Tag Archives: leadership

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Christian Leadership Based On A True Story!

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I am a movie buff. I am often known to quote from a wide variety of movies at seemingly random times during the day. Weird? Maybe. I just enjoy movies and often see how they tie into real life in odd ways. Today, I want to show you how they tie into Christian leadership…in what I hope is a clear way!

Christian leader

Credible Christian Leadership

This is my fourth post in the series on Credible Christian Leadership. In this series we are looking at the four building blocks of Christian leadership proposed by James Kouzes and Barry Posner in their book, Credibility. So far, we have talked about honesty and being forward-looking, or casting vision. In this post, I want to discuss what it means to be inspiring, the third building block of Christian leadership.

Favorite Movies

At the risk of being too transparent (I have been accused!), I am going to share with you a few of my favorite movies. While these particular movies alone do not give you a complete picture of my movie tastes, they do fit my purpose for this post.

Christian leader

Just by looking over this group, can you tell me what they have in common?

As you probably guessed, all of these movies are based on true stories!

Why is this important?

Inspiring = Great Speeches?

Well, we are talking about how the need to be inspiring to those you lead is a building block of Christian leadership. When most people first think about being inspiring to those they lead, they think about giving a hair-raising speech that brings the crowd to their feet. Their next thought is usually that they are not gifted in that way.

Actually, it is true that most of us are not gifted with the ability to give highly motivational speeches. Fortunately, being inspiring is more about what we do than it is about what we say!

Simply Live Out The Values

See, while you may not be able to give a rousing speech to your team, you sure can live out the values that you claim as a Christian leader. You may not be able to motivate your team to scale a wall with your pep talk, but you can exhibit the selfless qualities that reinforce what you teach.

People are much more apt to be inspired by watching a true story than they are by one that is scripted for Hollywood. Those that you lead will be more inspired by what you do – day in and day out – than they would be by what you may say.

Rudy’s Example

Think back to the movies I listed. Let’s take just the first one – Rudy. If you have seen this movie, you will remember that on or off the field, Rudy lived for Notre Dame football. He gave his heart and soul to the pursuit of playing football for Notre Dame. He went through punishment, sacrifice, and heartache to achieve this goal.

It took him years to finally see this goal realized. As a result, he made believers out of everyone that watched him. Some scoffed and others were convicted when comparing their own lack of commitment with Rudy’s passion for his goal. In the end, his achievement was truly inspiring!

We Can Be Inspiring!

Folks, this is not about having your life made into a major motion picture! Our goal is not the spotlight.

No, my point is that if we will simply and passionately live out the Christian leadership qualities that Jesus modeled for us in the Bible, then we will be some of the most inspiring people out there! The inspiration that results from our lives may not reach past the city limits of our small town. That is not important.

What IS important is that we follow the example laid out for us in Scripture. It IS important that we do this regardless of the potential consequences we may face in this world. As we do this, the people that are carefully watching us will be inspired. There is no doubt about that!

Do you have an example of Christian leadership that inspired you?

Are you trying to live out Christ’s values in an inspiring way?

How could your example be more inspiring to those watching you?

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How Is Vision Critical to Christian Leadership?

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Probably one of the top five books I have read in the past ten years is called Visioneering by Andy Stanley. In my mind, this book ranks with classics like Good to Great by Jim Collins and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.

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In Stanley’s book, he goes into great detail about why vision is so important to Christian leadership. He also gives solid advice about how to go about casting that vision to your organization. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it! I would loan mine to you, but someone borrowed it several years ago and has failed to return it. I am hoping they read this post and get the hint!

This is my third post in the series on Credible Christian Leadership. In this series we are looking at the four building blocks of Christian leadership proposed by James Kouzes and Barry Posner in their book, Credibility. We started with honesty in my last post. Today, we are talking about being forward-looking, or casting vision.

Vision From Two Perspectives

Anyway, let’s talk about vision from a couple of perspectives. First, we need to discuss why it is important as a building block for Christian leadership. Second, we need to address what it looks like in a Christian leader.

