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Encourage • Equip • Inspire • Ignite
Jesus who was
is not
this man?
The influence project influencers are all around you
The Force of Favour
December/JANUARY 2012/13 ISSUE 16
evidence of god's affection
Where is your place of
influence?
IT'S RELATIONSHIP iT's in IT'S IMPACT IN WITH LEADERSHIP your DNA THE WORKPLACE
CONTENTS is available at the following locations: Amanzimtoti Sweetwaters Full Gospel Church Kingsway Church, Life Church Durban North Living Waters Church KingsNet Ministries Empangeni Christian Family Church Hillcrest GraceHill Church Focus On The Family Bookshop Christ Church Hillcrest Kloof/Gillitts Kloof Harvest Church Sarepta Church Kloof Baptist Church St. Agnes Church Kloof Methodist Morningside The Olive Tree Lambert Road Baptist Church Musgrave/Glenwood Full Gospel Tabernacle Scripture Union St Olav’s Church His People Church Pinetown/Westmead Highway Christian Community Pinetown Baptist Church Doxa Deo NG Kerk Fourways Spar Pietermaritzburg African Enterprise The Coffeeberry Cafe All Saints Church Umhlanga Umhlanga Harvest Umhlanga Christ Church Waterfall Waterfall Baptist Church Westville Church on Route 5 Westville Methodist Church Westville Baptist Church Westville Presbyterian Church Please let us know if you wish to distribute CONNECT magazine in your church or business.
VOICE OF THE PROPHET The Force of Favour
8
HEART OF THE PASTOR
Who was this Man? The Relationship between Leadership & Influence
HAND OF THE HARVESTER Influence is in your DNA Influencing the Workplace Meekness is not Weakness
11 16 20 22 24
IN EVERY ISSUE
Where to find CONNECT Letter from the Editor Notice board The Rest is HIStory
3 4 5, 7 28
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is produced by: Tracey Olivier - Editor tracey@connectmagazine.co.za Belinda Peck - Admin info@connectmagazine.co.za Elaine Young - Sub-Editor elaine@copyeditpaste.co.za Ruth Plowman - Art Director zngirl@gmail.com Advertising Sales: 084 548 4720 sales@connectmagazine.co.za Steve Joubert - Ad Design steve.joubert@gmail.com and printed by: DNA Print (Pty) Ltd. nikki@jmsa.co.za www.kbnconnect.co.za | 3
influence |ˈinflo͝oəns| noun
the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself. My husband Gary and I with one of the great influencers of our time, Angus Buchan.
I
nfluence! It is amazing how a meaning of a word can change for you. This word first came to my attention after 2005, which was the year I feel as though I ‘woke up’ – that’s a story for another time. I was listening to an interview that Bill Hybels did with U2’s Bono and at one point Bono asked: “Why would a film star, a rock star or a sports star be more important than a nurse, fireman or mother? It is actually ridiculous, but hey, it is currency and I decided I was going to spend mine.” Bono understands the power of influence and he uses it as ‘currency’ for good. I remember having such a revelation and a stirring in my heart that whatever God did with my life, I would use the influence He gave me as currency to extend His Kingdom. My prayer was that I would leave a sweet fragrance behind in every boardroom, training room and business that I visited. Proverbs 22:29 has become the prayer of my heart: “Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before Kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” I recently had the privilege of meeting “Uncle Angus”, a farmer from KZN who has influenced hundreds and thousands of men (and women) around the world just by being himself and available to God. We want YOU to make a difference in the world, and it is no accident that the last issue of 2012 is all about influence. From the influence of Jesus himself to the influence of a gogo caring FOLLOW US ON TWITTER Twitter.com/Connectbizmag
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for AIDS orphans, we ask what makes influence, what influence does, and how we could change our world for the better if we realised the influence and authority we have as Christians. Imagine if we became intentional about our influence and used it to point to the GREAT SOLUTION: Jesus Christ. Our lives, families, businesses, churches and schools would never be the same. Has God placed you in an area of great influence? Ask Him today “why?” You have an assignment, so be intentional about it! You will notice that we have rebranded our Magazine as KBN CONNECT. KBN (Kingdom Business Networking) gave rise to CONNECT nearly three years ago, and with their vision of encouraging, inspiring, igniting and equipping marketplace Christians, we want to acknowledge their mutual dependence. In 2013 we are going to be focusing on the equipping aspect. We recently ran a successful workshop for our advertisers on how to maximise their advert’s impact, and we are planning further such workshops to help you build a Kingdom business. So fasten your seatbelts and get ready for some mind-shifting, earth-altering reading! May you have a blessed, peaceful Christmas celebrating the birth of the One who changed history forever.
