Growth by Stuart Macklin

ministry

GROW TH stuart

ministry

macklin

leadership

curriculum

Ministry growth focuses on expanding God’s heart here on earth. The growth we’ll be discovering through this curriculum is anchored in Jesus - His heart, His desires, His character. This, in turn, grows love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and selfcontrol, in our own lives and the ministries we build.

The outworkings of this growth come out of the heart and commitment of a few to consistently chase after a single purpose with passion. They sacrifice for the cause, investing their time, their resources, their relationships because they are passionate about the cause.

Passion + God’s Heart = Ministry Growth We must first look at the concept of “passion” through Jesus’ eyes to build a foundation. The Latin word for “passion”, or “pati”, means “enduring, to undergo” in the context of suffering. We often paint a romantic picture of passion to line up with a pretty, clean image of sentiment and desire.

While this may be a starting point, passion drives deeper into long-suffering and endurance through pain. Much like a beloved child is conceived through passion, the actual birth of that child is only possible through the shedding of blood and great pain. We may conceive an idea, a ministry idea, a business idea, etc. through passion, but we must ask ourselves if we are truly willing to go through the birthing process to see it come to pass.

This book is designed to equip you with the tools you need to grow the ministry that God has placed on your heart.

“As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has been already marked out before us. We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!” Hebrews 12:1-2 TPT I bless you to run a great race, worthy and pleasing to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Stu Macklin

MINISTRY GROWTH: Ideas To Movement Chapter 1: THE PROCESS �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5 Chapter 2: MAKE YOUR CASE ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 17 Chapter 3: RESEARCH AND MARKETING ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 27 Chapter 4: INNOVATION ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 43 Chapter 5: CHARACTERISTICS FOR SUCCESS ����������������������������������������������������������������� 55 Chapter 6: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ������������������������������������������������� 69 Chapter 7: THE POWER OF INTENTION, EXCELLENCE, AND EXCITEMENT �������� 83 Chapter 8: RECEIVING THE COMMISSION ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 93

1

THE PROCESS

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

THE PROCESS The Creator of heaven and earth, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and End turned up on the shores of Galilee and looked at Simon (Peter) and His brother Andrew and said ‘follow me’. At that time, Peter had the priority of providing for his family. Yet Jesus called to him and he followed immediately. I sometimes wonder what went through Peter’s mind as he lay everything down — what would this mean? Did he worry about whether his family would be okay? He must have had so many unanswered questions, and yet he answered the call based on the speculation that this man that he had barely met might be the savior of the world.

Becoming Jesus’ apprentice was probably nothing like what they expected. I would imagine that they thought they would build a resistance force capable of rising up to overthrow the Roman occupying force. It must have been quite strange to watch the miracles of God’s power unfold. Their perception of what they might become was based on who Jesus was and what He meant to each of them, not in their own strength or abilities. Jesus was to reveal His kingdom through uneducated men and help them be expressions of His love through healing, restoring, and teaching others. They would become Jesus’ disciples and eventually be commissioned into leadership. They would go on to study how He lived and the motivation behind His actions.

They would learn first-hand from the stories He told and ultimately walk in His authority, leading people into His kingdom. He would do all of this through freewill and love.

Peter’s journey was not easy. Throughout his life and leadership, he would go on to struggle with a desire for power and control. He would fear for his life and deny Jesus. He would experience condemnation and judgment, he would do the wrong thing at the wrong time. Paul writes in Galatians how he had to correct Peter around 15 years after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. We are imperfect as Peter was imperfect, but that should not stop us from running a champion’s race of truth and love in Christ.

But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore.

He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? - Galatians 2:11-14

~6~

CHAPTER 1 — The process

Jesus told Peter he was to be the foundation of His kingdom on earth. How courageous to put a broken, fearful, prideful man at the heart of His kingdom on earth! For Jesus, one simple understanding was all that mattered. Do you understand the power of His love that gives itself away so others might find His truth and life? It’s like God was saying, “I don’t care how much you mess up, I know your frailties and broken ways and I want to use you in spite of them.”

You may go on to build a large business, ministry, or start a family, but what really matters is how deeply the love of God has entered into your heart. What matters most is intimacy with Him, which in turn leads to knowledge of our identity and inheritance in Him. Knowing Him deeply is a reality built by the small habits we form day-by-day. Will we turn back to Him and turn away from distractions? Or do we pursue our own agendas? If you can turn away from distraction, you can lead others into truth and allow God to use your ministry for eternal purposes. It is God’s heart to offer you an inheritance of a generational blessing because God uses those who lay their agendas down for His. REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS A professor recently said to me that anxiety arises because of the difference between what one person’s mind believes should be happening versus the reality of what is actually happening.

Realistic expectations are helpful, along with knowing yourself. If you are the type of person who has high expectations, be careful to give yourself increased levels of grace. There can be value in the way you see the world, but it’s important that your mind places reasonable expectations on how and when realistic goals can be achieved. The process of starting and growing an idea takes time and perseverance. You will experience high moments of financial increase and impacting lives, as well as lows that force you to question the reason and purpose behind it all. It’s often in the pain and suffering that His glory is revealed because we eventually get out of the way.

It’s in our weakness that His love shines brightest. We are not going to have it all together on this journey, and that’s a good thing because our mess points us back to radical dependency and obedience to what He calls us to.

When you pray, what environment do you think God is calling you to in this next season? What is the age group? Where do those people live?

~7~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Think about just one stereotypical person who you might interact with. What do you think they care about the most?

What do you think the most thoughtful gift for them might be?

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT In the first world, apps, Youtube, and new media platforms are changing the way we expect products and services to be offered. Companies often give us a sample of a product to demonstrate the difference it makes (ex., “Try out this one-week free trial!�) before we have to decide if it is something we should continue to put our time, energy, and resources into.

Money-back guarantees, apps that entertain first and then offer credits, online games, tasting goods at Costco, a free oil change, the list is endless and it is all aimed at eliminating the risk associated with trying a new service or product. The goal, of course, is to get you hooked. Our world is saturated with daily messages promising resolution and hope in the next season through medication, health products, fitness fads, cars, real estate, investments or financial gain. The world is now a global market, making it increasingly competitive with greater challenges and larger opportunities for everyone. ~8~

CHAPTER 1 — The process

What do you need to do to understand your target market?

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5.

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3.

7.

4.

8.

What internal and external challenges might you face?

Internal 1.

3.

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External 1.

3.

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“An idea is conceived and tested to see what impact it makes in someone’s life. It then goes into an improvement stage to develop the impact it has. The strategic marketing plan is refined as the distribution and production methods are developed. In the planning stage, revenue is forecast and preparations are made to cover the costs associated to ensure the operation can move forward month by month. It grows in popularity and revenue increases. New ideas are created during the growth stage as the first product hits saturation; new products rise up and the organization continues to grow as the company’s product range diversifies. One product’s popularity introduces other newer products or services to the market, leveraging them so they can have a faster growth pattern.” 1 How does innovation impact the church?

~9~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

THE ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE CYCLE 2

SEEDLING GROWTH

THE FORECASTED LIFECYCLE timeline

stage

explanation

0 -18 Months

The seed is sown

The idea is conceived and developed

6 - 24 Months

The seed is nurtured

The product is improved and tested

1 - 3 Years

The seed’s roots grow

The product grows in popularity

3 - 4 Years

The tree produces fruit

It grows and can replicate itself

3.5 - 5 Years

The fruit is passed on

New shoots appear and grow

5 -10 Years

The tree is mature

It affects many lives

8 -15 years

The orchard grows

Influence increases

~10~

CHAPTER 1 — The process

YOUR IDEA Using your creative mind, what problem are you passionate about solving? What medium would you use? What would it be about? Would it be a work of fiction, a manual, poetry, inspiration, teaching document, music, children’s art piece, a website selling a service?

Describe how your product affects the people who use it.

THE BIGGEST HURDLE The biggest gap we’ll ever cross is the distance between who we are in brokenness and who God has created us to be in Christ through redemption. We must address hidden fears and insecurities in order to overcome them in the pursuit of what God has called us to. Stepping out into faith does not feel comfortable. Once we have crossed this hurdle, we must choose humility when we are faced with the reality that we are all a work in progress and are walking through the refining process for the rest of our lives. ~11~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Often the initial piece that you create is not anything like the final piece; it evolves, it changes, it meets the needs of people in different ways, it births other products which could not have been discovered if the development stage had not been humbly worked through. We have to create a prototype, then ask people for their feedback, and then refine it. This process reveals any internal doubts we have. The facade of everything being okay within are laid bare and the negative self-talk increases. The only way forward is through the discomfort, applying perseverance and humility. It’s not easy to work through this stage but the payoff far outweighs the short term negative feelings we experience. We all have to work through this stage every time we create something new. The challenge is to identify the excuses that hold us back: “I’m just waiting for…”

“Once I have…”

“I don’t have enough time…”

“I just need more money…”

“I just don’t think I’m that talented…”

“I’m not sure it’s for me…”

These all are ultimately rooted in not feeling capable.

It’s likely true that you don’t have enough right now — enough experience, enough money, enough humility — but in time, you will. All you actually need is faith and perseverance. The best time to start is now. 99% of people will never get past the uncomfortable stage of creating something to be judged. So congratulations! You’ll be in the top 1 percent if you do. Is it possible to reframe failure as future success? The sooner you start failing, the sooner you’ll start succeeding. We must surrender our expectations, understand this as a process, and in time, the refining will give way to success.

What time will you allocate each month to working on what God has placed on your heart?

When will you do it and how much time will you spend on it?

What location would make it feel less like work and more like pleasure?

Do you need to reward yourself each time? What might that look like?

~12~

CHAPTER 1 — The process

What do you need to eliminate in your life to help build what’s in your heart?

THE PROCESS Imagine a vehicle that’s not working properly. This vehicle is a little out of control and running on a fuel that makes the car jump and splutter; it heads off in the wrong direction because its navigation system is broken. Then Jesus purchases it and goes to work restoring it. Imagine what joy the owner experiences looking at the car when it is fully restored and working perfectly.

1. Jesus spent 30 years studying the Torah a. Research

2. He starts with a broken, messed up product a. Product Innovation

3. He works with us day and night (made harder because of free will) a. Training / Teaching

4. He puts new fuel in the vehicle (the power of the Holy Spirit) a. Product Development

5. He recalibrates the navigation system to get us back on track a. Product Improvement

6. He sends it out into the world to be salt and light to the world a. Product Evaluation

7. He stays with us — improving, guiding, leading, working with us a. Product Refinement

8. Operating well, the product helps others become restored a. Growth Stage

A clear process can be a useful tool, allowing us to break down what development and growth might look like. In this example, the car is like a ministry that must go through the process of refinement and restoration. Each stage is vital and unique, all important to the outcome.

~13~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

THE CREATIVE PROCESS In the 21st century, we live at a speed once unimaginable. However, creativity operates best in downtime and in rest: mindless coloring, driving on a quiet road, sitting in nature, becoming present in a room with few distractions. We have a retreat monastery near us which operates in total silence. It opens its doors to guests to come and experience real silence. I suggested this once to a group of young adults, and the varying response was interesting. Some were keen while others went white at the concept of not having anything to distract them. Just the idea of 24 hours of being alone in their own thoughts was horrifying to some. Why was this? Silence and stillness are now perceived as negative things. But being still and living simply so often are the doorways to creativity.

Activate your creative brain by taking time out: Left Brain Cognitive

Right Brain Creative

First: Develop the Product Once you have a prototype, it will need to be tested in the market to access needed improvements.

Ask the basic questions: What did people like about it? What were the challenges? The key to this vein of the process is to approach it with flexibility and willingness to morph, change, and evolve as necessary. Your initial prototype will most likely be quite different from your “end result” (or constantly moving/changing/morphing result).

Make Some Noise Once you are ready to attract people to your ministry and you have a platform that explains the product/service clearly, then you will be tasked with making some noise. Imagine there is a person in a crowd who wants your product but they can’t hear you. Your challenge would be to make enough noise to be noticed. Once you make enough noise, you might then be able to explain who you are and what you do. Your “noise” will be worked out through communication strategy and general marketing.

~14~

CHAPTER 1 — The process

Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.

When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” 50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.”

Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. - Mark 10:46-52 There is something powerful about the posture of recognizing our need for Jesus and shamelessly making noise that gets Jesus’ attention. The idea of making noise for Jesus is a good one, whether it be speaking about Him, creating something for Him, or helping those far from Him; while we cannot control the level of blessing He places on it, we can bring excellence and joy to the process of creating the product and making noise around it. Strategy to make noise in a world of marketing might include using tools such as: • Per Posting or Article

• Web advertising

• Word of mouth

• Newspaper article

• Website

• Youtube video

• Retail shop

• Vlog exposure

• Networking

• Magazine article

• Instagram post

• Radio advert

• Exhibition

• SEO

• Wholesale contract

• Funnel website

• Facebook post

• Podcast advert

• Blog exposure

• College fair

• Google advertising

• Craft fair

• Television ad

The art is making as much noise as possible while spending as little money in the process as we can. This is especially true in the early start-up stages. Great marketing strategists will figure out what they can leverage with friends, word of mouth, the web, media, and PR. They’ll figure out what is topical and write articles that interest people and do promotions that catch the eye.

They’ll gain access to bloggers, newspapers, and media platforms without spending a penny.

They follow trends and are inquisitive in new ideas and concepts. Marketing is best looked at as an exploration of ideas geared toward connecting products and services to people’s needs in an efficient manner.

