investments, visit https://thesolomonfoundation.org
The Jesus Revolution movie is a must-watch for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding or appreciation for a movement of God in the 1970’s. Your heart will go out to Greg Laurie, a young boy in the 1970s who is looking for something important. He meets a friendly hippie named Lonnie Frisbee and Pastor Chuck Smith. Together, they help a church become a place of love, which starts a big movement called the Jesus Revolution.
You will love exploring the impact of the Jesus movement in the United States during the 1960‘s and 1970’s, chronicling the spiritual awakening that swept across the nation. The movie shows how the Jesus movement changed the lives of countless individuals and shaped the course of religion in America. It is a fascinating look at how faith can bring about positive change and is a great reminder of the impact one person can have in the world.
As you’ll hear in the movie, “God has a long history of using flawed people.” You will see how God works through your failures and will be in courage to go build something great!
The Devotional Series (https://jesusrevolution.movie/resources-download?id=JesusRevolution-Resources-Devotionals.pdf): This four-part study guide includes reflections based on the historical Jesus Movement and the film JESUS REVOLUTION. Revival requires growth: not only in numbers of believers but personal growth: the kind of reckoning that leads to awakening. This series is intended to walk through what it looks like to shepherd the kind of personal growth that can spur revival.
Any idea on how you can get buy-in from leadership?
One of the biggest challenges you face as a NextGen leader is gaining the buy-in from leadership without necessarily having the position of influence in your church. For those of you who have a plan and vision that exceeds your authority, here are four courageous challenges and Scripture to help you lead up in NextGen ministries.
Be Faithful in the Little Things
“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more. Let’s celebrate together!’” (Matthew 25:23, NLT) In Jesus’ parable of the three servants, He shows us what it means to faithfully steward whatever has been entrusted to us. Whether you are given leadership over a single budget line item or an entire department’s spending, the best way to influence the future decisions of the budget is to faithfully steward what you’ve been given. When you control your spending, keep track of every receipt, and can show how you used the church’s money to do amazing ministry, you show how you can set the direction for future spending.
Be Loyal to the Team
“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” (Philippians 2:4, NLT) Are you leading for the benefit of others or yourself? In “How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge” Clay Scroggins asks, “Are you the type of leader that makes others better?” Being a leader worth following means you lead out of your influence with others not your position with others. When your actions inspire everyone around you to imagine more and to become more, you naturally begin to lead up. In contrast, when you look out for yourself and your position, you push people away and extinguish joy in your workplace.
Choose Love
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” (Colossians 3:12-15, NLT) Your leader is not perfect, your team is not perfect, and you are not perfect. Choose today to accept those around you, flaws and all. Nothing stands out more in this broken world, like someone who chooses love.
Be Dedicated to the Mission
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:9, NLT) Scroggins defines ambition as “that strong desire we have to make something or to achieve something, even when it takes great effort, focus, and determination.” To lead up, you must not give up. Focus on what you can control and make it great. Don’t allow unimportant things to wear you down and get in the way of what God has called you to accomplish. Consider even visually posting the mission where you and your team will daily see what you are aiming towards.
Above All, Guard Your Heart
“This is a trustworthy saying: ‘If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.’ So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?” (1 Timothy 3:1-5, NLT). Nothing will make you lose influence or discredit your leadership faster than sin. You might not be in charge of the whole organization, but you are in charge of yourself. What thoughts do you need to take captive to obey Christ? Where have you allowed yourself to drift and need to get yourself back on track? Repent and choose right now to walk in obedience.
Your main role is still to – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”And to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Redefine your thoughts about your role:
You are not just an event planner, events are getting canceled. You are not just a communicator on stage, there is no one in the seats. You are not just someone who finds volunteers for Sunday morning because Sunday has been redefined.
Your role is to Love God and Love Others. You are to be equipping God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. So how do you re-imagine your role? I want you to start asking the question, “What can it look like?“
Your ministry is not on hold, so ask the questions: What can it look like to equip God’s people to be the church? What can it look like to serve the church digitally? What can volunteering look like in these unprecedented times?
When it comes to your volunteers you need to:
1. Connect
Do you know how your flock is doing? Are you being a good steward of your team?