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1-2 March 2013 Biblical Entrepreneurship 1 BE-1 teaches the Biblical approach to identifying opportunities, taking calculated risks, solving problems, and exercising stewardship for biblical profit while developing a Christcentred character and attitude. 11-13 April 2013 Biblical Entrepreneurship 2 BE 2 is an 18-36 hour course designed to assist students in developing an understanding of practical “Mini MBA” principles as they relate to the Word of God.
ine onnect Magaz “Wisdom” of C ovember 2012 has such
er/N Issue 15 Octob n business. We nning your ow ru t ou ab hs ut tr e as this.” I n for such a tim truly were “Bor on each edition get my hands cannot wait to few of my a azine. I have of Connect Mag their visit. on ait for a copy w ho w s nt ie Cl y Underberg stributing in m I have been di ere. Also of ing the seed th Office and sow e library I is and value th ce an rt e po im t grea rvices availabl of Christian se e th in am building up ents the advertisem out there from magazine. ! Until next issue d Heather Fiel cc TING SERVICES FIELD ACCOUN
This page is for you to write in with your business questions. We have a panel of Kingdom Business experts who can't wait to help you. Or just let us know how the articles have blessed you. We really would love to serve and CONNECT with you.
- 12 Feb KBN Westville: b Hillcrest: - 14 Fe 19 Feb North Coast: 20 Feb South Coast: rg: - 26 Feb Pietermaritzbu
The question is from one of our Facebook friends, Cheryl Eley: "How do we do this [business] God 's way, in order to glorify Him in ever ything we say and do?" The answer comes from Patrick Kuw ana from Crossover Transformations who is one of our experts on the panel of experts: If we make the greatest commandme nt of ‘loving the Lord with all our hear t, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength; and loving our neighbour as ourselves’ the foundation of business we will glor ify God. By focusing on this we will do business according to His word which results in all parties (the business steward, the cust omers, the employees, the community, the church and the government) all benefitting from the activities of the business. God’s way of business results in a win – win situa tion for all involved. www.kbnconnect.co.za | 5
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Free for Connect Advertisers Only R100 for Connect Readers Here is some feedback from our first CONNECT EQUIP workshop. The focus for this one was on HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR ADVERT’S IMPACT. We had copyrighter, graphic designer and marker give some pointers and then we took their adverts and “workshopped” them. It was an incredibly powerful time. We are going to keep the costs down for these workshops and will source experts for all areas of your business. See Calendar for more information. We will be posting details on our FB page and in the New Year on our Website. Tell us what you need and we will have a “no frills” workshop for you.
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VOICE OF THE PROPHET
The FORCE of FAVOUR What exactly does favour do? Favour is the affection of God towards you that releases an influence through you so that other people are inclined to like, trust and cooperate with you.
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he oldest book of the Old Testament is Job. As such it is the first real insight into favour and how it operates. In the very first chapter we read about the phenomenal blessing that is on Job’s life, declaring: “This man was the greatest of all the men of the East” (Job 1:3). What is not fully understood is how the blessing of God came upon this righteous man. We find a hint in the following verse: “Thou hast granted me life and favour and thy visitation has refreshed my spirit” (Job 10:1). Job was a man who walked under the supernatural blessing of God’s favour because God visited him when he prayed. What was the effect of that favour? He opened his mouth and his “words were like butter” to those who heard him. The elders at the gates sought wisdom from his mouth. Talk about the power of persuasion! To guard the blessing of God, Job was very careful to build a hedge of prayer around his life, a point that Satan made a complaint about
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before the throne of God. The force of favour attracts not only God’s blessings, but Satan’s envy. Thus when Job came out of his troubles, God restored Job's fortunes in a double portion! Job shows us how God restores to his embattled saints a double portion of blessing and power at the end of the conflict! Favour makes ordinary students shine in an extraordinary way. It makes lonely singles attractive, married people desirable to their spouse, employees receive recognition, employers gain influence, entrepreneurs attract contacts. Favour is a magnet to the blessing and promotion of God. Favour, however, is always attached to a purpose and comes with a price.
Photo credit: Mihai Tamasila
reveals that in addition to His many names of You could say that favour is on the assignment the Old Testament, Jehovah Rophi and Jehovah and not the person. God wraps a flesh and Nisi, etc., He is also Jehovah Sneaky! When He blood servant around the assignment He visits you, He impregnates you with a vision, favours. If you quit the assignment, the favour an assignment, and a mission. You may not will go to the person God raises up to pick up understand it all at first, but once the favour the assignment. This is the story of David and of God comes, the assignment becomes more Saul. Think of it. Saul’s sin involved presumption personal and compelling. When you spend and peer pressure. David’s involved adultery and prolonged time in God’s presence it is natural murder. Yet God would not take His favour away that at some point you conceive His desire. from David, while He withdrew from Saul! Why? In fact the word “Desire” in Latin is a two Because David kept his heart right and stayed part word De: “of”, and faithful to the assignment. Sire: “Father”. Literally, Favour comes toward you God thus reveals that desire is “of the father.” from God to call you into You were designed with His service. Then favour in addition to His many operates in your life as you names of the Old Testament, a spiritual womb that is capable of birthing God’s work out the service He Jehovah Rophi and Jehovah purposes. When a group of has called you into. Things Nisi, etc., He is also Jehovah Al Qaeda terrorists opened start going right. Divine appointments abound. Sneaky! When He visits you, up their spirits to the spirit realm, they Synergism