~15~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

What steps do you need to take to develop your product or service?

WORD OF MOUTH IS THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL TODAY If you are building a ministry, word of mouth and media will be your most powerful tools.

And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.- Revelation 12:11 God allows His kids, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to testify as to who He is; we continue in His presence to talk of His goodness and love for all mankind. Imagine if the ministry or business you create has people so filled with the love of God that they cannot stop talking about how much it has impacted their lives. Jesus continues to save us from our broken ways, binding up our broken hearts, filling us with joy, teaching us to love others more sacrificially, to think about ourselves less and care about others’ needs more.

NOTES

~16~

2

MAKE YOUR CASE

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

MAKE YOUR CASE There is purpose in your pain.

As ministers, we are always part of God’s restoration plan. First, we allow our hearts to see that the pain we have experienced can be used by God to inspire and point others back to truth and love. From here, we learn how to tell our story. We testify of God’s goodness and we grow and develop our communication abilities, identifying problems present in the age and solutions in God’s truth.

The church throughout the ages has had to address a wide variety of issues, from power struggles to legalism, the church schism, the creation of denominations, postmodernism and more. The challenge is correctly evaluating what factors have led to the belief system of the time. What are the key factors that have led to the current situation? We learn to investigate and address these factors, and as we do, our perspective changes and evolves.

There is great importance in understanding the historical context and the belief formations that follow. Below are some examples of historical factors throughout the ages: • 1st Century During Jesus’ time, the writers addressed issues of power and control in Roman occupation.

Rome ruled through intimidation, developing the crucifixion for all to see what happened to anyone who threatened the empire. This is why so much of what Jesus says is actually subversive and in direct contrast to the ruling power. This meant that writers like Luke were tasked with presenting the gospel to the Gentiles who understood Caesar to be the son of God and his kingdom to be one of death and power. Christ promised a new way of living, of life and freedom in the power of His Spirit.

• 4th Century Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus, better known as Constantine the I, worshipped the pantheon of Roman gods as all his predecessors had done, especially the Roman sun god, Sol. However, as he was traveling to battle his most powerful rival in Italy (Maxentius at the Tiber River in A.D. 312) he had a vision. In that vision, he reported seeing the cross of Christ superimposed on the sun with the words, “in hoc signo vinces” — “in this sign you shall conquer.”

After winning the battle, he became a strong champion of Christianity. 3The church’s problems shifted from issues about which king would you serve and what would it cost to new doctrinal beliefs as the church grew exponentially across the world.

The failing Roman Empire, now under Constantine’s rule, could not withstand the division caused by years of hard-fought, “out of hand” arguing over doctrinal differences. The emperor saw the quarrels within the church not only as a threat to Christianity but as a threat to society. The Council of Nicea was called to encourage church leaders to settle their internal disagreements

~18~

CHAPTER 2 — Make your case

and become Christlike agents who could bring new life to a troubled empire. Constantine felt “called” to use his authority to help bring about unity, peace, and love within the church.

Church fathers rose up to defend the faith, guiding the church moving forward in doctrine and truth through apologists and fathers to the faith such as Augustine, bishop of Hippo, Eusebius, Jerome, and Ambrose.

• 16th Century The church faced issues of too much power in the Pope, the belief of purgatory and the need for penance to make amends for one’s sins. This led to the granting of indulgences, a practice predicated on two beliefs: first, the sacrament of penance did not suffice to have the guilt (culpa) of sin forgiven through absolution alone. They also needed to undergo temporal punishment (poena, from poenitentia, “penance”) because one had offended Almighty God. Second, indulgences rested on a belief in purgatory, a place in the next life where one could continue to cancel the accumulated debt of one’s sins, a Western medieval conception not shared by Eastern Orthodoxy or other Eastern Christian churches.4 Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses, speaking against the indulgence system, insisting that the pope had no authority over purgatory and that the doctrine of the merits of the saints had no foundation in the gospel. Here lays the key to Luther’s concerns for the ethical and theological reform of the church: Scripture alone is authoritative (sola scriptura) and justification is by faith (sola fide), not by works. A clear case was presented that was to lay the foundation even to current day beliefs.

• 20th Century Postmodernism arose after several generations experienced the horrors of the first and second world wars and in response to the modernist movement of the 19th and 20th centuries. The wars started in part because people strongly believed their way to be the right way, declared their belief system to be right, and then pointed towards a marginalized group of people as the problem. Hitler, Franco, Mussolini and Stalin had all claimed their methods to be the “one true way”. Combined with an industrial revolution and the advent of weapons of mass destruction, a climate was created for a new belief system to form.

Postmodernism formed in the late 1950s and popularized in the ’70s and ’80s. It introduced relativism into culture throughout the west within the arts, society, education and beyond. It pushed back against the idea of absolute truth and suggested instead that each person lives their own truth which is relative to them. This left humanity subject to itself with no governing or higher accountability dictating what might be right or wrong, and the western church to face the challenge of proclaiming Christ as a higher power, true and constant in a world where cultural relativism is the norm. The eastern church functions in contrast, with a culture similar to what the gospel writers were dealing with, where governments rule through fear and with systems of control.

~19~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

These examples emphasize the importance of investigating and tackling the deeper issues at hand. Research and preparing a case to convince others of Christ’s supremacy prior to God’s spirit moving in someone’s life is something that the church has always seen the need for. We must be able to defend what we believe and present a clear case for the actions, behaviors, and mindsets that our beliefs dictate.

The term ’apologetics’ derives from the Greek word apologia. Although it is derived from the same word as the English noun ’apology’ and the adjective ’apologetic’, the meaning is quite significantly different. In the ancient Greek world, an apologia was a legal defense of oneself, similar to the speech a modern-day defense lawyer on behalf of their client. It did not mean “a regretful acknowledgment of an offense or failure” (the Oxford English Dictionary definition of ’apology’) but a carefully reasoned defense of one’s beliefs or actions.5 Some believe that Luke wrote the book of Acts as an apologetic document either to convince an important Roman official of the Christian faith or possibly to lay a foundation for Paul’s defense before his trial in Rome. This leads us to believe that the motive for writing Luke and Acts was to spread the Christian faith to the Gentiles. It focuses on the work of the Holy Spirit on earth and leads many to the foot of the cross. This makes the document’s purpose to breathe life into regions where death was used to control people.

WHAT CASE ARE YOU PRESENTING? If I said to you “I have found someone who is looking to invest one million dollars into the project God has placed on your heart, but they require a short presentation first. Could you give it to them right now?” What would your response be? What would you need to include? We need to first internalize our message and the reason we believe it to be of importance before we can get others on board with us.

Apologetics must work from an understanding of the culture and worldview of the people being reached. It should start meeting them in their current beliefs. Acts 17 is a helpful biblical example of positive apologetics in a cross-cultural context.

The Study of Apologetics “Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said. “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.” (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)

So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.

~20~

CHAPTER 2 — Make your case

“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs — for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. From one man[ f] he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him — though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”

When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” - Acts 17:18-32 The three different responses of people in Paul’s audience (verses 32-34) also highlight three aims of apologetics: 1. Some sneered – apologetics seeks to confront false ideas with truth

2. Some said they wanted to hear more – apologetics seeks to interest people in the claims of the gospel 3. Some believed – apologetics seeks to persuade people to believe in Christ

Once again we are reminded that apologetics cannot be separated from evangelism and that its goal is not simply to win intellectual debates but to provoke people to consider the gospel and ultimately to trust in Christ.

1. Biblical apologetics recognizes the resurrection of Jesus as a key argument for the truth of the gospel.

2. Biblical apologetics starts with an understanding of people’s worldview to build bridges to Christian truth.

3. Biblical apologetics expects a response – it aims to confront, provoke interest and persuade.

The importance of apologetics is fundamental in everything we do. It guides us and leads us into healthy and meaningful lives. It allows us to be intentional rather than subject to every new belief and idea that comes along. Having clarity on why we do what we do gives our souls peace.

~21~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

ACTS 17:18-32

1. Understand your audience. a. Acts 17:19 - “Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said. “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.”

b. Paul understood his audience as people who embrace new ideas and innovation, so he presents his case in an atmosphere of inquisitiveness.

2. Meet them where they are at.

a. Acts 17:22 - “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines.”

3. Grab their attention.

a. Acts 17:23 - “And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.”

4. Identify the actual problem.

a. In this example, the problem is that they do not know who God is. Paul is identifying God.

5. Spark curiosity. Tell them you’ve found a solution to that very problem.

a. Acts 17:23 - “This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about. “He is the God who made the world and everything in it.”

6. Introduce them to the solution.

a. Acts 17:27-29 - “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’’ And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

b. Paul understands his call to lead people from their understanding of man-made idols and concepts of gods into a relationship with the one true living God.

7. Be ready for more questions.

a. Acts 17:32 - “When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.”

~22~

CHAPTER 2 — Make your case

EXAMPLE 1

You: Did you know the brain releases 40% more happy chemicals for those who attend a community group than those who don’t? (Grabbing attention) You: It releases oxytocin and serotonin which is proven to reduce stress and anxiety. (Spark curiosity) You: Would you be open to meeting other like-minded young adults in the valley?

Random Person: Sure, I’m interested! Tell me more. (Interest generated) You: There’s an encounter night coming up. You should come. (Solution to the person’s need for community) You: My name is . . . . . . . . . . . . by the way. I didn’t really want to go the first time but I’ve actually made some close friends. (Relatable and reveals impact) Random Person: When is it? (Interest) You: There is one on Thursday at 6:30 pm. Do you have Instagram? They normally post something about it! It’s @CenterpointSOM and all the details are there plus a load of other stuff.

Random Person: OK I might see you there. (Potential life-changing connection)

***

EXAMPLE 2

You: May I ask what’s the biggest challenge you experience in your work? (Show an interest in their concerns) Customer: Right now it’s that our revenue is 40% below our target and that’s causing problems..

You: That must make it really hard on you. (Have empathy) You: Do you know what would get you back on track? (Discover their perceived solution) Customer: I need someone to take care of the recruiting so I can focus on the financial side.

You: I can relate. It’s been hard setting up this ministry, we’ve had all sorts of financial challenges.

(Be relatable; connection is more important than outcome) You: I might be of some help to you, as we have a system that helps with time management so you can have more disposable time. (Meet them in their point of need) Customer: What would that look like? (Interest generated) You: Let’s set up a meeting to go through the program and I can show you how it can make your life so much easier. (Generic promise) You: We would work out your time management system and the primary goals that will make the difference for you, and then we can automate your system and figure out how to get the recruiting issue taken care of and give you more time to focus on resolving the finance. (Be specific on what the future could look like) Customer: I’ll give you one chance, make an appointment with my secretary! ~23~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

What challenge do you think God might want to use to help others?

What medium might you use to communicate it to others? Book, creative piece, media, curriculum.

How does your story help?

What’s your opening line to capture the attention of a potential user?

Explain what you do in one paragraph.

How could they access the product?

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CHAPTER 2 — Make your case

You have to give a presentation explaining why investors should give of their time, their resources, and their energy. What are you offering them that helps them to become a part of something bigger than themselves? What exciting new opportunity are you offering?

Some keys to note when making a great presentation: 1. Be intriguing, do something surprising in the introduction.

2. Explain the problem clearly from your research and understanding of your audience.

3. Stay relatable - how do you empathize with them?

4. What is the actual obstacle preventing them from achieving what they want?

5. Build faith in yourself and the product (through credibility, quality, etc.)

6. Illustrate your path to the solution.

7. Solve the problem with simplicity and clarity with depth. Be effective.

ASSIGNMENT: Prepare a five-minute presentation using the seven keys listed above. You will be presenting to your potential investors. You will need to address a problem, explain the solution, and explain why you are qualified/suitable to carry out your proposal. Develop your research plan to investigate the problem correctly.

It should include: 1. A Market Research Questionnaire. (This will be explained in chapter 3) 2. A letter explaining: a. The problem you have identified. b. The plan you have to resolve the problem through the product or service and how it works. c. The time it would take to complete the solution. d. What you are asking in return for providing them with this solution. e. Why you think you are qualified to offer this service. f. Testimonies about the impact the product or service has had in your own life or the lives of others. Speculation is okay if it has not been done before.

~25~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

NOTES

~26~

3

RESEARCH AND MARKETING

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

“Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country. See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.” - Numbers 13:17-20 Before launching, it is a good idea to understand the lay of the land that God is calling you to.

The challenge is the more you research the future promise, the easier it is to disqualify yourself from having anything special to offer. It’s at this stage that fear often sets in and our inadequacies become apparent.

After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land.

This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified.

We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley.”

But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!” But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge.

We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!” - Numbers 13:25-33 The truth is, we can’t do what God is calling us to do in our own power, but if God has spoken, all we need to do is walk in faith, listen, and obey Him. This next section is a tool to evaluate and better understand what God is calling you to build in a holistic way.

Market research is invaluable to get the insights you need to create and improve what you offer.

There are a variety of market research survey templates you can use to connect with the market.

The website surveymonkey.com gives templates for every situation and can connect you with over a million potential users worldwide should you need an audience to test your product.

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SURVEY T YPES INCLUDE: Developing a Product or Service Development: You have a great idea for a product or service, but is the world ready for it? Ask your participants questions such as, “If you are not likely to use our new product, why not?” or, “What would make you more likely to use our new service?”