People Want A Big Vision

If you read much about employee engagement, you will find that compensation is not always the most important issue affecting job satisfaction among employees. In many cases, the desire to work for something that is bigger than themselves turns out to rank higher than compensation for employees.

People want to be a part of something. That is one reason the Olympic Games are so interesting to people in all walks of life. When they watch the events on TV, they feel a part of the team. Americans, regardless of economic status or job position, feel like they are a part of a national team. It is invigorating to most everyone and the vast majority are not participating in any way other than as spectators.

If you want to tap into this passion with those you are leading, then they need to know you are looking into the future. They need to know you are seeing a better picture ahead and showing them how they can be a part of this vision.

What Should Vision Look Like?

Assuming you want this, let’s take a look at what this should actually look like from a Christian perspective.

For a Christian leader, our vision for the future cannot simply include things like more money and a comfortable retirement. If this is all it is, then we are showing them nothing any different than what the world is showing them. This just cannot be.

Temporal And Eternal Vision

Instead, this vision, coming from a Christian leader, needs to extend into the future on two levels – both the temporal (this life) and the eternal (the life to come). If we can cast a vision of a better future on both levels, we will have people eager to follow we and hear what we have to say.

Just like Jesus did with those He ministered to, we do need to provide for their physical needs in our vision. We cannot expect to lead people with no consideration of their physical existence and the needs that go along with it. If we ignore their physical needs when we are casting our vision for the future, then we will end up walking alone.

Stretch Their Picture

The difference for the Christian leader is that we are not painting a picture for them that only includes their own needs. We are instead showing them a larger picture that includes the needs of those around them. We want to show them that they can be a part of improving the community in which they live. This community includes their coworkers, neighbors, etc.

Eternal Vision

At the same time we are casting the vision for a better life here and now, we should also be casting the vision for a better life to come. As Christian leaders, we should be leading them to consider their life beyond this life.

In July’s C12 segment, the author describes it this way:

We need to believe, in our own hearts, that this earthly life is one of struggle and that the good life awaits us in Heaven. We lead based on the eternal perspective.

If we can cast this dual vision in a compelling way, we will draw people to God. Again, we are not looking for the spotlight. Instead, we are looking to cast that spotlight on Him and give Him the glory for it all.

Do you have a vision for a better future?

If not, are you praying for God to reveal it to you?

If so, are you casting this vision on both levels?

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Building Blocks of Christian Leadership

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Are you the Christian leader you were created to be? Do you really even have a good feel for what that looks like? What are you doing on a daily basis to improve as a Christian leader?

Christian leader

Christian Leadership Defined

As I described in my last post, I am not defining Christian leadership by the size of your social media platform. I am not defining it based on the number of people you lead or by the number of books you have read or written. It has nothing to do with the spotlight.

Instead, I am calling a Christian leader someone who follows the example of Christ and does so in a way that influences others to do the same. You could also call someone like this a disciple-maker or a Great Commission Christian or any other label you want to use.

The only difference here is that I am describing this person in the context of the business world.

Called To Influence Through Business

My point is that, as Christian business owners and leaders, I believe we are all called to influence others toward an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. We are called to do this through the operation of our businesses and the execution of our jobs.

Assuming you are in agreement with me at this point, let’s dig into the building blocks of effective and credible Christian leadership. I am taking much of this information from the July segment of the C12 Group material.

How Effective Leadership Works

Recently, educators James Kouzes and Barry Posner wrote a book, Credibility, in which they explored how effective leadership works. In preparation for this book, they did extensive research with thousands of interviews to come up with the basic building blocks.

Out of a list of 20 components, they selected four as the most critical components of effective leadership. While this was not a Christian endeavor, I believe you will quickly see that these same four components of effective leadership can be supported with Scripture. In fact, during His brief time on earth, Jesus modeled each of these for us.

First Building Block: Honesty

The first of these building blocks of effective Christian leadership is honesty. Almost 90% of those surveyed cited honesty as the single most important component of effective leadership. Does that surprise you?

There are very few things that people hate more than being lied to. I could give several recent examples of being lied to in my business. When that happens, I usually decide very quickly that I cannot “follow” those individuals in any endeavor. Their influence with me is destroyed. I am sure you likely have had similar experiences and may feel the same.

