Ministry Life by Stuart Macklin

ministry

MINISTRY LIFE stuart

ministry

macklin

leadership

curriculum

PREFACE A successful ministry life is 20 percent head knowledge and 80 percent heart attitude. This curriculum workbook is designed to teach you the main points of successful life management. It’s a journey that reveals the power and integral character of Christ, as well as the need for discipline, so when the wind and waves come, your house is still standing.

Your life is a wonderful expression of God’s love and it will take discipline to reveal the fullness of your potential in Christ. I don’t know about you, but I see myself something like a sleepy bear awakening from hibernation. I don’t understand the depths of God’s love. I struggle to allow people to see me for who I am.

I judge myself and the mistakes I make, and intimacy with God does not come naturally because it requires vulnerability and deep levels of trust. I see His goodness in part, so I know that He leads me down paths to righteousness. While sin fractures the soul and leads to death, I discover that God hates sin more than anything because He loves so deeply. To understand how much He hates sin is to understand how deeply He loves. He will do anything to help us discover His truth and love. The challenge is that our free will means that brokenness perpetuates brokenness and we remain sleepy and fractured, afraid to step deeper into His love, unaware of the deceptive captivity held in the lure of darkness. So He perseveres with us, supporting, empowering, walking alongside us in the darkness.

So why should we want to step into His discipline and wholeness, empowered in His spirit? Because this is His will; because this is love and truth. It’s loving for others to reflect Jesus to the world. As you reflect Jesus, you reflect His life in the darkness, His newness, His hope, His joy. Be the light on the hill you are designed to be, a sign-post pointing to His holiness. This is love and righteousness - His life in you!

So how do we allow His truth to fill our souls? We must abandon our agendas and love Him with our whole heart, mind, and soul. You are powerful and strong in Him. You have the power to say “No more!” to that which harms and fractures the soul. He will help you discern what is from Him and what is not because He is filling you with His light. The Kingdom is within! This is the revival inside awakening!

This curriculum is designed to draw you closer to Him while improving your practical life skills so that you might step deeper into His love. This is love - to allow Him to fill your heart, to turn away from anything not of God and to serve others with everything you are, discovering the power of discipline and perseverance.

Praise be to the Lord, the Author of love and truth for your heart and willingness to go deeper with Him. May you be the light He has designed you to be and may His sacrificial life always be revealed through your servant heart.

Stuart

CAPTAIN IN TRAINING Imagine the date is 1857. You’ve got a dream to be a great voyager on the high seas, exploring new places where no man or woman has voyaged. You have been given a beautiful 110-meter exploration ship. You know all things are possible and you’re excited to head out on your adventure, but you have a problem: you are not a sailor. In fact, you don’t know much about sailing, boat design, mechanics, navigation or boat operations. So what do you do?

You sign up for a course called ‘Captain in Training’, designed to help you understand the vessel you’ve been given and make you the best boat captain on the high seas.

As a captain in training, your schedule includes: Week 1: Appointment with the original architect Week 2: Evaluation of boat condition Week 3: Navigation skills Week 4: Crew management skills Week 5: How to handle a mutiny Week 6: Managing the resources of the ship Week 7: Weather and typography navigation Week 8: Tips for becoming a great captain This is a picture of what these next weeks hold. Your soul is the boat and you are learning to direct and manage the boat you’ve been given through great character and practical skills. The key is a humble heart and a spirit willing to learn. Notice how every aspect needs to be learned for a successful voyage. If you miss one area, you run the risk of disaster. With careful attention to detail, the outcome will be a glorious adventure with a life of overcoming.

Over the next eight weeks, this Ministry Life course will guide you through the waters of your call to ministry with practical and spiritual tools. With the template of your “captain-in-training” schedule in mind, we’ll set course on eight themes involved in the class syllabus: Appointment with the original architect → Week 1: Understanding God’s Plan and Purpose Evaluation of boat condition → Week 2: Evaluation of Life Management Navigations skills → Week 3: A Truth-Centered Life Crew management skills → Week 4: Communication Skills How to handle a mutiny → Week 5: Conflict Management Managing the resources of the ship → Week 6: Financial Management Weather and Typography navigation → Week 7: Environmental Impact Tips for becoming a great captain. → Week 8: Next-Level Life Mastery

MINISTRY LIFE Chapter 1: UNDERSTANDING GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE �������������������������������������������� 7 Chapter 2: EVALUATION OF LIFE MANAGEMENT ���������������������������������������������������������� 17 Chapter 3: A TRUTH-CENTERED LIFE ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 Chapter 4: COMMUNICATION SKILLS ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 47 Chapter 5: CONFLICT MANAGEMENT ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 61 Chapter 6: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 81 Chapter 7: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 99 Chapter 8: NEXT LEVEL LIFE MASTERY ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 111

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UNDERSTANDING GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE

“You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”

Matthew 5:14

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S PLAN & PURPOSE big idea : God has given us specific skills and resources that only you can outwork. As you draw near

to Him, He’ll reveal those giftings for His purposes. Do you love reflecting on God’s truth? As you look into His eyes, we see both His beauty and a reflection of our original design.

In Matthew 5:14, Jesus says something incredible: “You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”

Matthew 5:14

Below is a chart of the Greek words from Matthew 5:14.

NASB ©

“You are the light

of the world.

A city

set

on a hill

cannot

be hidden”

GREEK

STRONG’S

φῶς (phōs) κόσμου (kosmou) πόλις (polis) κειμένη (keimenē) ὄρους (orous) δύναται (dunatai) κρυβῆναι (krubēnai)

~8~

ORIGIN

5457: light

cont. of phaos (light, daylight); from the same as phainó

2889: order, the world

a prim. word

4172: a city

a prim. word

2749: to be laid, lie

a prim. verb

3735: a mountain

a prim. word

1410: to be able, to have power

a prim. verb

2928: to hide

a prim. verb

CHAPTER 1 — Understanding god’s plan and purpose

The left column shows the modern interpretation, the second shows the Greek word and the third shows the meaning of the Greek. With the Greek in mind, what might Jesus be saying?

God speaks to us in truth, so the difference between God’s word and our actions can sometimes seem as though we’re not on the same page. So how do we learn to reflect on Him according to our original design? We must learn to manage our lives as He originally intended for us to do.

Imagine you are the leader of a large organization, and you manage between four and six departments. Each one would be unique with its own challenges, areas that excel and areas that need improvement. Some of these departments are working well and some are in need of change.

Your ability to evaluate which departments are working well and which need your attention will determine the success and future growth of the organization. Each department requires an accurate analysis and then the appropriate resources to help it grow and thrive in your organization.

~9~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

You have been given dominion over your organization, and you are equipped and empowered to implement the changes that need to take place. First, your organization needs an accurate assessment and a strategy to implement the change through applying discipline and perseverance.

Discipline + Authority = Influence And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

Do you desire to develop your impact for Christ in the world? It’s going to take discipline, courage, and humility to assess where you are and what you want to move towards. If you’re having trouble self-assessing, ask the Lord and He’ll talk to you about His thoughts.

LIFE PURPOSE STATEMENT

If you ask most people what their life purpose statement is, they may respond with a list of goals: “Success in business”, “Becoming a kingdom giver”, or “Starting a non-profit organization rescuing girls being sex trafficked.” These are important and powerful statements and may provide milestones when achieved, but they are not purpose statements. They are goals, which are great, but the challenge with goals is that sometimes they are in direct competition with each other. You want to develop a successful non-profit, but you also want to have more personal time for fun and relaxation. There is nothing wrong with setting goals. They act as indicators to see how you are progressing but they do not answer the question, “Why am I here?” A life purpose statement is not a goal, it is who you are. In his book Life Mastery, Bob Shank identifies what he needed to resolve to form a good life. These include: • A purpose statement that takes into account how we’re qualified, where we’re effective, and where our passions direct us for the whole of our lives - all of what we are, for as long as we are. This gives us the reason for the things we do and the lives we live.

• A vision of our future to project our direction as we pursue our purpose. This meets our need to see past today to how we are progressing.

• A sense of mission that motivates even the mundane aspects of life, allowing us to see how all things fit into the bigger picture. Mission is purpose in action.

• A clear strategy to sharpen our thinking as we constantly assess the resources at hand and the opportunities available to us. This allows us to manage how we invest ourselves in keeping with our life plan.

~10~

CHAPTER 1 — Understanding god’s plan and purpose

• Finally, based on those primary foundational conclusions: a reasonable set of goals that harmonize rather than clash with one another. These goals make possible to choose the best areas in which to invest ourselves and to bypass anything less.1 So let’s take a moment to see if you can write in one sentence your life purpose statement. Ask the Lord who He has made you to be. What am I here to do? Write down whatever comes to mind and do not show anyone yet.

Keep in mind that it is God who has placed you here and He desires to talk to you about what He has empowered you to do.

GROUP PARTICIPATION

If you turn to your back page, you’ll see a page that says “Life Purpose Notes”. If you are working by yourself, you can still do this exercise, but you’ll need to ask friends that you trust to tell you what they see your life purpose to be. Write down what they say at the back, but only if it resonates with you.

If you are working in a group, write down life purpose statements on sticky notes and ask Jesus to guide you. Ideally, you will write down between five and ten life purpose statements and hand them to people in your group. When you receive a life purpose statement stick it down in the back of your book and see if it reconciles with what you wrote down. When we internalize these deep in our spirit, they act as a light to our path. Over the years, your life purpose statement may evolve or change according to the revelation that the Lord gives you through His word and His Spirit. We will settle it in our hearts over time and then as we draw close to him, we will want to cast vision in line with it. We will write out our mission and strategize our goals that harmonize in line with our life purpose statement.

The foundational understanding of who you are and the importance it has to God is not a new concept. The entire Bible can be read through the lens of God being involved in His creation and calling His children to be set apart.

1

Bob Shank - Life Mastery (P30-31) Bethany House

~11~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

God desires for you to see yourself through His redeemed eyes, through the redeeming blood of Christ. He desires for you to be a light that is empowered to love and sacrifice yourself for others.

In Christ, you are a leader designed to represent His Kingdom and love to the world.

WHAT IS GOD’S PERSPECTIVE?

Ask God to reveal to you who He sees you to be. Think how you might imagine heaven to be.

Describe things like how you look, what your role in heaven might be? What do people call you?

How do they interact with you?

The power of seeing how God sees you in the blood of Jesus is vital to work out your Life Purpose Statement.

~12~

CHAPTER 1 — Understanding god’s plan and purpose

WHAT IS GOD’S PERSPECTIVE ON OTHERS?

“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.”

Isaiah 43:25

God has blotted out our sins in Christ. This allows us to reframe our view of not only ourselves, but also of others. Shift your focus to a close friend or family member who has been challenging in some seasons. Describe what comes to mind when you ask God to reveal who they truly are in His kingdom? What are His thoughts towards them?

~13~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

When God designed you, He did not make a mistake. You are His beloved. It’s His story and it’s important that you step into who He sees you to be. We live our lives thinking from the perspective of the truth we perceive.

In Christ, you are redeemed by His perfect sacrifice. He sets you free from condemnation and judgment and He has great plans and purposes for you.

What is God’s perspective on sin?

~14~

CHAPTER 1 — Understanding god’s plan and purpose

What is God’s perspective of the Cross?

~15~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Can God be held ransom by the devil?

These questions are designed to make us think about how the story impacts God. We draw near to God, and both our prophetic vision and voice mature as we work through the thoughts of what it means to Him. As we discern God’s will, it becomes easier to take authority over what is and what isn’t from Him. These exercises are designed to help us assess who we are in truth. If we know who we are in truth, we can discern if our actions are reflecting our God-given identity. ~16~

2

EVALUATION OF LIFE MANAGEMENT

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.