Demographics: Age, gender, and income of your target market are all characteristics that contribute to the successful development and marketing of your product or service. When you understand your customers, you’re in a great position to better understand their needs, and you’ll be able to make better business decisions. There are a variety of different demographic questions you can ask.

Brand tracking: Your brand is constantly evolving. Find out how consumers perceive it over time to identify what influences that evolution.

Consumer behavior: Keeping the pulse of your target market helps you understand and prioritize your organization’s needs. Are attitudes shifting? How do people feel about your ministry? By finding the answer to these questions and taking action, you’ll be in a position to better attract and retain consumers over time.

Industry insights: Get answers to questions like, “When choosing a church, which of the following factors matter to you?” or, “Are you a first-time attendee? Are you a part of a ministry?” and you’ll have data you can put to work immediately to fine-tune your service and product offerings.

1. Survey outside of your customers Getting feedback from your current customers is valuable. But to identify new opportunities that ultimately grow your business, you’ll want to collect opinions from your entire target market.

2. Start general Start with a demographic survey of your customers. You may be aiming for a particular audience, but find out you have a feature or product line that appeals to a different audience. Once you get to know your audience, you’ll know how to market (and how not to market) to them.

3. Then get specific Get consumer feedback on your particular line of work, products, and services. Ask about competing products, alternate services, or specific ways you can improve.6

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GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Examples of possible surveys: • Product testing survey

• Brand performance survey

• Ad testing survey

• Customer profiling

• Name testing survey

• Demographics survey

• Logo testing survey

• Target market

• Messaging/claims testing survey

• Target market demographics

• Package testing survey

• Shopper insights

• Price testing survey

• Consumer behavior

• Brand research

• Path to purchase7

• Brand personality survey Survey Monkey has example questions and templates for every category. It is a good idea to go through the questions to form a strategy as to what would be most beneficial for you to discover.

Logo testing survey What questions should you ask potential clients?

Samples can be seen at www.surveymonkey.com/mp/logo-testing-survey-template

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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CHAPTER 3 — Research and marketing

Additional Questions

~31~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

CHURCH PLANT MARKET STUDY by Church-Planting.net

Six to Stick

Many marketing experts propose that it takes, “six to stick.” A consumer needs to be introduced to a brand at least six times before he or she considers buying a product. You should study and research the context intensely in order to understand how your target groups think, shop, and what their felt-needs are. Before you spend money on advertising or brainstorming, hire a graphic artist, or start designing logos on napkins, please do the hard work of developing a marketing plan.

1. Define who you are and who you want to be. a. Who has God called and gifted you to be? No church reaches everybody. No other church can reach the people you are created to reach as effectively as you. Each church has a unique personality. Some churches are great at creative communication, some have musicians, some set the pace with children or students’ ministries.

Others model fine arts ministry. But no church does everything great. In fact, great churches discover what they do well and celebrate these strengths in the way they market their church, trusting God will connect them with His people.

2. Gain a critical mass through small groups. a. Hillsong Church waits for the cumulation of bible study groups to reach 200 before they fund a large weekend gathering in a cinema or theatre.

3. Make an exhaustive list of methods you think can “touch” your target group over the three months prior to the launch.

Some ideas to touch potential attendees Adopt a litter free road and get your name on a street sign.

Sponsor a parenting seminar at the local high school.

Hire a graphic artist to design a logo and stationery.

Buy pre- and post-movie slides at the two local theaters.

Buy an ad in the high school football program.

Invite the community to a local park special event sponsored by our church.

Sponsor a Habitat home.

Partner with local media in donating time and supplies to the needy.

Have a user-friendly, informational website. ~32~

CHAPTER 3 — Research and marketing

Buy banners to hang at our office and other available sites.

Sponsor a high school drama presentation.

Get Chick-fil-A to hand out fliers to all customers.

Give away thousands of pens.

Provide t-shirts to friends and acquaintances that work at Borders, Starbucks, and other public places.

Pay teens to put “Discover …… Church” bumper stickers on their cars.

Send a mass mailing to everyone in your 5-mile radius.

Pass out business cards at bars, restaurants, and other public places.

Place small ads in homeowners associations’ newsletters.

Give out merch like water and squirt bottles at parades, parties, and other public events.

Rent a billboard for three months.

Have Papa John’s give out fliers to all customers.

Advertise via commercials/ads.

Put door hangers on every home and car in our target area.

Set out A-frame signs each weekend at key intersections.

Pass out fliers at Home Depot, Target, Wal-Mart, and other frequented retail stores that allow it.

Write personal letters to all homes within a one-mile radius of our meeting place.

Place classified ads in non-traditional newspapers.

Secure newspaper ads in papers.

Rent booth space at fairs or carnivals.

Hand out fliers at large sports games.

Regional Facebook advertising Regional Instagram advertising This list is not exhaustive, just a starting point with some ideas. ~33~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

4. Contextualize your idea. a. Not every idea will be valid for your demographic and target group. And some great ideas will not work in your context. Prioritize your list from hundreds into twenty or so ideas.

5. Prioritize your ideas. a. Most church planters today do a mass mailing. In recent years, it has proven to be the most efficient method to repeatedly touch your target group. In our experience, a four-card mailing to 30,000 homes will likely result in at least 150 first-time guests to your new church. So, for most church planters, a mass mailing is the most important idea.

It takes six to stick… time to get marketing! #churchplanting

After that, the effectiveness of other marketing techniques varies greatly depending on your context, style, purpose, and budget. Don’t just try some ideas. Try lots of ideas. Church planting veteran John Wasem says, “Don’t put all your marketing eggs in one basket.” Remember, the marketing rule of thumb — “It takes six to stick.” A consumer needs at least six touches before he or she considers a product. For irreligious people, it may demand more than that. So, give it time.

Years may pass before the new church fully realizes the harvest of its first outreach events and cards. But, with God’s involvement, the harvest is sure. God is the Hound of Heaven, pursuing people on the run. He is a sending God, and He expects to be reconciled with lost people. When God prepares a heart, and the church’s marketing touches reach that person repeatedly over a period of time, it creates an opening for a potential relationship.

6. Weigh the financial costs. a. Until this point, every idea should be valid without regard to cost. But at some point, you must do a cost/benefit analysis. It is important to know your budget.

Contact a financial specialist for guidance. You can spend dozens of hours getting quotes and trying to contract all the vendors yourself, or you can let a specialist do the work and deliver a great product at a high cost. b. Church planters realize quickly that advertising can be very expensive. But hopefully, you also realize effective and efficient marketing can be done using few traditional means of advertising. With literally billions of dollars being spent each year by American industries, customers have become desensitized to most advertising. Comical advertising does not always correlate to effective marketing.

Even memorable advertising does not often yield increased profits for companies.

Interestingly enough, one of America’s fastest-growing and most recognizable companies, Krispy Kreme, does not advertise.

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CHAPTER 3 — Research and marketing

c. The best form of marketing is saturation marketing. “Six to stick” is not just a catchy slogan. Touching people as many times as possible in as many ways as possible eventually brings them to church, many for the first time. Saturation marketing is an inexpensive way to reach people.

d. If a major newspaper contacts you about featuring you as their front page spread, it costs you nothing. On the other hand, a back page ad on a weekend in that same major newspaper costs thousands of dollars. Spending time creating press releases, cold calling media outlets, and handing out flyers at concerts and sporting events will cost your new or established church little or nothing, but if you can create a buzz among influential people, your marketing plan has produced its desired results with little cost.

e. Your marketing plan will probably include some traditional advertising. Those ads may fit well into your plan and might help create the synergy you desire when starting a new church. Your ads may have the primary purpose of drawing attention among influential people.

If you were to write an article for a newspaper how would you catch the attention of their readers?

BUDGET Most church planters budget between $15,000 and $50,000 for marketing. To some of you, these numbers seem outrageous. To those of you who have worked in the corporate world, these numbers may seem ridiculously low. Regardless of your perspective, most church planters in America spend approximately 10%-20% of their first year budgets on marketing. The percentage will almost certainly decline after the first year, but should not be drastically reduced.

A word of caution — the more money you budget for a new church marketing plan, the more research will be required to spend it efficiently. For example, radio advertising on a couple of popular radio stations seemed to be the most effective means of reaching the target group. Yet, the average spot on a radio station costs $80 per thirty second commercial if you buy a bundle of slots. A similar spot on MTV, CNBC, Lifetime, Discovery, and other channels often costs less than $10 per spot when buying in volume. Therefore, we had to determine if the radio ads were worth at least eight times as much as the cable television ads. If you are going to spend thousands of dollars on radio advertising, first consider if you can achieve better saturation of your context for fewer dollars in a different medium. ~35~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

MARKET ANALYSIS A market analysis is the process of learning the following: 1. Who are my potential customers?

2. What are their buying and shopping habits?

3. How many of them are there?

4. How much will they pay?

5. Who is my competition?

6. What have their challenges and successes been?

Market analysis is one of the most important parts of any startup strategy. It can actually help reduce risk because if you really understand your potential customers and market conditions, you’ll have a better chance of developing a viable product or service. It should also bring clarity on what makes you different from your competition, which can make or break your chances of standing out in a crowded landscape. However, don’t fall into the trap of simply saying that your solution is for everyone. Ultimately, setting some parameters around your target market will help you focus your resources.

Ultimately, your market analysis should enable you to: • Avoid putting a lot of resources and time into creating a product or service before you’ve determined that your solution is needed • Determine that the need for your product or service is big enough that people will pay for it.

Do you need to do a market analysis?

Bear in mind that all new businesses are different, and strategies for structuring a business plan can be different depending on the goal of the plan or the intended audience. If your business is quite small and you know your customers inside and out, a deep, formal market analysis might not be the best use of your time.

For instance, if you are writing an internal business plan, meaning that you’re not going to use it to try to secure a loan or other funding, you may not have a specific reason to spend time reviewing industry data to corroborate your financial forecast. Be sure to assess the value of this information for your business; determine why you’re doing an analysis in the first place so that you don’t waste time and energy on an unnecessary aspect of your plan.

On the other hand, if you’re not absolutely clear on what makes your business different from the competition, or if you have made (but not tested) some assumptions about who will be interested in your product or service, you might want to consider at least an abbreviated market analysis. ~36~

CHAPTER 3 — Research and marketing

You’ll want to make sure that the business you’re building is solving a real problem and that consumers both desire your solution and are willing to pay for it. A market analysis is a good way to get clarity.

Finally, if you are seeking funding, a market analysis is going to be key data to convince your audience that your business idea has the facts and hard numbers to back it up.

MARKET ANALYSIS AND YOUR BUSINESS PL AN 8 It’s smart to write a business plan, especially if you are beginning a new business venture. Even if you’re a sole proprietor or don’t intend to borrow any money to get your business off the ground, it’s important to have a clear plan in place. The market analysis isn’t just one part of a successful business plan — it’s one of the best reasons to write one.

If you do need banks to lend you money or investors to jump on board, a market analysis section is required, as savvy lenders or investors will need to know that the business you’re pitching has viable market appeal.

Either way, a solid formal business plan complete with market analysis will be invaluable. You’ll need to identify your potential customers and attract investors, and it will help you to be clear about what you want to do with your business, both now and in the future.

The time you spend doing the research will come back to you many times over in dollars earned and heartbreaks avoided. You’ll look like a professional, and you’ll outshine the competitors that didn’t write one.

Because you’ll know the size of the mountain you’re about to climb, you’ll be able to pace yourself and prevent problems in the future. But most importantly, thoroughly understanding your market means that you’ll be able to build the best solution possible for your customers’ problem.

What to include in your market analysis Your market analysis should include an overview of your industry, a look at your target market, an analysis of your competition, your own projections for your business, and any regulations you’ll need to comply with.

1. Industry description and outlook This is where you’ll outline the current state of your industry overall and where it’s headed.

Relevant industry metrics like size, trends, life-cycle, and projected growth should all be included here. This will let banks or investors see that you know what you’re doing, and have done your homework and come prepared with the data to back up your business idea.

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GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

2. Target market In the industry section of your market analysis, you focused on the general scope. In this section, you’ve got to be specific. It’s important to establish a clear understanding of your target market early on. A lot of new entrepreneurs make the rookie mistake of thinking that everyone is their potential market. To put it simply, they’re not.

For example, if you’re a shoe company, you aren’t targeting “everyone” just because everyone has feet. You’re most likely targeting a specific market segment such as “style-conscious men” or “runners.” This will make it much easier for you to target your marketing and sales efforts and attract the kinds of customers that are most likely to buy from you.

This is a good thing; by narrowing in, you’ll be able to direct your marketing dollars efficiently while attracting loyal customers who will spread the word about your business.

The target market section of your business plan should include the following: User persona and characteristics: You’ll want to include demographics such as age, income, and location here. You’ll also need to dial into your customers’ psychographics as well. You should know what their interests and buying habits are, as well as be able to explain why you’re in the best position to meet their needs.9 Market size: This is where you want to get real, both with the potential readers of your business plan and with yourself. How much do your potential customers spend annually on the types of products or services you plan to offer? How big is the potential market for your business?10 3. Competitive analysis This is the section in which you get to dissect your competitors which is important for a couple of reasons. Obviously, it’s a good idea to know what you’re up against, but it also lets you spot the competition’s weaknesses. Are there customers that are underserved? What can you offer that similar businesses aren’t offering?

The competitive analysis should contain the following components: • Direct competitors: What other companies are offering similar products and services? What companies are your potential customers currently buying from instead of you?

