Twoten Issue 8 - Q3 2014 by TwoTen Magazine, Inc.

Simple Man, Simple Vision

David Green of Hobby Lobby

Mark Carr CEO of Christian Brothers Automotive

John Solheim CEO of PING Golf

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Contents

Cover Story

Features

With a surprisingly simple biblical focus, David Green, founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, reveals proven keys to success.

A Light in the Automotive Repair Industry

Excellence in Innovation

32 4

Simple Man Simple Vision

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Mark Carr, CEO of Christian Brothers Automotive, turned to God for challenges, and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never been disappointed.

The founder of PING Golf built a legacy of philanthropy, as his gift for relentless innovation changed a game and its industry.

Building the Kingdom One Day at a Time Dois Rosser applied business principles to build a self-reproducing church planting ministry that will go on and on. Table of Contents

54 76

VOLUME 2

ISSUE 8 Q3 2014

Columns & Departments Welcome 06

Expect Great Things From God – TwoTen Magazine's founders provide an overview of issue eight.

The Family Conversation Guide – Your family deserves a discussion of a Family Stewardship Philosophy.

Articles 38

The Epic Story Teller – The screenwriter of Braveheart knows even small things have eternal impacts

Balancing Babies, Business & The Bible – Francesca Battistelli sings with honesty, as the world listens.

The Sharpened Blade – Business mentoring sharpens leaders professionally and spiritually.

Columns & Departments 54

Ask Dave On Business – Dave Ramsey answers real-life questions from business owners.

5 Tips for Intentional living – Slow down, and apply these tips to make a bigger difference.

10 Things Millenials Bring to Your Business – A startling profile of their challenges and opportunities.

Defeating Discouragement – Encouragement for culture warriors from the example of Phil Robertson.

A Message From Your Future Self – A letter to yourself from the future could transform your life focus.

Building a God Honoring Culture – Principles for successfully evolving your culture at work.

What Emerging Technologies Mean for Business – Prepare for implications of 3 mighty tech trends.

Good Communication – It’s still just as important as everyone told you it was.

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EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD The above quote, from the father of modern missions William Carey, encourages and challenges us at TwoTen Magazine, to glorify God in all we do to serve Him and everyone that He puts us in contact with. In our eighth issue, we rejoice in sharing a collection of wide-ranging stories that should inspire anyone who seeks fresh, meaningful and practical ways to glorify God in every aspect of life, whether at home or at work. David Green, founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, has found the secret to glorifying God in the workplace. In this article, you will see how David went from a simple clerk to a ‘million dollar man’ by loving God and serving the customer. By surrendering his own employment desires, Mark Carr of Christian Brothers Automotive came to the end of the line and found God’s bigger plan. Today, Christian Brothers Automotive is named in the Entrepreneurship 500 list and has been ranked as one of the fastest growing private companies in America. Likewise, Karsten Solheim of PING Golf overcame trials and struggles to create one of the highest quality golf clubs on the market and left a legacy to his family who now run the business. Putting Proverbs 3:5-6 into practice, he trusted in the Lord to lead his steps and has never looked back. Similarly, Dois Rosser of International Cooperating Ministries was a successful business leader who was ready to retire when

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God called him to start a new career. By trusting God to provide, ICM has helped build close to 5,000 mother churches around the world. You will be greatly encouraged by Dois’ commitment to the furtherance of the Gospel, no matter his age or ability. At 92 years old, he is still going strong. By putting Ecclesiastes 10:10 to work, EDGE Mentoring, an initiative of Truth@Work, is sharpening the blades of businesses nationally through the innovative mentorship program. Executive Director Dave Neff explains how the program works, what a mentorship looks like, and why EDGE succeeds in places other mentorship programs fail. Inspired by William Wallace, the 13th Century Scottish warrior, Randall Wallace is famous for his screenplay Braveheart, but his story doesn’t end there. With a desire to be significant, Randall has become a household name as a master storyteller in Hollywood, but he gives all praise and honor to God. Expect Great Things From God. Attempt Great Things For God.

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Office: (855) 4 TwoTen | team@twotenmag.com | @twotenmag

John Faulkner

Founder & Editor in Chief

Founders of TwoTen Magazine, John Faulkner and Richard W. Hayes.

Alan Robertson of Duck Dynasty joins us again with a personal narrative. In a crucial piece about dealing with disillusionment and discouragement, Alan reminds us that God is in the encouragement business. We also hear about the singing sensation, Francesca Battistelli, on how she balances family, career, and ministry in this delightful glimpse into her life off stage. Once again, we are pleased to have our regular contributors bring needful information. Dave Ramsey is back with an informative Q&A on vital financial issues, Dr. Paul White articulates a solid pattern for workplace communication, Chris Hogan gives us five tips for intentional living, Charis Hillman Brown challenges TwoTen Magazine’s readers to engage the millennial generation, Jordan Raynor dares us to consider our ‘business of the future’ and Dr. Mark Cress shows us how to build a God-honoring culture in our workplaces. By surrendering our will to God, we find real peace, contentment, and joy. In the stories ahead, industry leaders identify the ways they have surrendered and the blessings that followed by glorifying God in all they seek to do. VICTORY

Mark Whitaker Executive Editor Julie Faulkner Features Editor George Cline Associate Editor Chandler Hayes Copy Editor Lauren Mosher Copywriter John H. Rains, III General Counsel Miranda Faulkner-Smith Operations Manager

Founder & Editor In Chief TwoTenMagazine.com

Founder & Publisher

Chris Whitten Creative Director Luke Haydel Project Manager Paul Tejera Technology Director Mike Crisp Social Media Manager Mike Glesenkamp Web Manager Robin Stafstrom Production Manager Nicole Armas Distribution Manager

Contributors Tricia Despres Mark Cress David Willis

Founding Contributors Ken Blanchard Jordan Raynor

Buck Jacobs Mark Whitaker

Dave Ramsey Edward L. Flom

About TwoTen Magazine The TwoTen brand was inspired by the New Testament Bible verse Ephesians 2:10, which says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Our Mission is to inspire, encourage and equip business leaders with Christian principles to make an eternal, positive impact on everyone that God has entrusted them to serve.

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Inquiry Addresses Editorial editorial@twotenmag.com Distribution & Subscription subscribe@twotenmag.com Advertising sales@twotenmag.com Like us on Facebook

Richard W. Hayes

Founder & Publisher

Jessica Burchfield Lisa Huetteman Alan Robertson Charis Hillman Brown

Chris Patton Dr. Paul White Chris Hogan

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John Faulkner

Richard W. Hayes

© 2014 Two Ten Magazine, Inc. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The articles appearing within this publication reflect the opinion of their respective authors and not necessarily those of the publisher and/or TwoTen Magazine. The contents of advertisements and advertorials are entirely the responsibility of advertisers. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited submissions and manuscripts.

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THE FAMILY CONVERSATION GUIDE 8

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The Family Conversation Guide

BY DAVID WILLIS

The following four steps will give you an outline to follow as you prepare and pursue this collective goal of forming a Family Stewardship Philosophy. Remember, the purpose of this initiative is to encourage your family toward realizing God’s calling for your stewardship together. DEVELOPING AND STATING YOUR PHILOSOPHY TOGETHER PROVIDES SEVERAL BENEFITS: Strengthen your convictions about the purpose of wealth and its most appropriate uses. Prompt family members to reflect on personal beliefs about the source of possessions. Identify the values at stake when wealth is transferred, and develop a practical plan for estate distribution to children, heirs, and other beneficiaries. Clarify purposeful intentions behind inheritance plans, and recognize opportunities to develop preparedness among beneficiaries.

STEP

ENGAGE

Ever y family has its own unique personalities and circumstances. The idea of approaching family members to talk about estate matters is either appealing, intimidating, or somewhere in-between. TwoTenMagazine.com

Trust your instincts. Your intuition is a helpful guide when deciding how and when to introduce this process. You must also decide whom to include. Ideally, all adult children—and probably their spouses—are relevant to the discussion. Just recognize that it might not be possible to avoid awkwardness and discomfort completely. But in the end, the permanent rewards of this family experience far outweigh the temporary feelings you may need to endure along the way. Find whatever courage you need to keep your family from being deprived of these blessings. However you personalize it, the first step is to introduce each person to the concept of a Family Stewardship Philosophy. Tell them how this idea came to your attention, and why it has meaning for you. Let them know your vision of what to expect from the process— what commitments are required, and what benefits will result. If appropriate, give them some time to absorb the idea, and let them know you’ll be following up in the near future.

STEP

PREPARE

As the parent, it’s important for you to have a solid command of your convictions, values, and objectives related to your estate. You are the leader. And while you don’t have to be overpowering, your preparedness will set the tone for other family members. The more they sense that you take it seriously, the more they will be encouraged to do the same. It is recommended that you personally think through each of the components of the Family Stewardship Philosophy on your own before meeting with others. When you know where you stand, you will be free to listen and encourage others to explore and express their feelings, desires, and priorities. TwoTen Magazine

STEP

GATHER

Whether you convene once, or interact over several meetings, the family gathering is essential to the process. Your family’s situation may dictate the logistics. But getting together enables open discussion and the most efficient communication. The format of your time(s) together depends on personal factors; however, the goals before you are the same. Each person should be asked to comment on the components of the Family Stewardship Philosophy.

YOU MAY WANT TO ADDRESS THEM IN ORDER: BEGIN WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR LIFE [LIVES] AND THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE IMPACTED YOUR BELIEFS.

Develop a Statement of Purpose What is your family’s collective purpose? With regard to wealth management, what role does the family play in God’s universe?

Express Convictions about the Source of Wealth If God owns it all, what does it mean that He has entrusted the family with possessions?

Take Inventory of Motives Surrounding Wealth Why accumulate wealth?

STEP

DOCUMENT

One of the most important steps is to write a draft of your responses to step three above. By documenting your family’s discussion and ideas, you create a tangible reference point that can be shared among family members. This will reinforce your convictions and encourage unity. It also makes it easier to recall the conversations and revise your thoughts as they develop.

CONSIDER THIS: Why will your children’s children share your Family Stewardship Philosophy? If you have children, you know every family has an everchanging nature about it. Not long after children arrive in our homes, they become adults more quickly than we could ever imagine. Most of them become parents and experience the dizzying fast-forward world of parenting for themselves. Sometimes it seems there isn’t enough time to prepare our children for adulthood. They’re out the door before we’ve had a chance to give them all they need. What growing, changing, evolving families need are foundations. Not just moral and spiritual foundations, but firm foundations that anchor them financially. That’s why developing a Family Stewardship Philosophy is so important. It lays the groundwork for all your decisions about wealth. While it’s possible to pass on monetary wealth to your family, it’s even more essential to pass on a philosophy. The questions posed throughout this section are not designed just to make you think. They are meant to lead to answers that are solid enough to remain relevant for generations to come. VICTORY

What temptations exist that might have negative consequences?

Examine the Value of Goals What is the purpose of lifetime preservation of the family estate? What is the purpose of lifetime distribution?

Define a Philosophy for Utilization What lifestyle is reasonable?

Christian Foundation (NCF), a position he

What is your “financial finish line”?

two

has held since 1998. David has co-authored books,

Investing

God’s

Business

and Family.Money., as well as numerous

Decide on a Plan for Wealth Transition Are there any unspoken expectations regarding an inheritance? What do the family’s stewardship goals suggest about the balance of giving before death and inheritance? What do the family objectives suggest about the timing of wealth transfer?

