A PARABLE

There was a huge, 3-day business conference being held downtown for which people paid a hefty
price to attend. During a break on the second day, a woman who had not paid the registration fee
snuck into the conference hall. She wanted to meet the Leader of this conference. She had read
his books, seen his video, followed him on his weekly blog, but she could not afford the
expensive conference fee.

The woman managed to get within a few feet of the Leader when one of the Leader’s team
members noticed the woman did not have a conference name badge, the proper security
identification. He then questioned her about it. Realizing she was in trouble and her chances of
speaking with the Leader were suddenly slim, the woman quickly shouted out the Leader’s
name.  He was less than ten feet from her, so he turned and looked at her. She immediately cried
out with a concerned voice, “Leader, help me please. My business is failing. My husband is an
invalid due to a previous work accident and no one is helping us.” The Leader turned away and
continued talking to the people in his inner circle.

The woman continued shouting, “Leader, I am certain we have the right product, and we need
your help to market and deliver it.” At that outburst, someone called security and one of the
Leader’s assistants grabbed the woman to silence her. This resulted in her shouting even louder.
“Leader, please, please, I know you can help me. I brought my business plan, the by-laws,
balance sheet, my PL statement, cash flow sheet and some customer reviews!” The Leader
paused from his conversation and looked at the woman and said, “Madam, I am here to serve my
clients, the members of this conference. They have paid their fees. Sorry, you are not a member.”

Now what would the woman do at this point?
What would you do?
What would security do?
What would the Leader’s assistants do? (Likely throw her out.)

As security and the Leader’s assistants begin to push her toward the door, the woman breaks
away, sprints over to the Leader, falls at his feet and begs, “Leader please, I beg of you, I know
you can help me, please help me!”  To which the Leader replies, “Woman, it isn’t right to take the ideas and strategies which I have so diligently worked to master and teach to others, and give them away to deadbeats and cheapskates, to vagrants and bums who do not pay.”

Stop again.  Now at this point, how do you think the woman feels?  No one person in this crowd of 20 to 30 people are supporting her or encouraging her. Not one. Security has her in their grasp and they are lifting her to her feet, starting to move her away. How does she feel? What would you do if
you were her?

Then while being dragged away, she faces the Leader and cries out, “Yes Leader, you are right,
but even the vagrants and bums eat the crumbs, the garbage that is tossed out of the homes of the
rich.”  At those words, the Leader stopped, and looked directly at the woman. The Leader, whose name by the way is Jesus, says to the woman, “Your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want.”

You may read another version of this story in Matthew 15:21-28.

Perseverance and believing your idea is His idea is essential to succeeding in B4T. Many of us
have been down to our last dollar. We’ve sold everything causing our families to suffer, yet we
kept believing. We worked even harder. And then, in His grace, Jesus answered our prayers for
our businesses.

Do you believe your job, your business, is Jesus’ idea? Are you willing to give it your all – and
put everything into it? Then keep working. Keep moving forward. And keep begging for His
blessing.

ANOTHER WORD FOR GRIT

This blog was submitted by an OPEN worker serving in the Middle East.

The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is: I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked, period. You might have more talent than me. You might be smarter than me. You might be sexier than me. You might be all of those things. But if we get on the treadmill together, there’s two things: you’re getting off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple.
– Will Smith

If what Will Smith is saying about himself is true, he has some serious grit. But Will Smith knows what he’s after. If you don’t know what you’re after, it wouldn’t be the best idea to be very gritty. Grit demands a goal, it needs to have an end in mind. As B4Ter’s, we know our goal: we want to bring holistic transformation to the least-reached communities in the name of Jesus via business. Being fruitful in terms of B4T means seeing the power of God rescue men, women, and children from least reached people groups and transforming them into His likeness as part of His Church.

In her book, Grit, Angela Duckworth defines grit as the equation; passion x perseverance. Passion will fizzle out without perseverance. Yet, when the two are combined, you have the ability to pursue something wholeheartedly until the end. There is a good biblical word for grit: endurance. Where perseverance is the ability to hang in there until the end (and is grown in us by the testing of our faith – James 1:2-4), endurance is the persevering through pain and trials. When everything is against us and the world is crumbling all around, endurance will get you through. Indeed, the Scriptures say that the one who endures until the end will be saved (Matthew 10:22, 24:13, etc.).

So is Duckworth right? Is grit the defining characteristic of the successful? In one sense, she must be right. By the very definition, those who stick around until the end will see churches planted. Duckworth states that 90% of life is showing up. I think this is pretty accurate in terms of our faith as well. The Scriptures are clear that it is God who works in us to produce results (Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 2:10). We need to show up humble and ready to play His way, and He will coach us to victory.

So, though I’d add some necessary qualities to grit to bring about a harvest amongst the unreached, I’d also say that any qualities without grit (read: endurance) will not result in transforming lives or seeing a church planted. We need grit to work long-term overseas. We need grit to go the distance in order to see His plans for salvation of a lost people group brought to fruition.

MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES

Your employees are the face, hands and feet of your business. They are the ones your customers interact with. As B4Ters we want to enable co-workers to excel, help them discover their own wisdom, engage themselves entirely in their work, and accept responsibility for the work they do. Train your people well and they will work well. Learn their career aspirations and help them accomplish what they aspire to do. Jesus says, “Whatever you wish men would do to you, do so to them.” (Matthew 7:12) 

As leaders, we are to serve. Employees who are well trained and held in esteem will return such godly leadership by working hard for you.

Our co-workers and/or employees are also the first line of witness to the goodness and reality of the Lord in our lives. We need to walk and work in the Spirit every moment we are at work. The following are some helpful comments from OPEN workers about how they keep their employees motivated and His light shining before all men at work.

• Recognize employees in your staff meeting for work they have done well. Constantly be on the lookout for chances to praise your people’s work
  
• Try to involve employees in your thinking and making plans related to the business. Not only will they know the local market better, including suppliers and customers, they will also strengthen the marketing of the business’s goods and services.
  
• Learn what the employees really value and provide that. In some locales the workers desire opportunities for personal growth, while in others they want respect, promotions, responsibility, and often more money.
  
• Give employees a chance to develop new skills that enhance their worth in their current position, and prepare them for future advancement inside or outside the company.
  
• Be relational. It may not be possible to hang out with employees, but celebrate their birthdays and personal holidays; get to know at least the names of their family members. Ask about their lives, their joys, and their struggles. Pray with them.
  
• Thank people for their efforts. This simple tool is often underused. Reward people with notes or little gifts of encouragement. Make sure the feedback is specific and frequent.
  
• Maintain a transparent culture in your business. Discuss company information with employees regarding future plans and strategies, new products, and the department’s and employees’ role in the overall plan. Involve employees in decision making, especially those decisions that affect them.

Which one will you do this week?

THE PURPOSE OF B4T

The following was told as part of a message, given at the B4T Expo in San Jose this past weekend.

I recall the story by a professor in Greece.  He was speaking at a business conference in Eastern Europe. On the last day of the conference, he was participating in a workshop and as things were wrapping up, the leader walked over to an open window and looked out. Then he asked if there were any questions. The professor laughingly asked him, “What is the meaning of life?” Everyone in attendance laughed. However, the leader held up his hand indicating quiet, and then responded, “Allow me to answer your question.” He then took his wallet out of his pocket and removed a small round mirror about the size of a quarter.

“When I was a child during World War II,” he said, “we were very poor and we lived in a remote village. One day on the road, I found the broken pieces of a mirror. A German motorcycle had been wrecked in that place. I tried to find all the pieces and put them together, but too many pieces were missing, so I kept the largest piece. This one. And by scratching it on a stone, I made it round. I began to play with it as a toy and became fascinated by the fact that I could reflect light into dark places where the sun rarely, if ever, could shine. It became a game for me to get light into the most inaccessible places. I kept the little mirror, and as I grew up, I would take it out at idle moments and continue the challenge of the game. 

As I became a man, I grew to understand that this was not just a child’s game, but a metaphor of what I could do with my life. I came to understand that I am not the light, nor the source of the light. But light – be it truth or understanding or knowledge or God – is there, and it will only shine into dark places if I reflect it. I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have, I can reflect light into the dark places of this world – even into the dark places of human hearts. And by reflecting the light, I believe I am causing others to see the light, and even seek to reflect the light themselves. This is what I am about. This is the meaning of my life.”

What is the purpose of B4T?  Our purpose is to REFLECT THE LIGHT.

JUSTICE

The following is contributed by a tentmaker, working in the Middle East.

I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. 
Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. 
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? – Amos 5:21-25

There are aspects of every culture and every age that bear resemblance of God’s intention for the people, although usually with some tainting by sin. There are also many aspects that are so twisted by sin they must be called out, overhauled and restored. This is the basis for contextualization. We contextualize the Good News because there are good things we can latch onto and proclaim to the people that our God is like _____ or He loves ______ just like they do. But there are things that God will judge in each culture too. Paul was masterful at finding the positives in a culture so that he could build a bridge to what needed to be redeemed.

Try convincing someone of anything while criticizing everything about them, and you will quickly have a door slammed in your face. Let this give you some hope if you feel like there is nothing left in today’s increasingly globalized culture that reflects the glory of God. One thing that is great and notable is the emphasis on social justice in business. For instance, if you are using child labor or treating your employees poorly, the media will find out and you will be out of business soon or at least your reputation will be dragged through the mud. In prior ages, this wasn’t even possible. Yet, as usual, even the good in a culture is tainted by sin.

The focus on social justice in today’s age regarding workers’ rights, etc. often exists as a PR stunt to increase profits. Even when it doesn’t, it often exists to move forward a certain agenda such as gay/transgender “rights” that are fundamentally at odds with the way He has called us to live. I don’t wish to indict all businesses here, because there are obviously some where the leadership truly cares about those in their community and wants to do whatever they can to help. As believers, we have a real opportunity here. Look at Amos 5:21-25 and see what the LORD hated in Israel’s dealings. He hated their festivals and songs, their so-called “worship.” He asked them if they had given sacrifices when they were in the desert for 40 years. The obvious answer is “no,” but He wanted them to realize that He doesn’t need their sacrifices; yet He desires obedience and true worship from the hearts. He tells them that they should let justice roll down like water and righteousness like a flowing stream. This would please Him.