• Indirect competitors: If your company is creating a new product category, perhaps you aren’t competing with similar companies, but instead competing with alternate solutions. For example, Henry Ford wasn’t competing with other car companies, but was instead competing with other forms of transportation such as horses and walking. A more modern example might be a to-do list application, where the indirect competition would include notebooks and handwritten lists.

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CHAPTER 3 — Research and marketing

• Competitor strengths and weaknesses: What is your competition good at? Where do they fall behind? Get imaginative to spot opportunities to excel where others are falling short.

• Barriers to entry: What are the potential pitfalls of entering your particular market? What’s the cost of entry — is it prohibitively high, or can anyone enter? This is where you examine your weaknesses. Be honest, with investors and yourself. Being unrealistic is not going to make you look good.

• The window of opportunity: Does your entry into the market rely on time-sensitive technology? Do you need to get in early to take advantage of an emerging market?

4. Projections At this point, your projections are educated guesses, so don’t worry about absolute accuracy.

• Market share: When you know how much money your future customers spend, you’ll know how much of the market you have a chance to grab. Be practical, but don’t sell yourself short.

Make sure you are able to explain how you came up with your numbers. Don’t make the mistake of saying that you’ll easily get 1 percent of a huge market and that this is enough to grow a successful business. Instead, do a bottom-up projection where you explain how your marketing and sales efforts will enable you to get a certain percentage of the market.

• Pricing and gross margin: This is where you’ll lay out your pricing structure and discuss any discounts you plan to offer. Your gross margin is the difference between your costs and the sales price. Again, be realistic yet optimistic. Optimistic projections not only serve as a guide—they can also be a motivator.

5. Regulations Are there any specific governmental regulations or restrictions on your market? If so, you’ll need to bring them up here and discuss how you’re going to comply with them.

You will also need to address the cost of compliance. Addressing these issues is essential if you are seeking investment or money from a lender, and everything has to be legally squared away and above board.

How to acquire the data for your market analysis Market analyses vary from industry to industry and company to company. The hard truth is that some of the information you wish to include may not be publicly available. A little estimation is okay, but the bulk of your numbers need to be based on facts. Here are some good places to start your market research: • Your current customers: If your business is already up and running, your current customers are an invaluable resource. They are your existing market. You can use online surveys or social media to gather feedback about buying habits, needs, and other psychographic information.

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GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

• U.S. Census Bureau: Here’s where you’ll find demographics you can use to figure out your market share. There is plenty of other information you can use in your market analysis here as well.

• Business.gov: The go-to place for national industry information, as well as links to state and local resources.

• U.S. Small Business Administration: The SBA offers industry guides, development programs, and local resources, as well as loan guarantees when the time comes.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: The BLS is the place to find out where your industry has been and where it is headed.

• Commerce.gov: The U.S. Department of Commerce has a lot of good general information that you may be able to use, depending on your industry.

• The internet: You can do internet searches to find information about any state or local regulations or licenses you may need for your industry. There is mixed information based on different sources, so make sure you’re depending on reliable ones. For your market analysis, Wikipedia won’t cut it.

Ultimately, conducting a market analysis will help you uncover any blind spots. It should help you do some initial tests that will verify that your solution is actually addressing a real problem— and many startups don’t last simply because founders failed to figure out if anyone was interested enough in their solution to pay for it.

Whether you do a comprehensive analysis, or just spend a few hours on a leaner version, what you learn can be the difference between thriving and struggling.

You could also do a SWOT analysis of the competition:

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CHAPTER 3 — Research and marketing

Direct Competitors: Who are the main competitors you will go up against? How long have they been in the market? What are their advantages?

Status Quo: Are you competing with the way people or businesses do things now? Do you have a disruptive product or service that will change their minds?

Messaging: How will your product or service be positioned over the existing competition or status quo?

Uniqueness: Why will your product or service capture market share? Will you be growing into parts of the market the competition has not reached or will your customer switch to your product or service from a pre-existing one? How will you do this?11

~41~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

NOTES

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4

INNOVATION

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

We are living in a generation of innovation where market trends move faster than ever. From new communication methods, solar power roof tiles, apps, online gaming, online shopping, electric cars. Companies must innovate or get swallowed up by others that are embracing new technologies and trends. What do the new trends mean to the church? For example, the Global Games Market Report estimates that there are now 2.5 billion gamers around the world who will cumulatively spend approximately $152.1 billion, which is forecasted to grow to $196 billion by 2022.12 What might this mean for the church body? For youth ministries? For the family?

How might your ministry respond to this movement?

What part do you think innovation should play in the church?

History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.

- Ecclesiastes 1:9 What does Solomon mean when he says there is nothing new under the sun?

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CHAPTER 4 — Innovation

Where do innovative thoughts come from?

Innovation looks at new and creative ways of doing things. Innovation has brought us to where we are in history - scientifically, medically, culturally, and technologically. The way we live our everyday lives is decided by the advancements that have become our norm. We are captivated by experimenting with new ideas and new perspectives. Innovation is building a brighter future, and everyone has the ability to contribute through creative thinking.

God innovates and we are made in His image. Genesis explains how God created the heavens and the earth. Jesus performed creative miracles; where there was nothing, something appears: • Life to Lazarus

• Blind from birth

• Feeding of the 4,000 and 5,000 • The Resurrection

Discuss: Have you seen God do any creative miracles in your own life? Does He still make things new out of nothing?

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GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Our ideas and our thoughts fashion our conditions. Consequently, organizations are in part shaped by the way people think and interact. To make organizations more innovative, we must change how people think and interact.

This problem we face is that we are more focused on what we think, rather than focusing on how we think. Many of our old thoughts and perceptions continue to affect our actions even though we are no longer consciously aware of them.

Many of us find it difficult to embrace the principle that everyone is creative and innovative.

Society seems determined to “train the creativity out of us.” We are taught in the rigid and unimaginative learning environments found in most schools, as well as being subjected to the criticism and judgment of our parents, teachers, and peers (often unintentionally). Is it any wonder that by the time we reach adulthood, most of us believe and manifest the belief that we are not creative and innovative?

Recently, a group of psychologists determined that out of people over 45 years of age less than 5% are creative. At ages 40, 35, 30, 25 and 20, the percentage was the same: 5%. At age 17, the number jumped to 10%. At age 5, however, it was 90%. This research shows that we all have creative potential within us that has just been suppressed or “trained out of us.” Creativity is a part of our original design.

It was also once thought that creativity and innovation existed only in the research and development, technology departments, or “at the top” of the organization. In truth, creativity and innovation are not limited to a chosen few, not based on one’s intelligence, and can be learned and cultivated through our own efforts and the proper environment in the workplace.

Every day you are generating new and useful ideas – you are already creative. It is only a matter of increasing your proficiency.

STIMUL ATING IDEAS AND INNOVATION WORKBOOKS To be innovative, you need to be willing to make mistakes and discard others’ judgment of you.

Creative exercise 1: Take an object and invent a new use for it Object 1: Existing Use: New Use: Object 2: Existing Use: New Use: ~46~

CHAPTER 4 — Innovation

Creative exercise 2: Window of Opportunity Draw a window on a piece of paper. Write ‘impossible’ above it. What seems impossible in your life? Write that inside the window. Scratch out the IM in the word “impossible” and let your brain start to realize what lies in front of you is actually possible.

A job begun is a job half done. - Mary POPPINS Lower your expectations and do a small amount towards your desired outcome. Victory is created through the small repetitive actions you make day by day.

I want to get healthy physically → The goal is to see if you can get your work-out clothes on.

I want to write a book → The goal is to write one sentence twice a week.

I want to start a church → The goal is to invite your neighbors over for a meal.

The Journey of Making a Creative Book: (Michael Sprout - Senior Disney Writer) 1. Say “Okay, I’ll do it.”

2. Panic. Let the negative voices rise up and accept them and then move forward.

3. Set a time for research. Set aside time to fill your mind with the topic.

4. Get goofy; forget about it, do other stuff, watch movies, play.

5. Go to sleep; your mind will subconsciously put the pieces together.

6. Present your idea. Find someone to share the idea with.

7. Note everything down — over the next few months write down everything you see or do regarding this concept.

8. Write it up.

Creative exercise 3: Repetition - Expand your mind through stretching one idea.

Write down as many ways as you can name someone flying into the air:

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GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

How many ways can you say why they flew into the air:

How else could they have gotten into the air:

Repetition will stretch your creative mind Answer: “How, Why, What Other Way” each time you repeat the exercise. ~48~

CHAPTER 4 — Innovation

Creative exercise 4: Problem Solving - Write down a problem you would like to solve.

Solution One: I could solve this problem by...

Solution Two: A completely different way to solve it would be to...

Solution Three: But the most creative way to solve it would be to...

Write down everything you hear: This will silence some of the internal head chatter going on.

~49~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

It’s a numbers game: If you can create enough to discard 99%, then the remaining 1% is likely to be very good.

Word Un-Association: Take a picture and write words that have absolutely nothing to do with the picture next to it. Now let’s make a story of those using describing words and noise to connect them.

It’s a learning process: Write your name with your right hand here: Write your name with your left hand here: Remember everyone has to learn and improve with practice - that’s why one of these signatures looks better than the other.

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CHAPTER 4 — Innovation

Your ministry is a story: Imagine an experience you would like someone to have.

Action: Let’s say you have a product/service. Describe what your guests experience.

Setting: Describe the setting they will do it in.

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GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Describe when it will happen: Time of day, date, season, etc

What will they tell their friends the day after the event?

~52~

CHAPTER 4 — Innovation

Analogies Exercise: Looking into the face of someone you know, come up with analogies for them.

Name of person

Analogies for their face: Use images that represent how it makes you feel.

Read it with emotion: Read the sentences below using the emotions to the left. Emphasize the word in bold each time.

Read

Emotion

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Fear

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Love

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Joy

Surprise Rage

Peace

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Anxious

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Powerful

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Relief

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

~53~

Timid

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Create a prototype: Give yourself grace because the first time we do things they are normally raw and need a lot of refinement. It’s not until others come in and point out ways to improve that we make real progress.

Creativity is one of the most powerful tools in the world and the church should be at the forefront of it. It has the power to restore, captivate, build unity and teams like nothing else can. If you are creating something new, you are indirectly communicating a “can do” attitude. You are allowing faith and belief to run wild, joy starts to rise, and a future full of promise and hope is revealed.

May creativity fill your soul and may you find creative solutions to things never before thought possible.

~54~

5

CHARACTERISTICS FOR SUCCESS

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Every successful business or ministry leader I have met has the characteristic of confidence.

Why is belief so important? It’s faith in action. Faith is powerful; it creates and moves whatever it is focused on. Our role is to submit to a holy and pure God through the faith He has given us and then direct that faith into His plan and purpose for our lives. Often, promising leaders and visionaries with great ideas make vision boards, share their plans with others, recruit and start raising funds, and on the surface, everything looks right. But deep down they are carrying a wound; they actually don’t believe in themselves, and self-sabotage projects through careless spending or over-optimism. They wonder why everything always seems to go wrong even though they appear to be doing everything right. Similarly, those who are truly gifted do not always rise to the top as fear captures and immobilizes their souls about the possible threats and dangers that may arise. It is faith that is the deciding factor. Smith Wigglesworth, who began a charismatic movement in England, would pray to God that when his faith had been exhausted, when he no longer believed a miracle was possible, he would ask to receive the faith of Jesus so he could keep moving forward. I have sometimes resorted back to this when things seem lost and I’m aware that my faith has come to an end. There is more available in Jesus.

When we were first brainstorming the tagline for the school of ministry, my lead pastor looked me straight in the eye and said, ``What do you think about ‘Be the Rhino’?” He had studied to be a theatre performer in his early years. He said, ”Think about it: a rhino goes around stomping on things, no one messes with the rhino. If a car lies in the way of the rhino it just knocks it out of the way with its horn.” I thought long and hard about the tagline “Be the Rhino”. It was so thought-provoking to me. Was it possible that what we most need to grow in ministry is a fearless identity? That we might associate ourselves in faith to stomp things that are not of God’s kingdom out of the way? It is this attitude combined with a knowledge of one’s heart being submitted to a holy and pure God, mixed with perseverance, humility, and submission that creates an atmosphere for God to move and perform miracles. It is faith in action that leads us to this point. Ironically, the more we submit and allow God to do a work in us, the more useful we are to His purpose of revealing Christ on earth.

This is not always the norm. We struggle with inner fears, unaware of what is not yet submitted, rarely acknowledging the limiting beliefs that lie inside us. It takes a certain level of courage, humility, and faith to identify one’s calling and to start crafting it into a work in progress. Some might even say you need a certain level of foolishness to think it might be possible.

I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

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CHAPTER 5 — Characteristics for success

So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News. - 2 Timothy 1:5-11 What is faith to you?

~57~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Spiritualgiftstest.com explains spiritual gifts in a clear, concise way. It explains the gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30, and Ephesians 4:11.

Tick which gifts you think you have: The Gift of Administration The Greek word for the spiritual gift of administration is kubernesis. This is a unique term that refers to a shipmaster or captain. The literal meaning is “to steer,” or “to rule or govern.” It carries the idea of someone who guides and directs a group of people toward a goal or destination. We see variations of this word in verses like Acts 27:11, and Revelation 18:17.

The Gift of Apostleship The spiritual gift of apostleship is sometimes confused with the office of Apostle. The office of Apostle was held by a limited number of men chosen by Jesus, including the twelve disciples (Mark 3:13-19) and Paul (Romans 1:1). The requirements for the office of Apostle included being a faithful eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry and His resurrection (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 9:1), and being called by Jesus Himself (Galatians 1:1). The Apostles were given authority by Jesus to do many different things to establish the church, including writing Scripture and performing miracles (John 14:26, 2 Peter 3:15-16, 2 Corinthians 12:12).