David Willis is president of National

How will you define and regulate personal lifestyle goals to protect against materialism?

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articles. David serves on several boards, including

the

Evangelical

Council

for

Financial Accountability (ECFA), ProVision Foundation, Global Generosity Foundation, Chick-fil-A

Foundation

and

Generous

Giving, of which he is cofounder. David and his wife, Chris, live on a farm near Atlanta with their seven children.

The Family Conversation Guide

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Simple Man, Simple Vision

SIMPLE MAN

SIMPLE VISION DAVID GREEN, FOUNDER AND CEO OF HOBBY LOBBY BY JESSICA BURCHFIELD

HOW DOES ONE MAN WITH ONE DREAM RESULT IN 560 STORES, 23,000 EMPLOYEES, AND $3.8 BILLION PER YEAR IN REVENUE? ONE ANSWER: SIMPLE MAN, SIMPLE VISION. WITH A LARGE PORTION OF ALL PROFITS GOING TO CHARITY, DAVID GREEN HAS ENCAPSULATED THE AMERICAN DREAM AND TURNED IT INTO A MISSION FIELD. OPEN 66 HOURS A WEEK AND CLOSED ON SUNDAYS, HOBBY LOBBY IS ONE OF AMERICA’S GO-TO STORES FOR CRAFTING AND HOME DÉCOR.

ith a love of retail beginning early in life, David Green has become one of the premiere businessmen in the American Home and Craft Superstore business. What began as a $600 startup investment grew into one of the largest crafting chains in the country. But it all started with a passion to work and a giving heart.

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“When I was young and working for $.60/hour at the local five-and-dime (McClellan’s), there was nothing I would enjoy more than to give my earnings away,” said David. “Most of my early paychecks were spent on furniture for our home. I bought my mother a complete dining set, a sofa, and a refrigerator. I did splurge a little, however, on a pretty, young part-timer in the stationary department; today, that young clerk is my wife,

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Barbara, who deserves as much credit for Hobby Lobby’s growth and success as anyone.” After a quick few years of Active Duty at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, David married Barbara, and they set off on their first retail adventure as the manager of a new branch of the five-and-dime store, TG&Y, in Oklahoma City. After several years learning retail management, David and Barbara decided it was time to start out on their own and in 1970, opened Greco Products, a miniature picture frame manufacturing company. Two years later, David and Barbara opened the first Hobby Lobby store in a 300-square-foot building dedicated to arts and crafts. Soon, the business outgrew the small location, and they began the journey of expansion—a journey that continues to this day.

Why It Succeeds: Putting the Customer First “From the very beginning, I loved the work—and that’s an important point: To succeed in retail, you have to love it,” said David, aptly describing the foundation of Hobby Lobby’s success. “The process of bringing items in, displaying them attractively, and seeing them miraculously change into actual cash in the drawer has to get your blood racing.” One of David’s favorite verses, Ecclesiastes 9:10, states: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” From this verse, he has crafted a company-wide policy to effectively run a business. Whether sweeping the break room floor or dealing with a customer, each employee is expected to work to the best

“

It’s so easy

to make things complicated

in business. We operate

on simple metrics; we are very transparent...

By seeing ourselves

as servants, we go beyond retail and meet the

needs of our clients.” - David Green

of their ability. This unique, biblical system creates a memorable experience for the customer while completely meeting their needs. Above all, Hobby Lobby operates to honor God, to please the client, and to bring quality crafts and home décor to the American customer at a reasonable price. One of the ways that David keeps the customer in mind is to stay abreast of the competition. “I always have my ‘I pad’ with me,” said David as he pulls out a small paper notebook from his pocket. “In this little pad I keep the names and financial stats of some of Forbes Top 50 businesses. This ‘I pad’ is the way I obey Ecclesiastes 9:10. By carrying it, I am reminded of my financial competitors, and it helps me continuously strive to be better, more conscious of my products, my customers, and my responsibility to run this company in a way that honors God.” Hobby Lobby operates on biblical principles of profit and labor, because David Green follows Ecclesiastes 9:10. By focusing on hard work, diligent customer service, and a positive environment, employees honor and serve the customer. Within an industry of instant gratification and 24-hour supercenters, David has created a unique shopping experience geared towards the satisfaction of his client. This simple system not only guarantees repeat business, but also marketability and financial stability within an ever-changing economy.

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Simple Man, Simple Vision

Hobby Lobby corporate headquarters.

“It’s so easy to make things complicated in business,” said David. “We operate on simple metrics; we are very transparent. I like to think of us as an old-fashioned General Store. In Hobby Lobby, our customers will find employees that not only know their product, but also are trained to assist in any way possible. By seeing ourselves as servants, we go beyond retail and meet the needs of our clients.” With a starting wage of $15 per hour, David Green has made it a priority to take care of his employees. “Many of my employees are single moms,” he said. “The last thing I want is for them to have to work two jobs and take away time from their children. By paying a bit more than the going rate, that single mom may not have to get a second job. That’s worth it to me.” Hobby Lobby is only open 66 hours a week: 9am – 8pm, Monday through Saturday. All locations are closed on Sunday to allow employees to attend church and spend a day of rest with their families. This revolutionary concept naturally evolved from David Green’s personal experiences in the early days of the company. After finding himself losing precious moments with his own children during their formidable growing years, David decided to make a change. “I knew I was going against the tide of American retail, but I couldn’t get away from the human toll that a traditional retail schedule extracts. If I could give my store managers and floor staff just one more hour to be home—maybe to put their kids to bed—it would be a positive thing. If I could somehow

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reduce the stress on family life and help my employees be more balanced, I’d rather do that than bring in a little extra profit.” At Hobby Lobby, they do not practice “sloppy agape”; employees are expected to work hard and own their departments. By demanding excellence and operating on grace, Hobby Lobby is creating a safe, positive work environment as well as a tranquil shopping experience for the customer. Choosing to focus on fair-priced products and customer satisfaction, the corporate headquarters in Oklahoma City continues to operate with a hometown feel and has remained a “down to earth” business. Located inside a single story building, there are no extra bells and whistles, no ivory towers or parking garages; rather, one of the most impressive features about the corporate headquarters is located inside David Green’s office—a big, wooden desk. “This is my favorite piece of furniture in the whole building,” said David. “Why is it my favorite? Because it is just big enough for me to get under and pray. It’s ground zero for me. I have to be transparent about my dependence upon Christ; without Him, all my labors would be for naught. Both in this business and in my life, nothing happens without prayer.” Within a society that masks insecurity in a veil of false confidence, David Green humbles himself and crawls under a wooden desk to beg the power of God upon his company. That is why Hobby Lobby is successful.

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money every other week of the year talking to fortyone million people about throw pillows, birdhouses, and wicker baskets, I ought to be willing to spend money twice a year talking to the same forty-one million about my Lord.”

What It Stands For: The Heart of the Lobby Hobby Lobby is unique in the retail industry. Rather than setting out to make as much profit as possible, the company exists to further the Gospel of Christ. David Green believes that God belongs inside the company, in the nitty-gritty details of running a successful business. Not willing to separate his Christianity from his work, he has created a unique opportunity for missions. “I realize that a lot of business leaders may disagree with me, but I truly believe that God belongs in what my company does,” said David. “By putting Him first in my operations, He can bless what I attempt. He doesn’t want me to think I’m so intelligent that I can run this place without Him. When I admit my weakness, He seizes the opportunity to be strong.” David unashamedly stands upon his Christianity, even in his corporate advertising initiatives. Every Christmas and Easter, Hobby Lobby releases an ad that clearly presents Christianity to readers. He said, “I am a merchant who believes and respects Jesus Christ. There is no getting around the fact that Jesus offends some people. Nevertheless, He is too important in my life for me to cower in fear of mentioning His name. If I’m willing to spend

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By relying upon the almighty power of God at the corporate level, Hobby Lobby has become one of the largest, most outspoken proponents of biblical standards and Christian living in the American marketplace. With a company-wide vision to impact the world for Christ, Hobby Lobby currently donates a large portion of their proceeds to charity organizations across the globe, including OneHope, an international ministry organization that provides Bibles to children in impoverished countries; Wycliffe Bible Translators; and Need Him, a 24-hour counseling center that helps callers with spiritual questions and prayer support. David Green, and his family, are also in construction of a personal project, the Museum of the Bible, a facility dedicated to his private collection of biblical artifacts, to be located in Washington D.C. With over 44,000 volumes, artifacts, and biblical antiquities, it promises to be one of the largest, most extensive displays of Bible history. “Our mission is to love God intimately and to live extravagant generosity. I believe this is how the Bible calls us to live personally and professionally,” said David.

How to Succeed in Business Without Sacrificing Significance “A voice says, ‘Cry!’ And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’ All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:6-8 ESV) More than anything, David and Barbara Green are interested in significance. Yes, they are the successful owners of one of the largest arts and crafts retail chains in the country; but, in their eyes, if they do not make a significant impact upon the world for Christ, all the temporal pursuits of building a crafting empire will be in vain. Hobby Lobby is more than art supplies and picture frames; Hobby Lobby is making a difference. “I want to matter; I want to impact eternity. Barbara and I determined early on that if selling artificial flowers and craft

Simple Man, Simple Vision

“

My advice

to a young person starting out in business would be this: find what purpose God has for your life

and do it. By faithfully working in His will, you will find His favor. Don’t expect to earn the favor of God while operating outside His principles.

Pray without ceasing

and rest in His compassionate care.

He will sustain you.”

- David Green supplies is what it takes for us to win just one soul for Christ, we would sell flowers with all our hearts for the rest of our lives,” said David. “Some things will matter forever, while others will fade in less than a week. Figuring out which is which—and then doing something about it—is a task that I cannot overlook.” By allowing God to control the development of Hobby Lobby, by honoring Him in the corporate schedule, and by seeking His direction through constant prayer, David and Barbara have built a lasting legacy for the next generation. At the bottom line, Hobby Lobby does not believe in compartmentalizing the Christianity of a man and his career; rather, they firmly uphold the belief that God should be a part of every aspect of life, both personal and professional. By living a public Christian life in the workplace, David Green has created a unique opportunity for global ministry. By releasing the reins of his corporation, he has effectively given God the green light of VICTORY blessings. God honors those that honor Him.

To learn more of David Green’s story, read his autobiography More Than a Hobby YOU CAN PURCHASE IT HERE: shop.hobbylobby.com Jessica

Burchfield

freelance writer and photographer based out of Clearwater, Florida. Offering writing services to global businesses, Jessica enjoys revitalizing corporate images through creative copy for marketing and advertising initiatives.

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3rd Quarter

A Light In The Automotive Industry

A Light in the

Automotive Repair Industry By: Lisa Huetteman

Mark Carr, CEO of Christian Brothers Automotive, had an encounter with God which he described as being like the Uncle Sam poster, calling out â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want you!â&#x20AC;? It was one of many conversations he had with God over the past 40 years that led to the creation and growth of the most successful automotive repair franchise in the country.