marks your He impregnates you with a received a direct infusion steps. People come to you vision, an assignment, and of Satan’s desire into to join your cause. a mission. You may not their hearts. The events The fist mention of September 11th were of favour in the New understand it all at first, but conceived in the mind Testament is Luke once the favour of God comes, not of Islamic extremists; they 1:28-31. Here Mary is the assignment becomes more were conceived by an approached by Gabriel, intelligence operating whose salutation heralds personal and compelling. in the realms of spiritual Mary’s favoured status in When you spend prolonged wickedness in heavenly the throne room. Notice time in God’s presence it is places. Heaven and Hell in these verses that the natural that at some point bend low over the word ‘favour’ is repeated affairs of the earth twice. Favour, charis you conceive His desire. in this last hour. (pronounced khar-ece), is This is the reason a word revealing a twofor the call to intimacy and worship. God is fold operation of the law of attraction. The first seeking to set apart a people into whom He definition describes an attraction of God to can birth, by the Spirit, the initiatives and the you and the second describes the release of an desires of the counsel of Heaven. At this same influence through you that inclines other people time, fallen and foul principalities seek the to trust, like and assist you in your assignment. womb of the disobedient. Jesus taught that Do you remember Job’s confession that God the tares would increase and grow at the same gave him “life and favour” by his “visitation”? time as the wheat (Matthew 13:26). The tares Here in Mary’s life we see exactly how this are the children of the devil and the wheat are applies. God is attracted to her because of her the children of God. Both harvests multiply at heart’s desire toward Him. Likewise, He comes the same time. If you will open your womb to to visit you. When He comes to visit you He the seed of the word of God you will see the leaves you different from before He came. In manifestation of the works of God through Mary’s case, she was left pregnant! God thus www.kbnconnect.co.za | 9
Photo credit: Mihai Tamasila
HAND OF THE HARVESTER
His sons. To have an open womb toward God requires that you keep your spiritual womb closed off to every other spirit. God wants you to be resistant toward Satan’s temptations of compromise. The pull of the world and the spirit of antichrist are intensifying. Yielding to the spirit of the world or to loving the world is the equivalent of committing spiritual adultery (James 4:4). Let your whole heart be set apart to God’s purposes alone. Guard your affections and embrace the desire of God for your life, and God will not only accomplish mighty works through you, He will also bless that which is the desire of your own heart. He will incorporate your own desires into His great plan, once you have submitted your life to the assignment He has chosen for you. This is the privilege of sons and daughters who are true co-labourers in that which the Father is doing. As Kings and Priests we have authority to initiate, create and call forth whatever is in line with the assignment. Most people miss this wonderful aspect of the call of God. When Jesus gave the talents to the three servants He did not tell them what to do. He gave them instructions and a time period to produce fruit and left them on their own to invest and multiply the gifts He gave. Then he 10 | www.kbnconnect.co.za
returned and had them render an account of what they did on their own with His talents to multiply them! You have more latitude to cocreate than you realise. When God made Adam, He put him over His creation and then showed up to see what Adam would name the animals. Adam was free to create within the realm of his assignment, and so are you. “Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you.” - Isaiah 60:1-2, KJV !
Lance Wallnau Lance Learning PO Box 2688, Keller, TX. 76244 800.884.1163 www.lancelearning.com Used with permission
HEART OF THE PASTOR
S
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John Ortberg, Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, gave the most incredible speech at the Global Leadership Summit in 2012. His opening words were: “Suppose you wanted to change the world so much that in 2000 years not only would your name be remembered but your birthday would be celebrated all over the planet. Where would you start? It’s only happened once”. John went on to spend forty minutes describing a leader whose influence changed the course of history for eternity: Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Who was this man – and more importantly, who is this man? Consider the following extracts from his talk and you’ll never look at modern civilisation in the same way again.
an Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento...you can’t look at a map without being reminded of this man. The cross is the single most recognised symbol on the world, and Christianity continues to grow in spite of its leaders’ leadership challenges. Jesus’ influence endures in spite of those who try to oppose him, often in spite of those who claim to follow him. The great Yale historian [Jaroslav Pelikan] has written, ‘Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about Him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western Culture for almost twenty centuries. If it were possible, with some sort of super-magnet, to pull up out of that history every scrap of metal bearing at least a trace of His name, how much would be left?’ “Too often we argue about Christianity instead of marvelling at Jesus. Who was this man?
· Jesus’ leadership was simple. He had simple followers. But he gave the world its most influential movement. ·
Into the hard, divided, cruel, ancient world entered Jesus and the Church. Where, before the Church, was there a movement that actively sought to unite people across all barriers? It was Jesus’ idea!
· Jesus changed the way we think about history. Nowadays we expect to see progress from one generation to the next. In the ancient world, life was just seen in terms of cycles – an endless repetition of ups and downs. But by the sixth century when the modern day calendar was set up, Jesus’ birth was acknowledged as a pivotal event in history. The creation of the calendar was not a mere chronological convenience but a claim – an idea that life is not a random cycle but has a meaning, leading somewhere - and its critical event was the life of this carpenter. John called Jesus Lord of Lords and King of Kings. In the first century, when He
WHO WAS THIS MAN?