The Gift of Discernment The spiritual gift of discernment is also known as the gift of “discernment of spirits” or “distinguishing between spirits.” The Greek word for the gift of discernment is diakrisis. The word describes being able to distinguish, discern, judge or appraise a person, statement, situation, or environment. In the New Testament, it describes the ability to distinguish between spirits, as in 1 Corinthians 12:10, and to discern good and evil, as in Hebrews 5:14.

The Gift of Evangelism All Christians are called to evangelize and reach out to the lost with the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20), but some are given an extra measure of faith and effectiveness in this area. The spiritual gift of evangelism is found in Ephesians 4:11-12 where Paul says that Jesus “gave the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” The Greek word for evangelists is euaggelistes which means “one who brings good news.” This word is only found two other places in the New Testament: Acts 21:8 and 2 Timothy 4:5.

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CHAPTER 5 — Characteristics for success

The Gift of Exhortation The spiritual gift of exhortation is often called the “gift of encouragement.” The Greek word for this gift is parakaleo. It means to beseech, exhort, call upon, to encourage and to strengthen.

The primary means of exhortation is to remind the hearer of the powerful and amazing work of God in Christ, particularly in regard to the saving work of Jesus in the atonement. We see Paul commanding Titus to use this gift in Titus 1:9 and throughout chapter 2, particularly Titus 2:11-15. He also charges Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2.

The Gift of Faith The spiritual gift of faith is not to be confused with saving faith. All Christians have been given saving faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), but not all receive this special gift of faith. The word for faith in the New Testament is pistis. It carries the notion of confidence, certainty, trust, and assurance in the object of faith. The gift of faith is rooted in one’s saving faith in Christ and the trust that comes through a close relationship with the Savior. Those with this gift have trust and confidence in God that allows them to live boldly for Him and manifest that faith in mighty ways.

The Gift of Giving The Greek word for the spiritual gift of giving is metadidomi. It simply means “to impart” or “to give.” However, this word is accompanied in Romans 12:8 by another descriptive word: haplotes.

This word tells us much more about the kind of giving that is associated with this gift. The word haplotes means “sincerely, generously and without pretense or hypocrisy.”

The Gift of Healing The spiritual gift of healing found in 1 Corinthians 12:9 is actually plural in the Greek.

Charismata iamaton is literally translated “gifts of healings”. This spiritual gift is closely related to the gifts of faith and miracles. All spiritual gifts are to be exercised in faith, but the gifts of healings involve a special measure of it. This gift is interesting in that there is no guarantee that a person will always be able to heal anyone he or she desires. It is subject to the sovereign will of God, as all spiritual gifts are.

The Gift of Interpretation The spiritual gift of interpretation of tongues is found alongside the gift of speaking in tongues in 1 Corinthians 12:10. The Greek word for interpretation is hermeneia and simply means to interpret, explain, or expound some message that is not able to be understood in a natural way.

Thus, this spiritual gift is the supernatural ability to understand and explain messages uttered in an unknown language.

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GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

The Gift of Knowledge The spiritual gift of knowledge is also known as the “word of knowledge” or “utterance of knowledge.” The Greek word for this gift is gnosis and it simply means knowledge and understanding. The Scriptural emphasis in 1 Corinthians 12:8 is on the ability to speak this knowledge to others in a given situation. In the opening passages of 1 Corinthians, Paul spoke of knowledge and recognized that the highest form of knowledge among men is the Gospel of Jesus Christ (i.e. the testimony about Christ, cf. 1 Corinthians 1:4-7). What we can conclude then is the gift of knowledge is an understanding of the things in this world and in our lives that is founded in the Gospel and rooted in the Scriptures. This gift is closely related to the gift of wisdom which is alluded to by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.

The Gift of Leadership The spiritual gift of leadership is closely related to the gift of administration and, interestingly, the spiritual gift of pastor/shepherd. The Greek word for the spiritual gift of leadership is proistemi. This word means to lead, to assist, to protect and to care for others. The spiritual gift of leadership is found in Romans 12:8 sandwiched between the gifts of giving and of mercy.

It is placed there intentionally to show that it is a gift associated with caring for others. This is what connects it to the gift of pastor/shepherd, and what differentiates it from the gift of administration. It is more people-oriented than task-oriented in its application. This is not to say those with the gift of administration do not care for people, of course they do, but those with the spiritual gift of leadership focus on people and relationships more directly.

The Gift of Mercy All Christians are called to be merciful because God has been merciful to us (Matthew 18:33; Ephesians 2:4-6). The Greek word for the spiritual gift of mercy is eleeo. It means to be patient and compassionate toward those who are suffering or afflicted. The concern for the physical as well as spiritual needs of those who are hurting is covered by the gift of mercy. Those with this gift have great empathy for others in their trials and sufferings. They are able to come alongside people over extended periods of time and see them through their healing process. They are truly and literally the hands and feet of God to the afflicted.

The Gift of Miracles The spiritual gift of miracles is described in Scripture much like the gift of healing. It is found in 1 Corinthians 12:10 and the Greek phrase energemata dynameon literally translates “workings of powers”. The double plural most likely means that these gifts were diverse and were not permanently available at the will of the gifted believer, but instead were bestowed at various times and circumstances. Thus, the gifts are subject to the divine will of God and His purposes and are not decided by the one who performs the miraculous works. ~60~

CHAPTER 5 — Characteristics for success

The Gift of Pastor/Shepherd The spiritual gift of pastor or pastor/shepherd is one that carries many different responsibilities.

This gift is closely related to the spiritual gifts of leadership and teaching. The Greek word for pastor is poimen and simply means shepherd or overseer.

The Gift of Prophecy The spiritual gift of prophecy is an extraordinary and unique gift. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:1 to “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” This gift is a blessing to the church and should not be quenched or despised (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

Those who have the gift of prophecy differ from the Old Testament Prophets who spoke the authoritative Word of God directly. Their words were recorded as Scripture as they proclaimed, “Thus says the Lord,” whereas the messages from those with the spiritual gift of prophecy must be tested (1 Corinthians 14:29-33; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21; 1 John 4:1-3). In the New Testament, it was the apostles who took over the role of Scriptural proclamation from the Old Testament prophets.

The Gift of Service The spiritual gift of service, or ministering, covers a wide range of activities in its application.

There are two Greek words for this gift. The first one, found in Romans 12:7, is diakonia.

The basic meaning of this word is “to wait tables,” but it is most often translated in the Bible as “ministry.” It refers to any act of service done in genuine love for the edification of the community.

The word antilepsis is translated “helping” and is found in 1 Corinthians 12:28. It has a similar meaning: to help or aid in love within the community.

The Gift of Tongues The spiritual gift of tongues is more accurately called the gift of languages. The Greek word for tongues is glossa, or glossolalia, which literally means “tongue.” When it is used in the New Testament addressing the subject of spiritual gifts it carries the contextual meaning of “languages.”

Speaking in tongues is the utterance of prayer or of a message glorifying God, typically spoken to God (1 Corinthians 14:2), in a language that is unknown to the one speaking it.

The Gift of Wisdom The spiritual gift of wisdom, like the gift of knowledge, is also referred to as the “word of wisdom” or “utterance of wisdom.” The Greek word for wisdom is sophia and it refers to the intimate understanding of God’s Word and His commandments which results in holy and upright living.

In the context of 1 Corinthians 12:8, it means to speak to the life of an individual or to a specific situation with great understanding and a righteous perspective, with the goal of guiding others toward a life of holiness and worship.13 ~61~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. - 2 Timothy 1:5-7 Which spiritual gift/s has God given you that He is calling you to fan into flame?

Which gift/s would you like to see more of in your life?

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CHAPTER 5 — Characteristics for success

Write a prayer asking Jesus to increase the manifestation of those gifts in your life.

Simply put, we can operate in fear or faith at any point in time. As we grow in our submission to Jesus, we encounter His Spirit which grows fruit inside our souls.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! - Galatians 5:22-23 We have nothing to fear in Jesus, neither shame nor judgement; instead, we encounter and increase in faith, hope, and love. We can see this explained again and again by Paul in Corinthians, Romans, Philippians, and Galatians, where he writes with a common theme: “Submit to Him; you can trust Him; He is for us not against us.”

~63~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

BE BOLD AND COUR AGEOUS I come from England, which is a surprisingly different culture than America (where I now live).

One of the most foundational differences is that America celebrates those who are successful.

It is inherent in the culture: work hard, study hard, and make something of yourself. In England, successful people often make us feel bad about ourselves. We are extremely concerned that success can lead to arrogance and loftiness. This is not to say we don’t want success, but we take great pleasure in controlling others from becoming prideful as their business, ministry, or enterprises begins to rise above the rest. One country was born out of a spirit of freedom and breaking away from controlling forces; the other is steeped in a history of control by ruling powers.

Expectations are powerful and present our souls with a challenge: Do we expect everything to go the way we want it to? Or do we adopt the attitude of Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh that nothing will work out and what’s the point in trying anyhow? Our expectations are powerful. So much so that when our expectation is different from the reality of what actually happens, your mind will send anxious messages informing you that something is wrong. The mind will start working in overdrive and begin to process what could be wrong. We ask ourselves, “Am I sick? Is this here indefinitely? Where is it coming from?” The issue is more the fact that the mind cannot control the environment and does not feel safe because of its inability to affect the outcome. Control and anxiety are linked. And yet Jesus tells us to expect good things, I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. - Mark 11:24 Once more, we turn back to faith. We are not in control, but rather, a loving and holy God is.

If you are lucky, you will have awareness of that and come into agreement with Him that our purpose is to reveal Christ to the nations. What that looks like will be unique and beautiful and carried out as only you can, but it will not happen without submission and agreement to be discipled day by day. Again and again, sin will try to prove control and influence over things.

We think we are powerful in ourselves, and vanity tries to raise its ugly head if we feed it. It will grow, but the outcome of that will ultimately be brokenness and an empty soul. We are called to be loved, to be adored. We are His and He has set aside great works for us to do. We are His family on earth, and faith prevails through every season. When someone is walking through a dark valley, it is worth praying like Jesus did for Peter.

But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” - Luke 22:32

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CHAPTER 5 — Characteristics for success

WHERE’S YOUR FAITH AT? It is by faith that your business or ministry will prevail. It is by faith you will cast down everything that is not from God’s heart. It is by faith that heaven will come to earth - it is by faith in a holy and pure God and His grace to us.

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith. It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“ he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. And it is impossible to please God without faith.

Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood.

He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob

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and Esau. It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff. It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.

It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.

It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned. It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down. It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death.

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, and some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us. - Hebrews 11:1-40

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CHAPTER 5 — Characteristics for success

What stands out to you in this passage?

AMPLIFICATION The message of the kingdom of heaven is encoded inside Jesus. He continually reveals God’s goodness and wonder, transforming us from the inside out. This message of hope, faith, and love can be intentionally amplified through who you are as we intentionality and willingly lose ourselves for God’s purposes.

Amplification: to make larger, greater, or stronger; enlarge; extend.

Jesus’ message is amplified through the Cross and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit amplifies the message to penetrate souls that are dead and bring them to life. It opens up the eyes and ears of the spiritually dead. The bride of Christ now amplifies the work of Jesus on the Cross, and the Spirit of God hovers over the world for all who have ears to hear and receive the power of His life.

If you are going to grow anything, there will be a process of intentional amplification - your ministry, business, mission, or nonprofit has a core message at the heart of it and it will be your job as the leader to amplify that message. Our school of ministry answers the question, “How can I live a meaningful life that has purpose and passion, pleasing to God?”.

We amplify the message by testifying how God is using the school to impact lives. We then intentionally multiply that by asking people to share videos of testimonies, the website, and to give presentations to influencers and create increasing levels of awareness through radio, social media and other platforms. All of this ultimately points back to the work God is doing in our lives through the Cross, the death and resurrection of Jesus. The message is not new but the creative ways we understand and bring relevance to others in this season and culture are always changing and extremely dynamic.

~67~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Do you know the message of the ministry you’d like to start or help grow?

What steps could you take to amplify this key message to your target demographic?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

~68~

6

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT One of the challenges with starting and running an organization is navigating financial management to ensure it operates smoothly. Legal systems are becoming increasingly complex in most countries across the world. The reason for the complexities is that the legal system works through a system of reform and precedent, meaning that existing laws are amended and added to, but rarely abolished. Old laws remain in existence even though they are now antiquated and useless. For example, in Indiana, it’s illegal to ride a horse above 10 m ph . In England, taxis must officially carry a bail of hay with them. In Connecticut, all pickles sold must bounce because in the 1800s, fraudsters would sell cucumbers as pickles. In Arizona, it’s illegal for a donkey to sleep in a bathtub. In Louisiana, it is illegal to send a surprise pizza to someone. These are laws built to handle situations that are no longer relevant.

The big concepts of paying taxes in a timely manner, obeying the legal requirements to keep workers safe, accurate book-keeping, etc., remain the same. The smaller details of how much tax you owe and what new initiatives are being introduced changes year by year. So how much is enough knowledge to grow and maintain a healthy business? I would suggest that the following fundamentals are important to a rudimentary understanding of: 1. Simple cash book handling procedures and data entry

2. How to make and read a corporate budget

3. Legal requirements and expectations for the organization

4. How to file your year-end taxes

5. Understanding the role of the accountant

Please be aware that this is not an exhaustive list of everything required, but rather, a brief overview to help you manage and grow a business. You should always consult a financial expert in your area. Remember experts make very complex subjects extremely simple.