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It is an amazing journey for a man who barely made it out of high school. He worked as a bartender, toilet cleaner, and ditch digger, and did just about everything known to man in terms of lousy work. Leaving the small tourist town in upstate New York where he grew up, he went to Rochester and applied at Eastman Kodak—the place where you go to work and have job security for the rest of your life. When he was told there weren’t any openings, he took a job collecting garbage. After all, he had experience with lousy work. Eventually, Kodak called, and he thought he was set for life. But after five years he discovered there was no opportunity for him to get ahead, so he quit. With no job prospects, he scanned through the want ads of two newspapers, The Houston Chronicle and the Rochester Times. The want ads section in the Chronicle was thicker, so with $4000 in his pocket, he packed up his 1977 Corvette with everything he owned and drove to Houston to start a new life. “All those want ads in Houston and I couldn’t get a job.” Mark said. “I finally dropped to my knees and prayed, ‘God, my life is a mess. I don’t know what to do with it anymore. Just take it.’ That was when I turned my life over to God.”

“

God’s Plan Unfolding Three days later, Mark got a job selling photographic murals. Although he did well, eventually, he became an order-taker and once again he was on his knees. “God, would you bring me a business opportunity? You designed me differently than this. I am bored.” The next day, a friend in his Sunday school class approached Mark and asked if he would partner with him to start a car repair shop. God had answered his prayers. He bought a piece of land, built a building, and started Christian Brothers Automotive with his friend. Too afraid to work in his new business full time, Mark kept a full-time job, but was not doing well financially. “I had two kids, and I couldn’t make enough to provide for my family.” He said, “I was about to lose my house. I had two cars in the garage that were worth less than I owed on them. I couldn’t even afford a Happy Meal for my son.” Mark sought guidance from his grandfather, a man he admired and respected. Mark recalls his advice. “God gave you that business. Why don’t you just go run it?” Mark had a hundred

All those want ads in Houston

and I couldn’t get a job. I finally dropped to my knees and prayed, ‘God, my life is a mess. I don’t know what to do with it anymore. Just take it.’

That was when I turned my life over to God.”

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- Mark Carr

A Light In The Automotive Industry

reasons, not to go all in with his new business but the biggest was fear of failure. “I felt like it was my last straw. If I went over there and I failed, I would be finished.” But Mark took his grandfather’s advice, and in 1989, he went to work at Christian Brothers Automotive full time. It was difficult at first, because there wasn’t a place for Mark at the automotive shop. “I had a guy running the store who was an incredible mechanic. I essentially demoted him to working in the shop as a mechanic while I worked up front. Within 90 days, our business increased thirty percent. I took it as God’s verification that I was supposed to be there, because I really hadn’t been there long enough to make a difference. It wasn’t long before we were so busy that I asked my mechanic to come back inside and be our service manager. He did, and he is still with me today, 30 years later.”

“

The Birth of a Franchise Mark leveraged the first store to start the second and it did as well in the first year as the first store did in its 10th year. Again, he was approached by a friend from church who asked Mark if he would help him start a third shop. Right out of the box, the same thing happened as with the second store. It had the same success in the first year as the first store had in its 10th. Without knowing it, he’d started a franchise by replicating a model of success. That success model was built on Christ’s principle of loving one another. “I made a list of 20 things people hate about getting their car fixed, and I determined how I could solve every one of those problems. We looked at service from the customer’s perspective and treated them the way we would want to be treated.”

From there, things went incredibly well. Mark paid off the land and building, was completely out of debt and making more money than he ever dreamed of, when God tapped him on the shoulder and said, “I want you to open another store.” Mark argued with God over that one. “I’d been through too much. I was too afraid. I didn’t want to go through that again. I wrestled with it for 6 months until one day I walked in to work and He took all the contentment away from me. I didn’t want to be there anymore. I wasn’t challenged enough. I turned to God and said, ‘Thanks a lot!’”

The company grew to six locations as friends and family wanted to be a part of it. Mark cross-collateralized each of the locations to fund the next and had reached the end of his ability to fund the growth by himself. There was a lot of interest in the franchise, but no money to grow. Once again, Mark was on his

Treating others as you want to be treated From the beginning, Christian Brothers Automotive followed a simple principle of treating others as you want to be treated. This principle was extended to their franchisees and is reflected in their unique partnership model with their franchise owners. Josh Wall is a vice president and responsible for guiding families through the franchise development process. Josh explained how Christian Brothers cares for its franchisees. “We designed a model that is unlike other traditional models. A typical franchise agreement requires the franchisee to remit a royalty as a percent of sales off the top, before all other expenses are paid. In our model, which has been in place since 1996, the franchisee pays us last. When a customer comes in knees, and, with a line borrowed from Jerry McGuire, he asked God to “show me the money!” God responded with a series of miracles.

Divine Providence The first answer to Mark’s prayers was a Houston-based venture capital firm. They provided the capital to grow to 21 stores, and Christian Brothers Automotive thrived until it reached a significant turning point. In order to buy out the VC firm’s interest in the company, Mark had to come up with a substantial amount of cash in a very short period of time. It was an impossible situation. Knowing nothing is impossible for God, again Mark was on his knees asking God for provision. Mark explained the predicament to a friend who said, “My Uncle Dave is a successful business man in Michigan. Let me call to see if he can help you out.” Coincidently, “Uncle Dave” Giffin happened to be in Houston a week or two later, and he and Mark met. They talked for about an hour about everything but business. Mark didn’t ask him for money. He hadn’t told him his need. When “Uncle Dave” got up to leave he said, “I know integrity when I see it. I’m in [for the exact amount of money Mark needed].” They shook hands on a deal. It wasn’t long before a third miracle was needed in order to completely buy out the VC firm. Once again, God provided. Mark met a local orthodontist, Dr. John Freeman, and they had almost the exact same meeting. They didn’t talk business. Mark didn’t ask for money, but at the conclusion, Dr. Freeman indicated he wanted to make an investment to re-purchase the stock. Once again, it was a very short time horizon, and they shook hands to agree on the deal. God provided through these men.

3rd Quarter

Some of Christian Brothers Automotive

HONORS IN RECENT YEARS Ranked No. 1 in Franchisee Satisfaction for the past 7 years in the Automotive category by the Franchise Business Review. Included in the Entrepreneur 500 list for 2014. Entrepreneur’s annual ranking of America’s top franchise opportunities. Ranked in top 500 the past 5 years. Factors in the ranking include financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of system.

Ranked as a top workplace in 2012 & 2013 among small businesses by The Houston Chronicle. Ranked by the Inc. 500/5000 in the category of fastest growing private companies in America in 2013 Included in the Better Business Bureau’s Awards of Distinction for the past 9 years. Recognizes companies that demonstrate a consistent commitment to ethics, overall excellence and quality in the workplace.

and we serve them, first we pay the team, the rent, the utilities, our suppliers and a modest $60,000 salary plus health insurance for the franchisee and their family. When a profit is left, it is split 50/50. The model has helped us to truly be in the trenches with them and support their success. We have wonderful families who are investing their life savings in a business called Christian Brothers Automotive. We want to treat them how we would want to be treated.”

“

Today, Christian Brothers Automotive has 130 stores in 18 states and is growing to 136 by year end.”

who they are, what is important to them, what they are trying to achieve. We see if the answers to those basic questions line up with where we want our ideal franchise partners to be. At their core, they need to love and serve Jesus Christ and treat others as they want to be treated.”

Christian Brothers Automotive also breaks the mold of automotive repair businesses by being closed on weekends so their employees can spend time with their families. Mark explained. “We value family, and it is important to support our employees. We do whatever we can to limit the inconvenience of being closed on weekends, including offering our customers rides to and from work. Our customers understand these values, which is why the business has been successful in spite of limiting hours of operation to Monday through Friday.”

Growing with God

Over the years, the home office has grown to 50 people. They begin each week with corporate prayer time, thanking the Lord for what He has given and asking for the needs of each other, the franchisees and their families. They end each week in communion with each other with one department in turn serving breakfast for the others. Josh explains, “We have to spend time together, in fellowship and to care for each other. It is the only way we can serve our franchisees.”

As he looks to the future, Mark emphasizes that he always has to be sensitive that it is God’s business and not his. “He has had to take it back from me three or four times when my pride has gotten in the way, and that has always been painful. This business isn’t about me. However many stores He wants me to open, I will. If He wants me to open 500 stores, I will. If He wants me to stop next week, I am good with that, too. But I love what I do, so I hope I don’t have to do something else. I am His to do whatever He wants to do with me.” VICTORY

Today, Christian Brothers Automotive has 130 stores in 18 states and is growing to 136 by year end. What is more remarkable is that in over 18 years of franchising, not a single store has closed. This success is due to an intentional seven-step process of selecting new franchisees. Josh explained. “Our franchisees are the lifeblood of our business. We spend time trying to determine TwoTenMagazine.com

As they continue to grow, the team at Christian Brothers is working exceptionally hard at growing smaller in the relational touch points with franchisees. As they add new locations at a rate of 14 to 17 per year, they have to be very intentional in what they do. They constantly seek more ways to communicate more regularly so they continue to provide the training and support franchisees need to be successful.

Lisa

Huetteman

Co-founder

Black Diamond Associates, Executive Coach, Speaker and Author of the book: The Value of Core Values: Five Keys to Success through Values-Centered Leadership.

TwoTen Magazine

Excellence in

Innovation

By: Mark Whitaker

As the ball dropped into the cup on the final hole of the 2014 Masters Tournament, an emotional Bubba Watson retrieved it and held it high to the roar of the gallery crowd. The youngest golfer in history to win two Masters within a three year span, this victory proved that his first Green Jacket was more than luck, although he is the first to deny the fact that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the greats of the game. Bubbaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s humility, unabashed Christian character and drive to succeed are all traits that led PING Golf to become his leading sponsor and ambassador for the values that PING stands upon.

TwoTenMagazine.com

TwoTen Magazine

ubba’s victory is yet another testimony to the company that has had more of an impact on the game of golf than any other; PING Golf. We had an opportunity to sit down with John Solheim, the Chairman and CEO of PING Golf to talk about the foundation of the company and how they continue to lead the industry while giving back to those in need. John is the second generation to lead the company along with his older siblings following in the footsteps of their father and founder, Karsten Solheim. Born the oldest son of parents from Norway, Karsten Solheim had to learn early in life how to overcome trials and struggles. His mother passed away when he was two and a half years old while giving birth to his younger brother. His father was a self-taught craftsman and owned a shoe repair store. Karsten spent most of his free time helping his father run the shop. As he grew older, his father opened a second shop, which he ran while Karsten ran the original shop.

“

Learning Business Skills for Life Karsten learned business and management skills that would prove beneficial to him throughout his life. He also developed an uncanny ability to analyze broken shoes and devise methods to repair them as good as new, most times better than new. He and his father were known for their quality workmanship, for which people were willing to pay a premium. Karsten’s faith had always been an integral part of his life. After high school, he became involved with leading his church youth group. While escorting the youth group to the church Christmas production, Karsten met a young woman, Louise, with whom he struck up a conversation. Louise had experienced similar heartache as a child, losing her mother shortly after her birth. They had an instant connection in spite of their age difference; he was 24, and she was 17. After two weeks of dating, Karsten

Born the oldest son of parents

from Norway, Karsten Solheim had to learn early in life

how to overcome trials and struggles.”