The problem here is that our human nature makes it so easy for us to lie. Whether it is a little white lie or one that is more significant in our minds, we all face opportunities every day to tell something other than the truth. If we choose to something other than the truth, regardless of whether we see the significance at the time, we are destroying our influence.

Other Ways To Breach Trust

Before you start to relax and think that you don’t struggle that much with lying, let’s look at some other ways that Christian leaders can breach trust with those they are attempting to influence.

    1. We believe, but our business practices do not show it.

    2. We don’t mention Christ as the basis for how we conduct business.

    3. We talk about the Lord only when things are really difficult.

    4. We act as if problems never happen in the Christian life.

At first glance, these are likely not the first examples you thought of when I mentioned honesty. But, if you will think about each of them, you can quickly come to the conclusion that they fit. And they are common.

What Do We Need To Do?

So, if we are striving to improve the effectiveness of our Christian leadership, how do we strengthen this first building block – honesty?

I think there are several recommendations I can make. None of these are likely new to you, but that does not change their necessity.

Recommendations

First, I would strongly urge you to pray that God would search your heart and make known to you the areas where you are less than honest. He is faithful to do this.

Second, I would begin to spend more time in Scripture. Based on what God shows you in step one, I would look for Scripture that addresses your problem areas.

It could be pride that causes you to exaggerate. Maybe it is insecurity that makes you feel the need to protect yourself with denials. It may even be greed that drives your habit of manipulating others.

Whatever the issue, Scripture can address it. Once you find the particular verses that address your particular struggles, commit them to memory. If Scripture was Jesus’ response to temptation, don’t you think it will work for us?

Finally, I strongly urge you to find an accountability partner that can hold you to your commitments. Share your struggles with them. If you can be honest with them, that is a great first step toward doing so with everyone else.

Increased Influence

Don’t forget, if you can establish this first building block, your influence will soar over time. This influence, in the hands of a committed Christian leader, will have significant impact on eternity.

Stay tuned for the other three building blocks in my next posts.

Do you struggle with a lack of complete honesty?

Have you considered how being less than honest affects your influence?

What are you doing to correct this issue?

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Where Are The Christian Leaders?

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

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

Christian leader

Where Are The Christian Leaders?

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

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

What To Do About It?

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

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

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

Get Intentional!

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

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

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

We Are The Christian Leaders!

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

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

A Journey That Takes Time & Effort

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

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

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

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

What are you doing to intentionally move down that path?

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

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What Is A Ministry Superstar?

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

ministry superstar

C12 Group Material

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

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

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

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

What Other Qualities?

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

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

Other Ministry Superstar Traits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Willing To Trade

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

    1. Recognition, here and now.

    2. Prosperity, here and now.

    3. Friends / Reputation, here and now.

    4. Rest / Comfort, here and now.

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

Ministry Superstar’s Ultimate Goal

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

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

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

If not, what parts are you missing?

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

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Why Is Victory So Elusive?

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Have you ever felt like you can never win? Have you ever wondered why victory is so elusive? Have you ever thought about giving up in the search for victory because it seems like it was only meant for someone else?

victory

You Are Normal

Well, if you can answer “Yes” to any of these questions, then you are normal. In fact, at one time or another, I believe all of us have felt this way to some degree. Feeling like victory is elusive is certainly nothing new.

That being the case, I want to give you some of the reasons that this is true. We have been discussing these reasons over the past week or so, but I want you to see them all tied together so you get the big picture.

5 Reasons For Elusive Victory

Take a look at these most common reasons for the lack of victory most of us experience. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section!

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1. We do not define victory correctly.

    Jesus defined victory for us when he gave us the Greatest Commandment. If we will submit our lives to the sole purpose of loving God with all of our heart, mind, and soul, and loving our neighbors as ourselves, then we will see victory as it is meant to be.

    As long as we continue to seek victory as the world defines, it will remain elusive and fleeting. When we achieve it, we will find it to be empty and void of meaning.