1. Simple cash book handling procedures and data entry I don’t know about you, but the idea of monitoring every dollar that comes into a business does not really excite me. If I’m honest, it somehow managed to intimidate and bored me at the same time. My father loved the idea of controlling every penny and I judged that to be a bad thing.

It wasn’t until I was fortunate enough to encounter a brilliant financial manager that I learned how to avoid financial management. These days, companies like Quickbooks make it extremely easy to reconcile every penny and run reports. The process broken down into its simplest form is: 1. Set up a unique bank account with the name of your business or non-profit.

2. Register for a program like QuickBooks online and start with the basic level of $12 per month.

3. Use the bank account exclusively for business transactions. Connect the debit card or

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CHAPTER 6 — Financial management techniques

credit card for online purchases to your software, etc.

4. Add the account details to QuickBooks. It will automatically start reconciling every transaction from the bank statement.

5. All you have to do now is allocate what category each transaction should go into. You should shortlist the categories below into the 20 or 30 relevant to your business. Someone with a little knowledge of the software can help you with this.

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GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Categories By Account Account Name

Description

Advertising and Promotion

Advertising, marketing, graphic design, and other promotional expenses Auto and Truck Expenses Fuel, oil, repairs, and other maintenance for business autos and trucks Bank Service Charges Bank account service fees, bad check charges, and other bank fees Building and Property Security Building and property security monitoring expenses Business Licenses and Permits Business licenses, permits, and other business-related fees Commissions Paid Commissions paid to outside sales reps and agents Computer and Internet Expenses Computer supplies, off-the-shelf software, online fees, and other computer or internet-related expenses Conferences and Meetings Costs for attending conferences and meetings Continuing Education Seminars, educational expenses, and employee development, not including travel Accounting Fees Outside (non-employee) accounting, audit, bookkeeping, tax prep, payroll service, and related consulting Legal Fees Outside (non-employee) legal services Contracted Services Direct labor costs for contract (non-employees) performing services for clients Dues and Subscriptions Subscriptions and membership dues for civic, service, professional, trade organizations Equipment Rental Rent paid for rented equipment used for business Equipment Rental for Jobs Rent paid for rented equipment used on jobs Special Events Branding and special events Facilities and Equipment Expenses related to office, storage, and other space Food Purchases Food purchases including meats, vegetables, and all ingredients for restaurants Freight and Shipping Costs Freight-in and shipping costs for delivery to customers Gasoline, Fuel, and Oil Gasoline, fuel or oil used for farm machinery General Liability Insurance General liability insurance premiums Interest Expense Interest payments on business loans, credit card balances, or other business debt Landscaping and Groundskeeping Landscape maintenance, gardening, and pool maintenance costs of your building Marketing Expense Advertising, marketing, graphic design, and other promotional expenses for our company

~72~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management techniques

Account Name

Description

Materials Costs Meals and Entertainment

Cost of materials used on jobs Business meals and entertainment expenses, including travel-related meals Print, TV, radio, and other media purchased for clients Credit card merchant account discount fees, transaction fees, and related costs Ministry expenses for non-profit / churches Office supplies expense Payroll expenses Postage, courier, pickup, and delivery services Printing, copies, and other reproduction expenses Payments to attorneys and other professionals for services rendered Rent paid for company offices or other structures used in the business Incidental repairs and maintenance of business assets that do not add to the value or appreciably prolong its life Amounts paid to store farm commodities.

Subcontracted services performed by other contractors Taxes paid on property owned by the business, franchise taxes, excise taxes, etc.

Telephone and long-distance charges, faxing, and other fees, not equipment purchases Expenses related to travel, meetings, conferences Conducting, or sending staff to, programrelated meetings, conferences, conventions Business-related travel expenses including airline tickets, taxi fares, hotel, and other travel expenses Water, electricity, garbage, and other basic utility expenses of your office or business facilities

Media Purchased for Clients Merchant Account Fees Ministry Expenses Office Supplies Payroll Expenses Postage and Delivery Printing and Reproduction Professional Fees Rent Expense Repairs and Maintenance Storage and Warehousing Subcontractors Expense Taxes – Property Telephone Expense Travel and Meetings Conferences, Conventions, Meetings Travel Expense Utilities

Once you have allocated an expense into a category, it will automatically recognize it in the future.

Therefore over a period of two or three months, the majority of your finance will be automated.

The key is to remember that the purpose of the program is to identify what is happening in the business at any point in time.

~73~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Once you understand this simple process, you will need to back it up by having copies of all the purchases. This can become harder as the business grows, but for now, simply printing them out or taking a photo of them and uploading them to your dropbox can suffice. If you are audited by the IRS (checked to see if you are obeying the rules) you will need all the receipts documented.

6. Learn how to send an invoice to a client and collect the money for it.

7. You should choose to register as a sole proprietor or Non-Profit; the tax implications will be quite different according to what you choose.

You must use a W9 form to register the details for anyone you pay more than $600 a year to and file that through a 1099 form.

8. How to make and read a corporate budget

If you manage a department, you may be expected to develop the department’s budget. Remember the account names in the previous pages? Each of those categories will have a number allocated to them. This is like ordering a meal in a fast-food restaurant. In your financial management process, every category has a correlating number. Budget development is predicting the money you expect to spend in the following year broken down month by month. Management of the finances is tracking how you actually spend the money each month.

In addition to the account number, your department will have an initial number allocated to it to identify which department you are dealing with. Now you have a monthly report that shows how much you are spending on each category and how far behind or ahead you are. At the top will be the revenue lines of how much money comes in each month. The goal is to ensure that the revenue line is consistently greater than the accumulation of all the expenses. This is the difference between a non-profit and a corporation. A non-profit is not about making money; it’s developed for a different purpose. A non-profit must always ensure that its expenses balance out to equal its revenue line. It’s a common misconception that just because its a non-profit then the staff will be paid lower, but this is not necessarily the case. It is the purpose of why it is set up that is different, not the operation of it.

Let’s look at the sample sheet for the school of ministry on the following page and predict the numbers you would hope to achieve in the following year.

~74~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management techniques

Sample Budget Church: Fiscal Year Beginning: Budget Requests: Account # Description

Previous Year (Annual)

Previous YTD

School of Ministry 019/40100 Tuition Non Ded 019/40200 Donations Ded 019/43000 Merchandise (cost over income) 019/44000 Rental Inc 019/51000 Wages & Benefits 019/51500 Salary & Benefits 019/52000 Teacher per diems 019/52500 Curriculum Devel 019/53000 Royalities 019/53500 Website Dev & Support 019/54000 Marketing 019/55000 Special Initiatives 019/55500 Book Publishing 019/56000 Facility & Furnishing non FA 019/57000 Training Development 019/57500 Tech & Worship Support 019/58000 Guest Lecturers 019/59000 Food 019/59100 Schl of Ministry R&D Exp School of Ministry Net Expenses

~75~

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

~76~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management techniques

9. Basic regional and federal tax requirements One of the most overwhelming subjects of developing an organization is the legal requirements that must be obeyed. What forms must I file? When should I be filing these forms? While the below list is not exhaustive, it does offer the essentials. For the purpose of simplicity, we are just going to deal with a non-profit corporation.

Follow these steps to form your own nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.

1. Choose a name.

2. File articles of incorporation.

3. Apply for your IRS tax exemption.

4. Apply for a state tax exemption.

5. Draft bylaws.

6. Appoint directors.

7. Hold a meeting of the board.

8. Obtain licenses and permits.14 Form 1023: Non Profit Registration - Cost $850 for revenue above $40,000 Form 990: Due May 15th if the year is Jan-Dec (some exemptions apply)

Form 1099: Declaration to the IRS that you have paid someone more than $600 in a year Form W9: Registers details for 1099 given to the person to complete Form 1040: File your personal tax returns

Form W8: Used when you hire someone to prove they are legal to hire File Local Business License: Subject to the region

Californian Resale Certificate: For sales tax exemptions when wholesaling of products California Seller’s Permit: For anyone selling product in California15

If you hire employees, you may want to consider outsourcing the filing of these forms as it can become a complex issue including the below forms.

~77~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

When Hiring Others Form W2 - Reports taxes withheld for staff to the IRS - Due by Jan 31st Form W3 - Summarizes W2 forms - Due 31st Jan

Form 940 - Annual tax for FUTA liability - Due 31st Jan

Form 941 - Report payroll taxes and employee wages - Quarterly Submitted Form 944 - Report Federal Income and FICA taxes - Due Jan 31st

Form 1095- B For Self Insured Health Plan Mailed to employes 31st Jan Form 1094-B Summarizes health insurance offered

Form 1095-C Provides health care coverage information due 31st March (if Online) Form 1094-C Form summarizing 1095 C due 31st March (if online) This is not an exhaustive list, we take no liability for forms not filed by anyone using this guide.

9. How to file your year-end taxes In 2019, the government standard for filing taxes was anyone who earned or had income higher than the quotas listed below must file a 1040 form declaring their tax liability at the end of the year. The cut-off date for filing a Jan-Dec year is April 15th each year. These are subject to change according to government amendments.

Filing status

Younger than 65

65 or older

Single

$10,400

$11,950

Head of household

$13,400

$14,950

Married filing jointly

$20,800 (both spouses)

$22,050 (one spouse)

Qualifying widow/widower with dependent child

$16,750

$18,000

Married filing separately

$4,050

$4,050

~78~

$23,300 (both spouses)

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management techniques

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU FILE YOUR TAX RETURNS: Let’s start with the obvious items on any tax prep checklist.

• Last year’s taxes, both your federal and — if applicable — state return. These aren’t strictly necessary, but they’re a good refresher of what you filed last year and the documents you used.

• Social Security numbers for yourself, your spouse and all dependents. Remember, in addition to children, dependents can include elderly parents and others.

INCOME Gather all the documents that confirm the money you received during the previous year.

• W-2 forms. Employers must issue these by Jan. 31, so keep an eye on your mailboxes, both physical and electronic.

• 1099 forms. Each of these ends with a different suffix, depending on the type of payment you received. For example, form 1099-MISC is for contract work. If you’re paid via a third party such as PayPal or Amazon, you’ll likely get a 1099-K. Investment earnings show up on 1099-INT for interest, 1099-DIV for dividends and 1099-B for broker-handled transactions.

DEDUCTIONS Deductions help reduce your taxable income, which generally means a lower tax bill. The key to claiming deductions is documentation. Not only can it protect you if you’re ever audited, it can cut your tax bill by helping you remember what to claim. Gathering those records may take time, but it can pay off, says Norm Blatner, a CPA at Blatner & Mineo in Buffalo, New York.

By correctly filing your taxes, you earn a greater tax return (often hundreds more) for the extra hour or two it took you to spend the extra time on it. This is time well spent.

You don’t have to itemize to benefit from some deductions. These are listed directly on Form 1040. More deductions are available if you itemize expenses on Schedule A. Here’s a rundown of some popular tax deductions. Make sure you have documentation for each before you file: • Retirement account contributions. You can deduct contributions to a traditional IRA or self-employed retirement account. Just be sure to stay within the contribution limits.

• Educational expenses. Students can claim a deduction for tuition and fees they paid, as well as for interest paid on a student loan. The IRS won’t accept your deduction claim without Form 1098-T, which shows your education transactions. Form 1098-E has details on your student loan. ~79~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

• Medical bills. Medical costs could provide tax savings, but only if they total more than 7.5% of adjusted gross income for most taxpayers.

• Property taxes and mortgage interest. If your mortgage payment includes an amount escrowed for property taxes, that will be included on the Form 1098 your lender sends you. That document will also show how much home loan interest you can claim on Schedule A. • Charitable donations. To ensure your generosity pays off at tax time, keep your receipts for charitable donations. The IRS could disallow your claim if you don’t have verification.

• Classroom expenses. If you’re a school teacher or other eligible educator, you can deduct up to $250 spent on classroom supplies.

• State and local taxes. You can deduct various other taxes, including either state and local income or sales taxes (up to $10,000, including property taxes). You don’t need receipts for the sales tax; the IRS provides tables with average amounts you can claim.

The tax on a major purchase, however, can be added to the table amount, so keep those receipts.16 Most people use Turbo Tax or an online system to file their tax returns. The goal each year is to be accurate, not owing the government anything and it not owing you because the correct amount has been withdrawn from each paycheck.

10. Understanding the role of the accountant An accountant works as the bridge to ensure the legal requirements of an organization are met and that the business has sound financial plans and management systems to ensure health and growth. They cover and protect organizations from fraud and liaise with the government and their requirements for accurate reporting and timely schedules. A good accountant offers advice on strategies to grow the organization within its financial capabilities. A normal price to file a nonprofit organization’s returns is anywhere upwards from $600+.

Most accountants will also offer additional services such as cash book-keeping and payroll services, along with services to check in on the data entry via remote login available through the reporting systems such as Quickbooks, Xero, and similar software.

Financial management and bookkeeping can be an intimidating subject, but it is nothing that you cannot handle. The IRS is designed to grow businesses and help organizations flourish for those who are honest and do their best. Seek expert advice as many people have a great knowledge and expertise in financial management systems that will ensure healthy corporate governance. Remember to stay focused on growing your business primarily while being aware that good financial management is a godly attribute that brings God honor and glory.