Karsten & John Solheim in 1967 at PING with Anser putter and early iron design. The Anser putter changed the course of the company due to its popularity. It remains the most popular model in golf. Excellence in Innovation: PING Golf

and designs to increase the rate of production and the quality of the ships. In 1943 Karsten received papers to report for the military draft. Before leaving for the draft, he interviewed with the Ryan Aeronautical Company, makers of the military’s aircraft. After seeing Karsten’s resume and meeting him, they offered him a position in their engineering department utilizing his extraordinary engineering skills to advance the military’s war efforts.

The Consummate Engineer Working alongside some of the finest engineering minds in the Nation, Karsten was immediately embraced and was quickly promoted to the chief mechanical engineer for the FR-1 Fireball, the Navy’s first fighter plane to utilize jet propulsion. Karsten Solheim invented the Anser putter in 1966 and it proved to be the answer on putting greens for golfers of all abilities. It’s unique spelling is the result of his wife suggesting he leave out the “w” in Answer so it would fit on the putter head.

knew that she was the one that God had chosen for him and asked her to marry him. They were married six months later and had their first son, Karsten Louis (Louis). Karsten left the family business to pursue a career as a salesman, selling cookware, and soon rose to the top of the sales force.

Our Nation at War It was during this time that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and America was thrust into World War II. There was a restriction placed on certain materials that were essential to producing goods for the military. Aluminum was one of those materials, the material used to make cookware that Karsten sold. With no new products to sell, Karsten was forced to seek other opportunities. Karsten ran across an ad for a short, accelerated engineering course offered at the University of California-Fresno to help fulfill the military’s need for engineers. Karsten enrolled and excelled in the course. Halfway through, he was offered the opportunity to work for Convair (which later became General Dynamics) in their aircraft engineering division. From there, Karsten went to work for a shipyard and proceeded to develop numerous methods

“

After the war, Karsten changed careers a few more times before landing a job with General Electric as a mechanical design engineer. Karsten moved to Ithaca, NY while Louise stayed in San Diego to raise their 3 boys, Karsten (Louis), Allan and John; and their daughter Sandra. One day, Karsten was invited to join some colleagues after work for a round of golf. Although Karsten had a dusty set of clubs in his garage, he had never played before. He borrowed a set of clubs thinking that if he applied logic and physics, there was no reason why he shouldn’t be able to compete with the others in his group. He quickly found out that he had little or no control over where the little white ball would go once it left his club. As aggravating as it was on the fairways, it was even worse on the putting green.

Building a Better Putter It fascinated Karsten that he could hit an acceptable drive and approach and even get the ball on the green in three or four strokes but would use almost that many more strokes attempting to putt the ball into the cup. He observed that the ball left the putter with no consistency at all, almost having a mind of its own. In fact, it bothered him immensely. So much so, that he immediately began to scientifically analyze the physics of the putter. He was convinced that he could design a better club to putt the ball with more consistency.

He was convinced that he could

design a better club to putt the ball with more consistency.”

TwoTenMagazine.com

TwoTen Magazine

In 1953, Karsten was reunited with his family when they all moved to join him in Ithaca. Eighteen months later, General Electric transferred him to Syracuse, NY. In his spare time, Karsten continued to mull over his ideas for improving the putter. He realized that the key to getting the ball to respond consistently was the weight distribution in the head of the putter, referred to as heal-toe weighting. In the trials that he conducted in his home, he was encouraged by the results, even if it lacked aesthetic appeal. Karsten was transferred once again, this time to California, where he began working on one of the first computerized banking programs for General Electric. He continued to work on his golf game, practicing every chance he got. He soon began competing in local tournaments and winning them with his unconventional putter. One day while playing on one of his favorite courses, he had a conversation with the local golf pro. The pro had commented on how impressed he was with Karsten’s putting. Karsten demonstrated his homemade putter, and the pro offered some advice. He told him that if he could design a club that would allow the ball to roll from the face of the club rather than skip or slide, as all of the current clubs of the day did, he would sell a million of them. This was the catalyst that Karsten needed.

The Musical Club He reworked the design of his putter keeping the weight at the heel and toe of the head. When he had some of the new designs fabricated and tried them, they had a distinctive ring when they hit the ball; he referred to it as a “ping” and thought it would be a catchy name for the new club. Karsten began manufacturing his new putter, the PING 1A, in his garage. His youngest child John, still in high school, and middle son Allan would help him assemble the clubs, while Louise managed the books and tracked the orders. Interest in the curious new putter picked up quickly as golfers saw immediate improvements to their games. In 1959, Sports Illustrated mentioned the “musical” new putter and orders started coming in immediately. One company ordered hundreds of them to give out as Christmas gifts. Requests for the putter increased, and soon he was shipping out clubs from his garage. Karsten would visit golf courses across PING irons and putters are manufactured using the investment casting process. Molten metal is poured into a mold to create the clubhead. Karsten Solheim pioneered the use of this process for making golf clubs in 1969.

The third generation of the Solheim family all play key roles in the management of PING. John’s three sons (L-R: John K., David & Andy).

the country and demonstrate the new club to golfers and to the golf pros. As orders increased, he continued to refine the design of the club, releasing models 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 5B. Still working for General Electric, Karsten was given the opportunity to transfer to their computer factory in Phoenix, Arizona. He jumped at the chance, since it would allow him to stay home much more and allow him to build his fledgling putter business. As business continued to grow, the Karsten Manufacturing Company was formed. In the mid-sixties, Karsten Manufacturing developed the most successful putter design in history, the Anser.

Changing the Game of Golf Sales of the Anser putter were so successful that Karsten had to move production from his garage into a 2,200 square foot building in Phoenix, which would eventually grow to become the PING Golf campus. Karsten’s two other sons and daughter came to work for the company, and Karsten left General Electric to focus full time on his company. As high profile players such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Gene Littler, Julius Boros and George Archer started using PING putters, orders kept pouring in. Karsten refused to mass-produce the clubs, insisting that each club was produced to order. Karsten began to focus on the other clubs in the set and developed an innovation for irons that used a cavity back club head called the Karsten 1, released in 1969. Karsten Manufacturing, known today as PING Golf, employs more than 1300 and has changed the game of golf forever. It continues to be run as a family company with Karsten’s children and grandchildren involved in the business. Their innovations Excellence in Innovation: PING Golf

John Solheim & Bubba Watson at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in December of 2013. PING & Bubba partnered to sell 5000 PING G20 PINK drivers after he won the 2012 Masters. $50 from each driver sale ($250,000) was donated by PING to the hospital to help fund the PING Bubba Watson Gait Lab (scheduled to open late 2014.)

in club design including putters, irons and woods, allow average golfers to improve their scores and enjoyment for the game. The breakthroughs in design and manufacturing methods have been copied by almost all the top club makers, since the original patents have expired.

Succession of a Legend In 1995, John Solheim took over as Chairman and CEO of PING. He had been a part of every stage of the company from its inception and shared the dogged pursuit of engineering excellence. Karsten passed away in 2000, but left behind a legacy of excellence and philanthropic devotion that John continues today. PING Golf has been instrumental in promoting LPGA events. In 1990, Karsten and Louise founded the prestigious Solheim Cup for women, the equivalent of the Ryder Cup for men. They have given millions of dollars to missionaries across the globe and funded state-of-the-art recreation centers at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas called the Solheim Center. “I learned from my dad the importance of excellence and giving back and how that honors God,” John explained. PING Golf has been a leader in aiding wounded veterans as well. They are corporate sponsors of the Wounded Warriors Project, Warfighter Sports and others. They have developed an Adaptive Fitting Program that provides specially designed golf equipment for golfers with special needs, allowing them to play and compete in events never before possible. Never content with the status quo, John and his engineering team are constantly researching new designs, materials and manufacturing methods to improve the game of golf. John explains, “You never know where inspiration will come from. TwoTenMagazine.com

It never ceases to amaze me how God places us in situations to reveal things to us as only He can. I recently visited Yellowstone National Park and saw a beautiful orange dragonfly. I had a high res camera with me and took some close-up photos of this brilliant creature that God designed. As I studied those photos later, zooming in on the wing structures, I was amazed at the wing structure, and it struck me that we can use a similar design in our clubs. We’re using some of that technology inside some of our new club designs.” John recalls, “As a company, we weren’t immune from experiencing trials and tribulations. My father and I share the same source of inspiration from God and stand upon His word. One of his favorite verses, and one that I have come to understand and appreciate even more since taking over the company, is Proverbs 3:5-6:

“

Trust in the Lord

with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

– Proverbs 3:5-6 VICTORY

Mark Whitaker is the Executive Editor of TwoTen Magazine. He is inspired daily by his God, his wife Kim and his three daughters Hannah, Sarah, and Rhea.

TwoTen Magazine

“

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he t a k e s a w a y, a n d e v e r y b r a n c h t h a t d o e s b e a r f r u i t he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

– John 15:2 ESV

Integrity Resou

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Build on the Rock.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” – M ATTH E W 7 : 2 4

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L PRINCIPLES for BUSINESS

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Biblical Principles for Business A 10-Lesson Bible Study for Workplace, Business and Ministry Leaders

Discover the 10 Biblical Principles for Business and become the leader God’s called you to be. This 10-lesson Bible study for workplace, business and ministry leaders provides insightful teaching to those who desire to conduct themselves and their business with the utmost integrity. Build your business on these bedrock biblical principles and it can survive and thrive even in the tough times. Study Guides, Leader’s Guides and Small Group Starter Kits are available at integrityresource.org/rock

A typical ICM church in Tanzania. This nation of roughly 45 million will be blanketed by ICM churches by the end of 2015.

Building The Kingdom O N E D AY AT A T I M E By: Jessica Burchfield

3rd Quarter

Building The Kingdom, One Day At A Time

For most people, retirement means taking the well deserved vacations that have been in the planning stages for years; it means relaxation and freedom from responsibilities and commitments. But for Dois Rosser, founder and Chair Emeritus of International Cooperating Ministries, retirement simply meant the beginning of a new chapter. At 67 years of age, Dois founded ICM, a ministry that blankets nations with the Gospel, one local assembly at a time. By implementing a revolutionary reproductive network of neighboring churches, ICM has created a unique opportunity for businesses and individuals to participate in local church planting and missions.

Dois Rosser and daughter Janice Rosser Allen in a jungle region near a branch of the Amazon River in Peru. There are currently 84 ICM projects built or under construction in that nation.

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TwoTen Magazine

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wanted to leave a reproducible legacy,” said 92-year-old Dois Rosser, as he described the genesis of International Cooperating Ministries (ICM). “In the business world, you set goals, you plan for your demise, and you determine to put things into place that will last after you are gone. You think in terms of effective ways for your company to continue to produce upon your retirement. The same holds true for building a spiritual legacy. When you invest into Kingdom activities, God reproduces them, and His ROI is beyond comprehension!” Founded in the early 1980’s, ICM exists to bring the Gospel to the world through the establishment of “mother churches” that train, equip, and send out locals to build subsidiary congregations, effectively blanketing an area with Bible-believing local churches. By teaching local leaders, ICM operates on a strictly national basis—no American staff are employed overseas. Today, ICM has built close to 5,000 mother churches, each of which in turn has committed to plant five daughter congregations. Through this unique principle of multiplication, ICM is blanketing the world.