The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Nelson MANDELA

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

EVALUATION OF LIFE MANAGEMENT big idea: We must learn to manage ourselves before we manage others.

God has given us a window into heaven through His son. The veil has been torn, and He has brought us to life with Himself. He is making all things new and bringing life wherever His spirit goes. We partner with what God is doing as we turn away from what fractures and breaks our souls. Freewill dictates that the only thing we surely have dominion over is our mind, body, soul, and spirit. For most of us, this is a full-time job, comparative to managing a large organization in complexity.

God has given us a practical list of His expectations in character before we step into managing His children.

“This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position. So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise selfcontrol, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.”

1 Timothy 3:1-7 THE PROCESS

HGTV’s Fixer Upper program looks at various homes that were broken inside and out. Once they’ve selected the property, they go about turning it into a dream home. Once complete, this house builds a family community, creates a fun atmosphere, wows others, and brings an attractional quality that is almost irresistible to everyone who passes or visits it. We’re not told in the program what events lead to the rundown state of the home before construction. All that matters is that something amazing is going to happen over the next couple of months while it’s being transformed. God is our original architect and when we say ‘yes’ to Him we say ‘yes’ to partnering with Him to turn this house into a house He would like to live in.

Let’s dive back into imagining you are the CEO of an important organization. As the Chief Executive Officer, we first need you to evaluate each department.

~18~

CHAPTER 2 — Evaluation of life management

Your organization has four departments.

1. The Personal Department 2. The Relational Department 3. The Work Department 4. The Ministry Department As the manager of each of these departments, you will evaluate how each is running. You are going to evaluate the health of each of them in terms of: THE PERSONAL DEPARTMENT

(Circle the number that applies to you - 1 being “very poor” and 10 being “perfect”) 1. How is the health of your body?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

5

6

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8

9

10

5

6

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9

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5

6

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8

9

10

6

7

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10

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10

2. How is the health of your soul?

1

2

3

4

3. How is the health of your mind?

1

2

3

4

4. How is the health of your spirit?

1

2

3

4

THE RELATIONAL DEPARTMENT

5. How healthy are your family relationships?

1

2

3

4

5

6. How healthy are you peer relationships?

1

2

3

4

5

~19~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

THE WORK DEPARTMENT

7. How are you managing your resources?

1

2

3

4

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7

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8. How is your career progressing?

1

2

3

4

THE MINISTRY DEPARTMENT

9. How would you rate your involvement at church?

1

2

3

4

5

6

10. How would you rate your interaction with the world?

1

2

3

4

5

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7

CURRENT CONDITIONS

The goal here is to accurately assess and manage yourself as you would an organization. Honest evaluation improves every area, bringing balance and harmony. This means when the weight of your calling begins to put pressure on your personal life, you will be able to manage it because of the foundation you’ve already laid.

What are your strongest categories?

Currently, which departments most need your attention?

~20~

CHAPTER 2 — Evaluation of life management

THE NEXT INITIATIVES

We are going to ask God to partner with us to help us manifest the next level of excellence in our lives through writing our next initiatives. Some may be an idea or a thought. Others may already be in action with a strategy behind them.

Write down 8-15 next initiatives that will help you become more balanced and mature in the categories that need the most attention.

1.

9.

2.

10.

3.

11.

4.

12.

5.

13.

6.

14.

7.

15.

8.

From this list, what are your top five most important next initiatives?

1.

4.

2.

5.

3.

Describe why you have chosen these as your top five initiatives.

~21~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

How committed are you to achieving these next initiatives?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

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9

10

What will motivate you to ensure you complete these initiatives?

There are two keys that always need to be combined to open up the potential for successful growth in every aspect which can be applied to your life, your business, your ministry, or organizational growth. One is strategy, the other is the time you put into that strategy. When you combine a successful strategy with your time then you will see growth.

Time + Strategy = Growth You can put all your time into an endeavor, but if you do not have a workable strategy then you are unlikely to see growth. Similarly, you can have the best strategy, but if you don’t prioritize the time required to build it, then it’s unlikely to grow. That’s why it is so important to prioritize stepping into who God sees you to be.

~22~

CHAPTER 2 — Evaluation of life management

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.”

Luke 16:10

As your strategy improves so does the amount of time you need to put into it. This gives you discretionary time, which if wisely invested, would be placed in learning your unique Kingdom calling. When you add success to the formula you have Time + Strategy + Growth= Significance.

Kingdom significance is what God is calling you to. As we study the life of Jesus and walk with Him, we discover He has a specific plan and calling that only you can do. It’s a process of acquiring balance in your own life and learning to manage it well, which allows you to pursue God’s unique call on your life.

2

In the first chapter, we identified why it was important to seek God’s perspective and how our actions may not be lining up with who He sees us to be. In this chapter, we have begun to evaluate what we are working with. We established you as the CEO of you. We identified that there are various departments within this organization, and to step into all God has for you, we must first learn to manage the organization God has given us with excellence.

SUMMARY 1. You can see the importance of understanding God’s perspective on you.

2. You have written down your life purpose statement and others have spoken uplifting words over you (noted in the back of the book).

3. You have evaluated your current life management levels.

4. You have grown in understanding the importance of strategizing.

5. You are clear on what motivates you to see it grow.

ASSIGNMENT Write out a twelve-month plan to ensure your next initiatives become a lifestyle! Include : 1. What is going to change over the next twelve months?

2. Who has permission to ensure you achieve it?

3. What are they holding you accountable to?

4. Why is it important to you?

5. How can you increase the cost of not doing it?

2

Bob Shank, Life Mastery, P61 Bethany House,

~23~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

MY TWELVE-MONTH PLAN:

~24~

CHAPTER 2 — Evaluation of life management

~25~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

What do you need to ensure you achieve your twelve-month goals?

~26~

3

A TRUTH-CENTERED LIFE

“Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.”

Psalm 119:104-106 NLT

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

A TRUTH-CENTERED LIFE big idea: The journey to becoming a great navigator is revealed in Psalm 119.

“Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.”

Psalm 119:104-106

Paul prays: “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called — his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.”

Ephesians 1:18

The analogy for this week is learning to navigate the reality of living in a shadow land - a land that is not yet fully filled with the light. Hence we need to press into His light to see what the land will hold for you!

What is spiritual discernment?

~28~

CHAPTER 3 — A truth-centered life

How do you mature in spiritual discernment?

When we see in truth and care first about God and His life, then the rocks, the monsters, and the storms can all be navigated successfully because He is a lamp to our path.

C. S. Lewis writes: “In the end that Face which is the delight or the terror of the universe must be turned upon each of us either with one expression or with the other, either conferring glory inexpressible or inflicting shame that can never be cured or disguised. I read in a periodical the other day that the fundamental thing is how we think of God. By God Himself, it is not! How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important. Indeed, how we think of Him is of no importance except insofar as it is related to how He thinks of us. It is written that we shall “stand before” Him, shall appear, shall be inspected. The promise of glory is the promise, almost incredible and only possible by the work of Christ, that some of us, that any of us who really chooses, shall actually survive that examination, shall find approval, shall please God. To please God… to be a real ingredient in the Divine happiness… to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son - it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.” 3

3

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory p. 10. (USA: The Macmillan Co. 1966),

~29~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

The C.S. Lewis institute explains this passage: “The thought that “we shall ‘stand before’ Him, shall appear, shall be inspected,” can be deeply disturbing when we reflect on our sins. But Lewis reminds us that through Christ (and his atoning, reconciling work for us on the cross) we can gain God’s approval and actually bring him pleasure. It is truly mind-boggling that this could be true, but the Bible assures us that it is. However, it will not happen to everyone alike, but only those who really choose it. The choice Lewis refers to is the choice of saying “yes” to God and not “no.” It is saying yes to God’s pardoning love by obeying Jesus’ call to “repent and believe the gospel.” And it is continuing to say “yes” to his commands out of a heart of grateful love—relinquishing ourselves to him who loved us and gave himself up for us. As we do so, God will be glorified and pleased, and we shall stand before him without shame.4 The concept of glory is something we will talk about in more detail. Needless to say, it is Christ who holds the glory, for all glory is His, and yet He allows His presence to come into our hearts and affect us day by day.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “glory”?

4

C.S. Lewis Institute. Reflections is published monthly by the C.S. Lewis Institute.

~30~

CHAPTER 3 — A truth-centered life

I grew up playing soccer and the number one rule was to keep possession of the ball. The philosophy was that if you could possess the ball, the other team would not have a chance to score and due to the law of probability, sooner or later you would eventually start putting the ball in the opponent’s net and win the game. Because we were taught to think this way it changed the way we practiced. It meant we would work endlessly on passing accurately and moving with the sole purpose of retaining possession of the ball. The theory held up - we were undefeated, and as an 11-year-old, I was living the dream.

Now imagine if you walked onto a field having never played soccer! You tell everyone to stand back and watch how the game should be played. However, your movement is all wrong, you give the ball away, and when you do kick the ball into the net, it’s into your own goal. You walk off telling everyone how you were such a natural and how you even scored a goal. Others try to tell you politely how terrible you were but worry they are going to hurt your feelings, so you just keep thinking you’re amazing at the game. This, unfortunately, is what our Christian walk can sometimes look like. We ignore what the coach is saying and struggle to do hard things, and instead, prefer our way of doing things. Our every action must first be to think about God and what our actions mean to Him. Learning to care first for Him in our lives will mean we simultaneously learn to care for others. This is Jesus’ heart when He says, “I only do what I see my Father doing.” What an amazing picture of discipline and caring first for someone else over their own concerns.

“Our greatest privilege in life is to learn to be a person that God will rest upon. He is in all of us by covenant, and will never leave. But He is not upon all of us. The challenge we face is to learn to be people who host the presence of the Lord as our greatest calling in life. While He is in me for my sake, He is upon me for yours. When the Lord rests upon a person, there is actually an atmospheric change that takes place wherever that person goes.” 5 Bill JOHNSON, HOSTING THE PRESENCE.

Paul refers to us as being athletes running a race.

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!”

1 Corinthians 9:23

Basil Maturin writes in his book Christian Self Mastery, “Surely it is so. You have come for a moment into the presence of one whose life is a silent but most eloquent rebuke of the inmost tone and temper of your own life; and as you stand within the radiance of such presence, you feel at once what you ought to be, what you might be, and what you have failed to be. Had you been told what now you see, you would not have believed it - no, you would have protested with honest indignation that the criticism 5

Bill Johnson - Hosting the Presence Destiny Image May 15, 2012

~31~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

was most unfair. But standing there in the presence of one who reflects in a remarkable way those virtues in which you especially fail - your characteristic failures hidden as they are from your own eyes - you see and judge yourself. Such is the mysterious power of personal life. In his completeness you see your own incompleteness; in his success your own failure. A person, in all the same attractiveness of character comes before you - the incarnation of forgotten ideals and of unrealized ambitions, smothered and stifled under a rubbish heap of worldliness, selfishness and sloth - and the living image of what you may once have dreamed you might be pierces through all that overlies and weighs upon the soul and calls forth a faint reflection in its mirror. Seeing what you might have been, you see what you are.”

“For instance, there is one who is living a life of utter selfishness, never denying a fancy or a desire, and complaining about every little unpleasantness that comes, as such things must come, into the most sheltered life. Such a person is brought by chance into the presence of one whose life is a prolonged act of physical suffering combined with ceaseless work for others. No word of judgement is spoken, but one of those two leaves the presence of the other self-revealed and self-condemned. The shabby and earth-stained reality stands face-to face with the ideal fought for and attained, and in the light of that presence, it sees the light.” 6 Why did Jesus come to earth?