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HAND OF THE HARVESTER
had just a small group of followers, such a claim first three centuries of the church, a quarter to seemed laughable. Yet, 2000 years later, every a third of the population was wiped out by two time we look at a date, we’re reminded of him. plagues, and general panic caused people to AD means The Year of our Lord! push sufferers away – even family members. But the Christians went out and brought sick people · Jesus changed how the world shapes/ in and cared for them at their own risk... because expresses compassion. We all have a capacity Jesus cared for the lepers, for compassion, but He the blind, the deaf and the shaped this in ways we To return to the real lame. Because Jesus said, often don’t know. In 'What you do for others question: Who is this man? ancient Greece and Rome you do for me'. That idea it was generally the strong, He is the hinge of History. gripped the world, and noble and beautiful who Saviour of the World! The what was essentially the were admired. The weak first hospital was started King of Kings! The reason and marginal weren’t valued. The first-century we must marvel at this man by St. Benedict in the fourth century. By the Roman philosopher is that His work is not done sixth century, monastic Seneca admitted that yet. Our world is waiting for communities commonly they drowned children at had hospitals attached to birth who were weak or a fresh manifestation of this them. Hospitals were a abnormal, or if they were man and his vision. What Christian idea – the idea the wrong gender.... But might happen if Jesus' impact of compassion on any there was this little group human who is suffering who followed a man who in my world could grow or weak – and the Red said, ‘Let the little children greater in the world to come? Cross, Salvation Army, come to me’. They began What is still to happen in His World Vision, YMCA and to take in abandoned children, starting the radical love for all? And what Compassion International all bear the touch of Jesus. practice of Godparents part will I play in it? Will I The unfit were seen as who would care for burdens to be discarded devote myself to Him? children if their birth in the ancient world. Now parents died. Then people they are seen as bearers of started to leave children, divine glory who can touch our conscience and not to die, but at monasteries which became the teach us all. first orphanages. These changes (lots of them · His influence shaped education. In the around children, who were commonly used for Graeco-Roman world, only the males in elite slavery and sexuality) that they are hailed by families got educated. Yet the church said one author as ‘The Birth of Childhood’. In the 12 | www.kbnconnect.co.za
teach everyone – man and woman, slave and free! Monasteries preserved the ancient texts through the middle ages, and the Church started schools, then universities. 92% of all colleges and universities started in the US before the Civil War were founded in Jesus’ name. When the Reformation came, the idea arose that everyone should be able to read the Bible for themselves – and this ignited a dream for universal literacy. Martin Luther called parents who neglected their children’s education “despicable hogs and venomous beasts devouring their own young”!
· The greatest explosion of technology in the middle ages was in Jesus-following monastic communities – mechanical clocks were invented because monks needed to know when to pray, and eyeglasses to help them to pour over texts. In nation after nation, Christians found languages not yet committed to writing and committed them to writing, developed them, wrote the first dictionaries, developed the first alphabets, translated Bibles. The Gospels (His Story) are translated into more than 2,200 languages – five times more than any other book in history! There simply has been no transcendent vision of reality, no cosmic story that has gripped the artistic imagination like the vision of Jesus. And if you lead in the arts, won’t you make them shine with his beauty once more because the world needs that. · The Jesus movement also revolutionised political theory. Jesus said, 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s'.
This challenged the ancient view that the state has the franchise on religion. Jesus showed that God is supreme, not man! He also changed our understanding of human rights. 'The first expression of egalitarianism in human literature,' said Thomas Cahill, was Jesus’ assertion that we are all one in Him. · Jesus taught that God is love – a brand new way of thinking about God and love. Jesus uniquely taught love for our enemies, which was not a natural idea. Even on the cross He forgave. What was admired in the ancient world was helping your friends but crushing your enemies. Nero covered Christians with pitch and lit them as torches to light gladiator games. This went on for three centuries and the Christians’ response was not to dream of revenge or start an armed revolt, but to love. This association between Jesus and love for enemies is so strong that Hannah Arendt, an atheist, wrote that 'the discoverer of the role of forgiveness in the realm of human affairs was Jesus of Nazareth'. To return to the real question: Who is this man? He is the hinge of History. Saviour of the World! The King of Kings! The reason we must marvel at this man is that His work is not done yet. Our world is waiting for a fresh manifestation of this man and His vision. What might happen if Jesus' impact in my world could grow greater in the world to come? What is still to happen in His radical love for all? And what part will I play in it? Will I devote myself to Him? !
Excerpted from an address by John Ortberg at the 2012 Global Leadership Summit. www.kbnconnect.co.za | 13
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Here are some ideas to deal with stress so that your efficiency levels are at their best: 1. Time: Remove any Unnecessary Stresses. Yes, that means sometimes saying “no” to being on committees etc. – it’s okay to say “no” sometimes. Stay focussed on what you have been employed to do and just do it well. Is the stress really worth being on all the committees . . . really? 2. Time: Be More Disciplined with Your Time at Work. For example, Less office chatter and more output - when things are done, we can chat as much as we like. 3. Ability: Make sure that you have all the training needed to do your work to the best of your ability. As things in your job change, make sure you go on courses, get coaching from a more experienced person etc. so that you have all of the skills necessary to do your job well. 14 | www.connectmagazine.co.za
HAND OF THE HARVESTER
Leslie Venter
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T
he many definitions of a good leader all come down to one thing: influencing others to pursue a goal. This influence can vary from subtle persuasion through relationship to the extreme of coercion through power, but both are ultimately about achieving a goal or set of goals. Bill Hybels calls leadership the art of ‘getting people to move from here to there’, and how much you enjoy the ride (and your new destination) depends very largely on the way you are led. The question is this: Why are some leaders more effective than others?