We serve a God of justice. He hates greed, dishonesty, extortion, and all forms of social injustice done in the world of business. Let’s make our B4T businesses flow justice and righteousness like a rushing river, not for the side benefit of a profit increase or for our reputation in the world, but so that we would have a positive impact on the way the world functions – that our employees, our co-workers, would get to work in a place where they are treated with dignity and respect, that they would get a glimpse of a restored and redeemed world where things work as God originally intended them to. This is our version of justice. May our employees’ eyes be opened through our love and generosity, so that they may see and savor the beauty of the living God and what He has done for us through Jesus.

THOUGHTS ON WORK


Proverbs teaches, Plans succeed through good counsel; don't go to war without the advice of others. 
Proverbs 20:18



In reading some quotes today, I realized others may enjoy reading what others say about work as much as I do. Here are some of my favorite quotes about work.



“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda, Jedi Master.

“To any entrepreneur: if you want to do it, do it now. If you don’t, you’re going to regret it.”
 - Catherine Cook, co-founder of MyYearbook.


 “There’s nothing wrong with staying small. You can do big things with a small team.” - Jason              Fried, founder of 37signal.


“Ideas are easy. Implementation is hard.” - Guy Kawasaki, founder of AllTop.


“There’s lots of bad reasons to start a company. But there’s only one good, legitimate reason, and I think you know what it is: it’s to change the world.” - Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote.


“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” - Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company.


“Watch, listen, and learn. You can’t know it all yourself. Anyone who thinks they do is destined for mediocrity.” - Donald Trump, USA President.


“Always deliver more than expected.” - Larry Page, co-founder of Google.


“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.” - Mark Twain, author.


“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” - Albert Einstein, physicist.


“Risk more than others think is safe. Dream more than others think is practical.” - Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks.


“You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.” - Wayne Gretzky, NHL Hall of Famer.


“It’s almost always harder to raise capital than you thought it would be, and it always takes longer. So, plan for that.” - Richard Harroch, Venture Capitalist.

“It's hard to beat a person who never gives up.” - Babe Ruth, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer.


“Fail often so you can succeed sooner.” - Tom Kelley, Ideo partner.


“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King, Jr., pastor, and Civil Rights leader.


“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” - Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft.


“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas Edison, inventor.


“Entrepreneurship is neither a science nor an art. It is a practice.” - Peter Drucker, management consultant, educator, and author.


“In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.” - David Ogilvy, co-founder of Ogilvy & Mather.


“If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” - Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn.


You can say anything to anyone, but how you say it will determine how they will react - John Rampton, entrepreneur and investor.


“Opportunities don't happen. You create them.”- Chris Grosser


“Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” - John D. Rockefeller, CEO, Founder Standard Oil.


“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”- Thomas Jefferson, USA President.


“The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do.” - Steve Jobs, CEO, Founder Apple.


“Do one thing every day that scares you.” - Eleanor Roosevelt, USA First Lady


“All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” - Michael John Bobak, digital artist.


“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt, USA President.






DEVELOPMENT OR TRAINING?

Training.  With Jesus as our model, we walk away from a structured approach to training. Jesus dealt with people, including His disciples, as individuals. He had no cookie cutter approach to discipleship. There were no programs. No one was sent off to Bible school to study. Jesus’ training was personal, passionate, current – it was real.

More than $60 billion dollars is spent each year in the U.S. on employee training. More than 25% of those dollars are spent on “Leadership Training.” Though I have no figures to back this up, I’d guess the church and mission industries mirror the business world.  And the point is – when it comes to leadership, the training industry has been broken for years. Jesus didn’t train leaders, He developed them–a subtle yet important distinction lost on many. Leadership training is alive and well, but the way most training is done is simply not Biblical. That does not mean it is wrong, yet I do believe Jesus offers a better model.

The Problem


My problem with the way training is done is that it presumes the need for indoctrination, methodologies, systems and techniques. In addition, training assumes that these methodologies, systems and techniques are the right way to do things. When a trainer refers to “best practices” you may rest assured that’s likely not completely valid in the real world.

Training focuses on best practices, while development focuses on next practices. Training is often a rote, one directional, one dimensional, one size fits all, authoritarian process that imposes static information on people. The majority of training takes place within a monologue rather than a dialog. Perhaps worst of all, training usually occurs within a vacuum driven by past experience, and not by future needs.

Our models of training originate with the mechanization birthed in the industrial age. Manufacturers rapidly learned the value of the assembly line to mass produce products, and in similar ways educators copied the model of mass learning. Prior to the 1800’s, young people would apprentice with a master craftsman for several years. The young apprentice would work alongside the master, learning not only his skills, but also observing his character and way of life.  However, with the dawn of the industrial age, efficiency and production became the priority, and the way we trained people began to focus on quantity, not quality.