6

Basil Maturin - Christian Self- Mastery (P26) Sophia Institute Press

~32~

CHAPTER 3 — A truth-centered life

As a result of your first answer, do you think it’s more important to prioritize holiness or intimacy? Why?

RUNNING FOR A PRIZE

The Bible talks about the believer’s journey as one of justification, sanctification, and glorification.

“And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”

Romans 8:30

You have been chosen by Him and because He chose you, the Judge’s hammer has declared you righteous, meaning you have been justified. Because of His love, we’re in relationship with Him. Once we are in relationship, His glory begins to be revealed in our hearts and as we fix our eyes on Him, we become like Moses and our faces begin to glow. This is the early stage of glorification. Jesus paints a prophetic picture of glorification in His transfiguration. ~33~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Sanctification is holiness permeating in our souls, leading to glorification. It is looking into the face of God and radiating His life in ours.

“For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the lord.”

Habakkuk 2:14

It’s good to know what the prize for the race run is. You can study glorification in more depth in John 23 and Philippians 3 and by doing a word study. I pray God reveals more of His presence and glory to you.

THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS

God is so kind that He sends His radiant Son so we might come into His presence and start to experience conviction for ourselves. That happens when we embrace the conviction as David does in Psalm 51:10 when he writes, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” That conviction leads us into growth and the ability to turn from darkness to light.

How important do you think Godly conviction is in your life? Does it serve you or hinder you?

~34~

CHAPTER 3 — A truth-centered life

Peter was convicted of his sin and became the rock; Jonah was convicted in the belly of the whale to fulfill his prophetic calling; Saul was convicted of his blindness to sin and became Paul the apostle. It is the conviction that creates space for God’s spirit to work inside our hearts and release the call on your life.

John Newton’s original profession was that of a ruthless businessman who would point the guns on the deck of the Ship (the Duke of Argyle) at slaves with a numbness of feeling. He controlled them through fear of pain and suffering for his own gain. It was not until he faced death off the coast of Sierra Leone in 1748 that he met God and turned from his ways. He became best known for writing “Amazing Grace” and lay the foundation for the abolition of slavery in the English empire in 1807. But none of this would have been possible without his encounter with God, which brought about his conviction.

The light of Christ brings an awareness of how far we have fallen short of the glory of God. It redeems and restores our awareness of how much we need Him. As we look into His eyes, we see love and truth revealed, and as the world and everything else falls away we say yes to His call for our lives. We are commissioned as our hearts are consumed in love.

When was the last time the Lord convicted you of something?

~35~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Conviction is a good thing. It shows us where we fall short and guides us into healthier, more fruitful lives. It’s an indication of our awareness of the Holy Spirit’s heart.

“For the lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

Hebrews 12:6

Is there anything you are seeking conviction in?

We should be excited to be disciplined because it means He has greater plans than ours and knows what’s best for us.

How can you tell conviction from condemnation?

~36~

CHAPTER 3 — A truth-centered life

What story in the Bible entailing conviction do you relate to? Ask God to show you something in the story - what stands out to you? Explain your thoughts.

When we don’t come face to face with Jesus and experience His conviction, we remain blind in our iniquities. Dale Carnegie quotes Al Capone, saying, “I have spent the best years of my life giving people the lighter pleasures, helping them have a good time, and all I get is abuse, the existence of a hunted man.’

That’s Al Capone speaking. Yes, America’s most notorious Public Enemy — the most sinister gang leader who ever shot up Chicago. Capone didn’t condemn himself. He actually regarded himself as a public benefactor - an unappreciated and misunderstood public benefactor. 7 I think it’s fair to say that Al Capone was not experiencing the glory of God in His life and saw no reason to change his actions or behavior. He found himself justified in his own eyes.

7

Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Pocket Books

~37~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

As we make God the object of all our love, our hearts, minds, and actions are all turned towards serving Him. Basil Maturin writes, “For the difference between goodness and badness does not consist in the presence or absence, the preservation or destruction, of anything within us that is evil, but in the right or wrong use of powers in themselves good. Sin is the misuse of powers that God has given us, the use of them for ends which they were never intended. It is like a soldier taking the sword he was given to defend his country and using it in the cause of her enemies.”

He goes on to say, “It is necessary to be quite clear on this point, for upon it will depend our whole view of the reformation of life and character. If you are struggling to destroy the evil that you believe to be in you, it is indeed a hopeless task, and you are condemned to failure from the start. If on the other hand, you realize that the change from a life of sin to a life of holiness is but a change in the objects upon which you exercise the powers God has given you, you will feel that it is by no means hopeless - on the contrary, that it is pre-eminently reasonable.” 8 Have you ever done something that is not from God but not been able to change your actions?

Why do you think changing your actions is so difficult?

8

Basil Maturin - Christian Self- Mastery, Sophia Institute Press

~38~

CHAPTER 3 — A truth-centered life

“In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with selfcontrol, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.”

1 Peter 5:5-9

What stands out to you in this passage?

~39~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Paul writes:

“Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”

Romans 6:5-11

This concept of giving us new motives, a new master, a new heart is consistent throughout the Bible.

“For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.” Colossians 1:13

“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.”

Ephesians 5:8

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a People for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

1 Peter 2:9

If He has called you to do something, and you know it to be true, do not hold back in your conviction but use the fullness of who you are in Him to achieve it. Insecurity, doubt, and disillusionment so often affect us as leaders to the point of breaking. But if you have checked your heart and are outworking a calling, you do not need to doubt you are blessed to bring His Kingdom and His love to every aspect of your ministry.

We’re all broken. God doesn’t wait to use you only if you’ve got everything sorted. Step out in faith. You have the courage to stand in the face of trials and tribulations knowing that the heart behind what you are doing remains from him. Jesus teaches the parable of building your house on the rock in this way.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Matthew 7:24-27 ~40~

CHAPTER 3 — A truth-centered life

What is Jesus speaking to you about in this season?

The journey of God’s children plays out like the following: 1. The child is captured and brought into a broken kingdom.

2. The child cries out for help.

3. God raises up a deliverer.

4. His power and sovereignty deliver them out of the broken kingdom.

5. They walk with God discovering who they are.

6. They grow up in trust and identity in Him.

7. They walk through the valley of fear, death, and suffering.

8. They discover victory in Him.

9. They rule and reign in the land He has given them.

10. His child brings His heart and goodness to others.

In Jesus, we have direct access to understanding God’s heart. When we say ‘yes’ to Jesus being Lord, we start at point 10. We start at the finished work of the cross. We wake up to the story that has already happened and now we have to learn how to apply it and allow our minds to be renewed in it. ~41~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

We learn to see what he sees. We are brought straight into His Kingdom of light but we must learn to walk through every aspect of the story as the redeemed child that He originally created.

As a result, we must spend time with Him discovering our identity in His eyes and understanding His heart for us. This affects every aspect of life from the way we perceive to the way we act. We grow and mature and learn of His love and grace for us.

THE POWER OF HABIT

When you say yes to Jesus, you are spiritually cleaned in His blood and set apart in right relationship with God, but you also grow in understanding and wisdom. To be fully in control of your own will suggests that you have full awareness of what light and darkness are. Yet St. Paul writes: “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.�

1 Corinthians 13:11-12

What is Paul saying in this scripture?

~42~

CHAPTER 3 — A truth-centered life

If you accept that truth is found in Jesus and He is the creator and author of all things (Colossians 1:16) and that we now only see and understand in part, then how do you anchor yourself, not just in a broken perception of what is true, but in what is actually true?

WALKING IT OUT

Imagine you are the prodigal son or daughter and you have run off to your pig trough of sin (Luke 15:16). You cry out and say, “Father, adopt me into your family.” The Father could go to the courtroom and prepare all the papers and have them officially stamped and approved by the judge. Upon signing and sealing them, they would become legal. You would officially be His son or daughter and would have all the rights as a family member (think Jesus’ blood poured out).

Conviction and repentance lead us away from our own self-destructive tendencies and into the heart of the Father. Your will is powerful. It’s up to you to step into all that God has for you.

What do you choose to do today?

It’s the step-by-step process of forming positive healthy habits that release the understanding of your identity and your purpose. Every time we say yes to serving Him, every time we obey Him, every time we read and listen to His Word, we build Godly character to stand against the things that once held us captive. When you understand whose you are, you reflect the Holy family into which you were born.

~43~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Every time you form a positive habit you demonstrate the freedom held in Christ. That which was once hard to overcome soon loosens and becomes increasingly easy to navigate. You become a leader, a demonstration of God’s goodness encouraging others through your story. All we need is a willingness to identify the struggle and then decide what habits you need to form so you can be useful in the Father’s business. However, if the child is in denial and sees nothing to overcome, then nothing will change. God has given us all we need to be overcomers in His name, and we are given the choice to courageously step into that reality.

How could you change your daily habits to remember His presence? How may this affect others around you?

~44~

CHAPTER 3 — A truth-centered life

What is the glory of God? How might you encounter it?

~45~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

How does hosting His presence help you navigate the storms that you encounter?

My prayer is that His love would become so present that you could not help but overflow with His goodness and love towards others. May you grow in the knowledge of who He is and may you encounter Him in ever increasing measure until you are compelled to act in His goodness and love, day by day.

~46~

4

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

The Word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish.”

John 1:1-5 NLT

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

COMMUNICATION SKILLS big idea: God is the original communicator.

“In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish” John 1:1-5

Referencing the above scripture, what does the Word mean to you?

~48~

CHAPTER 4 — Communication skills

In Colossians, Paul takes the first word of scripture - the Hebrew word Rosh - and meditates on how Jesus is the fullness of all known interpretations of the word.

Rosh - Definition beginning, chief-est, first fruits, part, time, principal thing From the same as ro’sh; the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a first fruit) — beginning, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.

He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.

Everything was created through him and for him.

He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body.

He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.

So he is first in everything.

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself.

He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

Colossians 1:15-20

~49~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Why do you think Paul uses the first word of scripture - rosh - to explain the supremacy of Christ?

Thinking about God as the original communicator, how could that perspective affect your personal worship, writing, journaling, speaking, and creating?

~50~

CHAPTER 4 — Communication skills

God spoke what did not exist into existence (ex nihilo). Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. In Genesis 1:3, God created through the act of speaking. Note the parallel between God’s communicative style in Genesis 1:3 and John 1:1-6 Thinking about Genesis chapter 1 and John chapter 1, what correlations do you see?

How does God speak to you?

~51~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

In what new ways could you hear from God?

Ephesians 2:10 says you are God’s poem (poiēma).

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 A poem is described as “a piece of writing in which the words are chosen for their beauty and sound and are carefully arranged, often in short lines that rhyme.” 9 When you study the Word, you draw near to the Composer, but not all songs or poems are as easy to understand. It takes investigation and an open mind to learn what the composer was intending to communicate. Below are some examples of where Jesus holds a tension between two seemingly contradictory position.

9

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/poem ~52~

CHAPTER 4 — Communication skills

If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid (John 8:14)

If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. (John 5:31)

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26)

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:12) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10:34)

Honor thy father and [thy] mother: (Matthew 19:19)

For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother (Matthew 10:35)

I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19)

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Take care not to do your good deeds publicly or before men, in order to be seen by them; otherwise you will have no reward reserved for and awaiting you] with and from your Father Who is in heaven.

(Matthew 6:1, Amplified Bible)

~53~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

What variables can you think of that might affect what God is saying to us through His Word?

~54~

CHAPTER 4 — Communication skills

To understand what God is saying to us in His Word, we must first understand how it would have been interpreted by the people for whom it was originally intended. We must consider the time it was written and what was happening at that time. Who was God using to write the letter and what were their perspectives? What might have been His intention when He inspired the writing of it? We must see how it fits into the larger story.