A Revolutionary Retirement The story begins with a successful businessman who had a desire to be used of God. There was nothing ground breaking about his desire; rather, it was quite natural for a Christian. Brought up in church from a young boy, Dois had always been active in various ministries of the local church, but as God began to speak to his heart about foreign missions, he began to see the breakdown between his secular accomplishments and his spiritual pursuits. In 1948, Dois purchased a small auto dealership that grew into the Pomoco Auto Group, an umbrella company that operates 30 franchises in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area. Named an “Unsung Virginian” in 1986 by the Virginia, Maryland, & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives in recognition of his business and civic accomplishments, Dois was a self-made industry giant, but a casual introduction to a local pastor began a chain of events that revolutionized the concept of retirement. Every Thursday, Dick Woodward, pastor of Virginia Beach Community Chapel, hosted a weekly Bible study attended by over 350 local businessmen. “I had no idea how God would use Dick in my life,” said Dois, as he recounted his first meeting with the man that would eventually partner with him to bring the Gospel to the world. “God used Dick to turn my life upside down, propel me around the world, give away most of my money, and change my thinking forever.” At the height of his ministry, Dick was diagnosed with a rare degenerative spinal disorder and was confronted with the reality

3rd Quarter

“

In simple terms

we build the building, but they

build the church.

One church becomes another, then another, and b e fo r e y o u know it, the

body of Christ

has grown to multiple assemblies run by national believers. We’re seeing miracles happen everyday.” – Dois Rosser

that he would be rendered a quadriplegic. Rather than become bitter and sacrifice his relevance, Dick began to record his teachings and established the Mini Bible College, a systematic and expository survey of the Bible. It was through this curriculum that Dois began to see the bigger picture. “As I listened to Dick’s exposition of the Bible, I heard the Gospel presented in a way that I had never heard before,” said Dois. “I wanted the world to hear his teachings, and through the tools of media broadcasting, we were able to multiply his message. The roadblock of Dick’s disability became a series of steppingstones that led us higher and higher beyond the limitations of Dick’s ministry in our part of Virginia. That was as far as we could see. But God’s vision went much further. He had a plan to take Dick’s Bible teaching to the whole world.” Believing God would prosper the transmission of the Gospel, Dois funded the translation and radio broadcast of Mini Bible College in Latin America, China, and India. These recordings became the foundation upon which ICM was built. Today, ICM has translated the Mini Bible College lessons into 32 languages and is currently in production of eight more. “We produced the recordings, but God developed the mission,” said Dois. “What we had thought to be a simple preservation of understandable Bible teaching turned into an international network.” Beginning with Bonaire, a rocky island north of Venezuela, the multinational evangelical Christian media provider, Trans Building The Kingdom, One Day At A Time

Dois with Cambodian child at one of the 108 ICM church orphanages in that country.

“We discovered that when we took the church planting to the grass roots level, it developed a nurturing aspect,” said Dois as he described the ministry of ICM. For example, in India, there are 600,000 villages that house over 650 million people. That’s twice the population of the United States! We can’t send enough missionaries to reach every person; we have to equip the nationals.” Using an innovative concept of self-replication, ICM contracts with local believers to plant a “mother church” with an agreement that five “daughter churches” will be planted within a radius of 12 ½-25 miles over the course of five years by nationals. Through this unique system, the power of the Gospel grows exponentially.

The Rosser family

“In simple terms, we build the building, but they build the church,” said Dois. “One church becomes another, then another, and before you know it, the body of Christ has grown to multiple assemblies run by national believers. We’re seeing miracles happen every day.” At the present date, Cuba has been blanketed with churches 12 ½ miles apart, while Vietnam and Cambodia are at 90% and Tanzania is close to completion. Pat MacMillan, a consultant with Triaxia Partners in Atlanta and a ministry supporter said, “I knew faith-based ministries, but here was one started by a businessman, and it was violating all the rules of typical ministry. ICM starts a ministry impact right out of the blocks, for considerably less money, and it’s considerably more effective—the core strategy is partnerships that foster results, accountability, and leverage.”

An Extraordinary Father Dois with one of ICM’s partners in Cuba, a nation blanketed by ICM churches.

World Radio, began to air Dick’s recorded teachings from the Mini Bible College. From there, networks across the globe followed suit. But radio broadcasts were just the beginning of ICM. God began to work on Dois’ heart to plant churches in regions that had no Gospel-teaching ministries.

An Unconventional Ministry A big challenge to many mission organizations is the cost of sending American missionaries overseas. Rather than spending years on deputation to raise support for one missionary family, ICM teams up with indigenous ministry leaders in countries around the world to bring the Gospel to their own people. TwoTenMagazine.com

“It hasn’t been easy,” said Dois. “Every day I wonder when the next shoe is going to drop. We built a church in Vietnam, and before we were finished, the pastor and son were killed. But you know what? The wife stayed, finished the work, and kept going for God. That single church has planted 44 daughter churches! That’s over 17,000 church members! That’s what God can do. We train, we nurture, we plant, but we trust God to take it to the next level. He has always been faithful.” When confronted with a problem in the business world, we have two choices: give up or find another way to get the job done. ICM is in the “other way” business. With 31 people on staff at the corporate headquarters in Hampton, Virginia, ICM operates on creative solutions to complicated problems. God has miraculously allowed ICM to continue to plant TwoTen Magazine

“

ICM represents the most efficient way of spreading the anointed word of God to the souls of men. When $1 is given to ICM it turns into $6 or $7 worth of concrete on the ground. The concrete on the ground are churches that act as schools, infirmaries and meeting places for the community. This becomes the place in the community where people can come together and grow into spiritual maturity. I feel my giving to ICM has been one of the best sources of catalytic giving that I have found in 50 years.”

- Dr. James Gills

St. Luke’s Cataract & Laser Institute

churches in countries unfriendly to the Gospel. With a goal of 231 churches in the country of Cuba, the government recently restricted access to ICM after the completion of 230 mother churches. But the work continues. In a recent call from a local pastor, Dois was informed that one of the original ICM planted churches was under construction for the final mother church. “The work goes on, no matter if we are there or not,” said Dois. “It’s still producing. That’s the design of it. We put the church in place, but the locals keep it operational. Our role is to keep producing. Every day, I stand in amazement at what God has done; I am so blessed to be used by Him.”

A Kingdom Calling Edward Hale, American author and clergyman, said, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And, by the grace of God, I will.” It is with this heartbeat Dois Rosser has changed the world, and at 92 years of age, he is still going strong. “All of my life in the business world was preparation for what God has for me now,” said Dois. “I am convinced that there are people everywhere that want to serve the Lord, no matter how old they are. But you know what? Just having the passion to serve the Lord doesn’t make a difference; you must put feet to your desire. Any person who contributes and tries to advance the Kingdom, whether serving soup at a soup kitchen or bringing a neighbor to a doctor’s appointment, I think they are making a difference. We, as humans, look at the big things God is doing, but He’s looking at our hearts. Build the Kingdom one day at a time through your daily grind. Just because you’re in a secular business doesn’t mean that you’re not in the Kingdom business. Give, pray, go. Let God write your story.” VICTORY

3rd Quarter

Personal Impact Dick Woodward, pastor, author, father, and friend, passed away on March 8, 2014. More than a simple Bible teacher, Dick had a way of looking past circumstances and presuppositions and seeing the heart of a man. His teachings have changed the lives of thousands of men and women across the world, but most importantly, his testimony of grace and dependence upon God has inspired all those who were blessed to call him friend. Even after his degenerative disorder left him a quadriplegic, his disability never restricted his service; rather, it drove him to a life of intercessory, constant prayer. “I give all that I have to my teachings and God has blessed that mightily all over the world. That never would have happened without my limitations; that’s the providence of God. To get between the love of Christ and all the hurt out there because He passes His love through you to them is like an addiction; you get hooked. You discover what He is, where He is, and where you want to be for the rest of your life.” –Dick Woodward From a hospital bed in Williamsburg, VA, to the fields white unto harvest, the Gospel has gone forth and lives have been changed, but above all, God has been abundantly honored through the life and ministry of Dick Woodward.

Building The Kingdom, One Day At A Time

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RANDALL WALLACE:

THE EPIC STORY TELLER By: Mark Whitaker

W hile i t â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s t r ue t hat ever yo ne ha s a s to r y, n ot ever yo ne c a n tell a s to r y well. F ewer s t ill c a n v isuall y tell a s to r y well. R a nd all Wallac e is a ma s ter at b ot h. H e is a n ac c omplishe d au t h o r, s cre en w r i ter, dire c to r, f ilm ma ker a nd pro du c er w i t h s ever al O s c a r n ominat io ns to his cre di t . B u t H o ll y wo o d wa s t he f a r t he s t t hing f rom his mind grow ing up.

orn and raised in a small country town in Tennessee, Randall learned the value of simplicity in life and the art of storytelling, writing his first story at the age of seven. His faith played an integral role in his life and led him to Duke University, where he studied Russian, Literature and Religion. After graduating, he worked his way through a year of seminary school by instructing Karate (he holds a black belt). Randall then moved to Nashville, where he ran an animal show at Opryland before deciding to move to Hollywood to pursue singing and songwriting. While trying to find his niche, Randall began writing short stories, novels and scripts for television

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TwoTen Magazine

dramas. His background in Russian gave him a foundation and appreciation for the epic story tellers such as Tolstoy, Chekov and Pushkin. Over the next four years he worked on a book set in the royal court of Catherine the Great. The book eventually grew to a 1600 page manuscript. Although he wasn’t able to sell the story, it gave him the experience to undertake his next great adventure.

In Search of a Story During a vacation to Edinburgh in 1983, Randall discovered the legend of William Wallace, who led the Scots’ 13th-century revolt against the British. Determined to learn all he could about the Scottish national hero who shared his family name, Randall spent four years writing the epic saga Braveheart. Randall was able to artfully tell the story of William Wallace, and was also able to weave in the emotion and passion that inspires souls. John Eldridge, president of Ransomed Heart Ministries, and author of the book and Bible study Wild at Heart, draws upon the passion that the film inspires to motivate Christian men to live their lives passionately as God has called them to. The screenplay quickly caught the attention of Mel Gibson, who was eager to portray William Wallace and direct the film. The film was a box office and critical hit, garnering dozens of awards including Oscars for Mel Gibson for Best Picture and Best Director; Randall was nominated for Best Writing.

“

Every man

dies, not every man

really lives.” - William Wallace, Braveheart

Grounded in Faith and Family

that harnessed the star power of Hollywood celebrities to raise money and draw volunteers to build homes for those most in need. As scripts began pouring his way, Randall was offered the opportunity to direct the big screen adaptation of the classic Man in the Iron Mask, starring Leonardo Di Caprio. Randall also wrote the screenplay and produced the film, which was released in 1998 and grossed over $56 million at the box office. His next two films, Pearl Harbor and We Were Soldiers portrayed the human struggles with our nation at war. We Were Soldiers, also gave Randall the opportunity to work with Mel Gibson again. The two have remained close friends since then. One of the songs played during the closing credits of We Were Soldiers, “Mansions of the Lord,” was written by Randall. The song was performed as the closing hymn at the State funeral of President Reagan, and the U.S. Army has adopted it as one of its performance pieces honoring the American soldier.