Text your team
Call your team, especially your older volunteers.
Facetime your team, especially those who struggle with anxious or depressed
Zoom.Us – 40-minute meetup for free 100 people. Google Hangout Group FaceTime
Ask, how homeschooling is going? Ask about their work. Ask, what can we do to help?
Ask, how can we pray for you?
2. Encourage
If you’re allowed, drop off something at their door – food, toilet paper. Postcards. Pizza Delivery.
Do something fun – Social game/contest on FB groups!
Help them connect and encourage one another.
If you have coaches, encourage them to reach out to their teams.
Send prayer requests and needs to groups
3. Equip or mobilize them.
Equip your team to serve!
Videos for daily
Postcard
Email to parents
Serve in the community
Drive through church
YouVersion Bible App Study
YouVersion Prayer
MarcoPolo scheduling volunteers to be online. Such a great idea!
4. Pray for them and pray with them.
Open up your volunteer roaster and pray down the list.
And say, “Hey, before I let you go, can we pray together?”
Let’s rally together.A lot of church are seeing online church x6 regular attendance! Families are having a mealtime around the dinner table! Parents are huddling up together in their living rooms to open up God’s word.God is doing something today, let’s roll up our sleeves and be the church!
Have you ever allowed a God-given opportunity to pass by? Have you seen an opportunity to share the story of God’s redemption but failed to take your step?
Hitting theaters on March 13th is the powerful and personal story of Jeremy Camp walking through tragedy yet growing in his faith.I Still Believe is a beautiful story showing how God knows our name and truly loves us even when we walk through the valley. This movie is an encouraging gift that shows how life is rich, not in spite of the disappointments but because of them.
You will walk away being blessed by this incredible true story of love. You will see someone wrestle with anger towards God. And you will see what happens when you pray for healing but yet someone you care for still passes away.
Use the opportunity of I Still Believeto share the story of God’s love and redemption. Invite your neighbor, small group, or co-workers and see how this love story can introduce your friends to the love of God.
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
As you look back on this past year, what has changed in your ministry? If you’re not intentional, you can easily drift into bad habits and ineffective ministry. If you want this new year to be an opportunity to intentionally recharge and redirect you and your leaders, here are two books to set you in the right direction.
When Relationships Matter – Make your church a place where kids and teenagers belong.
Before kids and teenagers can wrestle with abstract concepts like faith, hope, and the meaning of life, they need to know who loves them and where they belong. When Relationships Matter explores three values and nine practices that will help you create and improve your small group strategy.
If you want to measure the success of your weekly experiences for kids and teenagers, you need to ask two questions. Are kids connected? Are they known? Research shows that kids who have five or more adults who invest in their faith over time have a greater chance of having a mobilized faith. When relationships matter, everything changes.
“The best way to help kids know God is to connect them with someone who knows God.” – Reggie Joiner
“We have to go out of our way to create a culture in which it’s safe for kids and students to ask hard questions about faith.” – Tom Shefchunas
“Never sacrifice the next generation on the altar of your past methods and preferences.” – Reggie Joiner
“If you want to fight for everyday, authentic faith in the next generation, you need to support the relationships that matter most.” – Kristen Ivy
Check out When Relationships Matter, the newest release for leaders of small group leaders from Orange. Visit https://whenrelationshipsmatterbook.com to download a sample (plus some FREE RESOURCES).
Lead Small – Five big ideas every small group leader needs to know.
Lead Small clarifies the role and responsibilities of the small group leader who works with children and teenagers. It explains five proven strategies you can use to lead your small group well:
• BE PRESENT . . . so you can connect your kids’ faith to a community
• CREATE A SAFE PLACE . . . to clarify their faith as they grow
• PARTNER WITH PARENTS . . . to nurture an everyday faith in kids
• MAKE IT PERSONAL . . . to inspire their faith by your example
• MOVE THEM OUT . . . to engage their faith in a bigger story
“When we lead small we simply make a choice to invest strategically in the lives of a few over time so we can help them build an authentic faith.”
“If you are simply trying to instill faith and morals for the sake of your few, but it’s not a personal priority, they’ll eventually catch on.”