Before we may fully grasp what God is intending to communicate, we must first acknowledge that the fall has broken the communication line. It’s easy for us to misinterpret the Word of God due to our broken filter we see the world through. We may even unknowingly create heresies (contradiction to the word of God) by picking and choosing verses out of context.

THE PROCESS

As a teacher to others, you are like an archaeologist who surveys the area, digs inquisitively, analyzes the substance and then places it in the context of the larger picture including: 1. The environment around it.

2. What influences are around it at that time.

3. What type of object it is.

Once you establish the context, then you’ll be able to tell the story more accurately from what you discover.

Good communication requires empathy for others, a compassionate heart, a willingness to learn, and great self-awareness of how you process life. As we recognize the variables of interpretation, and as we approach our business, our relationships, and our families, we need to recognize that a story that is written or spoken is subject to interpretation.

As we communicate with people who are experiencing high levels of pain and suffering we must understand that they often process through their broken lens which results in doubt, uncertainty, and even offense. This, in turn, leads us to self-doubt and worry about what was said. Often times, their offense says more about their challenges than what was said by the original messenger. We are, and always will be, on an adventure into the depths of truth and love held in God. I pray that you discover such depths of His love that your words might be like healing balm for the brokenhearted and those suffering.

~55~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

THE PRACTICAL SKILLS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication can be broken down into three core components: The Process, Verbal, and Nonverbal indicators, including the following variables: The Process of Communication breaks down into: • Channel - the medium through which the message is sent • Sender - the person delivering the message • Receiver - the person receiving the message • External noise - distractions (physical) • Internal noise - distractions (psychological/spiritual) • Feedback - the interplay between the sender and receiver • Message - the resulting message as from the act of encoding Verbal / Non-verbal indicators include: • Repeating - copying words with actions • Accenting - highlighting a word with action (verbal) • Substituting - using actions instead of words • Complementing - adding depth by adding information • Contradicting - disagrees with verbal behavior How aware of the variables are you?

• Time sensitive - how long or short the message is • Medium used to communicate - language, the vehicle through which the information is coming • Environment - what is it being processed through • Noise - what is interfering with the clarity of the message • Nature of the sender • Nature of the receiver • Experiences of the sender • Experiences of the receiver

~56~

CHAPTER 4 — Communication skills

It has been suggested that, on average, presentations are received 10% through content, 30% annunciation, and 60% through body language.

Having read the above breakdown about communication, what measures could you take to ensure the communications you give to others are more likely to be interpreted correctly?

“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-4

~57~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

With this verse in mind, what might be the most important factor of communication in regards to God’s heart for His people? Reflect below on the source of love (Jesus) in relation to communication.

Season Bowers started a movement called Joy Bringer. In her radio spot, she invites others to be Joy Bringers. She gives everyone the opportunity to identify with being a Joy Bringer, she celebrates the joy inside others and reveals how to intentionally communicate the joy inside you.

She takes the chaos of each day and empowers people to choose to communicate the love of Christ and the joy of being loved. She uses intentional communication through understanding truth. It’s little surprise that her radio show has gone national with speaking engagements across America. ~58~

CHAPTER 4 — Communication skills

IF YOU HAD ONE MESSAGE TO GIVE

• Draw a mountain with you at the top of the mountain in the area below.

• Draw a lot of people at the bottom of the mountain • Draw a large speech bubble around you at the top

Now you can only say one thing to them for the rest of your days. What will that be? You can write it into the bubble and repeat it in the area below.

~59~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

List ten ways you could communicate your message.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

“The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart.

To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages. All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.”

1 Corinthians 12:7-11

Before the fall, God would walk with His kids and speak to them directly. After the fall, we had been corrupted by sin, so communication between God and man became broken. He raised up prophets and people with His spirit on them so they might understand what He was saying.

Jesus came as the perfect expression of God’s voice and now He gives us His spirit and sends us out as ambassadors of His kingdom. We become His sent ones, the message encoded inside of us, carrying His Word and His Spirit to a broken and hurting world.

~60~

5

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God” Matthew 5:9 NLT

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT big idea: By lining up with Christ, He’ll point you towards truth and love.

You are going to have to go through the occasional conflict resolution situation. You may be wellpracticed at conflict management with your family or a relationship, work, kids, etc. Perhaps you have room to grow in conflict resolution management.

How would you describe your current conflict management technique?

~62~

CHAPTER 5 — Conflict management

HEART CHECK

We do well to remember that Christ is the only one who is perfect and the rest of us fall short of His glory. Ultimately, our role in conflict is to be the love of Christ and to be the peacemaker.

Unfortunately, we are often unaware of what our triggers are, but pride, selfishness, and rejection can make it challenging to care for others.

Fortunately, we can check our hearts through simple questions like: 1. How well can I see the other perspective?

2. Am I acting like Christ at his trial?

3. Do I understand how this person needs to receive love?

4. Am I judging or am I trusting God to be my justice?

5. Have I laid the injustice down as a sacrifice to God? 6. How filled with God’s love am I in this season?

There are many other ways to check our hearts, but they should all point back to sacrificial and caring love, putting others first.

COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES TO RESOLVE CONFLICT

The techniques below are designed to help us to resolve conflict in a healthy way. They are broken down into the two sides of conflict management: speaking skills and listening skills.

Speaking Skills – (The Push / Assertiveness ) 1. Personalize communication a. Use phrases like, “This is how that made me feel because…” Focus on the impact, and talk about the emotions you have been processing. Do not focus on what someone did.

2. Use preference statements a. Communicate your preference or desires rather than stating them as demands or forcing others to guess.

~63~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

3. Develop purpose statements a. Making your intentions, aims and values clear helps build ownership and prevent confusion.

4. Describe your values to others a. Defining and explaining values helps build healthy relationships. For example, “I am passionate about freedom because I experienced a lot of control growing up, and I don’t want others to go through what I went through.”

Listening Skills – (The Pull / Supportiveness technique) 1. Paraphrase a. Focus on them – Keep the focus on the person talking: “So you felt like…”, “What I’m hearing is…” b. Restate in your own words – Don’t parrot the person speaking c. Keep it short – Allow the speaker to talk By paraphrasing, we communicate that we are listening. This helps the communicator gain clarity in their own mind, affirms the worth of the speaker, and empathy allows you to support and love them better.

2. No judgment zone – By communicating openness to hearing in a non-critical or competitive environment, you create room for the Holy Spirit to enter the conversation as you care for and cover the other person.

3. Develop agreement statements – In areas where you can honestly come into agreement with them, let them know.

4. Put the talker at ease – Create a permissive environment.

5. Look and act interested – Put away distractions.

APPROACHES TO AVOID

1. Being the solution provider – When we provide all the solutions, we are disempowering others from stepping into all of what God has for them, including the trials and testing that will make them great.

~64~

CHAPTER 5 — Conflict management

2. Judging - When you place yourself in the position of judge, you’re assuming God’s role which communicates that you do not need Him to resolve this situation. If someone is being judgemental it can be a sign that what they actually need is to know they are safe and loved unconditionally.

3. Bringing your world into it – If you are personally stressed or going through a difficult season, you are less likely to be present and create room for God to move in the other person’s life.

CONFRONTING COMMUNICATION

Most people avoid confrontation at all costs because of the pain associated with it. Or perhaps they go the other extreme where they see confrontation as a way to control others for their own safety and security. When is the right time to confront someone on a matter? When is it helpful to confront and when is it not?

1 Corinthians 16:14 says “Do everything in love”.

This begs another question: What is loving and what is not loving? Below are a couple of scenarios to examine how you handle confrontation.

SCENARIO 1

A new role arises which you think you would be perfect for; your manager laughs and says, “I don’t think you are good enough to do that role. You can barely do the role you’re in now.” You know you are an excellent worker and have done everything that has been asked of you, and that you have the right qualifications and experience to do the role. What do you decide to do?

~65~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Explain why you came to the conclusions you did? Who taught you to think that way?

~66~

CHAPTER 5 — Conflict management

SCENARIO 2

You discover someone has been spreading rumors about you that many people now believe.

Your leaders at church ask you to step down from your prominent ministry position until things are not so public. You are sure that if you confront the person, they will deny all knowledge of spreading rumors and no one will confront them with you due to being worried that their influence will adversely affect them.

What do you do?

~67~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Points to note when confronting: • Plan the confrontation (don’t do it spontaneously).

• Seek a safe environment for the person you are confronting.

• Ask permission – explain there is an important issue and ask when would be appropriate.

• Be hard on the issue and soft on the person.

• Own your feelings and beliefs – this is about you, so don’t bring others into the mix unnecessarily.

• Seek to understand their position.

• Be ready to honestly express how you would prefer them to handle it.

• Seek wisdom and revelation about what this means to God. THE BIBLICAL MODEL FOR ADDRESSING CONFLICT

Step 1: Self-Reflection “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Matthew 7:3-5

Man’s fall from grace in the Garden of Eden continues to affect our every relationship. We are all sinners whose hearts have tendencies toward self-serving motivations and pride. The first step in any biblical approach to conflict resolution is necessarily turning our gaze inward: inspecting our emotional responses, checking them against God’s Word, repenting of our sin, and preparing our hearts for a humble posture toward our adversary. We cannot expect to experience peace if we haven’t first identified our role in the conflict. The process of self-reflection is not intended to identify where the blame lies or who is at fault. The purpose is to sufficiently prepare your heart for a personal encounter with conflict that glorifies God. Step 2: Go To Your Brother “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.”

Matthew 18:15

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“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.“ Matthew 5:23-24

Often times facing conflict head-on is the last thing we want to do. We’d rather bury our heads in the sand, avoid the person who caused us pain, or try to pretend the offense did not occur.

Often times we avoid the conflict or the person entirely, convincing ourselves that in doing so, we are maintaining peace. But God calls us to initiate the process of reconciliation. If there is conflict in a relationship, “go to your brother”. God’s call for us is to be peacemakers, even if we feel we have done nothing wrong or that the other person’s offense is the greater of the two.

Pray that God would transform your heart and “go” to others with an attitude of love and mercy.

Step 3: Assisted Peacemaking “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.”

Matthew 18:15-17

Sometimes two believers need outside help to resolve a conflict between them. Emotions can run high and resentment and hurt may have settled in, clouding objectivity. Thankfully, part of the blessing of living in Christian community is that we are surrounded by others whose wise counsel and unbiased hearts can be called on to assist should the need arise.

Regardless of your relationship or the nature of the conflict between two believers, God calls us to pursue peace amongst ourselves. We honor God when we make every effort to do this and utilize a variety of resources in the name of reconciliation.

Step 4: Hand them over “Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Matthew 5:25-26

As ministers, we are always seeking restoration and healing. God is always faithful to forgive us and commands us to do the same. We can trust that God is faithful to judge every situation ~69~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

justly and when we have done all we can and have not found resolution, then we can allow the matter to be resolved between God and His child.

“Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, and he announced his verdict. “You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent. Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

Luke 23:13-16

Pilate is mirroring the role of God as Judge and declares the verdict: “Innocent”. He even goes as far as washing his hands, demonstrating that he was not in agreement with any punishment.

Notice the judgment now comes down on those accusing because they have joined in on the side of ‘the Satan’ (the Accuser). They are now not in right relationship with God, who sees in truth.

Scripture goes as far as to point out how Pilate acknowledges that he does not see as God sees by asking Jesus what Truth is, a question that Jesus does not answer.