Inspiring Passion Although many people have been critical of the violence in some of Randall’s films, he sees them as stories of passionate devotion to a cause. He says, “When people ask me why I make so many movies about war, I tell them that they are really movies about love and loving something or someone so much that you are willing to die for it. I was at a screening for the movie Braveheart, where afterwards there was a question and answer session. A young woman nineteen years old stood up and told me that she didn’t have a question but a comment. Her fiancé had passed away six months prior, and before he died he told her that he wanted her to see the movie Braveheart so that she would understand the way he loved her.”

While the film firmly established Randall as one of Hollywood’s great screenwriters, the Oscar experience left him feeling uneasy. He explained, “There is no clearer example of the biblical sin of idolatry than the Oscar: It’s an actual golden statue. People worship it, not just in Hollywood, but all over.” Randall felt the need to make a conscious effort to refocus on his faith and family, the things that truly mattered to him.

A Winning Story

Randall began teaching Sunday school classes in his church and founded the Hollywood Habitat for Humanity organization

His next film, the 2010 Disney film Secretariat, would quiet those critics. It was a hero story of a different kind, based on

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Randall Wallace: The Epic Story Teller

“

I believe that we never

know how significant we are in God’s plans and purposes.” a three year old colt that captured the hearts of the nation by becoming the first horse to win the elusive Triple Crown, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, since 1948. Secretariat not only won each race of the Triple Crown, but won each race in a record setting time with the grand finale at Belmont, where he won by an incredible 31 lengths. Randall knew that the only way to capture the excitement and zeitgeist of that era was to film the crowd scenes on location in Kentucky. He was not disappointed. The stadium, Churchill Downs, was filled with enthusiastic fans, many of whom were there to witness the original race as teenagers. The movie also highlights the charming owner and Secretariat’s biggest fan, Penny Chenery, who visited the set on the day of shooting and agreed to Randall’s request to appear in the film as a spectator in the box with Diane Lane, who portrayed her in the film. The success of the film solidified Randall’s place as one of the great visual story tellers of our time and reinforced his conviction in the power of a story.

Challenging the Audience to Believe For Randall, some of the most powerful stories are those involving faith. For his next and most recent film, for which he wrote the screenplay and directed, he would draw upon his deeply held faith to bring the audience on a journey beyond this world, in Heaven is for Real. The film, based upon the New York Times #1 best-selling book of the same name, is about the remarkable experience of Colton Burpo who, at four years old, had a near death experience. After his recovery, Colton began to reveal his experience to his parents. He recounted detailed events that he saw that included things that happened before he was even born and would have had no knowledge of otherwise. He also told of visiting heaven, recalling specific, striking details about what heaven is like. Randall explained, “For me, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to do this film justice if I didn’t believe in it. When I was first approached about the movie, at first appearances it seems like a small, family story about a father and a son and the son’s impact on the family. TwoTenMagazine.com

– Randall Wallace

At the same time, I realized that it is an epic movie about the universal questions about life, our existence and eternity. When I first met Colton and looked into his eyes when he told me of some of his experiences, I believed. For me, that’s the essence of faith. It’s more important to believe than to know. My hope is that this movie will allow the audience to open their hearts and then open their minds to explore the possibilities of belief.” Oscar nominee Greg Kinear, who stars as Colton’s father Todd in the film, said, “What appealed to me most at the end of the day is that Randy had tackled this very human story and the eternal question everyone has about what comes after. Whatever your feelings on the afterlife–even in your current life, right here, right now–there is this beauty all around you that’s been nicely captured for this film through the eyes of a little boy. If you don’t have any personal inspiration, Heaven is for Real will give you some.” The film was immediately embraced, bringing in over $22 million on its opening weekend this past April. To date, it has grossed over $76 million. For Randall, success is measured by more than box office data.

The Power in a Story Randall explained, “I believe that we never know how significant we are in God’s plans and purposes. I don’t always understand the full implications of everything that I do. One of the things about the Christian faith is the recognition of ‘He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.’ Being faithful in even the smallest of things in our eyes can have large, eternal impacts on God’s kingdom.” When asked whether there are more of these types of films in his future, Randall said, “I will always be drawn to the types of stories that give me goose bumps, and Heaven is for Real was one of those films; one that grabbed my heart. It was the same feeling that drew my heart to Braveheart. There is power in a story.” VICTORY

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FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI:

BALANCING BABIES, BUSINESS

& THE BIBLE By Tricia Despres

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Balancing Babies, Business & The Bible

Francesca Battistelli sounds slightly frazzled. Residing just outside of the venue of a tour stop in Decatur, Texas, the 29 year old brunette’s tour bus is filled to the brim with her family, band, nanny and a never-ending stack of paperwork she still needs to read through. Her husband Matt, who also serves as her manager and drummer, is talking on the phone with someone from her label. Her children Matthew and Audrey are complaining that it’s a bit too chilly this morning to play outside. There are even a few band members vying to talk to her about the show they will play later tonight. And at this very moment, the talented beauty’s tour bus and brain are at capacity.

’m more apt to lay the law down with my kids than people who work with us,” she begins. “It’s a unique situation living with your employees. When I was 16 years old and dreaming of a career in music, I never thought about this aspect of the business. This job means making tough decisions and leading by example. But I admit…I fail sometimes.”

“

She takes a deep breath, and her sigh seems to give us a glimpse into the moments when the GRAMMY® nominee and “Artist of the Year” Dove Award winner just might not feel at her best. But at those moments, as infrequent as they might be, Battistelli says she can focus her gaze across the current hustle and bustle of the tour bus to find the one thing that has seen her through her life and career – her Bible. “I strive to always focus on the ministry,” Battistelli says quietly. “I want to live with grace and lead the team with grace. The Lord shows us grace even when we don’t deserve it.” TwoTenMagazine.com

A beautiful face with an even more beautiful soul and voice, Battistelli currently finds herself as Christian Music’s best-selling new artist in 10 years, making an impression on millions of fans with her truthful lyrics and God-given sound. Her work has earned her a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Gospel Performance, six Dove Awards and 22 Dove Award nominations. And while fame has definitely found her, the mother of two admits that she is still trying to find a way to do it all.

Finding Balance “I’m still trying to figure it all out,” admits Battistelli, who now makes her home in Nashville. “I take it day by day. I ask the Lord to give me the wisdom and strength I need today. Tomorrow can worry about itself, which is something that I’m not always good at, but that’s my goal at least. It can get overwhelming, whether it’s all of the daily things on the road or at home. Being a mom and worrying about getting the laundry done and TwoTen Magazine

Years, took the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Christian Album chart. “I try that and I end up losing the list. (Laughs) Then I try to put together a list on my phone, and I get irritated that I can’t cross things out on my phone, which is the best part of making a list in the first place. I must come up with some sort of system to keep everything that’s going on in my life straight.”

Growing Up in the Music Business I t wa s i n d e e d h e r p a r e n t s w h o supported Battistelli through the early stages of her career, which began in 2004 as an independent artist. Both coming from a musical theatre background in New York, Battistelli’s parents have undoubtedly been her biggest fans since the very beginning. “They were the ones who drove me all over Florida when I was just getting started, and they were the ones who were always there to listen to me in all of those coffee shops, and they were the ones who paid for my first album…which you will never hear, praise the Lord,” she chuckles. “They have always been protective and supportive. I owe a lot to them.”

the meals made are hard enough, but then also being expected to make these massive decisions on career…it’s a never ending juggling act.”

Produced by GRAMMY® -nominated and Dove Award-winning producer and her longtime collaborator Ian Eskelin, Battistelli’s third studio album If We’re Honest has been revered by critics as one of her “most intimate and accomplished musical statements yet.” Infused with her trademark pop and soulful vocals, the album quickly rose to the number one spot shortly after its April 2014 release and become her third consecutive album to gather the top position on the SoundScan Christian Albums chart. Battistelli says the album gives her the needed outlet to continue to lead by example through the life changing lyrics of her music.

To keep it all straight, she tries her best to learn a lesson from her mom. “My mom is one of those people that takes pencil to paper every day and writes up these lists of what she has to do,” laughs Battistelli, whose debut album, My Paper Heart (certified Gold in 2012), and her 2011 sophomore release, Hundred More

“’If We’re Honest’ is the title track on the new record and my personal favorite,” she remarks. “It talks about authenticity and not being afraid of being real with each other. The biggest lie we tell ourselves is that we have to keep things secret, because people might stop loving us if we tell the truth. The healing comes when

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Balancing Babies, Business & The Bible

“

The biggest lie we tell

ourselves is that we have to keep things secret, because people might stop loving us if we tell the truth. The healing comes when you are real and strip down the walls.” – Francesca Battistelli

TwoTenMagazine.com

TwoTen Magazine

“

Having someone in

the industry to look to for guidance...there is just nothing like it. Those mentors are priceless. What we are doing is still a business, but there must be some sort of balance. You must still be wise. It’s all about not majoring on the minors.” – Francesca Battistelli

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Balancing Babies, Business & The Bible

Listen to & Purchase Francesca’s new album

IF WE’RE HONEST francescamusic.com

you are real and strip down the walls. I’m not talking about airing your junk on Twitter. It’s just about being real and knowing that God will love you no matter what.”

Reaching Millions With over a million albums sold to date and nearly 2 million single downloads, Battistelli says she has much to keep her busy. Besides a number of performances on the Grand Ole Opry stage, Battistelli plans to fill her summer with more concerts and a much-anticipated headlining tour in the fall. And while in recent years, Battistelli says she has gotten more comfortable with the so-called fame that has found her, there are many times where she relies on her strong foundation of faith to know which direction to turn. “There are times when things happen, and situations arise, and you want to say something, because someone took advantage of us,” she recalls. Her lead single “Write Your Story” gained much exposure after being on ABC’s Good Morning America. “But then, you look at the situation and think about if that reaction is going to be the right thing. It is exemplifying God’s best. We go back to our goal to live with integrity and make decisions to honor God.” Serving as an example of these ideals is Battistelli’s father-inlaw, who actually has been a prominent member of the Christian music industry for over 30 years. “He is one of the most peaceful, godly men I know,” reflects Battistelli, whose video for the single “When the Crazy Kicks In,” was filmed in Nashville. “Whenever my husband and I are faced with a tough decision, we always go back to the question ‘what would your dad do?’. Having someone in the industry to look to for guidance…there is just nothing like it. Those mentors are priceless. What we are doing is still a business, but there must be some sort of balance. You must still be wise. It’s all about not majoring on the minors.” TwoTenMagazine.com

Maintaining Accountability To remind her of this simple, yet often complex, fact, Battistelli also turns to a bevy of accountability partners, including everyone from her husband to her nanny. “I am surrounded by people who can notice when I am down and need encouragement,” she says. “Sometimes, they have to literally remind me…‘Did you talk to the Lord today?’” And during the frazzled times, Battistelli says she can always receive limitless encouragement from the people who made her who she is today–her growing legion of fans. “Something will happen in concert when I look out into the crowd and will notice everyone singing along to my songs,” she concludes. “It’s a very humbling experience. It serves as quite a strong reminder that this is why I am doing this–even on the hard days.” VICTORY

Tricia Despres is a Ch ica g o -b a sed enterta inment writer whose

work

publications Sun-Times,

has

such

appeared the

Advertising

Chicago Age

and

Country Weekly magazine. From making story deadlines to making dinner for husband Paul and

girls

Taylor and Amanda, Tricia leads a busy life....but is never too busy to listen to the whispers of God.