2. We do not go “All in” for victory with God.

    Jesus said God wants our ALL – in fact He has already paid for it! Anything less is really theft. When we hold back and give God left-overs, we will not get much more than a glimpse of victory.

    If, on the other hand, well sell out for our relationship with Him and ignore the world’s opinion, we will live in victory. It is that simple.

3. We do not expect victory.

    David went into battle expecting God to grant him victory. He knew God had delivered him before and there was no doubt in David’s mind He would do it again. We must have the same confidence – that when we are looking at a situation from God’s eyes, we can expect victory to follow.

4. We do not recognize victory when it happens.

    Like David, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego expected victory as they are being thrown into the furnace. They also recognized that God may see victory differently in that situation than they did. Either way, they accepted His will (Daniel 3:1-30).

    We don’t often recognize victory when it happens because we forget it is about God and His glory, not ours. If we can maintain His perspective in this, we will see the victory even when the world does not. The cross may be the perfect example of this. What looked like tragedy was actually the ultimate victory.

5. We do not view victory in the correct time frame.

    If my kids plant pumpkin seeds in a jar tonight and wake up tomorrow morning, rushing to see how much they grew, they will surely be disappointed. We would probably chuckle at how silly they look in this picture, but we turn right around and have similar expectations in our own lives.

    God is interested in our conforming to the likeness of Christ much more than He is in the timing of our goals. He is willing to work in our lives over many years to accomplish His will. His perspective is not limited by time, but is eternal. We think we have failed if we work on something for six months without our desired results. Who is silly now?!?

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Reverse These Mistakes

When you take a look at the common mistakes we make in regard to seeking victory in our lives, it becomes easier to see why it seems so elusive. I believe that we simply need to reverse each of these common mistakes and we will experience victory like never before.

Friday will be the last post in this series. In that post, I will give you three options for seeking victory in this life – and tell you which is most likely to succeed!

Which mistake do you make most often?

Do you see how to correct your thinking?

What mistakes did I leave off of the list?

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What Does Victory Look Like In Christian Business?

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Picture someone right now in the business world, or in your industry, that you respect and admire. This needs to be someone that you see as successful – someone who has seen their share of victory. Maybe it is even someone that you wish you could switch places with (at times). Do you have that person in mind?

Make A List

Okay, now that you have someone in mind, I want you to write down the reasons that you have for seeing them in this light. What is it about them that you wish you could have or experience? How do you measure their success? When you say they have seen their share of victory, what do you mean? Be specific with your list. Don’t leave anything out.

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Our Look At Victory

For the last week, we have taken some time to look at victory and come to some conclusions.

Victory In Business?

Today, I want us to take a hard look at what victory actually looks like in a Christian business. While this may sound simple at first, it really is critical. See, if we do not have a crystal clear picture of what it looks like in our business or on our job, then how do we really expect to strive for it or experience it? How can we expect to recognize it when it comes?

Your List

Let’s get back to the person you look up to in the business world.

Take a look at your list and tell me what you see.

Are your observations related to his financial success in his business? Do you connect his acquisition of other businesses to your view of his success? Do you like the fact that he has a reputation within the business world for being shrewd and able to generate strong returns on his investments?

What other items are on your list? Did you mention anything about her involvement in industry associations? Did you list some awards she may have won as a result of her hard work or creative solutions to workplace challenges? Maybe you considered her life-long tenure at the same company as worthy of your respect.

Your View Of Victory In Business

Whatever the case, your list is a rough picture of the way you define victory in business.

The tough question is this…does our list match up well with Scripture? Does it fit with the definition the Bible gives us for victory? Can you make a case for a direct connection between your list and the life and example of Jesus? Are you working toward living a life that does the same?

If you can, congratulations!

If not, there is work to do.

Examples Of Victory In Business

In an effort to help you see this picture with a little more clarity, I have put together a list of actual examples that do match up with the Bible’s definition of victory in business (and life). Take a look and let me know what you think about this list in the comment section at the bottom of the post.

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    – The CEO of a national company is accused of discrimination because his company supports the Bible’s definition of marriage. As a result, at least one major city government is moving to block the company’s expansion into their city. (Read about it here.)