God so loves His children that Jesus dies, and in doing so, pays the price for their sins and everything that had brought them into the place of being false accusers. This point is emphasized

by Jesus in His final moments: Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing” Luke 23:34

Jesus does not say the court system is broken. Instead, he reveals the truth to all nations. He allows the court system to reveal his accusers’ state of heart, something we are all empowered to do by the Holy Spirit. Are we accusing someone and seeking justification in our own minds or are we seeing that there is a larger picture at work between the child and their Father in heaven?

“Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.”

Psalm 51:4

David had sinned against Bathsheba. He’d killed her husband, he corrupted his army by making them sin and kill an innocent man, not to mention the sin against his existing wives. He had a long list in the world of sins, but what mattered to him was the interaction between him and God. We do well to remember this concept of what is happening between the child and the Father. Are you seeing in truth? Do you have judgment or pride before God? What matters is not so much the sin and brokenness that has been poured out on us, but rather, what it has meant to God. What truly matters is the heart we have before Jesus because this will determine the ~70~

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final just judgment. As God’s children, we should take on the role of realizing our interactions in conflict resolution should be geared toward seeking what’s best for His child so they might step into more wholeness with Him. Most of the Christian martyrs throughout the ages did not find justice on earth; rather they found abuse and hurt to the point of death. They had to rely (or chose to rely) on God to judge according to His goodwill. I pray that if you or someone you know go through incredible injustice, the peace of God would come over you and that you can trust your Father in heaven that He will make all things right.

Read Psalm 7. What stands out to you?

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God.” Mathew 5:9

~71~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

SELF-AWARENESS IN COMMUNICATION

You are decoding this message right now, You are running it through your experiences and your perspectives, and you’re evaluating it according to your beliefs, your values, your trust or distrust.

We are all decoding messages all the time. We are meaning-making machines; sometimes we see truth, God and His love, and sometimes we don’t. The awareness of the decoder of the message is vital.

What’s Your Communication Profile?

This quiz has two marking schemes: A, B, C, D and 4, 3, 2, 1. Both are scales from one side to the other. Circle the number or letter according to where you think you are on the scale.

1) You take strong stands A

You seldom take strong stands B

C

2) You are people orientated 4

You are more task oriented 3

2

3) You challenge ideas A

B

C

3

2

B

C

3

2

B

C

3

2

1

Directing others does not come naturally B

C

10) You are very expressive 4

D People make you uncomfortable

9) You enjoy directing others A

1 You are considered cooperative

8) You like to be around people 4

D

You like to evaluate upon first contact

7) People call you competitive A

1 You are considered quiet

6) You are warm when you meet others 4

D You prefer not to show your feelings

5) People call you vocal A

1 You support others ideas

4) You show your feelings 4

D

D People consider you reserved

3

2

~72~

1

CHAPTER 5 — Conflict management

11) You are assertive A

Assertion over others does not come naturally B

C

12) You rely on others’ opinions 4

You rely on facts 3

2

13) People describe you as outgoing A

B

C

3

2

B

C

3

2

B

C

3

2

1 You evaluate first

B

C

20) You like to explain your feelings 4

D People consider you serious

19) You’re quick to act A

1 You evaluate the situation first

18) You’re extremely friendly 4

D People consider you reserved

17) You’re quick to jump into action A

1

You like to keep your emotions to yourself

16) You can be forceful when needed 4

D

Generally people consider you to be a calm person

15) You’re an open book A

1 You like to keep to yourself

14) You are excitable 4

D

D Let me look at the facts

3

2

1

21) You’re bold A

You’re shy B

C

22) You show emotions easily 4

You don’t like to show your emotions 3

2

23) You like to stay active A

1 You’d rather play Fortnight

B

C

24) Developing relationships is most important 4

D

3

You want to get the job done 2

~73~

D 1

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Count how many A’s

,

1’s

,

Add together your A’s and B’s

B’s

,

2’s

,

Add together your C’s and D’s

C’s

,

3’s

,

Add together your 1’s and 2’s

D’s

,

4’s

,

Add together your 3’s and 4’s

Plot these numbers below on the axis. It should make a kite shape.

The quadrant you cover with your kite shape is the dominant style you are currently operating in.

~74~

CHAPTER 5 — Conflict management

THE DIFFERENT STYLES

When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.” “

1 Corinthians 9:20-22

1. The Enthusiast (bottom right quadrant) – They tend to live their life intuitively. They seek excellence inside themselves. They like to be helpful. The big picture excites them and they are normally looking ahead. If things are not going well, they might start to deny the facts and turn into a perfectionist. They might try to be overly helpful and start to put some things in the “too difficult” basket. Their main driver is excitement.

Communicating with an enthusiast Try to match their energy. They’ll love you for it. Bring out your intuition and ask them how they feel. Talk about the big picture, how exciting the future is and why it’s important. Don’t block their ideas - instead, try to release their potential. Challenge them to be more detail-oriented and specific and not to overestimate with their expectations. Once they realize the power of being realistic with goals and evaluating where they actually are, they make great organizational development managers. Their main motivator is to know how likable they are.

2. The Pleaser (bottom left quadrant) – Everyone likes the pleaser because they’re so likable. They change their plans to suit others and are quite happy to cooperate with whatever is happening. They’re great peacemakers and love working hard to help others.

When times are difficult, they can become indecisive and easily influenced by others.

It can be hard for them to take a stand and conflict can overwhelm them. Conviction does not always come easily, and as a result, they can be taken advantage of by dominant characters.

Communicating with a pleaser They will really appreciate it if you chat with them and show an interest in their life. Try to chit-chat and enjoy the relationship aspect; it will mean the world to them. Find something to genuinely praise them for. They appreciate you valuing their opinion but don’t pressure them in the process; be encouraging and supportive. They like to know where they stand with you, so ~75~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

be transparent and open about your opinions. Ensure they feel safe and you’ll start to get the best out of them. To help them grow, challenge them to be more assertive, be confident and get tough. Their opinion does matter and they need to face the fear of being disliked head on to place value on themselves.

3. The Thinker (top left quadrant) - The thinker is thorough, accurate, and complete but quite slow and methodical. They tend to want the facts and may not value experience, judgement or beliefs compared to the facts. They are generally detail-oriented and love working through things in a methodical nature. When under stress, they may deny the opinions of others and avoid people. What’s important is doing the job right.

Communicating with the thinker Don’t show a lot of emotion. Be factual and rational in your approach. The more detail you can give, the better. Talk processes and how the idea originated, citing the research you have used to solve the problem. Work on the documentation and allow them access to the thought process you’ve used. Ask them what they think, not what they feel. They like to meet deadlines and be objective.

4. The Mover (Top Right Quadrant) – The mover is speedy. You can tell you’re talking to a mover because if you are talking slowly they’ll start to get impatient and finish your sentences. They tend to be very task-orientated, and come across as extremely confident.

Their motto is “stand aside I can handle it.” They can have a competitive streak, like to be in control, and will make decisions quickly without all the facts. They just want to get the job done. If they get stressed, they may forget about the people they are working with and come across as arrogant, ruthless, and possibly even impulsive.

Communicating with a mover – Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Talk deadlines/guidelines. Don’t go into too much detail.

Match their assertive and confident approach, they’ll respect you more for it. Respect their time because their time is precious and they’ll have something else to be getting on with. They appreciate a summary and not going into all the details. A mover will enjoy being challenged and not just someone who agrees with everything they say.

Successful communication starts with you: We all have a level of spiritual awareness. People instinctively know the posture of your heart towards them. We do well to check our heart and ask for God’s help to heal it. We need the Lord to speak to us about how we might see better with the eyes of our hearts so we might be full of selfless and sacrificial love. ~76~

CHAPTER 5 — Conflict management

“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.”

Ephesians 1:18 (NLT)

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength.”

“

Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)

How do you interpret the above scripture? What does it mean?

~77~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

How might it affect your communication with others?

Charles Swindoll wrote: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts.… we cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes. ~78~

CHAPTER 5 — Conflict management

HELPFUL HINTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION

• Be gracious with yourself and with others.

• Never give up.

• Don’t make negative assumptions about others. Choose to see the good in everyone.

• Make way for new ideas to work, not reasons why they wouldn’t work.

• Check your heart with how much you are hoping they will win in life.

• Act with initiative and courage.

• Stay positive in your outlook and look for opportunities to speak life.

• The measure you pour out on others is the measure that it will be poured back to you.

• Look for opportunities to play or generate fun with the other person.

COMMUNICATING TO EMPOWER

The combination of being present with someone and listening to the Holy Spirit empowers you to help others. I see in you (ICNU) language will start to release others into their destiny and calling. It takes a lot of practice to set our agendas aside to become present with someone and posture our hearts to be used to create an atmosphere of faith and humility, which in turn welcomes God’s Spirit. Many times the person finds their own solution simply by you being present with them and present with God in spirit.

~79~

6

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

“I have riches and honor, as well as enduring wealth and justice. My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries.�

Proverbs 8:18-21

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT big idea: Managing resources well is a part of growing in God’s image.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver[b] to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!

“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.

“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.

Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 25:14-30 (NLT) What stands out to you in this passage?

~82~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management

How is it relevant to you and your life circumstances?

~83~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

As we study the context of scripture, do you see anything different? Who is Jesus speaking to?

What was Jesus teaching in the previous chapters?

What did Jesus’ audience believe their purpose to be?

Write four personal lessons you can see in this passage.

~84~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management

The Jews understood themselves to be descendants of Abraham and were God’s people to outwork His plan and purpose.

“I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed — all because you have obeyed me.”

Genesis 22:17-18 (NLT)

In the parable of the talents, one position is that we are His chosen children and in Him we are now responsible for stewarding what He gives us as it is His possession.

“The earth is the lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.”

Psalm 24:1

I pray that the Lord spoke to you about your call to steward His possessions as we worked through His Word to us. The following information contains practical tools to help manage the resources God gives you well so you can grow and teach others useful skills as a way of being responsible. I pray that these tools are an expression of selfless and sacrificial love to others so you too can empower those who struggle with resource management.

“Personal finance is only 20 percent head knowledge. The other 80 percent – the bulk of the issue – is behavior. And it’s our behavior with money that can get us into the biggest trouble or lead us into the biggest success.”

Dave R AMSEY

If you live paycheck to paycheck or have taken a large amount of debt in the hope that your situation would soon be able to pay that off easily and it has not transpired, there is one key point that is going to make all the difference. It’s the ability to take responsibility for our actions and financial stewardship. It’s time to allow God to reveal a new way of doing things. I’m always surprised by how some people seem to have the ability to take responsibility for the broken things inside of them and learn and change direction and how some of us struggle so much in our ability to take a new course. Some fall where you’d expect them to succeed and others suddenly rise to the top, catching every new skill and teaching that is given to them.

1 Timothy 6-10 says, “The love of money is the root of all evil”.

Note that it doesn’t say that money is evil. Money is like a brick. I can use it to make a building that reaches to the heavens, like the people did at Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), or I could build a shelter for the poor and house those who need covering. It’s the heart that’s the issue, not the object itself. Money can be an expression of God’s love and goodness or it can become a way ~85~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

of gaining control and power with selfish motives. Turning away from money can mean I don’t trust myself. God has given us His perfect faith in His Son, and we are called to obey and turn to Him in all matters.

“Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.”

Proverbs 22:7

BIG PICTURE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Over the last 30 years, debt has become ingrained as our normal way of living in the west.

Corporations and institutions have utilized credit and debt to increase their profit margins while consumers wonder why they work increasingly hard and struggle to make ends meet. It’s not until we step back and understand what’s happening in the grand scheme of things that we can begin to form more holistic and empowered decisions on what our own personal opinion might be. The history of gross federal debt can be seen in the chart below.10

As you can see in the graph, anyone born after 1980 will only have experienced the culture of debt as being a natural part of life. When something is familiar to us, we become blind to any other way of operating. The question is, what impact will this have on your life? While the rich get richer, the poor in America are getting poorer, and we need to examine what part the federal debt plays in this dynamic. As of February 2019, the US debt topped 22 trillion for the first time.