heart of the pastor
Why do some leaders inspire wholehearted devotion while others are seen as a debatably necessary evil? The answer probably lies in the fact that the former have invested more ‘into’ the lives of the people they lead. In other words, they have influence, not just power. People gain influence through some form of consistent contribution to the lives of others, not by lording it over them and abusing their power. The bottom line of this is that effective leadership is about influence! Which means that if you’re a leader, influence needs to be a competency. How does one achieve this? Leaders with the greatest amount of influence almost always have the strongest relationships. So I would argue that if true leadership is about influence, then influence is about relationships. Ultimately relationships are about the various investments made into people’s lives, such as time, effort and even money. As a leader in the world of business, social circles or even the church, nothing is more important than the quality of the relationships you nurture. Whether you realise it or not, your ultimate success in every area of life will largely be reliant on your ability not only to establish relationships, but to influence and add value to the relationships you have established. Many people know or have heard of professional people who are smarter, friendlier, more attractive, possess a better CV and are even more talented than their peers – yet who never seem to rise to the top. Bluntly put, many of these professionals who seem to have ‘the whole package’ yet fail to grab the top spot simply don’t understand the power of relationships – they’ve inevitably failed to invest in people. Once again, leadership is about the influence we exercise in meaningful relationships. When you closely examine the core characteristics of what really makes for great leadership, it’s not their power, title, authority or even technical competency that distinguishes truly great leaders. Rather it’s the ability to both earn and keep the loyalty and www.kbnconnect.co.za | 17
trust of those they lead. If you build and invest into those you lead, if you make them better, if you add value to their lives… then you will have earned their trust and loyalty. This is the type of bond that will span positional and moral gaps, survive mistakes, challenges, downturns and other obstacles that will inevitably occur. Jesus taught that being a leader of others requires humility. He said, “Whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all” (Mark 10:44). When Paul boldly invited others to follow his influence, he was boasting only in Christ’s sovereignty. More than once in his writings he said, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Most Christians who lead others in today’s world will say, “Don’t follow me, I am almost certain to disappoint you. Always keep your eyes on the Lord”. Yet maybe one should be bold, as was Paul, in intentionally inviting others to follow one. Such boldness requires the leader to accept the solemn responsibility of living a life above reproach. The most influential leaders are thus capable of aligning and unifying opposing interests for a greater good. You won’t ever become a truly successful or influential leader until you understand that a person’s need to be heard and understood is much more important than satisfying your need to impart wisdom. Influential leadership implies that being right isn’t the goal – accomplishing the mission is. If a leader can only lead those who agree with him/her, then he/she will have a very small sphere of influence. Stop and think about this for a moment. History is littered with powerful leaders who have fallen, failed, or who have been replaced, usurped or betrayed. 18 | www.kbnconnect.co.za
Fear doesn’t create loyalty, respect or trust – it breeds resentment and malcontent. A leader who is not first and foremost accountable to the people he/she leads and influences, will eventually be held accountable by the very same people. So, why is it that most people and leaders aren’t as influential as they would like to be? The answer lies in the fact that most professional people, even if they intellectually understand the benefits of what I’m advocating, just don’t do the work it takes to build an influential network. Great relationships take great amounts of effort, energy and commitment. Think of the most successful people you’ve ever known and they will always seem to know the right person to call on in any given situation to influence or decide the needed outcome. This type of influence doesn’t just happen; it takes sometimes years of painstaking effort. In conclusion, the Bible tells us that we are to influence all people that we come into contact with. As Christ followers we have also been called to be influencers. As Jesus says in Matthew 5:13-14 (Message version), “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.” ! Gary Kelly CityHill/Doxa Deo Pinetown gary@doxadeo.co.za
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Influence is in your DNA
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HAND OF THE HARVESTER
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henever we hear the word ‘influence’ we immediately think of authority and power. But there is a subtle difference between authority, influence and power. Firstly, power is not authority, but rather ability and energy. And authority is permission to use, execute or exercise power. Hence, authority is more important than power. Now let us consider what the word of God says concerning influence. In Matthew 13:31-32, Jesus tells this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the wild birds come and nest in its branches”. In verse 33 He tells the people that “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen”. Clearly our influence has nothing to do with size, but everything to do with reach. As citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, our influence should be felt everywhere – the world of Education, the world of Business, the world of Politics, the world of Media, the world of Sports, the world of Entertainment, the world of Health and so on. There should be no sphere of society that is not influenced by us. The Bible tells us to let our light so shine among men that they may see our good works and glorify our father which is in Heaven. God our father is therefore glorified when the light of our good works is on display for the world to behold. Even the Great Commission implores us to go into the entire world and preach the gospel to every creature on earth (Mark 16:15). As the body of Christ we have abdicated our responsibility to take the influence of the gospel of the kingdom to the various worlds that constitute our society. We have misunderstood the influence mandate and have thus reduced it to preaching. Yet the term “preach” is simply “to announce”. This announcement is not restricted to what we say, but also includes our actions. In Isaiah