    – The owner of a young construction business chooses to take a risk and hire someone he truly cannot afford for a non-revenue-producing position. He decides hiring a chaplain for his employees is too important to pass up.

    – A company chooses not to match the operating hours of the rest of their competition, forfeiting a huge opportunity for revenue. Instead, they close on Sundays. (Read about it here.)

    – An operations director decides that his call to ministry in the workplace is more important than keeping a job where that is frowned upon. He is fired for his decision and is now on his own to start a business that will glorify God.

    – A corporate manager decides to pursue an online degree in apologetics so that he can be prepared to answer the tough questions he will receive from his clients as he makes more of an effort to share with them the reason for his faith in Jesus.

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Eternal Perspective

If you look closely, you will notice that each of these examples reflect an eternal perspective. While victory may not seem evident right now, each item on the list will still be having a ripple effect 1,000 years from now. This is usually the best indicator of true victory.

The other thing you will notice is that these examples would likely be looked upon as silly or even foolish in most pure business circles. Review this list at any of the nations top business schools and you will likely receive laughter or even be mocked.

God’s View

The truth is that God does not define victory as the world does. In fact, Scripture says that He chooses the foolish things of this world to shame the wise and the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). The experts may not agree with my list, but I am not so concerned with what they think. I hope you see it the same way.

How does your list look to you in hindsight?

Would this list have been different for you 5 years ago? Why?

What do you need to do to change your list?

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Do You Expect Victory?

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Imagine that you are the back-up quarterback for the unranked Maryland Terrapins and you are playing an away game against the defending National Champion Miami Hurricanes in a televised college football game. It is half-time and your team is down 31-0. What are you thinking? Do you really expect to see victory in the second half? Or would you just hope for a score or two to make it respectable?

victory

This is my third post in a series on seeking victory in this life (Please make sure to read about defining victory for correct context for this subject). As Christian business owners and leaders, we face opportunities for victory and defeat on an almost daily basis. If we are not correctly tuned in to God’s view on victory, then it is going to be impossible for us to experience it the way He created us to experience it.

Actual Game

So let’s go back to the football game! If you are a sports nut, you may recognize this actual game situation from 1984. The back-up quarterback was Frank Reich and his team was actually down 31-0 beginning the second half.

The amazing result is that Reich led his team to victory in that game. His unranked Maryland Terrapins had defeated the 6th ranked (and defending National Champions) Miami Hurricanes 42-40 when the clock expired. This amazing comeback immediately went into the record books as the greatest comeback in NCAA history.

Duplicated Feat!

What is more amazing is that Reich duplicated this feat almost 10 years later in the NFL. He was playing for the Buffalo Bills in the NFC Wildcard game against the Houston Oilers. His Bills were down 28-3 starting the second half. Unfortunately, the Bills started the second half with Reich throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

Make that 35-3 with less than two quarters to go.

Similar Bible Story

Let’s pause a minute and look at a similar story in the Bible.

The Israelite army was facing defeat by the Philistine army. They were encamped and being forced to listen to one loud-mouthed Philistine that was taunting them day after day, challenging any one of them to a fight to the death. The problem was that this Philistine was HUGE.

The Bible describes how King Saul and all of the Israelite soldiers were afraid of Goliath’s size and obvious strength. No Israelite had good reason to think they could match their strength and size with Goliath’s and see victory. Therefore they stayed in their camps, listening to the taunting continue.

David’s Confidence

Then, David comes on the scene as the younger brother to three of the Israelite soldiers. David hears Goliath’s taunts and asks a potent question.

“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

Do you hear the confidence oozing from David’s pores? Moments later, when explaining why he should be allowed to fight the giant, he says this:

“Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David was not attempting to match his strength or skills with that of Goliath. Instead, he immediately described how God had given him victory over the wild animals. He simply said that he knew God would do the same in this case.

David Expected Victory!

Folks, David EXPECTED victory. He did not HOPE for it, but very simply assumed it because he knew the God that had promised it. How did God promise it? Look at the previous chapter.