10

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-could-be-the-most-important-chart-of-the-century-for-in-

vestors-2018-04-26

~86~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management

One way to explain this is to imagine the US as a person. Imagine you grew up in a family where your dad was called Mr. US. Your dad loves you, he borrows to keep you safe, he borrows to pay the house bills, he borrows to make the gardens look good because he never quite makes as much as he spends. He borrows from three people who lend him money every year: Mr. Corporate, Mr. Federal, and Mrs. International. He pays interest each year to all of them in 2019 for $389 billion. As dad continues borrowing each year, he tells the kids everything is okay and he can pay it back whenever he wants. The three lenders don’t mind lending him money because they believe he could pay them back if he wanted to. All the investors care about is his ability to pay the interest each year and also the risk of him declaring bankruptcy. This is public knowledge, as every country has a credit rating assigned to them each year. Currently, his interest payments will rise to around $914 billion by 2028. But none of the three want Mr. US to go bankrupt because that would have a negative effect on everyone, so they don’t make a big deal of his spending due to its potential to create instability.

One of the problems is Mr. Corporate struggles with anxiety and sometimes thinks about the possible negative outcomes. With every panic attack, he thinks about trying to recoup some of his money. This would flood the market with government bonds, most likely creating a stock crash. Mr. Federal has such close ties to Mr. US that he just gives Mr. US whatever he needs, mainly from social security funds. And Mrs. International keeps lending because the practice stabilizes her world and currency and helps with international trade. Essentially, the four of them are in it together because no one wants to see a destabilization.

Mr. Corporate is a concern because he employees the children, so Mr. US and Mr. Federal agree to keep him calm through investing and buying things from him to ensure his optimism. This is called ‘quantitative easing’, where Mr. US told Mr. Federal to spend 4.5 trillion in purchases with Mr. Corporate between 2008 and 2014, which made him feel a whole lot better. So how does this affect you as Mr. US’s child you ask? Individually each person is responsible for around $66,876 as of printing in 2019. Don’t worry, they’re not likely to ask you for it.

Mr. Federal controls the interest rate. If he increases the interest rate, everything gets more expensive - mortgage payments, gas, car payments, buildings - everything that is connected to debt in one way or another. Upping interest curbs national borrowing, but it also slows down growth because less money is spent. If they don’t up the rate, they get inflation which can destabilize the world economy and makes everything more expensive. This is why most people are working harder than ever with longer hours and more pay but still struggling to pay their bills at the end of every month.

It’s confusing because dad doesn’t want you to worry about it and no one makes a big deal of it unless you’re watching or studying the financial sector. America makes around 21 trillion a year, so the debt-to-income ratio is around 102%. ~87~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

What’s interesting to notice is the co-dependence between each of these characters. If Mrs. International gets in a fight, this affects Mr. US. If Mr. Corporate has an anxiety attack, Mr. Federal calms him down by lowering interest payments or just buying things from him. What’s certain is that everyone is connected to everyone.

Notice that stewardship is at the heart of the matter and God desires for us to manage our resources responsibly so that others can be healthy and not irresponsible with what He has given us. In 1835, Andrew Jackson paid off the national debt; that lasted exactly one year. Every other year, it has been between 15-120% of the total income (the GDP). America currently holds the highest credit rating (triple AAA) which means it could continue to increase its debt to 30 or 40 trillion. That’s a large part of why the stock market continues to grow, because investors feel secure that he has capacity to cover the situations that arise. The honesty, stability, and responsibility of the government are some of the keys to caring for the people well. If you feel God might be calling you to the mission field overseas, many of the countries you will do ministry in do not have the ability to improve infrastructure or bring stability to their countries, primarily because Mr. Corporate, Mrs. International, and Mr. US all know the chances of them not paying the interest and losing all the money are high. A good prayer for those countries is that God might raise up leaders who might understand what type of attitude it takes to see their country thrive and grow so it might benefit through infrastructure, creating economic stability and prosperity. Unfortunately, most of the time, the root of the problem lies in the power being held by those who are suffering from issues of control and greed.

THE TRUTH OF COMPOUNDING

God has designed you to grow little by little. If you don’t, you will decline little by little. Either way, the end result will have a large impact.

We tend to overestimate what God will do in the short run and underestimate what God will do in the long run. This is true of everything - your business, your ministry, your church, and your personal growth. We can see this best revealed when we look at the law of compounding.

Compounding has its roots in “combining.” By combining our gifts, our skills, our money, and our passions, we open ourselves up for exponential increase.

Most of us struggle to understand the law of compounding. You are already compounding in everything you do, you may just not be aware of it or even in what direction that might be.

Fiscally, every time you say yes to more debt, you compound in a negative direction; every time you set something aside to be saved, you compound in a positive direction. At the end of each year, you will have compounded in one way or the other. This will include all of life’s unexpected events and associated expenses, often leaving those who live paycheck to paycheck crippled and in a world of debt. You can see an example of the law of compounding from Dave Ramsey’s complete guide to money. 11 11

Dave Ramsey - Complete guide to money, (P19) Ramsey Press

~88~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management

AGE

BEN INVESTS

ARTHUR INVESTS

19

2.000

2.240

0

0

20

2.000

4.749

0

0

21

2.000

7.559

0

0

22

2.000

10.706

0

0

23

2.000

14.230

0

0

24

2.000

18.178

0

0

25

2.000

22.599

0

0

26

2.000

27.551

0

27

0

30.857

2.000

2.240

28

0

34.560

2.000

4.749

29

0

38.708

2.000

7.559

30

0

43.353

2.000

10.706

31

0

48.554

2.000

14.230

32

0

54.381

2.000

18.178

33

0

60.907

2.000

22.599

34

0

68.216

2.000

27.551

35

0

76.802

2.000

33.097

36

0

85.570

2.000

39.309

37

0

95.383

2.000

46.266

38

0

107.339

2.000

54.058

39

0

120.220

2.000

62.785

40

0

134.646

2.000

72.559

41

0

150.804

2.000

83.506

42

0

168.900

2.000

95.767

43

0

189.168

2.000

109.499

44

0

211.869

2.000

124.879

45

0

237.293

2.000

142.104

46

0

265.768

2.000

161.396

0

47

0

297.660

2.000

183.004

48

0

333.379

2.000

207.204

49

0

373.385

2.000

234.308

50

0

418.191

2.000

264.665

51

0

468.374

2.000

298.665

52

0

524.579

2.000

336.745

53

0

587.528

2.000

379.394

54

0

658.032

2.000

427.161

55

0

736.995

2.000

480.660

56

0

825.435

2.000

540.579

57

0

924.487

2.000

607.688

58

0

1.035.425

2.000

682.851

59

0

1.159.676

2.000

767.035

60

0

1.298.837

2.000

861.317

61

0

1.454.698

2.000

966.917

62

0

1.629.261

2.000

1.085.185

63

0

1.824.773

2.000

1.217.647

64

0

2.043.746

2.000

1.366.005

65

0

2.288.996

2.000

1.532.166

My prayer is that we would all accept responsibility to secure our own future and even support others through great diligence and stewarding the resources God gives us responsibly. ~89~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

BUDGETING

“A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.”

John MAXWELL

There is never a good reason to avoid budgeting. It is something everyone needs to be doing.

Budgeting is simply a part of good stewardship; knowing where things are going is a vital element of personal management. It alleviates shame, fear, and stress in relationships; it’s a way to empower yourself and to step into managerial matters. Some people feel called to ministry to share the love of God and His amazing truths, but we would be mistaken if we thought that good stewardship does not come first. David was anointed by Samuel as a shepherd boy and spent many years managing the sheep first before he ever managed others. The sheep were what God had allowed him to look after. You are like David in that you have been anointed in Christ and now you are learning to manage what God has given to you before you reign and rule in whatever sphere of influence He gives you.

Imagine if each of David’s sheep were called dollar bills. Not having a budget is like God coming to you at the end of the month and asking you, “Where did all the sheep go?” And you then responding, “Well I gave a few away for some things, I did lose a couple through some ideas I had, I had to eat of course, and to be honest, I’m not sure where the others went.” This is by default the response we give God when we don’t budget. A budget is a sheep pen which helps us to see how many sheep are inside the pen, how many are walking into the gate each month, how many are leaving, why they are leaving and how many are being stolen.

It takes at least three months to set a first-time budget that operates correctly. These days, apps such as Truebill will automate your spending and make it easy to monitor your income and expenses.

~90~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management

A sample student budget:12

Budgets help us to grow in discipline and healthy stewardship. Underestimating expenses and not planning enough margin for savings into the budget sometimes leads to a shortfall when unexpected bills arise.

STRATEGY, FOCUS, AND MOTIVATION

When I first moved to New Zealand in 2001, I took a job offered to me selling Child Sponsorship Programs called Barnabus Kids. It helped feed poor children in Africa and protect women from domestic abuse. From knocking on house doors, I learned the demographics of the area first hand. I knew what neighborhoods would readily sponsor children and which neighborhoods would let their dogs loose to attack me. I would smile and wave as I walked up the long driveways of the rich neighborhoods and they would glare back at me and release their German Shepherd or Pit-bull or another type of dog they had trained to ensure my quick departure. I spent the next 15 years telling everyone how the rich had terrible hearts and if you want anything for a charity cause you’re better off talking to the middle and lower classes who seem to give whatever 12

https://www.jeanchatzky.com/the-money-mom-budgeting-for-college-students/

~91~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

they have. But recently, I have been allowed opportunity to spend more time with successful business people from around the world, and I have discovered that strategy is one of their highest priorities. While I still do not agree with releasing dogs on innocent salesmen, I can now see how some may have been prioritizing strategy to make a larger impact on one or two intentional goals that they’ve set. The challenge with money is identifying what our heart posture is in each case. If I don’t tithe, why don’t I tithe? If I don’t budget, why don’t I budget? God is interested in our heart and whether or not we can obey Him, even in the fears and worries we have.

Write out any challenges you see with your existing budget. If you have not yet made a budget, what do you think are some of the challenges that you encounter that could stop you from making one that works for you?

Once you have made your budget and it’s working accurately for you, you will be empowered to create positive change. Next, you will step into cash flow management and brainstorming ways to increase revenue and cut costs. Set personal goals of provision and growth that you would like to see. I would suggest embracing what motivates you and seeing how successful resource management is a key to reflecting more of God’s goodness and love to others. The best way to improve on this is to see if you can find a person to talk through your financial resource management each month. They don’t have to be a financial guru, just someone who will listen who is slightly further along than you are in this journey.

~92~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management

AVOID MAKING BAD BUYING DECISIONS

Wait 24 hours before making large purchases.

• Evaluate why you buy things – all too often we are shopping to try and escape the pain of an emotional relationship breakup, the temporary alleviation from stress, or heartache.

• Understand what you are buying. If you can’t understand it, you probably shouldn’t be buying it.

• What might this mean to your big picture spending plan – do you want to keep up the momentum of saving or do you want to break it for this?

• Is there anyone else who might be impacted by your decision?

• Do you know where your peace and joy really come from? Will this purchase bring you the joy you are seeking? Is there something else you could do?

GETTING OUT OF DEBT

We all go through seasons of abundance and shortfall. Our character is what makes the difference in the challenging times. Dave Ramsey is one of the most well-known Christian financial advisors in the world and has a multitude of techniques to ensure debt is eradicated as quickly as possible. Here is a brief summary of some of his techniques in getting out of debt.