9:6-7 it says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” That scripture helps us to understand that Christ didn’t come to give us a religion but rather kingdom influence over the entire earth. In fact, God’s original intent for mankind was for us to colonise earth with heaven! In Matthew 6:10, Jesus prays, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” In Genesis 1:26 God says, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth”. The King James Version uses the word “dominion”, which in both the Hebrew (“Radah”) and Greek (“Basileia”) means “to dominate, govern, have authority over”. Therefore, God’s original intent for us when He created mankind was for us to have control and management over the earth. That’s why it is inherent in us to control our circumstances and this explains why humanity rebels against any form of oppression. We were created to lead, rule, govern, administrate, dominate, control and manage the earth and its affairs, but never to dominate each other. Furthermore, just as yeast is not intimidated by dough but affects it whenever it is mixed into it, we must become the influence wherever we are placed. Dr. Myles Munroe reminds us that Christ didn’t come to give us a religion but to restore us to have Kingdom influence upon earth. ! Astell Collins Be the one (BD1) Leadership Development www.bd1.co.za
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f you had to ask me who is the first person who comes to mind when you say ‘influencing the workplace’, it would be Daniel every time. History tells us that Daniel was about 16 years old when he was taken into captivity and most probably died at the age of 85 – that is 69 years in the service of another nation. Daniel saw the demise and rise of two kingdoms in his lifetime and served two, maybe three, different kings during this time. In reading the book of Daniel, you have to be moved by his dedication to serving the king and worshipping God. Many times Daniel’s actions and wisdom cause the king to recognise Daniel’s God. Early on in the book of Daniel, Daniel interprets a dream for the king and the king says “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings”. In Chapter 4, the king is so moved that he praises God. That’s influence – when those we work for speak of God in this way.
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I see some lessons in the book of Daniel on how we can influence our workplace.
1Knowing God
Throughout the book of Daniel we see a man who knows his God. In knowing God, we settle issues that we are prepared to literally die for. There is no wavering or pondering on central Godly issues. In the workplace today there are so many things that we can waver on or ‘bend the rules’ to get the business. Daniel is so unwavering that in one case he is thrown into a lion’s den. Daniel is delivered by God and what is incredible is that the king sees this and puts a law in place where the whole kingdom is to recognise God – “I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever” (Daniel 6:26). Your standing strong for your faith will influence people.
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Humility
Despite Daniel’s popularity we read of a man who remains humble throughout his service to the king. Daniel is revered because of his incredible dream interpretations and wisdom – yet each time he gives God the glory. Daniel knows his wisdom and ability are from God and he allows God to speak to the kings through him. In this way God is revealed, and not Daniel. Too often we can take the limelight and people look to us rather than God. In the second chapter of the book of Daniel, Daniel interprets a dream for the king and instead of being ‘the man of power for the hour’, he points straight to God: “A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure”. Your influence is in pointing people to God and giving God the glory for what you do.
Your and my influence in the workplace is not so much where we work, but how we work and who we honour in our work. Our lives are a testimony of the Lord to those we work with and work for, each and every day. ! Brad Sadler brads@fotf.co.za Director of Ministry Partnerships at Focus on the Family
to 3Submit our employers
In the book of Daniel I see a man who knows how to submit to his rulers. Daniel knows his place in a foreign kingdom, yet receives many accolades and promotions because of his steadfast faith. How often have you heard someone say, “My company is not Christian, I think I should find another job” – or “The people I work with are so ungodly, I can’t stand it, I am going to leave”. If you leave, you may be missing out on your Daniel experience, where you are called to reveal God to a foreign king or kingdom, and in the process possibly get promoted to the highest levels of the kingdom (or organisation). Now you have influence.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
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is not “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” – Numbers 12:3
Among the nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit, the eighth characteristic is gentleness, which is also known as meekness.
Most people in the world confuse meekness with weakness. Even Jim Collins, one of the greatest minds of best business practices of our time, refers to meekness as weakness in his book, Good to Great. True meekness is actually the opposite of weakness. There is nothing weak about being meek; some of the most powerful people who ever lived were meek. Just as you cannot be meek without strength, real strength is demonstrated through meekness. Meekness
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is power under control. It is the internal strength in which one chooses whether or not to use the power and privilege that one has been granted.
Only weak people abuse power.
The truly powerful know how to yield power when necessary and use it properly. Weak people are controlled by their power and privilege rather than controlling it. They do not have the internal strength or discipline to resist the temptation of using their power to realise their emotional impulses and protect themselves from their fears. If they want something, they get it, if they feel like doing something they act on it, and if they are afraid of something they try to control or destroy it. Meekness is about not letting your fears or emotions rule you but allowing yourself to be ruled by the Spirit.
Some examples of individuals who were meek in the Bible were:
Abraham – had the upper hand on his
nephew Lot. He was his elder and the one God was using. He could have used this advantage to get the best piece of land, but he allowed Lot to choose first (Genesis 13:7-12).