~80~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management techniques

THINGS TO LEARN:

NOTES

~81~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

NOTES

~82~

7

THE POWER OF INTENTION, EXCELLENCE, AND EXCITEMENT

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

You can’t expect to reach perfection in your beginning stages. Excellence is an achievable goal through perseverance and faithful learning, but perfection can become an unhealthy expectation.

I once set up a business using a piece of paper. We put a few pictures of hotels, events, and resorts on it. We told hotel owners that we had plans to make it into a directory for corporations to be able to plan their events. As you can imagine, a lot of people laughed at us told us it would never work. To be honest, I was slightly surprised when one of our team members came back excited that she received our first $5,000 sponsor. We had sold a piece of paper and a concept for $5,000 to someone who believed in us. We finished a three months sales period, now with three pieces of paper, and had received a total of $18,000 in sponsorship. Our story is not unique for those who believe they can solve a problem. There are always early adopters, people who enjoy seeing new concepts rise up. This explains why websites like Kickstarter raise over $3 million a year to give to projects that no one has ever heard of, many of which have only a loose concept to start with.

In my business startup, we identified an existing problem and then proposed a feasible solution.

In this case, corporations wanted to be empowered to book their own events. We put the $18,000 towards creating the best directory we could and printed 20,000 of them. We branded it with a patriotic emblem that was instantly recognizable anywhere in the country. We made a new booklet every six months, improving it each time and, to our surprise, people liked it.

Over the next five years, we built the number of sponsors to over 1000 companies and became the preferred communication channel for corporations booking events in New Zealand.

Companies continued to tell us it would never work and the negativity affected me, but I did keep going irrespective of others’ opinions. At every step, we pursued excellence. We recruited the best graphic designers as soon as we could, the best web developers and talented salespeople. It was the pursuit of excellence with perseverance that helped us grow and flourish into a profitable business.

What is the primary skill you’d like to develop over the next two years?

~84~

CHAPTER 7 — The power of intention, excellence, and excitement

What might happen if you become highly skilled in this area of expertise?

What are the biggest hurdles to overcome to achieve this?

~85~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

What do you need to do to stay committed to achieving this?

If you have a vision, you can chart a course to get there. You don’t have to ‘have it all together’, you just need to be realistic with what you can do and make small improvements day by day. The pursuit of excellence cannot be underestimated. It’s far too easy to look at someone’s highlight reel of accomplishment and success, not realizing the hard work it took to get there. We tend to compare our beginnings with someone else’s end. What matters is your pursuit towards improvement. If we look at Novak Djokovic, a well known tennis player, he was ranked 680th in the world in 2004-2005. Eleven years later he was the world’s number one player. How did he do it? He realized he had to change the number of points won from 49% to 55% to become the world’s number one. Once he understood the goal was not to outperform every other player in the world but to develop his mind to improve, he worked on improving by 6% to become the number one player. It was the tiny incremental changes he made each game over 15 years that led him to be the world’s best. Notice that the key was improving his decision-making process while playing each game. We can also improve our decision-making process by improving incrementally, day by day.

~86~

CHAPTER 7 — The power of intention, excellence, and excitement

'04-'05

'06-'10

'11-'16

100+

3

1

$0.3m

$5m

$14m

% Matches Won

49%

79%

90%

% Points Won

49%

52%

55%

Rank Prize Money

How to Achieve Your Most Ambitious Goals | Stephen Duneier | TEDxTucson 17 The difference between where you currently are at and where you want to be can be bridged through incremental improvements. Once you understand that the difference between your current status and being the best in the world is not very far, it becomes easier to be motivated and directed in what you want to achieve. You have a goal and you know what you need to do to achieve it. The process is only a small growth in understanding in one area consistently applied.

All you need to do is gain clarity on your passion and vision and then apply this very simple strategy to achieve it. The real challenge is removing the distractions to be able to apply this principal consistently over a period of time. Today, the average 21-year-old has spent over 10,000 hours online gaming. That’s enough to get a bachelor’s degree and a masters. We often feel we don’t “have enough time” to achieve our goals, but perhaps we simply aren’t focused on achieving our goals. Each of us hold the keys; no one else is responsible for the choices we make. We choose how we respond to each situation that arises and the level of commitment we bring to a desired outcome.

“And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

- Matthew 16:9

~87~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Church Case Study • In America, 62% of people currently not attending church in your area grew up attending.

• Most people who do not attend church anymore simply got out of the habit and were not hurt.

• 33% have the intention of going to church in the future • 47% of those not currently attending church welcome talking about the gospel • 31% are open to listening to the gospel without responding • 12% would find the gospel uncomfortable • 11% find the gospel uncomfortable and will change the subject.

• 55% said they would come to church if they were invited by a family member • 51% said they would come if they were invited by a friend or neighbor.18 This means if you asked someone to church in your neighborhood, 51% of the time they would agree to come. And yet the average person asks less people to church each year they attend. We naturally migrate towards a safe, holy huddle with the ones we know and love. We struggle to do hard things and avert from any possible awkwardness that may be experienced. Yet the latin proverb ‘ fortune favors the bold ’ holds true to this day. We must learn to do hard things and deny our desire to migrate towards safety and comfort.

My wife and I chose to put a sign by our front door that says - ‘we can do hard things’.

It’s our daily reminder to keep pressing into what God is asking of us. I need daily reminding and encouragement to run the race well.

What intentions do you have?

Tomorrow?

~88~

CHAPTER 7 — The power of intention, excellence, and excitement

Next Week?

Over the next year?

Over the next five years?

~89~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

I believe you can achieve what’s on your heart. It may not work out exactly as you plan and it may not be quite the timeline you expect, but God hears your hearts desires and will answer those prayers in ways that supersede your expectations.

While intentions are powerful in achievement, the danger is making an idol of what you do rather than who God says you are. God’s love is more than enough. We are right and covered in love because of what He has done for us, never in something we can do for Him. We are positioned to flow out of His love as we receive His love everyday. There is joy in building, whether it be a church, a non-profit, a business, or a mission. I truly believe that there is joy in the work God has laid out before us.

What is God prompting you to build?

Everything eternal will always start and finish with Jesus and He will never leave us nor forsake us. Joy is laid before us day by day.

In the context of your relationship with Jesus, what gives you the most joy?

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CHAPTER 7 — The power of intention, excellence, and excitement

Is there anything you could do or create that would give others the opportunity to experience the joy you experience?

The Power of Excitement You only need to read the book of Mark to begin to understand how exciting Jesus was to be with. He turns water into wine as His opening miracle, He whips the ones you’re meant to respect in a holy place, He ruins every funeral He attends, He heals an ear that’s been chopped off by one of His friends who got a bit carried away, He commands nature and it listens. Nothing is more confusing and surprising than the resurrecting spiritual power that brought broken, torn flesh back to life. John himself says, “Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.” - John 21:25 Is it important that our Christian walk is exciting? If you’d asked me how I felt about my church of England upbringing as a child, I’m not sure exciting would be the word I would have chosen.

Why do we struggle to recognize how exciting church is?

~91~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

God is wild, He’s unpredictable, He’s powerful, He’s creative, He is freedom, He’s not intimidated by our sins or brokenness. In fact, He’s not intimidated by anything at all. So why do we not spring out of bed each morning expecting to see His power and wonder today? Maybe you do!

I’m sure there are good reasons why this is not the norm. But I think God is naturally exciting to be around and we should instill this excitement into everything we do. When we look at Jesus, we see Him grieve death and the impact it has on souls. He then turns the grieving into a party again as He breathes life into every dead place.

How could you instil more of God’s excitement into: Your day?

Others you influence?

~92~

8

RECEIVING THE COMMISSION

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:19 ónoma – name; (figuratively) the manifestation or revelation of someone’s character, i.e. as distinguishing them from all others. Thus “praying in the name of Christ” means to pray as directed (authorized) by Him, bringing revelation that flows out of being in His presence.

Jesus has authority and power over all the world. The variable is how much the sacrificial love of God is moving in our lives. The Holy Spirit points us towards Jesus on the cross - the safety, the redemption, the healing, the wholeness, the beauty and wonder. The nature of agape is to point away from itself so others can live into their potential. As a result, a new and enthusiastic generation arises in the power of a Holy God who is moving across the earth looking for those who will say yes to being used. This is why it is so important to raise up others to be better than ourselves. We grow downwards and become less so Jesus can become more. This is what it means to live a life sold out for a purpose greater than ourselves. When we receive the great commission, we become a part of something bigger than ourselves. We start living our life outwards, loving others, seeing the goodness of God rise up in people, and the movement of the kingdom of God expands on earth as it is in heaven.

Our school is designed to release the potential inside of our students, so that love and grace would so profoundly impact us that we couldn’t help but tell others what Jesus has done in our lives. You see this again and again in the stories of the gospels including the woman at the well, the demon-possessed man, and the healing of the blind man. Even when Jesus asked them not to tell anyone, they could not help but tell others of the miracles and power that occurred around Him. Ministry growth is ultimately about seeing the love of Christ impact the world, starting first with our own life and spreading outwards.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. - John 14:12

~94~

CHAPTER 8 — Receiving the commission

HERO MAKER 19 In his book Hero Maker, Dave Fergusson explains the difference between the Hero and a Hero Maker as: PRACTICE

HERO

HERO MAKER

TOOL

I think ministry happens through multiplied leaders.

Dream Napkin Acts 1:8

Permission Giving

I see what God can do through my own leadership.

I see what God can do through others, and I let them know what I see in them.

I-C-N-U Conversation Matt 4:19

Disciple Multiplying

I share what I’ve learned in ways that add more followers.

I share what I’ve learned in ways that multiply disciples.

Five Steps of Apprenticeship John 3:22

Gift Activating

I ask God to bless the use of my own gifts.

I ask God to bless leaders I’m sending out.

Commissioning Matt 28:19

Kingdom Building

I count people who show up to my event.

I count leaders who go Simple Scoreboard out and do God’s thing. Matt 6:33

I think ministries Multiplication Thinking happen through my own leadership

Dave Fergusson suggests there are five stages to church growth: 1. Declining,

2. Plateauing, 3. Growing,

4. Reproducing, and 5. Multiplying.

He suggests that one of the biggest influences of church growth is the quality of questions the leader asks. He breaks down questions that leaders ask at every level, including level 5 questions: • What are the practices of a hero maker that I could apply at the church I serve?

• How do I carve out the time to disciple six or so people that will go on to disciple others?

• If church planting is the best way to reach people for Christ, then how can we get more involved in churches that will in turn plant other churches?

• How can we measure and cheer for what happens outside the walls of our church and the boundaries of our city?

• How can we move from the mindset “We can do it; you can help” to “You can do it; and we can help”?

~95~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Would you say you are naturally more of a hero or a hero maker person? Why?

What are some ideas you might have to make more heroes around you?

What do you think is the main obstacle to making heroes?

FEAR This is what the word of God says about fear: • “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9 • “Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.” - Isaiah 43:1 • “Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” - Isaiah 35:4 • “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” - John 14:27 • “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” - Matthew 6:34 ~96~

CHAPTER 8 — Receiving the commission

• “Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” - Psalm 23:4 • “The lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?” - Psalm 27:1 • “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” - 1 Peter 5:6-7 Some of the fears common to church leaders as they look to multiply their impact: • Fear of failure: It’s scary to give away our power and money to others not knowing what the outcome will be.

• Fear of rejection: Am I secure enough to be like John the Baptist who’s followers left him to follow Jesus?

• Fear of loss of control: How much have we handed over control to God of the ministries and organizations to see others run them?

• Fear of conflict: What conflict might happen by audaciously trusting in others over the existing system?

• Fear of financial hardship: Will God continue to support us?

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” - Philippians 2:3-11 It’s when empowerment to others is engrained in the culture that ministries begin to grow exponentially as multiple leaders work together to raise up other leaders in Christ.

~97~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

If the Spirit of Christ increased in you, what might you overcome?

How do you become less in Christ? What would that look like for you practically?

~98~

CHAPTER 8 — Receiving the commission

As we step into exponential and catalytic growth patterns, we must learn to replicate what we have inside us through simple tools such as: THE FIVE STEP APPRENTICESHIP MODEL .

1. I do. You Watch. We Talk - What worked? What didn’t work? How can we improve?

2. I do. You Help. We Talk - Could you lead the icebreaker at the start?

3. You Do. I Help. We Talk - Could you lead most of the meeting? I’ll handle the Icebreaker.

4. You Do. I Watch. We Talk - I think you are ready for leadership. Do you think you are ready?

5. You Do. Someone Else Watches - You are great, have you thought about how you can mentor someone else?

Simplifying the Score Card One simple scorecard that everyone knows can help facilitate growth. This creates excitement and helps to see the progress that is cumulatively being made.

NOW TODAY

FUTURE Number of Apprentices

NEXT YR

5 YRS

Current Total Cumulative Total CASE STUDY ON A MULTIPLYING METHOD - Discovery Bible Study Technique

A Discovery Bible Study is an opportunity for people to discover first-hand what the Bible says about God, about people, and what it means to follow Jesus. It is a powerful tool for those who want to see Jesus’ name lifted high in a rapidly expanding way.