1. Reframe your mind on debt; view it as a snare to you and your calling.

2. Make a plan to get out of debt: a. Create and manage your funds through a budget b. Increase income through selling things c. Increase your workload d. Save $1000 into an emergency fund. e. Pay off debt using the snowball effect. f. Put three to six months of expenses into savings as a full emergency fund Pay off debt using the Snowball Effect: If you do get into debt, you will find interest payments slowly creeping up on you until you begin to reign them in. Dave Ramsey’s snowball technique puts all your debts in order of highest interest payment to lowest. Start with the smallest debt first, make minimum payments on all the others debts and do everything you can to pay off the smallest debt. The idea is that it’s actually ~93~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

about behaviour modification, not the debt itself. Once achieved, you’ll have momentum and once its gone, your overall amount to pay down the other debts has incrementally increased.

Select the next debt the bottom and do the same, working your way up each time. The amount of disposable income increases to pay off the next debt on the list.

DAVE RAMSEY MYTH-BUSTERS

Myth: If I loan money to a friend or relative, I will be helping them.

Truth: The relationship will be strained or destroyed.

Myth: Playing the lottery and other forms of gambling will help me get rich.

Truth: The lottery is a tax on the poor and on people who can’t do math.

Myth: Car payments are a way of life and you’ll always have one.

Truth: The typical millionaire stays away from car payments by driving reliable used cars.

Myth: Debt is a tool and should be used to create prosperity.

Truth: The borrower is a slave to the lender. 13 Things to watch out for: • Underestimating bills and future expenses • Purchasing items as a form of escapism • Spending habits to improve image • Shame around making poor past decisions • Lack of knowledge around financial management systems • Basing your identity around financial success or failure • Not identifying the fear within and/or trust issues with God • Not identifying a poverty spirit in the generational line • Thinking your financial issues are solely monetary problems. Rather, you must dig down to the greater issue at hand (ie. trauma, control issues, etc.)

13

Dave Ramsey - Complete guide to money, (P99) Ramsey Press

~94~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management

FINANCIAL PLANNING PANEL

~95~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

ADDITIONAL TOPICS: Q&A NOTES

• Health care coverage

• Retirement planning

• Renters insurance

• Liability and Collision

• Mortgage payments

• Wise investments

~96~

CHAPTER 6 — Financial management

• Welfare benefits

• Tax and finance planning

• Wages and legal requirements

• IRS Filings

ASSIGNMENT

Download the Truebill app and allocate your spending habits into the various categories.

~97~

7

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

“Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.”

Romans 8:20-21

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT big idea: Your soul will have an impact on creation. What that impact will be is subject to how you

interact with God.

This chapter is about how we perceive what our role and God’s role in creation.

The three themes we’ll be looking at are: 1. Deism - accepts God as the Creator God who then has no further interaction with His creation.

2. Pantheism - the belief that reality is identical with divinity. Pantheist belief does not recognize a distinct personal god, anthropomorphic or otherwise, and instead characterizes a broad range of doctrines differing in forms of relationships between reality and divinity.

3. Theism - believes in a Creator God that continues to be actively involved in His creation.

1. Deism

2. Pantheism

3. Theism

In Genesis we learn what God’s original priorities are before the fall. We see authority over the land and relationship as the two core components.

THE EFFECT OF THE FALL

1. Authority over the land “Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Genesis 1:28

~100~

CHAPTER 7 — Environmental impact

2. Relationships “Then the lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

Genesis 2:18

These priorities interrelate in that God first gives man dominion over the land. God gives man the keys of dominion and authority over creation through relationship, and then God blesses man to govern in harmony with the woman.

These two priorities are both corrupted in the fall as our relationships become fractured and we separate from God’s presence. Creation falls with us as we hand the keys of authority and dominion over to an angel who has fallen from heaven through going his own way. As we are born into the fractured world, creation now reveals its dominion over us through sickness, death, and many other ways. We can see glimpses of God’s original plan of a good earth in nature one moment and the next see the horror of death and suffering.

To understand how our environments affect us we must understand the relationship between God and creation; then we can see how God’s spirit continues to be involved in creation and finally understand the impact these factors have on our own souls.

Most likely you grew up in a family environment. Someone raised you, helped you, cared for you - they surrounded you in an environment which helped you grow and in turn had a profound impact on you. You received your inheritance from them both spiritually and naturally. Their impact is undeniable. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we become alive with him through the power of his Spirit and as a result our spiritual environment changes.

“Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.”

Romans 5:18

“For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.” Hebrews 4:10:13 (NLT)

Notice how Hebrews talks about how the Word of God can separate between Soul and Spirit.

~101~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

What do you think the difference is between your soul and your spirit?

IN GREEK:

Soul = Psuchēs 1. where we get our work psyche 2. includes that which makes you, you a. your freewill, mind, experiences etc.

Spirit = Pneumatos

1. meaning wind or breath

~102~

CHAPTER 7 — Environmental impact

Your soul connects with others, while your spirit interacts with God. Our spirits and souls are intrinsically linked. One cannot act without affecting the other. This means our soul’s decisions will dramatically impact and be impacted by its surroundings.

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[ for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)”

Romans 8:18-25

We are in the “in between time,” the time when Christ has saved us, yet all of creation has not yet been liberated from sin and suffering. You can see this theme throughout scripture. Paul writes: “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

1 Corinthians 13:12

You have been set apart. You are a new creation in Him, yet creation and everything in it continues to impact you.

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

Robert F KENNEDY14

14

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/705426-each-time-a-man-stands-up-for-an-ideal-or

~103~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Can you name the ten most important things that you think have affected your soul?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Think of someone you know. What do you think would impact their soul in a powerful way?

~104~

CHAPTER 7 — Environmental impact

When we think of healthy environments, we should evaluate them according to how they affect our proximity to God and His Spirit. With this in mind, what initiatives could you take to step into environments that could help you draw nearer to Him?

What environments might have a detrimental effect on your soul?

~105~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

What demographic of people do you naturally connect with? What does supporting and loving their souls well look like?

In my own life, it has been the sacrifice of my friends and family members who pray, cover and support me financially, that has allowed me to step into what God has laid out for me. That generosity and love has affected me deeply and now lies as one of my highest values to help support others in stepping into what God has for them.

STEWARDING YOUR ENVIRONMENT

I have found that being intentional about our environments is one of the major keys to success.

In 2008, the missionary Rolland Baker was struggling to function after several bouts of malaria and suspected strokes. After little to no improvement, he was eventually sent to Saarland in Germany where others surrounded him in prayer and facilitated his healthy living for some time.

Slowly, he recovered to full health once more. Several years earlier, his wife Heidi found herself struggling with MS. She checked herself out of her hospital ward and flew to Toronto to receive prayer where she received miraculous healing. I have experienced this in my own life when the presence of Jesus changed my physical body and healed me from testicular cancer. While I think God calls us to rule and reign in every sphere of life, I also think there can be value in being aware of the impact the environment is having on us, and in wisdom, identifying how ~106~

CHAPTER 7 — Environmental impact

that environment could be used to support us in Him. Personally, I find it easier to commune with God while gardening or sitting on a mountain while the snow is coming down. While we do not need to change our environments to encounter God, it is not unusual to run to the place where we think God will be. This is what Elijah does as he runs to the Mountain of God (Mount Horeb).

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.”

1 Kings 19:11-12

Notice that God has supremacy over creation here. He’s not in the wind, He’s not in the earthquake, He’s not in the fire, but rather He is in the whisper, the spoken word to Elijah.

Notice it’s God who directs His steps as Elijah obeys His words. Jesus, however, shows his authority over creation as he calms the storm in Mark 4:35-41. Notice the order; first Jesus calms the environment, then he delivers the man.

Does God want you to change or calm a storm before you step into the next season with Him? If so what might that be?

~107~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

In Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus calls Peter out of the boat in the storm. He could have calmed the storm but this time he allows Peter to realize that his choices are not dictated by the environment around him. This is one of the times Peter is learning to overcome himself by allowing love to dictate his actions. This is a lesson Peter will learn over time, the three denials of Jesus being the climatic instance. Peter realizes that there is a truth greater than the reality he currently understands, and as a result, Peter becomes the rock that Jesus said he would be.

The strongest materials on earth are formed under extreme pressure. What stress have you experienced or are you currently experiencing that God might use to make you stronger in Him?

~108~

CHAPTER 7 — Environmental impact

How might God use it for His glory?

~109~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

GROWTH HABITS

While God calls us to Him irrespective of the environments that have formed us, we can also use them to develop good habits for growth.

Tips • Seek out friends and mentors who align with God’s plan for your life • Take time to create an environment that is good for your soul • Know that no matter what environment you are in, God is Lord of all.

• Embrace stressful times and hold them in balance with rest and play • Commit to things that will dictate your future and count the cost of the consequences

~110~

8

NEXT LEVEL LIFE MASTERY

“Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Luke 1:78-79

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

NEXT LEVEL LIFE MASTERY big idea: Learning to care is God’s highest priority for us.

“Then the lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

Genesis 3:9

When God called out to Adam, I think He knew where Adam was. When God asks us a question, He does so to help us get our bearings relative to Him. It’s our relationship with Him that allows us to see what has come between us.

“Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Luke 1:78-79

A fully surrendered life is filled with the power of new life. In the wholeness of Christ, we give ourselves permission to lay down our agendas and plans and serve others. This is what it means to be called to ministry: to spend your life caring for others. I remember in my early days after accepting Jesus as my Lord and Saviour how my mind was still trying to catch up. The concept that sin was in me and there was nothing I could do about it was somewhat horrifying and hard to comprehend. By making Jesus my Lord, I had taken away all permissions of sin in me because he was now the authority over me and had taken away sin’s power through the cross. So now I walk knowing that it has no power over me, but my character and actions are continually trying to catch up with Jesus’ love and way.

THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST

“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.”

~112~

CHAPTER 8 — Next level life mastery

What stands out to you in this passage?

Paul prays: “Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him.

This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.”

Ephesians 1:15-23

~113~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

What is God saying in this passage?

Christ is the beginning of all life. What does that mean as he lives in you? What is He calling you to breathe life into?

~114~

CHAPTER 8 — Next level life mastery

God has the final word on our lives and He is passionately in love with each of us. His living water allows us to love ourselves unconditionally and flow in His love. If we want to be poured out, we simply have to love people as He loves us.

You are designed to be in relationship with God as He is continually reaffirming you, like a proud Father watching His child run a champion’s race.

What do you think the main differences are between the sinful nature and God’s nature?

~115~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

The nature we choose to serve each day will ultimately make a huge difference. We are created as children to Father God. Lucifer struggled with independence and desired to be worshiped.

That nature is the sin nature to pursue selfish gains, concerned about how much praise we might receive. It leads to increased levels of pride and fear, concerned about what will be stolen from us and feelings of self-justification. The person who puts their hope in Jesus sees hope, sees love, see goodness; they don’t try to defend themselves when the accuser comes, but rather they rest in their close relationship as a servant of the Lord. It’s the small choices that lead to the large life at the end. The habits we form to love and serve others instead of engaging in the sinful nature will affect your life because it’s all part of your relationship with God. Becoming disciplined and forming good habits makes you God’s ambassador and an expression of His love on earth.

FORMING BOUNDARIES

Sometimes it’s hard to know what is our responsibility and what isn’t. If you are in ministry and have success, you’ll find that your life is filled with people that have all sorts of problems and would very much like your help in resolving them. Confusion of ownership is a confusion of boundaries. The challenge with boundaries for the Christian is learning to discern what God is giving you dominion over, and what He is asking you to lay down. While boundary lines in the physical - like walls or fences - may be very clear, God’s perspective on boundaries may be very different. He is the owner and author of all things, so it takes wisdom and drawing near to Him to learn what boundaries are from His perspective.