Moses – had direct access to God. God even asked Moses to allow Him to get rid of all the Israelites and choose a new people that Moses would lead. But Moses used his access to God to intercede for the people rather than take revenge on them (Numbers 14:11-19).
Joseph – was mistreated by his brothers
and became the second most powerful man in Egypt. When the time came that his brothers needed him, instead of taking revenge he forgave them and helped them settle in Egypt (Genesis 45:1-11).
Jesus – was God Himself, but left heaven
and came to serve man. Man mistreated and rejected Him, but He never used His divine nature to protect Himself and hurt others. Rather, He used it to defend and serve others (Luke 22:47-51). “Who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” – Philippians 2:6-7
How to be meek
• Embrace the power and privilege
God has given you
• Use what you have to protect
others and advance God’s purposes
• Be ruled by the Spirit rather than
by fear and emotions
• Do not be quick to protect
and defend yourself
• Be able to handle mistreatment
without exerting your power and influence (except in cases of abuse)
• Do not feel the need to always
reveal who you are
• Accept God’s will in every
situation.
A true Biblical Entrepreneur is meek. He recognises that God has given him
a position of authority and influence in the marketplace and uses it to protect others while advancing God’s agenda and not his own. My prayer for you today is that you recognise the power and influence that God has given you so that you use it to protect others and advance His will. ! Copyright © 2012 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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The rest is
HISTORY In pursuit of
INFLUENCE
By Elaine Young, photographs by Andrew McGibbon
“What is influence? How is influence? Where is influence? Do we decide to be influential? Or is our path laid out before us like a Shakespearian protagonist? Can we distil influence into a dictionary definition, or is there a greater mystery at play?”
S
o begins the Artist’s Statement of a remarkable project that is crisscrossing the length and breadth of South Africa – not in search of people with influence, but in pursuit of them as it were. You see, real influence is perceived, not exerted. And when you follow the tracks of influence in people’s lives, they take you places you wouldn’t always expect. To people you don’t always like. And into stories that redefine your perceptions and your attitudes so that you think differently about the influence you have. The CONNECT Team recently had the privilege of meeting Sheena Jonker and Andrew
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McGibbon and hearing about their Influence Project – a quest to profile 100 people with influence across South Africa, and then to produce a beautiful coffee table book that will salute and stimulate influence wherever it is read. With no criteria and no set agenda, they followed the trail of influence from the sports world to the political one, from Christians to non-Christians, from famous names to gogos working in the townships. What has come out of the first four months of the project is a tapestry of pictures and stories that vibrates with power and life-changing potential.
It started with a dream
When Sheena and Andrew were called out as examples of ‘big dreamers’ in their church in May, they didn’t even know each other – let alone imagine embarking on a project like The Influence Project. Working in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Sheena had developed lots of contacts and she knew she had a gift in connecting people. As a professional photographer, one of Andrew’s
dreams was to do portraiture of personalities – and his wife was murdered by covert forces in celebrity portraiture, but not paparazzi/studio the early 90s. He’s doing amazing work and he’s portraiture, he explains. He had started working a high-profile figure, so he has quite a story to on a book profiling various celebrity sports tell. The trouble is, his daughter Vuyo was quite personalities in South Africa which hadn’t got resistant to having him in the book because a lot off the ground, and he and Sheena got chatting of people were trying to get close to him. So we around the idea of influential people. “So then got her in and profiled her as an influencer in her we thought we could explore the concept of own right. Then she realised how amazing the influence. Rather than saying, ‘These are the project was, and we had just finished profiling most influential people,’ let’s ask where it comes Jon Ellis when she phoned us and said we needed from... what makes somebody influential... to be in Claremont in an hour.” and whether, if you knew you The Claremont shoot were influential, you would act was an incredible inaugural “We all carry any differently. It was literally experience for the project. conceived in ten minutes Once the pair had got over a weight, a reach, around the table. And initial shock at seeing an impact. We move their now the rest is history,” the judge’s home surrounded through the world by bodyguards, they ended remembers Andrew. They did a trial shoot to up photographing them and it is changed test their style, then plunged and getting their stories. because of us. straight into professional “Eventually Judge Tshabalala fundraising mode – We are influence.” came down and he was which included getting a everything we could have – The Influence Project professional project manager wished for,” says Sheena. on board and planning a fancy “After the shoot we got talking project proposal. When they about the struggle and it realised that they would lose a lot of artistic turned out he had always wanted to write a autonomy this way, they decided to “just do it” book – which we would like to help him with! and self-fund the project as far as they could. One thing has led to another, and since then every shoot we’ve done has been like that.” At each shoot, people have brought Following the trail along or recommended others that need to of influence be photographed. This has led Sheena and “For our next shoot,” Sheena continues, “we set Andrew along an amazing trail of influence from our sights on photographing the ex-KZN Judge the likes of TV veteran Riaan Cruywagen and President, Vuka Tshabalala, who is the father of 5FM’s Gareth Cliff to a Sri monk, a filmmaker one of my best friends. He was a struggle hero