In 1 Samuel, David was anointed to be king by the Samuel. God had determined that David would be king after Saul and that was all David needed to know. After that, he knew he could go “all in” and completely trust God for victory. He simply expected it.

Back To Football

Now back to Frank Reich and the Buffalo Bills. Down 35-3 after a humbling interception in the third quarter, Reich could have given up. He could have watched all of the fans exiting the stadium and joined them in his spirit.

Instead, he led (again) the greatest comeback in NFL history. Over the next 28+ minutes, Reich showed he was a fighter. He and the Bills mounted a comeback that is still in the history books in the NFL. It took a field goal in overtime to do it, but the Bills won the playoff game 41-38.

One Message – Loud and Clear

Folks, this post is not about football. It is about one message and one message only. If you get nothing else out of this post, get this loud and clear:

As Christians, we should EXPECT victory.

The Bible describes it and Jesus promised it (John 16:33). We will not achieve victory in this life if we seek it on our own (John 15:5). But, if we will define it correctly, go “all in” with God, and expect it, then victory will certainly come to us.

Frank Reich could not have won either of those games if he did not expect to win. Going out there hoping to win would not have worked.

As Christians in business, we are no different. We must trust in the God that created us and know that He will deliver His victory. He is faithful to do so.

What challenges are you facing where you need to expect victory?

Are you trusting God fully to do His part?

What is your part?

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Are You “All In” For Victory?

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I am not much of a poker player. In fact, I have not really played since college. At the same time, I do occasionally like to watch the World Series of Poker. I always get excited when one of the players senses victory and calls out, “All in!”

victory

This is the second post in a series of posts on victory in this life. In my last post, I asked you to define “victory.” I also gave you the definition Jesus gave us as the standard we all should follow. If you did not read that post, you really need to take a minute or two to go do that now. It is the foundation for the rest of this series.

Going “All In”

For those not familiar with poker, going “all in” means you are putting ALL of your chips (money) into the pot and are fully committing to that particular hand you were dealt. You are holding nothing back!

If you win the hand, you win the pot and are able to continue. If not, you are completely out of the game as you have nothing left with which to bet.

Of course, poker is not the only place you will hear “all in” being used. You are not worth your salt as a coach or leader of any team if you have never asked your team to go “all in” at one point or another. If you have ever played any sports, you have most certainly been asked to go “all in.”

What Does It Mean?

So what exactly does “all in” mean?

When a coach or leader asks us to go “all in,” it means they want us to give everything we have (energy, focus, effort, etc.) to whatever strategy he has chosen to employ at the time. Whether it is the last play of a game or the launch of a new product, we are being asked to give everything we have to achieve success as it has been defined for us.

“All In” With God

Folks, the same is true in our life as a whole. We learned in the last post that Jesus defined victory in this life by referring to our relationship with God. In His definition, we are to go “all in” in our love for God and our neighbor.

He did not just ask us to love God, but to love Him with ALL of our heart, mind, and soul. He did not ask for a portion of our lives, but for ALL of our lives. For us to achieve victory in this life, we must submit our all to Him!

This is critical for all of us to accept AND to put into practice!

Giving Up Control

Back to the poker player, I want to be clear about why I get so excited when I hear them call out, “All in!” You see, at this point, there is nothing more they can do. The game, as far as they can control it, is over for them. The victory, or defeat, is out of their hands.

Again, this same idea applies to our relationship with God. He is not interested having us partially rely on Him. No, He wants our whole dependence to rest on Him and His provision. God wants to be our sole (and soul!) provider.

All In For Victory

He wants us to go “all in” in our relationship with Him. He wants us to go “all in” with Him as we seek victory in this life. He is faithful to make good on every one of His promises and to have our best interests at heart. Don’t forget, He DID create us. I think He knows what fulfills us.

One final point about the poker player. You want to know the funny thing about the moment in between them calling out, “All in” and them finding out whether they won or not? Watch their body language.

More often than not, you will see the pressure disappear from their body. They actually show huge relief. Their shoulders will sag and they will exhale in a way that says they have released control and can only now wait on the results.