The Solution

The simple solution to the leadership training problem is to scrap it in favor of development. We should stop training leaders, and instead mentor them, disciple them, and develop them. As Jesus did, invite potential young leaders to come follow you. Where training attempts to standardize by blending to a norm and fitting in with the status quo, development strives to call out the unique giftings, skills, and experiences God has given each individual. Developing people highlights their singularities and shatters the herd mentality of training. Young leaders shudder at the thought of training, so don’t be surprised if they try and avoid it. However, they will embrace and look forward to being mentored, having life on life, relational development. Development is nuanced, actionable, contextual, collaborative, fluid, and above all else, relational.

When it comes to raising up future leaders, training puts them in a box, while development frees them from the box. If what you desire is a programmed, static thinker–train them. If you are seeking to build innovative, critical thinkers–develop them.

THE VALUE OF COACHING

The following is written by one of our coaches. At 60 years of age, he and his wife moved to the Middle East where he coaches B4T businesses around the Arab world. 

Twenty-Four hours ago there was a bombing, the city my wife and I currently call home, as well as a nearby industrial city. A number of Christians were killed as well as Muslim's attempting to subdue the attacker. Since I arrived, over 150 people have been killed by extremists and well over 20 Muslim security personnel attempting to create a safe environment for all of us. Just as with our police in the U.S., I am thankful for these men and women who are standing up for their fellow citizens. 

You might ask why are we here, why did we walk away from incredible friends, a home, community, family and meaningful work to come here? The answer to that question, asked by our Arab friends as well, is simply we listened to what God wanted from us and we obeyed. 

My wife was called to work with children in an International School, owned by Muslims, the school does all of their teaching in English. She is paid a good local wage in this country with a per capita income of $3600 per year. God brought her to this point in her life to use the skills she used back home, overseas. She will gladly say this is the best teaching year she has ever had. 

She is having a significant impact on the students, the parents and the staff, both professionally and in her efforts to breakdown barriers. The removal of distrust between our cultures is key. Letting them get to know her/us, is critical. When I walked with her to school today, her 7 year-old students hugged her and me, thankful to see us. It was amazing, rewarding.  

Similarly, I was called to work with small businesses just like I did in the U.S. I travel around the Arab world consulting with B4T business owners. Where the owners are diligently working, we are seeing real transformation. Last week I spoke to one that I have worked with for a year who reported: In the last week work has been oozing out of our ears and we are now facing this “good” problem. My partner and I are addressing this by moving to a larger commercial space - which we have found. We should double our workforce by summer, too. 

I work with companies that are creating jobs and transforming lives in their sphere of influence. They are bringing hope and love to these wonderful people who seriously are struggling with problems that are very difficult for Westerners to understand, let alone cope with. Additionally, I am a mentor to young men and women – frankly, it has been a wonderful experience. 

My wife and I are thankful to serve in this region. We are not going to solve all the problems here, but we are pleased to have shared our lives with the people we have met. It has sincerely been an honor and a privilege. 

Please pray that the churches here reach out to the Muslim casualties' families and honor them for their sacrifice. 

If you would like to learn more or to find out ways to help in addition to prayer, write services@NexusB4T.com. I know of opportunities for business interns, for engineers, teachers, and others, as well as other ways to help. 

Do you have a job skill? Have you ever dreamed of serving the Lord in an unreached area? There a young business people who could likely learn from you. Do contact us if you’d like to know more about how you may be involved.

MOST ENCOURAGING EMAIL OF THE YEAR!—so far.

The following is contributed by a B4T couple I am close to. I am excited as I’ve worked with them for several years and prayed for them for many years.  May it encourage you too. It’s been edited, including all names, for obvious reasons.

In my many years of doing B4T, one of my dreams my husband I have had is to sit around a table reading the Bible with our eight Muslim managers.  Well this past week while we were together, away from the office on our staff weekend, the dream came true! Here’s what happened.

Fatima had been present a few days earlier when I met Hamidah, another manager in our business who had asked me to pray for her mother’s healing. Hamidah was tremendously grateful and touched by the prayer, but that day, Fatima sat there looking awkward, with arms folded (body language and facial expression seemed quite closed). Yet it was Faitma who, at the meeting, exclaimed with enthusiasm, “This is not just good for work, it’s good for all of life!” She then went on to thank my husband and me for taking the time to present God’s Word to them in this way. 

Another manager, Zul, literally came to life as we read. I had him read a passage from the book of James. He couldn’t get through it without repeatedly stopping to say, “This is so true, this is so right!” At the end of our time, we asked each of the managers to choose one verse we had read that had particularly impacted them. Zul chose three! “And I had a really hard time limiting it to only three,” he said with a big grin on his face. 

Over lunch we invited more feedback. Rahmat commented, “I’ve worked with many companies, but I have never encountered anything like this. You literally live out your values. I’m deeply impacted.” As we closed the time yet another manager asked, “Please can we have more meetings like this in the future?”