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money, then comes to SA. He actually has a who wanted to do a TV series and the YouTube heart for social justice and goes into squatter sensation Vicus Visser. “A lot of people have camps in Franschoek where he asks how he can asked us what our criteria are – how good help the kids at school there. ‘Come read English you must be, how beyond reproach, to make to our kids once a week,’ he’s told. So that’s what the cut. But for us it’s not that – it’s about he does – then he ropes in dozens of wealthy interesting, inspiring stories, and if it interests Franschoek businessmen to do the same. This me, it’ll interest others. We feel like thing morphs into an amazing God’s also positioning us to charity that’s now being have influence ourselves,” “The influencers backed by Angelina Jolie! And says Andrew. they’ve just taken three kids One of the highlights of are all around us. to London to meet the Prime our interview is when Sheena From the President Minister. We met and profiled tells us of a visit they made to Franschoek in the Cape. of our great nation one of the kids, a 17-year-old who is an African praise poet Andrew went to the local to the gogo who and is going to study medicine shop owner and asked who next year. My son taught the influencers in town were. lovingly cares for how to skateboard, says It turned out that Reuben’s orphans. Idols stars. him Sheena.” By this stage the Restaurant (remember Reuben Riffel of Robertsons Sportsmen. School CONNECT team is sitting with jaws open, thinking Herbs & Spices?) was just two teachers. Do they How amazing is this story? doors down! Meanwhile, the realise the influence “I ideally want the book person Sheena was meeting to have 60% unknown for business connected they have? Would people like Doug and 40% her to business leaders like they act differently celebrities,” says Andrew, Jannie Mouton and the picking up the story. “We Rupert family. if they did?” can’t sell the book on Doug, The same client then told – The Influence Project but it’ll be awesome to learn me this amazing story about about people like him. The Doug, an ex-cab driver from guys we’ll sell the book on a poor part of London,” says are ones like Gareth Cliff, Reuben Riffel, Chad Sheena. “About fifteen years ago, a guy gives LeClos, Riaan Cruywagen, Zelda Le Grange him a £100 pound tip. ‘What do you do to be – there are lots of them. We’ve met the most able to give me a hundred quid as a tip?’ Doug incredible people that normally are impossible asks him, and it turns out he is a stock broker. to get hold of. Our Jo’burg shoots have all So Doug becomes a stock broker, makes some
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been in a double garage at Sheena's dad's house in Sandton, and we’ve had all these famous people sitting on my lighting case! Craig Hinds from Watershed was so humbled that we thought him influential that he spent a whole day trying to think why we picked him. Then he came and told us the story of why he thought he was influential and it went back to his childhood. In our pre-project Artist’s Statement (on our website) we ask if you’d be different if you knew how influential you are... and to see someone like Craig Hinds spending an entire day contemplating his life based on our project is amazing.”
Being influencers
“We haven’t interviewed only Christian people,” Andrew continues. “We felt God said, ‘Don’t put people in a position to judge others.’ If we make it overtly Christianese, many people will be alienated. This book also won’t be politically correct. But we’ll each have a double page blurb and it’ll definitely have a kingdom flavour, so all in all we’ll have something of an influence. To me, if you are gentle as a dove and as wise as a snake and the book gets into the houses of the whole country, that’s when the true flavour comes out.” Sheena agrees. “This project has increased our influence in our spheres of business in ways we couldn’t have dreamed of,” she says. “I was reading a book on influence by Os Hillman, where he talks about the Seven Mountains of Influence. He says that cultural shifts take place at the behest of just 3% of the population (take the gay rights issue as an example). So to really influence class and society you need to have access to that 3%. And it would seem that God is opening up doors to that 3% for us. We’re getting audiences with people we would never have imagined, and we’re realising that people are often different from the persona they project. None of us is in a position to judge or hate anyone.”
It’s 1:30 and we have to bring the interview to a close. Andrew ends with some impressive book stats to date: 10,000km of driving, 158 portraits, 20 photo shoots and a whole lot more to do before the end of the year. Desmond Tutu and George Bizos are still on the list, as well as Dali Mpofu (the lawyer who is representing the Marikana injured miners), Dumisa Ntsebetsa (the head of Access to Justice, who is representing the Marikana widows and orphans), Thabo Mbeki and some of the miners themselves. Speaking of Marikana, Sheena says: “This story is going to redefine how South African history is told. I just pray that the story is told authentically.” Each of the 100-plus people in the book will get a double page featuring their portrait, a quote (what they would say to the entire world if they could), and a biography. The Influence Project’s book will be available from Easter 2013. Those not selected for the book will still be featured on the Influence Project website (www.the-influence-project.com) – and a little bird told us we might hear even more from them yet.
Where next?
“Our next phase is to do a talk show to give people a platform to tell their stories,” says Sheena. “We have over 200 people to draw from already, and we know there are thousands more. There is incredible redemptive power in the telling of stories.” Sheena also tells us how key storytelling is in mediation, which is her core business. As part of the mission of their company Dreamco (a company owned by Sheena, Andrew and her brother Rory, which backs artists and start-ups with financial, legal and business support), it’s a dream not far from becoming a reality. And if the Influence Project is anything to go by, who knows what story God will weave when people are given a voice. Do you know what story you are weaving? !
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