TwoTen Magazine

THE

SHARPENED BLADE

Dave Neff: EDGE Mentoring

BY JESSICA BURCHFIELD entorship is a buzzword in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corporate culture; everyone wants to know how to be successful. Founded by Jeff Simmons, EDGE Mentoring, an initiative of Truth@Work, is a national program of hands-on mentorship between an established mentor and a young mentee. Uniquely positioned within corporate America, EDGE has made it their mission to equip the next generation of leaders with biblically based leadership skills that both sharpen professional expertise and offer spiritual accountability. The Sharpened Blade

“

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17 ESV

Where It All Began

In 2008, Jeff Simmons was named Senior Vice President of Eli Lilly and President of Elanco, a division of Lilly that maintains animal health and champions the cause of defeating global hunger. As a successful businessman with a blossoming career, Jeff’s heart was drawn towards the next generation of corporate leaders, and he began to design the blueprint of mentorship that would grow into the EDGE program. Based upon a platform of stewardship and biblical principles, EDGE puts Proverbs 27:17 into practice. Jeff felt strongly that it was important to build godly leaders who practice stewardship in their personal and professional lives, while maintaining relevance within their chosen profession. By seamlessly integrating faith and work, EDGE accelerates the development of young professionals and drastically increases their value as employees. In the beginning, Jeff identified three young men that he knew possessed high leadership potential, and twice a month, he would host an hour-long conference call. Today, EDGE mentors currently operate almost 30 individual groups with roughly 130 mentees in close to 20 states. Organically springing up across the country and operating in a silo framework, each mentor hosts a group conference call twice a month with his or her mentee while inspiring local accountability through face-to-face meetings and one-on-one phone calls. Additionally, once a year, mentees attend the America’s Best Hope conference, a catalyst event hosted by EDGE that actively confronts the need for mentorship and sharpens the focus of young professionals through special speakers and conference events.

How It Works Dave Neff, Executive Director of EDGE and one of the inaugural EDGE mentees, believes that God laid Ecclesiastes 10:10 upon Jeff Simmons’ heart, and he responded in kind. “He wasn’t looking for ways to fill his calendar,” said Dave, “He believed TwoTenMagazine.com

in the importance of investing in young, emerging leaders, not only by focusing on how quickly they can climb the corporate ladder, but also by instilling the importance of stewardship into the marketplace. God calls us as business leaders to integrate our faith into our work, to temper the platform of success with godly leadership, and to lead our businesses with grace and humility.” The concept of mentorship is not exclusive to the EDGE program; transactional mentorship exists in many corporations. However, EDGE is one of the premiere organizations that place emphasis upon the whole of a man, thus creating generational change within his business and personal life. Relying upon men and women of high caliber who are humble in their faith and accomplished in their careers, EDGE is a unique blend of corporate resources and spiritual truths designed to support and inspire the next generation of corporate leaders. Dave aptly describes his EDGE group like this: “I am invested in my EDGE group, because it is a community of like-minded men, seeking to grow and be better leaders in our careers, yes, but also in our homes as husbands, fathers, and men who make

“

If the iron is blunt,

and one does not

sharpen the edge, he must use more strength,

but wisdom helps one to succeed.” – Ecclesiastes 10:10 ESV

TwoTen Magazine

a difference. EDGE is based upon Christian principles. I haven’t seen any other mentorship organization doing what we’re doing. We’re faith-based, and we don’t back down from that.” EDGE prepares businessmen and women to integrate faith into their personal and professional selves. “We all have a defining moment,” said Dave. “It’s the moment when your business and your faith collide. When the topic of faith comes up, how do you respond? What is our role as leaders? Do we turn a blind eye when we observe unethical conduct, or do we confront it with a humble, godly manner? By integrating faith into our corporate lives, we believe that we can effect change upon American business culture.” Rather than achieving a level of independence from a mentorship program, EDGE believes that the higher one climbs within an organization, the greater the need for accountability. Ideally, once mentees become successful within their careers, they will become mentors of their own EDGE group or join the roundtable parent organization, Truth@Work, a nationwide accountability organization of Christian business leaders who are established within their careers, seeking to join with their corporate peers to remain both spiritually and professionally effective.

Why It Succeeds The success of the EDGE program falls upon the mentor’s shoulders. There is a desperate need for businessmen and women to stand upon godly principles within the workplace. Following the biblical examples of Esther, Joseph, and Daniel, EDGE mentees are encouraged to use their profession as a platform for marketplace ministry. “In the end, EDGE works because the Holy Spirit is a huge part of the program,” said Dave. “God brings mentors and mentees from different geographies with various hobbies and personalities together to change corporate culture. The high caliber of people within the organization makes it attractive to the young professional. A-players attract other A-players, don’t they? Success is attractive! EDGE mentors walk the walk of success as well as talk the talk of biblical effectiveness. They model it in their own lives. Who wouldn’t want to pick their brain? EDGE is the premier emerging Christian leader-mentoring organization, not only because we teach how to become successful, but also because we integrate our faith into all that we do, both behind a desk and at the kitchen table.” VICTORY

For more information about the EDGE Mentorship program, its parent organization, Truth@Work, or the 2014 America’s Best Hope conference, please visit www.edgementoring.org.

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The Sharpened Blade

OUR MISSION . . .

To glorify God in all that we do by following his example to “serve one another through love.” - Galatians 5:13

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Ask Dave ON BUSINESS W I T H

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D A V E

R A M S E Y

Ask Dave On Business

SETTING UP A SMALL BUSINESS EMERGENCY FUND Dear Dave, How do you set up a solid emergency fund for a small business? — Eric Dear Eric, In business, we would name it a little bit differently. Instead of an emergency fund, we’d call it “retained earnings,” but it’s still the same thing. Retained earnings serve several purposes. They could act as an emergency fund, or they could be used to expand the business and launch a new product line. You could also use retained earnings to take advantage of opportunities in the marketplace. This means you could buy out a competitor or buy up additional inventory at a great price. All businesses have cash needs to stay open and keep moving forward. Your retained earnings could easily be a pretty large account. Of course, you can keep them in a simple business account. That’s not a big deal. But in terms of the amount of retained earnings, I wouldn’t be in panic mode if I didn’t have three to six months of expenses like with an emergency fund in personal finance. That could be a lot of cash, but then you’d be acting as your own credit line too. That’s how I would do it, Eric. Open an account, call it retained earnings and let that one big chunk of liquidity (that big pile of cash) serve several of your business needs—including the need to stay out of debt!

DO EMPLOYEES NEED TO KNOW? Dear Dave, I’m the bookkeeper at my husband’s law firm. He wants to share the books with employees, and I’m not comfortable with the idea. What do you think? — Jennifer Dear Jennifer, Let me first say that I love to share with my team. In many cases, sharing creates unity. But in this scenario, I think you’re right. There should be a separation where very few people inside the organization know the entire picture. Unless you’ve grown and run a business, you probably don’t realize how many people there are who don’t know the difference between things like gross revenues and net profit. A lot of them would look at the top line and say, “Wow, that department is bringing in $1 million!” But they have no idea that it cost $980,000 in expenses to bring in $1 million, and the silly thing only netted $20,000. There aren’t many people who have the talent, maturity and emotional strength to keep and handle information like that, and not let it ruin them. And the ones who do generally end up being great CFOs, controllers and bookkeepers. I’m afraid you’re going to create more division than unity if you follow through with your husband’s idea. This isn’t paranoia speaking, Jennifer. I’m just trying to help you both be wise. — Dave

— Dave

TwoTenMagazine.com

TwoTen Magazine

WHAT IS A FREE MARKET? Dear Dave, What is your definition of a “free market?” — John Dear John, Like with a lot of economic terminology, the politicallycorrect police have redefined some things lately. So, you might get varying definitions of the term “free market.” Simply put, a free market is when buyers and sellers are free to do business. If you want to buy a shirt and there’s no impediment to you buying that shirt other than the cash you have in hand, and the seller is allowed to sell that shirt with no barriers or impediments on their end, that’s a free market. Markets that are less than free are regulated markets, and the more regulation there is, the more the market slows down. Free markets have a tendency to be more efficient, and they create things like supply and demand curves. Supply and demand curves work better when there’s not a lot of regulation slowing down the speed of people doing business. Now, some folks argue that regulation is needed because people are immoral and will take advantage of others if they’re not regulated. That’s certainly a reasonable argument. The problem is this: like so many other things that are reasonable, when taken to an extreme, it becomes unreasonable.

The truth is that when you study the history of economics, the histories of markets and capitalism, people who are dishonest are eventually punished by the marketplace. There are always a few exceptions, of course, and there are situations like monopolies and anti-trust scenarios that come into play. But the idea that you can put enough regulations on things so that everyone is always protected from dishonest people is ridiculous. The market will punish if there’s reasonable access to information. It will punish companies that deliver late or produce poor quality, or dangerous products, or overcharges. Don’t get me wrong. A certain amount of regulation is needed in a civilized society. The problem is that we as a people have become so driven by our current nanny-state mentality, we have this idea that, with enough government regulation, no one will ever again experience any kind of pain. But when you move in that direction, you stifle the economy. And when you stifle the economy and the market can’t move at normal velocity, the speed of doing business slows down, and that kills jobs. Regardless, the idea that all businesses are cruel, runamok entities, and businessmen only function from their own personal self-interest, is absurd. The most profitable businesses, over an extended period of time, are those who don’t function exclusively in their own self-interest. These are the ones who see their self-interest as being served by first serving their customers well! — Dave

Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He’s authored four New York Times best-selling books: Financial Peace, More Than Enough, The Total Money Makeover and EntreLeadership. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 6 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.

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Ask Dave On Business

THANK YOU TO OUR

NETWORK OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS TM

Without you, TwoTen Magazine wouldn’t be possible. We are grateful for your contributions, your support, and your prayers. We can’t thank you enough, and we look forward to many more years of providing purpose, perspective, and perseverance to our readers. Learn more about joining our Network of Strategic Partnerships by visiting: www.TwoTenMag.com/Partnerships

CHRIS HOGAN ON LEADERSHIP

5 TIPS FOR

INTENTIONAL

LIVING

OUR LIVES ARE COMPLEX COLLECTIONS OF STORIES AND RELATIONSHIPS. Some experiences revolve around our professional lives, while others are more personal in nature. Sometimes these areas are interwoven and connect the different areas of our lives in ways we don’t always realize. If we’re not intentional, our stories and relationships may be purely reactive—in which things merely happen to us; instead of proactive, where we take control of our actions and our lives. One example of a proactive relationship is mentoring. I’ve had some incredible mentors guide me and serve as great examples. In turn, I’ve tried to educate and encourage others. Several years ago, I was asked to speak at a local high school. Surprisingly, a number of students kept in touch with me over the years. A couple of them are now college seniors, and they emailed me recently asking for advice as they prepare to graduate and enter the real world. As I pondered their questions, I realized the advice I gave them also contained things I learned from my mentors

SO, HERE ARE OUR FIVE TIPS FOR

INTENTIONAL LIVING: 1

Grow Relationships.

Establish good relationships with people in your business world, as well as your personal life. I’m constantly amazed at the opportunities that present themselves as a result of connecting with people I know about what I know.