This couple has grown their business to scores of employees. They’ve prayed, plowed and worked for years to achieve this openness. They’ve seen a few others in both their business and neighborhood come to faith, but this is the first breakthrough with their managers. God spoke to them about reading with their managers when they were preparing for this leadership weekend – and they obeyed. Keep plowing. Papa’s readying the soil you are tilling for the seed.

MENTORING

The following was contributed by a young man (millennial) I work closely with. 

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. – 1 Peter 5:1-3

Peter wrote his first letter, likely in the mid-60s, to the elect who were dispersed all over modern day Turkey. To the elders of these churches he spoke briefly concerning how to lead. In the modern world, we tend to swing wildly to the other side on any issue when a problem is seen in an “old way” of doing things. Where leadership used to be domineering and authoritarian, younger people today tend to feel that “leadership light” or even no leader at all is a better option. You see this in the title of books that speak of leaderless organizations and how effective and efficient they are (until several years down the road when the media exposes all the flaws in this line of thinking time and again).
The Holy Spirit, through Peter, had a different mindset on the issue. He told the elders of all these churches not to abdicate their responsibility to lead, but in “exercising oversight” lead willingly, as God would have any leader do. In leading, we should willingly lay our lives down for those who follow so that they see the example of Christ set before them. Secondly, because the example of Christ is one of sacrifice, we must not lead for shameful gain. Watching self-serving leaders decimate companies and organizations has caused a great deal of backlash in public and private circles alike, and is one of the main reasons the western world has swung to the “other side” (i.e. leadership with very limited authority or none at all). Those of us who lead must lead with our priorities already set. We don’t need fame, money, or other perks. Set your mind to Christ, so that in your hearts you honor Christ the Lord as holy (1 Peter 3:15a). With pure motives, you will be able to lead with a clean conscience. Lastly, Peter calls leaders not to dominate those under their charges, but to lead by example. This is the big key for young leaders today. What older leaders often fail to understand is that while millennials and other young people often appear to disrespect authority, they actually desperately want a good example to follow but haven’t felt they have found one worthy of following. Leading by example is key for those who have no real need to submit to someone. The church has always been run in such a way that believers willingly submit to elders placed over them within a given church body. If you are older, I would encourage you to be open to mentoring young people. If you are younger and just getting started, I encourage you to learn to willingly submit to someone older and wiser, so you can gain wisdom from their life experiences. Mentoring is crucial for our growth. We all need Pauls in our lives, who take us under their wing; we all need Timothys in our lives, who we can pour ourselves into and reproduce another generation of disciples. To this end our offices and places of work will be filled with people who have been invested in and who name Christ as their Lord and Savior. Lead well, for you have much to share.

Remember, if no one is following you, you are not leading.

LESSONS FROM THE FIELD

Here’s another report from a B4T worker.

This past week I was challenged again in my understanding of just how much God cares.  As you know, it has been quite a rough season for me and the business God put me in charge of.  We have been almost a month late with salaries and in the past few weeks had begun taking 'austerity' measures, firing non-essential staff and looking into the option to let go of our office lease and moving our work into my living room until we can turn things around.  I was taking steps that needed to be taken because of the financial situation being in an uncertain position.  I never once felt in prayer that God wanted me to shut things down and, based on our history, was trying to figure out what God was doing.  I could relate to the Psalms of David with his back to the wall and trying to reconcile what God had done so far with his current reality of having nothing and being on the run.

Last Thursday I invited our prayer group to come to the office and spend some time worshiping, listening to God and asking for clarity and help.  I would have no problem shutting things down if I knew that's what we needed to do. I needed clarity from God as I felt it would be unfair to our 13 employees and their families to slowly let the company bleed to death when we could liquidate now. We were at an important point where we needed to make a decision and thankfully my friends were willing to spend some time to invite God into the office, the situation, and to bring clarity.

As I went home I decided that the next day I needed to do everything I could to encourage our employees but be brutally honest about our financial situation, wondering what would happen.  That night I got sick. Sicker than I've been in the last year, but being Friday and not wanting to leave the guys hanging over the weekend I forced myself to get up and go to the office to try and muster the troops.



I arrived at the office, with a fever and quite weak wondering how in the world I was going to talk to the guys in this state, when I found an email in my inbox.  A friend had emailed saying he had a project for us and wanted to skype.  I shot him a message and within an hour we were talking.  On the call he explained to me that God had made it clear to him that he needed to do some work with us. More specific than that, he was clear that he had to let us know right away and that he needed to pay in full upfront.  When I told him we'd spent the day before praying, he wasn't surprised.
In an instant, we went from being a month in the hole, to being able to pay the remaining February salaries, this month’s salaries, and have enough in the bank to cover next month as well.  After I got off the phone, I called a meeting to share with our employees the whole situation, about the prayer time, and about God's providence. Then I went home to bed.

As I lay in bed and reflected on the events of the past 24 hours, I realized that something happened in my life because we prayed. Thursdays prayer time was just a culmination of all that has been prayed for this battle we've been fighting.  Many times I have seen the schemes of the enemy getting in the way of what we are trying do.  Breakthrough sometimes is delayed, but when we pray God always answers.  He is faithful to work all things for His glory in our lives and in all that we entrust to Him. I've seen it.  