When Adam and Eve sinned, God formed a boundary from man because sin cannot be in His presence. In fact, the presence of God to a sinful person is death.

“After sending them out, the LORD God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden.

And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Genesis 3:24

Why might you form boundaries?

~116~

CHAPTER 8 — Next level life mastery

Consider forming internal boundaries around: • Truth

• What you love

• Words

• What you value

• Identity

• Thoughts

Consider forming external boundaries around: • Time

• Unhealthy friends

• Distance between healthy habits

• Physical temptations

What boundary areas do you think you might need to improve?

~117~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

Write out three initiatives that will help you improve your boundaries.

Initiative One:

Initiative Two:

~118~

CHAPTER 8 — Next level life mastery

Initiative Three:

THE PROBLEM OF FEAR

Dr. Henry Cloud has lead research and written best-selling books on the subject of boundaries.

He identifies that for a child to thrive in an evil world they must feel empowered to say “no” to what is not good for them. They must be empowered to use language like “I choose not to,” “Stop that”, “It hurts,” “It’s wrong.” If a child does not learn this skill, then they struggle to form boundaries later in life. He suggests that the main reasons for the breakdown in forming empowered “no’s” is due to: Fear of hurting people’s feelings Fear of abandonment

A wish to be dependent on another Fear of someone else’s anger Fear of punishment

Fear of being shamed

Fear of being seen as bad or selfish Fear of being unspiritual

Fear of one’s overstrict, critical conscience 15

15

Boundaries by Henry Cloud & Dr John Townsend Zondervan P53

~119~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

This last fear is actually experienced as guilt. People who have an overstrict, critical conscience will condemn themselves for things God himself doesn’t condemn them for.

As Paul says: “Since their conscience is weak, it is defiled” 1 Corinthians 8:7.

When we give in to guilty feelings, we are complying with a harsh conscience. This fear of disobeying the harsh conscience translates into an inability to confront others - a saying “yes” to the bad - because a refusal would cause more guilt. Biblical compliance needs to be distinguished from this kind of compliance.

Matthew 9:13 says that God desires “compassion, and not sacrifice.” (nasb) In other words, God wants us to be compliant from the inside out (compassionate), not compliant on the outside and resentful on the inside (sacrificial). Those who are overly compliant take on too many responsibilities and set too few boundaries, not by choice, but because they are afraid.

Do you struggle with any of the above fears? If so which ones?

~120~

CHAPTER 8 — Next level life mastery

How might these fears affect the formation of your boundaries?

~121~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

1 John 4:18

As Christians, we know that God is calling us to love. The challenge we have is applying love in every sphere of influence we have in our lives.

Forming boundaries is an act of love to help ensure financial, emotional and physical well-being.

A good study on boundaries is to look at the boundaries Jesus established. He went up mountains by himself, he walked alone across the sea, he told the woman of Canaan that the food was not for her as she pleaded for crumbs, he formed an inner group of three. If God sees the need for boundaries, we should evaluate our own boundaries and we may improve them.

Boundaries bring self governance and health to the soul. Boundaries allow us to open the door to the Holy Spirit and to be filled with His spirit, and close the door to the enemy of our souls.

Boundaries in the spirit is the strengthening of the will to identify what is good and what is not and then identify what you have the authority over.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”

Matthew 5:14

The love of God (agape) can be translated as charity or goodwill. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives leads us to care more for others in sacrificial ways.

In Good to Great Jim Collins identifies the difference between a level four leader and a level five leader as humility. The truly great leader knows it’s not about them but that they are simply a part of something greater than them. As a result, the focus becomes more about raising others up, helping others find solutions, and creating things that are beyond their own comprehension.

They burn with a passion to achieve something that is way greater than them. The businesses we now know and use everyday have at the heart of their success something of a truth that makes it not about them but rather about their end users. Walmart helps people to afford things they otherwise could not, Amazon makes life easier to purchase products, Youtube empowers others to promote their stories, Google made the internet simpler to navigate, Instagram brought life journals to the next level, Hobby Lobby facilitated creativity, driverless cars are making roads safer, Nike gives an identity of overcoming fear, Facebook helps us get connected with friends.

Successful businesses start with identifying others needs. Whether their leaders and motives remain pure does not effect the impact of the blessing connected to starting with others in mind first.

~122~

CHAPTER 8 — Next level life mastery

God saw the need for us to come back to life with Him. He helps us through the power of His spirit move away from Sin and death and into His life by taking the punishment on himself. We always reflect Him best when we care first and fill the needs of others.

Think of someone and see if God highlights a need for them. How could you be the provider to fill that need?

~123~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

SOME TIPS AS YOU STEP INTO GOD’S CALL:

Settle control issues.

You are in control of what you choose to look at and listen to. You are in control of the friends you make. You are in control of how much you step out or step back. How much you love others is in your control. And yet God is the one who is ultimately in control of everything. A surrendered life turning to love at every turn will always be a full life.

Gratitude breaks the darkness.

If you can remember to be thankful to God you can turn away from the negative thoughts and actions that negatively affect God’s creation.

Know your authority.

Romans 8 reveals that creation is groaning to be liberated and creation follows the dominant spirit of God’s children. In Mark 4:35- 5:15, God demonstrates His authority over creation and then He liberates His child.

In Christ, we have authority over creation once more, and hence we see healings, miracles and the will of man recovered. Christ is the first fruit, and sons and daughters bring creation under the authority of God once more. God loves to use you to reveal this truth again and again. His authority brings creation back to order as man turns back to Him. Accept fear will hinder you and do it anyhow.

If you can identify where the source of fear is coming from, you can rebel against it and do what God is calling you to do anyway. A friend of mine once said that following Jesus is the most rebellious thing you’ll ever do; you have to rebel against fear and the way of society and believe in faith that God will do it if He has said it.

Start making more mistakes in your call.

Moving into your God-given identity is going to require you to step out and start to make more mistakes. Mistakes indicate that you are moving forward even though it can feel like you are moving backward. Every mistake starts to break things like the fear of man, comparison issues and false identities. We need to learn to embrace mistakes. I dare you to go and ask God to give you a word for a stranger and then learn to celebrate when you are completely wrong because you have stepped into defeating those things that are holding you back.

~124~

CHAPTER 8 — Next level life mastery

Base your motives in truth.

My friend Andy is a successful businessman. After achieving great success, he is motivated by liberty in the Middle East Church. He has become one of the largest givers to church growth in the Middle East because he wakes up excited to serve God. By anchoring his agenda in line with God’s, he remains excited to close the next property deal knowing the eternal impact it will have.

Recognize your need for others.

Serving others’ agendas and helping them get there is a great way to draw near to God’s spirit.

Your calling is larger than you, it’s actually about God and His great love. We must learn to serve others first and then cast vision from a place of servanthood.

All that matters is that you stand up.

It doesn’t matter how many times you fall over as long as you stand up again. If you persevere and find solutions in the hardest situations, you will be successful. Most failures come when we finally give up and say, “It’s not worth it” in defeat. Our lead Pastor John Hansen has a spirit of perseverance. It is this perseverance that releases others to see the anointing of who God has made him to be.

Bless others.

Jesus commands us to forgive and bless. He tells us not to judge others but to bless our enemies.

This is a spiritual law that liberates and teaches us His truth of blessing. To obey Him is to choose humility and love. Choose life and blessings.

Integral character leads to success.

If you give 110% of yourself in work or your calling, the growth and increase come from the extra 10%. There is a connection between people who work hard and success and influence. It’s in the sacrifice that God brings the increase. If you are looking to increase your wealth or step more into your call, check it against the extra sacrifice in work that you’re making. It’s the character of people alongside their gifting that leads to the increase. God will always be with you. His spirit will never leave you or forsake you. As soon as we turn away from sin and brokenness, He is present like a proud Father smiling with delight. But it’s the change in our character that leads to wholeness or brokenness in our souls.

~125~

MINISTRY LIFE by Stuart Macklin

The Kingdom is built one stone at a time.

Don’t look for the huge breakthrough. Every great business leader will affirm that success is built through the small actions and habits formed in the actions of each day. God will build your business, ministry, and mission through your diligent everyday hard work. Don’t seek a quick fix; slow and steady wins the race. Growing too quickly most likely will crush you and your organization.

Stay humble.

We are not God. God is God, and as a result, we are all equal with one another. Humility leads us to grow in our love, in our minds and in our actions bringing health and wholeness. It will lead us to learn from Jesus and His spirit to understand His character and how His kingdom works.

Things to watch out for.

In his book ‘Never Saw It Coming,’ Carry Nieuwhof talks about the seven main areas that he sees leaders falling into most often. He suggests all leaders should keep an eye out for each of these early to avoid complete ruin later on.

1. Cynicism 2. Compromise 3. Disconnection 4. Irrelevance 5. Pride - from insecurity leading to self obsession 6. Burnout 7. Emptiness From the above list which one do you think is most dangerous to you? Write out a plan to identify and a strategy to overcome it should it arise in your own ministry life.

~126~

CHAPTER 8 — Next level life mastery

By catching these warning signs early on, you can redirect the trajectory and avoid a complete breakdown.

~127~

IN SUMMARY I hope you have enjoyed Ministry Life. It is my prayer that you are feeling equipped and empowered to create balance and strength in your personal life and relationships.

I pray that this next season is a season of flourishing and growing in love and caring for others. My role is to impart anything I can to help you step into all God has for you. Please remember that the anointing flows best when you’re caring for others.

May you deepen in your relationship with Christ day by day and may you be immersed in His light and love, secure and whole, to blaze a trail of His love across the earth, in your own families and with everyone you encounter.

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.” Philippians 1:9 Choose today that no matter what happens, you will not be taken out of the faith. Give one or two people permission to always keep you on track, running the race in the love of God. You are and always will be a wonderful expression of God’s love and grace to others.

Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

Stuart

REFERENCES BOOKS 1. Bob Shank - Life Mastery, Bethany House 2. Basil Maturin - Christian Self- Mastery Sophia Institute Press 3. Henry Cloud & John Townsend - Boundaries Zondervan 4. Benjamin Hardy - Will Power Doesn’t Work 5. Carey Nieuwhof - Didn’t See It Coming: Overcoming the Seven Greatest Challenges That No One Expects and Everyone Experiences 6. Bill Johnson - Hosting the Presence 7. Dale Carnegie - How to Win Friends and Influence People, Pocket Books

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LIFE PURPOSE NOTES

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MINISTRY LIFE Life skills go mostly untaught in classrooms, so graduates are on their own to figure out how to live successfully in the world. Without any guidance, where do you start? Ministry Life is a clever, practical, and timely guide for those God has called to be the next generation of powerful, purposeful leaders. The curriculum will help you draw near to the heart of God, to discover and then say yes to His plan for your life. He wants you to be successful in every way so you can fulfill the call He has placed on your life while maintaining your own health, joy, and connection to His Spirit. Ministry Life will teach you practical ways to prioritize what is truly important so that you can give your best in every area of your life. This curriculum will help you create and secure balance in your life so when the storms and challenges of ministry life arise you can navigate them successfully. You will find tools, practices, and guidance grounded in experiential learning that will equip you to thrive and build the kingdom.

KEY OUTCOMES  Live a successful and practical faith-fi lled life

 Analyze your existing life management skills

 Set goals, prioritize, and discover where you excel

 Communicate professionally and effectively

 Save and invest wisely

 Navigate personal and professional relationships

 Avoid the common mistakes of being out on your own

 Focus on what’s important to you

 Discover the impact your environment will have on you

 Enjoy your work and be successful in it

 And much, much more

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 attended 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.

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