A discovery group is a non-threatening way to start discipling someone even before they become a believer. You don’t need to be a Bible or theology expert to launch an effective DBS. A DBS is based on the belief that God’s word is powerful (Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16) and that God’s Spirit is faithful to lead us into all truth (John 16:13). When you facilitate a DBS, you are essentially co-leading with God’s Spirit, who is the major player in guiding seekers toward Jesus. ~99~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Step One: Invite and Gather One of the biggest roles you have in this process is inviting people. If a Discovery Bible Study were a baseball game, you would be the coach sending players onto the field. How do you do that? First, you need to find out who has an interest in “playing the game”; we call these people “persons of peace”. A person of peace will be open to a relationship and to talking with you about spirituality. They will have a hunger for the things of God, be quick to share what they’re learning with others, and bring you into their network of relationships. People who are willing to have meaningful conversations about spiritual things and who display these characteristics are the ones you should invite to begin a Discovery Bible Study with you. Once you’ve identified a potential person of peace, you need to actually “make the ask.” Ask if they’d like to read the Bible together. If they say yes, encourage them to bring others along with them. This will make the process much more dynamic.

Imagine a baseball game with only one hitter in the lineup. It’s not impossible for one player to hit a home run, but the chances of making it all the way to home base go way up when you have a whole team alongside you. Here are some helpful questions you can use to invite someone into a discovery group: Once you have a group willing to discover more about Jesus, it’s time to launch your group.

• What’s your religious background?

• Where are you now in your interest in spiritual things?

• Would you like to know more about this?

• Who else do you know that has spiritual interests similar to yours?

• Would you like to explore this together?

• Where can I meet you?

• Who else can you bring?

Step Two: Connect God has led you to a person of peace; they’ve gathered a small group around them, figured out the best way to meet, and brought you together at the chosen place. What do you do now? You might be tempted to jump straight into Bible study, but we’re going to stop you right there.

While the Bible is our central tool to discover Jesus in a DBS, there are some other crucial elements to making disciples, which is our ultimate goal. Before you get into scripture, take time to connect. To continue using our coaching analogy, you could consider this a pregame warmup. It’s much more than an icebreaker for the group, and we’ll explain why. There are three key questions that make the connect time an intentional part of the discipling process. These questions not only help participants to connect on a personal level but begin to instill the DNA of Christian fellowship into the group from the very beginning. The first two questions lay the groundwork of worship (recognizing God’s presence and giving thanks). The third one steers ~100~

CHAPTER 8 — Receiving the commission

participants toward intercession (expressing need) and creates opportunities to meet those needs (fellowship). Those of us in the Church are familiar with small group dynamics that include open sharing, discussion of deep life topics, and requests for support. But for many outside the church, this is a foreign space. The fellowship and connection within a discovery group are things many people long for and rarely experience. The connect time is a powerful space to open hearts wider to the word of God. Step Three: Discover

We’ve made it to the heart of a DBS — discovering God through his word! It’s time for you, the coach, to send your players (people of peace) onto the field, where they can explore what the Bible reveals about God and about them. Your main tools in this process are a carefully selected Bible passage and some key questions.

Read the passage.

• Ask, “What does the passage say?” (Select someone from the group to repeat it in their own words.)

• Ask, “What does this passage mean? ” (Or specifically, “What does this tell me about God? ” and “What does this tell me about people?”)

• Ask, “(If this is God speaking...) What will you do about it?” (Another way to ask this with a non-believer is, “If I believed this was true, how would my life be different?”) At the end of this step, everyone should have a practical “I will” statement.

Alongside the word and the Holy Spirit, these questions start to reshape a person’s worldview — their beliefs about God, about humanity, and about how we should live. But a Discovery Bible Study is about more than head-knowledge or curiosity. It shifts immediately from knowledge to action, from awareness to real life.

If you’ve been involved in many Bible studies before, this may feel very different or even uncomfortable to you. Many of us have not been expected or challenged to instantly put into practice what we read. This is one of the most powerful elements of a DBS. People’s lives actually start to look different as a result.

It’s helpful to remember that in the discovery process you are the coach, not the player. Your goal should always be to empower the players on the field to successfully engage the game. Once you get them onto the field and provide the tools they need to participate, it’s time to let God connect with them personally.

Step Four: Empower While the process of leading a discovery group is fairly simple, the process of being a good “coach” or facilitator can be challenging. It sometimes takes a colossal effort, as someone who is really good at the “game” of understanding God’s word, not to take the bat away from the little league players and hit the ball for them. Remember that DBS’s are all about self-discovery. Resist ~101~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

the temptation to become the expert in the room: teaching, preaching, providing extra-Biblical references, or even referring to other scripture passages beyond what’s in front of you. Nothing shuts down a discussion faster than the feeling that one person has the answers. And besides, what we discover for ourselves usually carries a lot more weight and is far more meaningful and memorable than what another person tells or teaches us. When you commit to facilitating in this open way, you empower people in the group to personally grapple with the passage and give God’s Spirit more room to speak truth to the heart. Not giving all the answers doesn’t mean you have to be silent in the group. Just be careful not to contribute in ways that go beyond the text. Focus on the word, and let the word speak. In a discovery process, questions are one of your strongest allies. ming up with feels wildly “off-base,” you can ask, “Where do you see that in this passage?” And if participants mention ideas from other parts of scripture, bring them back by asking, “Do you mind if we keep to this particular scripture?” The discovery approach requires a willingness to give up control and trust God to be at work. Discovery Bible Study has a high view of the power and authority of the Bible to speak. God can work in power through the Bible to accomplish His redemptive purposes. A DBS is built on a conviction that the Spirit of God is at work in such a process, wooing people toward Jesus. That combination — word and Spirit — is irresistible. If possible, don’t lead the study yourself. Ideally, the person of peace (who gathered others together) would facilitate the study within their group. Because this is such a simple process it is easy to learn. Teaching the person of peace to lead not only empowers them in the process, but is also one of the simplest ways to avoid being the expert in the room. This is their discovery process with God, not yours. Give it to God, and give it to your person of peace Step Five: Multiply A Discovery Bible Study is the cornerstone of a strategy to bring entire networks, cities, and nations to Jesus. This strategy is gaining incredible momentum in many parts of the world, with thousands of new disciples now beginning to follow Jesus. The strategy is called Disciple Making Movements (DMM). If this sounds a little big in scope for you, consider the plan of God for the world laid out in the Bible. 1 Timothy 2:4 says that God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Not some, but all! As a follower of Jesus and a member of his Body, you are part of this plan. And once you’ve started a Discovery Bible Study, you have opened a door to be a part of that big movement of the gospel, where the good news of Jesus can multiply far beyond your own power to share it. How can you equip your group to multiply?

First, you ask questions that challenge them to be others-focused and self-giving.

These questions weave the DNA of love (for each other and for all people) into the group and incorporate Jesus’s command to his disciples to tell others the good news. We call them multiplication questions because showing the love of Jesus and sharing the truth God reveals to us are two of the most compelling actions we can take to draw people closer to God.

~102~

CHAPTER 8 — Receiving the commission

There’s one extra tip for helping your group to multiply which is important on many levels. It’s simple, but a little counterintuitive. We recommend that you don’t keep an open-door policy in discovery groups. Don’t add new members after the first few weeks, once the group has started to gain momentum. As the group starts having a transformational impact on its members, it’s natural for other people to hear about what’s going on and “want in.” Instead of adding new members, start new groups. This is where the magic of multiplication (and movement) really starts to kick in. Do you remember the difference between addition and multiplication from your school days? If you only add people to an existing group, you are living in the realm of addition — 3+1=4. But if you ask the new seeker to pull together a new group, you begin to multiply — 3x2=6. And over time, that makes a huge difference in the number of people given an opportunity to discover Jesus. When someone asks to join the group, you can say something like this: “Our group has already started and we aren’t adding people, sorry. But if you want to do something like this, I/we (person of peace) will help you lead a group for yourself and the people you know. Let’s start a new one.”

Step Six: Keep Accountable It’s the final inning of the game. The bases are loaded, the score is tied, and everyone is holding their breath as the batter steps up. The whole team is counting on the next hitter to bring them home. This player is accountable to the rest of the group; they’re depending on him. Accountability is a powerful dynamic. We mentioned earlier how a DBS is not just for learning about God, but for taking action. It’s in the response of obedience to Jesus that life transformation starts to take place. Accountability is one of the best tools you have to support one another in making that transformation a reality. So we’d like you to add this accountability question to your connection time, from the second meeting onward. That means that before you dive into the week’s discovery time in the Word, everyone will be asked to give an account of what they said they would do.

The accountability question: • Were there any lessons you applied or shared?

• Did you follow through on your “I will” and “I will tell” statements?

These questions will give you a space to celebrate victories and encourage each other to obey Jesus. It’s not about making someone feel guilty but giving them more opportunities to grow.

If someone didn’t take the action they said they would, you can gently ask, “How can we help you to obey what God is telling you?” Discovery groups are a place where community forms around the process of discipleship (following and becoming like Jesus). They have the potential to eventually merge with other small “cell” groups to form a new expression of the Church, poised to reach the world with the good news of Jesus. That developmental step goes beyond the scope of this guide. But there are resources available to help you guide the process when it’s time.

~103~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Putting It All Together Connect

• How did God show up in your life this week?

• What are you thankful for?

• What is causing stress in your life right now?

• Were there any lessons you applied or shared? Did you follow through on your “I will” and “I will tell” statements?

Discover • What does the passage say? (Repeat it in your own words.)

• What does the passage mean? (What does it tell us about God? About people?)

• Where did you see that in this passage? (Used if discussion strays from the passage.)

• (If this is God speaking...) What will you do about it?

Multiply • How can we help one another in our group?

• Who else (outside of our group) can we show kindness to?

• Who can we tell and how can we tell what we’ve been learning Now it’s up to you As you’ve learned how a DBS works, have people come to mind who could benefit from being in this kind of group? Do you know people who might be ready to discover God? Take a minute or two right now to pray over those people and make a plan. Tell someone you trust that you want to do this. Maybe they’ll be inspired to join you and start a group of their own!

What do you see the pros and cons of the DBS method to be?

~104~

CHAPTER 8 — Receiving the commission

The process of developing a multiplying culture is: 1. Declare It: We are starting a multiplying culture because God has placed it on our hearts.

2. Do It: Start a small group yourself 3. Brand It: Find a name like The Hero Maker Program 4. Teach It: Explain how the system works 5. Recognize It: Call out leaders who are doing it and give praise.

6. Repeat It: Keep calling out the intention over the course of a year or two.

7. Institutionalize It: Once the path is explained to every person, you will have instilled a culture.

The Pathway to Church Leadership By quantifying the path, you give clarity and direction to where people are going: ¾ New Person ¾ Apprentice ¾ Leaders ¾ Coach ¾ Director ¾ Campus Pastor / Church Planter ¾ Network Leaders Work with your leadership to quantify and set expectations on what each stage might look like.

Prayer of thanksgiving for things to come

~105~

GROWTH by Stuart Macklin

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.� - Matthew 28:16-20

~106~

REFERENCE BOOKS Disney Imagineers, The Imagineering Workout, Disney Publishing Dave Ferguson, Warren Bird, Hero Maker, Zondervan Larry Walkemeyer and Todd Wilson, The Mobilization Flywheel, Harrington Interactive Media Janet McMahon and John Wentz, The Coaching Guidebook, Community Christian Church Dan Lee, The Novo Movement, Novo.org

WORKS CITED 1 https://www.slideteam.net/business-life-cycle-template-powerpoint-slide-images.html 2 https://www.slideteam.net/business-life-cycle-template-powerpoint-slide-images.html 3

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12 https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/the-global-games-market-will-generate-152-1-billion-in2019-as-the-u-s-overtakes-china-as-the-biggest-market/ 13 www.spiritualgiftstest.com 14

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Dave Fergusson, Hero Marker, p29, Zondervan

GROW TH In this course, we will develop a biblical foundation for understanding how and why God desires our participation as co-creators. From this biblical foundation, we will then begin to form a strategic plan to grow what God has placed inside you. Learn market research techniques, financial management, and other ways to multiply your impact: how to set your short and long term goals; how to improve your communication strategy, how others can get involved; what systems to use; how to raise up leaders; how to review and measure the success of the ministry; what ministry cycles you should expect, and how you will need to elevate and change your techniques as the ministry grows. Learn how to identify what positions you need to fill, potential threats, and how to manage teams in a healthy and dynamic way.

KEY OUTCOMES  To develop a depth of understanding of how God leads us in ministry.

 How to think through strategies to grow and f lourish ministries.

 To understand the importance of God’s plan and purpose in your life.

 To think big picture, learn how to cast vision and help others see the vision of what God has put on your heart.

 To deepen your understanding of the passion and purpose that lies inside of you.  To understand how to develop systems that assist in the management of the resources God gives you.

 To realize the importance of conviction and counting the cost.  To understand how to be an overcomer.  To be equipped with a wide variety of management techniques.

STUART MACKLIN Stuart had a powerful encounter with Jesus during his cancer treatment in 2008. He was miraculously healed and discovered a strong thirst to grow and learn as much as he could. He joined Bible College in Australia and then traveled across Asia and Africa on missions and with evangelism organizations. He studied at Iris Missions School in Mozambique and specializes in building teams and assisting people to step into their ministry calling.

The Lord is now using his business knowledge on organizational structure and business growth skills to serve the Body of Christ.

He currently serves as the Director of the School of Ministry at Centerpoint Church. In his spare time, he has co-authored five children's books with his wife and enjoys snowboarding, traveling, and long hikes with his Welsh Corgi dog.

C E N T E R P O I N T S C H O O L O F M I N I S T RY

PRICE: $20.00