Later that night as I realized the breakthrough that had happened as we prayed over and dedicated the office (we actually physically anointed it) I realized too that it probably wasn't a coincidence that I got sick as soon as I got home from the prayer time.  I learned again that night that the battle is not against flesh and blood and that we have an enemy who even in defeat will try and take away the joy, peace, and love that is available in Christ.  As I lay in bed, with a high fever that I'd had since the day before, I declared Gods' authority over my life and that the enemy had no right to steal this moment of victory.  That hour the fever broke and I was soon out of bed and regaining strength.  

To be honest, I'm no expert on how all this works.  I share because I cannot help but testify to the work of God in my life.  I also want you to know the power of prayer and the work of God and that though the battle lines aren't as clear as two armies standing face to face, that the battle is on and God still wins victories.  He is victorious in balance sheets, in providing livelihoods, and in protecting His people.  He is also victorious in people’s hearts and lives.

HARD WORK? OR HARDLY WORKING?

I was speaking at Le Tourneau University last week to a group of professors. They asked me what B4T businesses thought of graduates from their school. I replied, “Generally speaking, many of our workers are not pursuing graduates from Christian schools because in our experience many Christian school graduates do not know how to work, or have a poor work ethic.”

Nowadays too many of us want to have everything handed to us. A solid work ethic, being a hard worker, is among the most important qualities needed in a B4Ter. It is what brings success to our businesses, our families, and our lives.

“Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than ordinary people.” Proverbs 22:29

Hard workers, excellent workers, are always concerned about quantity and quality. They become invaluable to their company because they are productive.

“Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed.” Proverbs 12:24

The hard worker’s mind is on getting things done, a hard worker is a finisher. And while working they notice what’s not being done, and do those jobs as well – without being asked. They look for work and they look for ways to get work done better and faster. Such habits, such work discipline sets a hard worker apart, resulting in him becoming a leader.

“…but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied.” Proverbs 13:3

Hard workers don’t hesitate to take responsibility for their work. They understand that work is worship, meaning the way they work brings honor to God. They take initiative, they lead. They don’t fear working long hours, for their work is a gift to God. Though appreciated, their primary motive for their work is neither money, benefits, or vacations; but rather to glorify Jesus. Prosperity is measured in the gifts they can lay at Jesus’ feet, not the dollars in their bank account.

“If the salt has lost its saltiness (or value), it becomes good for nothing and will be cast out and rejected.” Matthew 5:13

Anything that doesn’t work is either fixed or thrown away. Anything – including people. If we don’t work hard – or won’t work – we may be discarded and rejected. As slaves of Jesus, we are to work for the benefit of others. We are not to grumble. We are to put in extra effort – go the second mile. Our work is to bring glory and honor to our Master.

B4Ters are to be hard workers. We are to out-perform others, do what others won’t do, set the example.

Young people, if you long to glorify Jesus through your life, if you yearn to be a leader, and if you wish to work with us in doing business that transforms lives among the unreached – learn to work hard.

AN EXAMPLE OF PLOWING

The following is from a B4Ter in Asia, working in a hard place.  His letter encouraged me and with his permission, I share it with you.

The last month has included some rough realities for me, my team and for the business.

There was one week that the plumber had to come 4 times to fix the water heater, fix water leaking from the walls of both my bathrooms, then fix more water leaking on the roof, and re-fix a leak he hadn't plugged correctly.  That same week I also had to have the electrician come several times as he's trying to figure out voltage fluctuations in about half the rooms of the house which has fried a couple of appliances.  Then this past week we've received no gas from the city so we haven't had hot water or gas to cook with.

Worse than that one of my teammates and her roommate were robbed last week (they're fine and just frustrated that they had to get new phones, credit cards, file a police report etc.).

In my business, my two key guys accepted offers from a much larger corporation so I had to scramble to find replacements.  We also have about five outstanding payments that are overdue, as our clients have not paid us, so we need money to meet this month’s payroll.

There are definitely days that it's very frustrating and can feel overwhelming, but I also feel that God has been using all that I've faced to deepen me in ways I'm only sort of understanding.  I felt quite happy last night when I came home and realized I needed to cook dinner on my grill outside for the 9th day in a row.  I was quite content heating multiple kettles of water in my electric kettle to take a shower in the morning.  I was surprised too to see my teammate's response to being robbed. She reflected that it wasn't a fun thing but it's part of God’s assignment for us. Trials and trouble are a part of His training program for us.  We're also promised peace, hope, and even joy when the hard times come.

The reality here isn't changing, but somehow, I'm learning steadfastness and the joy that comes with it (James 1).  I am learning that our enemy hates us being in this country.  It's a country long held in darkness. It's ground the enemy doesn't want to give up and our being here threatens that.  He will do whatever it takes to discourage and dissuade us from being here.  Thankfully by God's grace and in His power, we overcome and there is always hope because He will win. This isn't just an ultimate victory for Christ over the world or this nation, but it is also His winning my own mind and my own heart.  It is also the small victories we see in what we do here and in the people around us.