“A child will never feel significant until you give them something significant to do.”
“Your few are not problems to be solved. They are people to be loved.”
Check out Lead Small, a must-read for every small group leader. Visit http://www.leadsmallbook.com to download a self-evaluation guide to see how you are currently partnering with parents and a next step build to build a stronger partnership.
Imagine if you had unlimited money and resources to spend on your youth ministry…No, remove that thought. I imagine in the end it wouldn’t be good for you and your students to try and do ministry and steward such a gift. But if you’re reading this post, then you most likely have some money for your youth ministry and we want you to steward it well. Here are five line items you might not be thinking about, but you need for your next budget.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP
If your goal in student ministry is to mobilize students to pursue authentic faith and discover a personal mission, then does your budget reflect this goal? Yes, you probably have a budget set aside for curriculum and events, but if a student came to you with a God-given gift, do you have anything set aside specifically to mobilize that student? Maybe this year you add a budget line item specifically designated for developing your student leaders.
LEADER SUPPORT
For years, we have had a volunteer appreciation line item in our budget. Volunteers are the lifeblood of any ministry and we need to make them feel appreciated for their time and efforts. While volunteer appreciation is valuable, what if we set aside some of the appreciation money to equip the leaders to do ministry? What if, instead of giving them a trinket to show our appreciation, we gave them some gift cards to take students to grab coffee? What if it didn’t cost them anything to attend school events or we covered the cost of snacks when that teenager raids their cabinets? I know my leaders would feel appreciated and equipped if I just made and communicated this minor change.
CAMPUS MINISTRY
Churches don’t always have the best of reputations. Jeff Henderson at Gwinnett Church says that the church is often known for what it is against rather than what it supports. Imagine if everyone in your local elementary school knew that your youth ministry was for them? Yes, this would take some time and strategy, and my guess, a couple of dollars to pull it off, but maybe today you could start by simply buying some donuts for the FCA group. Or maybe, when the teachers are stress out about testing, you cater a meal. Whether or not the students are stepping foot into your youth ministry, show them the love of Christ and open the door for them to see there is a loving place that is for them.
RETREAT / SEMINAR / CONFERENCE
I’m sure you’ve noticed how the days just keep on coming. The moment you finish one program or event, the next one’s just around the corner. It’s no wonder many youth pastors burn out. Ministry is hard and often youth leaders are lonely. Something your soul needs is time away and time with other people that get it. It’s a big investment for a church to make in sending their youth pastor to a conference, but the cost of hiring a replacement is so much higher. You might not be able to convince your board to make this happen overnight but maybe you can make a plan to get yourself to a conference within the next year or two.
RESOURCES AND BOOKS
In many careers continuing education is required to maintain good standing in the workplace but for some reason, many youth pastors can’t even buy a book to educate themselves. This year, how about asking if you could set aside money to buy a book every month. If this get’s turned down, maybe you could ask to be reimbursed for any ministry book you actually finish reading. You need to sharpen your ax, especially when it comes to leading this next generation. Ask for it, but for real, if it doesn’t get approved, skip a coffee or two and make it happen yourself. You need this.
Your plate is full and you feel busy, but is your plate full of the right things? Are you busy for the sake of being busy, or are you actually carrying out God’s calling for your life? For your sanity, and for the sake of your church’s future, you need the clarity of recalibration in your family ministry.
Fifteen leaders in the family ministry movement came together to write Recalibrate: A New Measure for Family Ministry, and you and your team are going to love each chapter. The book aims to help you adjust and measure for healthy outcomes, to help you identify and correct unhealthy norms, and to honor God in the way you lead the families in your church.
A few of the many topics covered in the book include, “Staff and Volunteer Dynamics” by Brian Haynes, “The Art and Influence of Meaningful Conversations” by Ron Hunter, “Grandparenting the Way It Was Meant to Be” by Jim Wideman, “Youth Ministry in Thirds” by Richard Ross, “The Future Steps of Our Children” by Lydia Randall, and “When Churched Kids Don’t Have Churched Parents” by Timothy Paul Jones.