If you will go “all in” with God, you will quickly realize that He can handle it. There is nothing more for you to worry about. The results are no longer up to you!

Once you submit, you can relax and enjoy the ride!

Are you already “all in” with God?

What victory do you think He wants for you?

What control do you need to release to Him?

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How Do You Define Victory?

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This is the first in a series of posts about victory in our lives as Christian business owners and leaders. I am really excited about this series because I think this is a critical issue for all of us, though most of us have not thought much about it.

victory

Desire For Victory Is Okay

Sure, we want to win. Most of us have participated in some form of team sports during our lives at one point or another. I am assuming that all of us have wanted to taste victory to some degree. To some, you may not want to win at all costs, but certainly would prefer winning to losing!

Some of us REALLY want to see victory in EVERYTHING! As long as we do not let that desire for victory override our desire to please God, there is nothing at all wrong with it. In fact, I think God places that desire for victory inside of each of us.

Most Stop Here

If you are like most people, this is about as far as your thoughts have gone. You have probably not thought a lot about what victory actually looks like in your life as a whole. If you have, congratulations! You are probably the exception.

For the vast majority, if asked what victory in life means, they would respond with things that the world considers important. Even if we exclude the obviously “non-Christian” answers (money, toys, fame, etc.), we would still likely hear things like the following:

  • Good education for my children
  • Comfortable retirement for me and my spouse
  • Successful career with reputable company
  • Solid reputation with everyone, no enemies
  • Large attendance at my funeral

Are any of these answers BAD?

I think it depends.

Victory Goals or Results?

I think it depends on whether these were your goals or just the results.

Think about that for a minute. If you sought these examples as your ultimate goals, then that means you placed them above any other priorities. Assuming you are a believer, then it means you placed these goals ahead of your relationship with God. That is not good.

If, on the other hand, your ultimate goals related to your relationship with God and these examples came to you as byproducts, then I do not see a problem with them at all. If that is what God blessed you with at the end of a life submitted to Him, then I would say, “Awesome!”

Ultimate Question

I say all of this to come to one central, and very important question. In fact, I would rank it as one of the most important questions any of us can ask ourselves. This is a question few ask, but all answer in one way or another. Whether you stop and ask this question or not, you will end up answering it. Here it is…

How do you define victory in this life?

It looks like a fairly straightforward and simple question, doesn’t it?

Simple Question, Rarely Asked

It may be a simple question, but it is not one correctly answered by most people. Instead, most people never ask the question at all. They simply accept the definition given to them by the world around them.

Most people allow everyone else to define victory for them. Then they spend the rest of their lives chasing that definition. I think this is sad.

Simple Answer

I think it is sad because there is a simple answer to this question. I think it is sad because the simple answer to defining victory is found in the Bible and chasing this definition brings everyone the fulfillment they so desperately crave.

For the question itself, and the answer, we only need to look at Matthew 22:34-40. Jesus is asked about the greatest commandment of all. Jesus is essentially asked how He defines victory for all of us. Here is His answer…

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Simple and Straightforward

There it is. It is very simple and straightforward. We are to love God, our Creator, with all of our heart, mind, and soul and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. That is God’s definition of victory for all of us. It does not get any simpler than that.

As a result of this Scripture, there really is no longer a need for us to struggle in defining victory. We have it right there in black and white. All we need to do is chase that definition.

Of course, it may be a simple definition, but it is not that easy, right?

More Questions

Once we accept this definition as the truth, many more questions begin to come to mind.

    How exactly does God want me to show Him this love through my life?

    How do my individual skills and talents play into this?

    How much of this victory depends on me and my efforts?

    What happens when I mess up and lose?

I understand. I have the same kinds of questions at times…okay, all of the time! That is not a problem. God likes these questions! When you are asking these questions, it means you are thinking about it! That is exactly what He wants from us. It is so much better than mindlessly accepting the world’s definition of victory.

Over the next several posts, we will be talking a lot more about victory in this life and our roles and responsibilities in seeking it. Stay tuned!

Are you one of the few that has already defined victory in your life?

On what Scripture is your definition based?

If you’ve never thought about it, when will you start?