We have an internet based business. Just this morning we had an issue where all three of the internet connections in our office were down (yes, we have three because it's quite normal for one or maybe two to be offline).  It was frustrating because we couldn't work.  We tried several practical things, resetting routers, calling the internet company but internet only came back when I went into our conference room and simply said God we need internet today and whether it's a coincidental thing or a spiritual issue that's causing this very real technical problem we need you to help us overcome it. When I re-entered the office, the internet was working.  It doesn't always happen this way but I'm learning there is always hope that it will because we have a God who cares.

Something else that happened this month.  I was doing dishes after lunch with one of my employees and he stopped and said he wanted to tell me something.  He went on to tell me that that morning was the first time in his entire life that he'd done the dishes in his home.  He said his grandmother had come into the kitchen and asked him what he was doing (as it's typically a women's job here) and he told her that he's learned that he can serve the family not just by going to his job, but by helping out at home too.  He told her it's how God would want him to do it and he was excited to share that with me because that is what he's learned at our company.

Bless God. The stones and weeds are being removed from the soil. Soon the soil will be ready for God’s seed – His Word.

Is Your Finger Dirty?—Patience

Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can crush strong opposition.Proverbs 25:15

One of my objectives this year is to set goals based on qualitative metrics and not quantitative ones. It’s proving to be much harder than I thought!

Consider patience. Good leaders are patient. In this age of fast food, 24-hour deliveries, and information at our fingertips, we have forgotten a great virtue—patience. Patience is not a quantity virtue, but a quality virtue. Patience is not an excuse to be lazy or procrastinate, rather it is waiting on God’s timing for the appropriate moment to act. If we want to eat vegetables, we must wait for spring to plant; then we must wait again for autumn to harvest. Timing is a key to success.

In John 8 we read the story of several Jewish leaders bringing an adulterous woman to Jesus to test and challenge him on what should be done with her. They wished to learn if Jesus would uphold the law of Moses requiring an adulterer to be stoned. How did Jesus respond?  When questioned, Jesus seemly ignored them as He bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again, he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

When under pressure, Jesus takes time to reflect. He is patient. God is not surprised by our problems, so, we should not be either. In business, likewise, there are problems which cannot be solved right away. Sometimes they must mature. Without waiting for the right time, we may add to the problem. We need to allow time for people to process ideas. We need to allow time for change. Good leaders know change is a process which requires patience. Learn the value Patience. Don’t force things too fast or too early causing costly immature reactions.

Stop and reflect. Write with your finger on the ground if need be. It is important to sense the moods of an employee or team member before we give correction or implement change. There is a right time and a wrong time for dealing with a situation. 

When we are angry, we should wait (be patient) until we cool off. When my boys would misbehave and make me angry, I was at times tempted to hit them out of anger. But rather than act, I’d tell them to go to their room and come out when they were ready to tell me what they did and to apologize for it. That accomplished two things. One, they had time to review what they had done and hopefully understand why dad was angry with them.  And two, it gave me time to get ahold of my emotions and prayerfully ask the Lord what were the best next steps with my son. I practice the same thing in the office with employees who screw up. I tell the employee to go to their desk and think about what they’ve done and the consequences for the business and/or others of their action; and then come to my office when they are ready to discuss what they did.

Quick responses from unprepared hearts only complicate a situation and in the end we all lose. But as the Proverb 16:32 states, It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city. Patience if practiced rightly, will lead all those involved to right solutions. 

Whether we are discussing people, processes, or projects, it takes time for things to develop. Good leaders know when to push and when to pull. They remember that leadership is leading people— getting people to see what they see. Leadership involves teaching people how, when and why they want to get where we are going. Our expectations should be based on our training and development of people. Training and development of people takes time. God will inspire someone with a solution if we wait and pray.

The next time you are hasty or pushy, stop and practice a little patience—bend over and take a minute to write in the dirt with your finger. You’ll be wiser and more appreciated. 

LESSONS FROM A FARMER...

2. BEFORE YOU SOW, YOU FIRST MUST  CLEAR THE ROCKS & PULL THE WEEDS


I was sitting in a living room of a farmer’s home in Illinois, looking out over his farm, praying and meditating over the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. I’d been asking the Master Farmer, "What’s the difference ‘really’ in these soils?"


Hard - The first soil is hard. The seed never takes root. Hearts are hard. Jesus says, “Satan comes and takes away the Word.”  Hard, represents people with shut minds. Shut due to race, religion, family upbringing, social and cultural values, etc.All these create prejudices in people’s souls causing them to be closed. Hard people, prideful people, often fear of change. Satan snatches them away from seeing and hearing the truth.