The first chapter alone is full of great insight that makes it clear right from the start just how helpful of a tool this book will be for any ministry. In this chapter, Philip Nation begins to recalibrate the big picture for family ministry by creating a discipleship culture for the family. Here are my favorite quotes from the chapter to give you a taste of how rich this content is:
“First, you need to tell the truth about the spiritual condition in families today. Second, you need to offer practices that will develop a healthy discipleship culture in the home. Finally, set reasonable measurements to know if families are embracing a discipling culture in the home.”
“Too many families live with unhealthy spiritual patterns. One question you may ask is: Do they even know it?”
“Spiritual Absentia . . . Parents hold their spiritual concern for kids as an almost secretive portion of their lives. Discipleship happens but not by anyone in the family. Instead, parents act as surrogates hoping the leaders of the church will disciple their children.”
“Hobbyism . . . Parents disciple kids to believe that entertainment is the point of life. They create the worst kind of church attender—a consumer of religious goods and services rather than a servant of Christ and His mission.”
“Selective Subject Syndrome . . . The only hope is the weekend but it is consumed with extracurricular activities and the mythical “down time” hoped for by weary parents.”
“Secularization . . . Families also allow worldly wisdom to guide decision making, especially for their youngsters.”
“Romanticism . . . Personal eases becomes the end goal of it all. When the mission of God requires sacrifice and the loss of comfort, Christ’s lordship is rejected because it involves difficulty.”
“We are called to be disciples who make other disciples. You can set this as a powerful new norm for families. The spiritual work of a family is to raise disciple-making disciples that focus heart, soul, mind, and strength on loving God and living as Kingdom ambassadors.”
“Kids and students are the disciples of today who can make a powerful impact in seeking revival in the church and spiritual awakening in the culture.”
“The ‘drop off for discipleship’ model has not worked and will not work.”
“Recalibrate your leadership to move families out of survivalist tactics and entrepreneurial dreaming to raising global troublemakers for God’s kingdom.”
“Your ministry will take on new life and power when you recalibrate the expectations of what God can do through families, students, and children.”
“Your choice is between tolerating unhealthy practices of ministry and generating healthy patterns of multiplicative disciple-making. It is the age old choice between pleasing God or man.”
“Your work as a leader is to give biblical instruction that will lead to personal application.”
“Faithful living will display itself in lives characterized by such things as grace-filled relationships, moral holiness, and an increasing faith in God’s power.”
“Anyone can stay busy. Leaders must measure whether or not the ministry and the families are spiritually fruitful.”
“The ultimate fruit of your leadership is new followers of Jesus.”
Have you ever heard a speaker address a large crowd, but knew God was using the person to speak directly to you?
I’ve attended many conferences and have heard many speakers deliver top of the line messages but for some reason, there has been one message rolling around in my head more than any other. At this year’s Belonging Conference Robert Madu said, “You don’t have a faith problem, you have an awareness of God’s authority issue.” As he spoke these words, they hit my heart deep and helped me see things about myself I’ve been missing for years.
If faith is the anchor to your life, I’ve always had a strong anchor. I hope for the things of God and see the evidence of Him lived out in my life, but an anchor needs to be attached to the boat. Robert Madu explained how the chain is your awareness of God’s authority in your life. You see, for me, I believe God has the whole world in His hands, but I fail to trust Him as the authority in my little corner of the world. What struck my heart was the need to see God as the ultimate authority in everything in my life, both big and small.
The prophet Daniel understood God as his authority and it’s evident in the scripture. Daniel 6:6-7says:
So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions.
Daniel could have lived his life under the authority of the king, but this thought never even crossed his mind.Daniel 6:10 tells us, “But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.”
When the authority of the world said you must worship a certain way, Daniel knew God’s authority was bigger. When the consequence for worldly disobedience was certain death, Daniel knew God has power over death.
Everything is under the power and authority of God! And He cares deeply about your little corner of the world, just as He cared for Daniel. God Almighty can handle whatever the world is throwing at you.
The next time you feel the pressures and stresses of life weighing down on you, take a look at the chain tied to your anchor of faith and ask yourself a hard question, “Are you aware of God’s authority in this issue?”