Rocky - The second soil is shallow and full of rocks. This person, Jesus says, "has no root in himself." The Message reads, “there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.” This person expresses joy and excitement for a few days, maybe even a month. We write home, “Mohammed has come to faith! Praise God!” But then 2 months later Mohammed is back living his normal life. He doesn’t want to see us anymore. The Word was sown, the Word did touch him. Was it an emotional decision? Or he did not have the character to persevere through difficulties? We say, well I guess Mohammed didn’t really count the cost. Have you ever asked yourself, Why are some of the believers like Mohammed? It’s because the sower planted the seed in rocky ground.
 
Thorny – The third soil is full of thorns. These people receive the seed and seem to walk with Jesus for a while, six months, a year or two, even longer, but; family, money, safety and hardship slowly choke them and they bear no fruit. Abdullah comes to faith!  Yes! Praise God. After your experience with Mohammed you delay telling people, but after three months of meeting with you, you begin to share with the folks back home about Abdullah and your times of Bible study with him. After nine, months of meeting, Abdullah becomes distracted by money, or worries, or fears, or maybe he’s just too busy. And boom, Abdullah is gone.  So you stop mentioning Abdullah in your letters home hoping and praying he will repent.  But several months later someone writes and asks about Abdullah and you realize you need to confess what’s happening. Have you ever asked yourself, Why are some of the new believers like Abdullah? It’s because the sower planted the seed in ground that was full of thorns. The Message says; “weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard.”  


Good - And there’s the good soil.  It bears fruit, 30, 60, 100-fold.


Growing a harvest requires–among many things–patience. Last week I was in Wisconsin. A farmer came up to me at a break in my seminar and said, “I’d like to stay and listen to more, but it’s harvest time, I have to go bring in my crops.” Just as there’s a right time for harvesting, there’s a right time for sowing. Too often we are in such a hurry for results that we fail to properly prepare the soil and so the seed yields fruit that doesn’t last.


The problem with people coming to faith and sticking does not seem to be with the soil, but with the sower. Before we sow, we first must plough, dig up the rocks, and pull up all the weeds. 




To be continued…

IS WHO I AM IN THE MARKETPLACE – WHO I AM IN JESUS?

 I did a study today on authority and power in the New Testament today.  The key words are δύναμίσ (dunamis) and εξουσία (exousia). Both words are translated “authority” in multiple places. Yet the emphasis of Jesus, and commentators agree, is that δύναμίσ (dunamis) refers to Jesus’ authority that comes from the “power” He has, while εξουσία (exousia) refers to Jesus’ authority that comes from His position as God.  

In considering “authority” I began thinking about our organizational chart and titles of people – especially my title.  One important issue in working in or building a B4T business or a B4T organization is God’s word, His affirmation (exousia) to us. Twenty-two years ago when He led me to begin doing B4T, many Christian leaders said I was wrong. Many well-meaning leaders warned me that tentmaking, BAM, would never impact the lives of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. But I listened to what I believed was His voice, and not people. You each know the result.

As you move forward, realize that whatever B4T job or business you have, it will be different. Whether it be your organizational chart, the ways you lead a meeting, advertise, manage finances, etc., everything needs to flow out of our relationship with Jesus.  Jesus’ use of exousia authority and dunamis authority varies. I find there are multiple times in the New Testament where Jesus overtly uses His position as God, His exousia authority, to tell, even order demons what to do. But I struggle to think of one time where He uses that same exousia authority to tell people or order people what to do; whether that be religious leaders, government officials, His disciples, or people in general. Jesus rebukes Peter and Satan, in Matthew 16:23, but that too is a spiritual warfare encounter. The times He calls people “fools”, “liar”, “white washed tombs”, etc., He’s never addressing an individual, but a line of thinking, an aspect of culture, or man-made rules that He never intended. Jesus leads people out of relationship and modeling, dunamis authority, not His positional authority.

In the church and in our own lives, there’s a tension between the sacred and the secular. This tension also exists between being professional in the business world, and being faithful to what God tells us.  Excellence is also a central value for believers. So do we define excellence in terms of what we believe is pleasing to Him, or by what is accepted as professional?  For example, in the workplace, how do we ensure our identity is found in Jesus and work flows through His Spirit first, and then to one another?  How do we blend work and service and worship in our jobs?

So how does this play out for us?  Well for me, in thinking about what title I should have on my business card I asked myself, “What title did Jesus give Himself?”  In the Gospels Jesus describes Himself in a variety of ways; Light, Bread, The Word, Shepherd, etc., but gives Himself basically only two titles; Son of God, and Son of Man. Both titles center on His relationship with God. Some may argue that a “son” is a position, but I’d rebuttal that an heir is a position. A prince is a position. These, and others, are titles other people give to Jesus, but He does not use them for Himself.  Jesus seems to find His identity in His relationship with God – nothing else. To describe myself as a son, emphasizes relationship. Personally, I aspire to find my identity in my relationship with Jesus – nothing else.

People like titles. A title gives us an identity that helps us to fit in with the world. A title tells others what we do – that we have value. But titles are not where we should gain our value or our identity, nor should we to encourage others along that line.  Modeling and relationships go hand in hand.  This week I am trying to practice what I preach. I am getting new business cards made. My job title? “Listener to God.”