Be Authentic.

Be Likeable.

Be yourself. Always! Pretending is exhausting and ultimately frustrating. You have value as a child of God. Don’t forget that fact, and never allow anyone to diminish it.

Everyone has a story, and we’re all on a journey. Some people are easier to relate to than others. Regardless, show interest in people and their stories. Be a source of encouragement every single day.

Chris

Hogan

Be Intentional.

Make Wise Decisions.

Your time, effort and money are valuable resources. Be intentional with each of them, and never spend them carelessly.

Every day we make choices as to how we speak, act, think and feel. Make conscious and active choices to be positive. You can’t do everything for everyone, so purposefully choose what you can accomplish and do those things to the best of your ability.

THE TAKEAWAY:

Our lives are stories, and every day we write a new page. Sometimes, we begin an entirely new chapter. As you live out your story, slow down and apply these tips. It will make you more intentional, and help write a story that ultimately makes a difference!

speaks all over the country at businesses, associations and colleges on money and

leadership. He also conducts on-site training sessions for organizations of all sizes. As a former All-American college football player and business owner, Chris understands that leadership is essential for the success of any team. You can follow Chris Hogan on Twitter at @ChrisHogan360 or check him out here: daveramsey.com/speakers/Chris-Hogan

TwoTenMagazine.com

TwoTen Magazine

10 THINGS MILLENNIALS

BRING TO YOUR BUSINESS B Y: C H A R I S H I L L M A N B R O W N

The May 2013 Issue of TIME Magazine may have summed up everything for millennials, the largest generation born since the Baby Boomers: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Me Me Me Generation: Millennials are lazy, entitled narcissists who still live with their parents.â&#x20AC;? According to the article, (and according to the facts), millennials, born between the early 1980s and 2000s, are three times more likely to have narcissistic personality disorder, and four times as likely to pick fame over power, (choose to be a personal assistant to a celebrity versus becoming the CEO of a major corporation). And, they are the most technologically connected generation yet. According to Pew research, millennials send and receive an average of 88 text messages a day. 60

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10 Things Millennials Bring To Your Business

But perhaps the most disconcerting realization to me as a millennial myself, and a follower of Jesus Christ, is the state of our spirituality. Millennials are the most unchurched group of people our modern era has yet experienced.

CONSIDER THESE FACTS: Only 20% of those 30 and under believe church attendance is important. DATA FROM BARNA GROUP

One-third (32%) of adults under 30 have no religious affiliation, compared with 15% of those age 50 and up. DATA FROM PEW RESEARCH

28% of Millennials said the Bible is the literal word of God, compared with 39% of those aged 65 and up. DATA FROM PEW RESEARCH

0.005% MOSAIC

11%

OLDER

Less than one-half of one percent of adults in the Mosaic generation – i.e., those aged 18 to 23 – have a biblical worldview, compared to about one out of every nine older adults. DATA FROM BARNA GROUP

45% of adults under age 30 say that faith is very important in their lives. DATA FROM PEW RESEARCH

Looking around America today, no one can doubt the effect secularism and hypocritical religion has had on the faith of our youth. (For a more in-depth look at why millennials are disappointed in organized religion, check out the book UnChristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons.) But, though we have these things working against us, we cannot deny that the biblical mandate is one of multiplication, succession, and spiritual parenting. TwoTenMagazine.com

A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE BIBLE: Joshua 1:2-3 If Moses had not raised up Joshua, the Israelites would not have entered the promised land.

1 Kings 19:16 If Elijah had not obeyed God’s command to anoint Elisha as his successor, there would not have been another prophet in his place.

Matthew 28:19 If the disciples had not taken it upon themselves to follow Jesus’ command to “make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey” everything Jesus commanded, the Christian movement would have ceased to exist.

1 Timothy 1:18 & 19 Timothy’s relationship with Paul is one of spiritual sonship: “Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience...”

Malachi 4:6 Speaking of John the Baptist it says, “He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

“

DISCLAIMER: God is sovereign, and could have His will accomplished through other means...

So from the

sc r iptur es, w e c an se e t hat spi ri t ual mentoring, fathering, and succession is all ver y impo r tant . S o i mport ant , in f ac t, that Go d says he wi l l st ri ke the land w ith “to tal de st ruct i on” i f i t do es no t happ en!”

– Charis Hillman Brown TwoTen Magazine

Are millennials lazy, entitled, unchurched narcissists? Well, perhaps. But, are there are positives to this generation? Absolutely. In fact, I would argue if we miss out on what this generation brings to the table, our organizations could become irrelevant or possibly extinct - and as a nation we could experience the consequence described in Malachi 4:6.

HERE ARE 10 THINGS MILLENNIALS BRING TO YOUR ORGANIZATION: 1. They are technologically savvy.

You’ve no doubt seen a young person glued to their smartphone walking through the mall, or seen an article about the popularity of social media, especially among millennials. People aged 18-34 report spending 3.8 hours a day on social networks alone! Though this might be construed as a huge time waster, (and it is, in most respects), there are ways to influence the buying process online and establish brand recognition through social media. Millennials on your team who understand social media and online and mobile buying behavior can be valuable players and take your organization to the these new markets that are now quickly outpacing traditional sales models.

6. They want to be challenged. Give a millennial a challenge, and they might just surprise you!

7. They love to learn.

Spongebob Squarepants must have rubbed off on this generation, because they love to learn! Millennials learn best one-on-one with mentors or contacts if they need help with something, versus a long training program. They are very relational and are not afraid to ask for help.

8. They are comfortable with change.

Many of today’s youth grew up seeing the layoffs of their parents and unprecedented technological advancements. They don’t place much value on stability and job security and are expected to have 15 to 20 different jobs over their lifetime. This is compared to 11.3 jobs over the lifetime of a Baby Boomer.

9. They are transparent.

2. They are collaborative.

Millennials are highly relational and often grew up in environments that fostered collaboration. They prefer unity and cooperation over competition. Therefore, they enjoy working in teams versus working alone or in “silos.” They understand that problems are best solved together, with access to the most available ideas.

3. They are eager to make a difference.

In the book Generation Me, author Jean Twenge cites that youth volunteerism has increased in the last decade. Sixty-three percent of millennials donate to charities, and 43% actively volunteer or are a member of a community organization, according to the Deloitte Millennial Survey. According to TheMuse.com, job satisfaction to millennials, (or Generation Y) means knowing they made a real difference in the world. Their primary motivation is having a sense of greater good. Some might call this being “mission focused.”

4. They are innovative.

Millennials believe they are innovative (62%, respectively), and they want the company they work for to be innovative, too. Seventy eight percent of millennials believe that innovation is key to business growth, and nearly 70% of millennials want to start their own business one day. Tom Brokaw says of millennials, “Their great mantra has been: Challenge convention. Find new and better ways of doing things. And so that ethos transcends the wonky people who are inventing new apps and embraces the whole economy.”

5. They are societal transformers.

When asked the question, “What is the purpose of business?” millennials’ number one answer answer was “a way to improve society,” not just a place to collect a paycheck.

Unlike Baby Boomers, millennials don’t have a sense of shame about much. Evan Spiegel, 22, the co-founder of social media company Snapchat, argues that it’s become too exhausting for millennials to front a perfect life on social media. “We’re trying to create a place where you can be in sweatpants, sitting eating cereal on a Friday night, and that’s O.K.,” he says. Millennials also appreciate the transparency of those around them.

10. They are cautious, but optimistic.

This generation has seen the longest wars in U.S. History, the Great Recession and the Arab Spring, which makes them cautious. But, surprisingly, they also have a very positive outlook on life, much more so than prior generations.

MIND-SHAPERS, TALENT MINERS AND SPIRITUAL MULTIPLIERS We have already seen some of the consequences of the spiritual void within our culture when it comes to increased secularism and “anything goes” morality. I believe with all my heart millennials have something special to advance our ministry-businesses, and both we and they could benefit immensely by us fulfilling our spiritual mandate to be mind shapers, talent miners, and spiritual multipliers. As David Kinnaman, President of Barna Group states, “Millennials should be a priority not because ‘youth must be served,’ but because this generation is trying to learn faithfulness in a rapidly changing post-Christian culture.” I believe this is true not just from a spiritual perspective but from a business one as well. VICTORY

Charis Hillman Brown is passionate about raising up the next generation of leaders. She writes and speaks to the young adult age group to help them see their work as ministry, and has a passion to see people succeed in every area of life. She works with her dad, Os Hillman, who is an internationally recognized leader on faith and work. (www.MarketplaceLeaders.org) Charis is married to her best friend Justin, and they live near Atlanta with their cat, Mick Jagger. She blogs regularly at www.the17graceconnection.com.

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10 Things Millennials Bring To Your Business

“

Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.”

– Matthew 6:26 MSG

PERSPECTIVE “In our faith we follow in someone’s steps. In our faith we leave footprints to guide others. It’s the principle of discipleship.” - Max Lucado -

...meditate on these things.

DEFEATING DISCO UR AGEMENT

LESSONS FROM THE DISILLUSIONED BY ALAN ROBERTSON

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always thought of my Dad as a present-day prophet, a modern equivalent of John the Baptist, if you will. He loves his camouflage, kills and eats weird stuff, prizes his beard, and has a prophetic voice that points people to Christ. Just as John the Baptist lost his head as a result of his unwillingness to accept cultural wickedness, Dad has taken serious hits to his professional and personal life because of his vibrant stand upon the Word and principles of God. He is a Cultural Warrior. Cultural warriors are forged when societal trends call into question the integrity of a man. Whether it is a personal crisis of faith or a public stand against iniquity, it is inevitable that men and women who determine to stand for Christ within a corporate audience will face persecution. In many cases, these same men and women suffer from disillusionment and discouragement. Over the course of history, biblical prophets who were driven by God chose rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin for a season. (Hebrews 11:25

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ESV) It is from these examples that we, as present day cultural warriors, can draw strength and encouragement.

The Disillusioned Prophet During the reign of King Ahab, God called Elijah to be His voice in the midst of a culture full of idolatry and wickedness. I Kings 16 recounts how Ahab systematically attempted to destroy the worship of God within the country of Northern Israel by setting up altars to Baal. God delivered a message of judgment through Elijah in the form of a three-year famine. Think about that. In the midst of an agricultural society, he declared that there would be no rain for three years. Three years of crop failures, desolate fields, and the lack of fresh water. Rivers would dry up, trade would cease, and Israel would be a barren wasteland. And yet, Elijah faithfully proclaimed the judgment of God, choosing rather to suffer persecution than to deny Israel the chance to repent. Defeating Discouragement

Elijah put everything on the line for God, and at the conclusion of the three-year famine, God showed up. In a major, public showdown of burnt offerings on Mount Carmel, 850 false prophets attempted to prove that Baal could fix the economic meltdown. In the end, all they accomplished was a dead sacrifice on a dry altar. After they wore themselves out crying and praying to Baal, Elijah casually steps up, cries out to God, and calls down the fire. The burnt offering was consumed, and the God of Israel triumphed over evil once again. The long-awaited rain fell, and the land of Israel was replenished with cool, fresh water. You would think that the simple fact of God miraculously showing up would light a fire under Elijah, but ironically, after this amazing, culture-changing event, he became disillusioned and disheartened. King Ahab did not renounce his false gods; rather, he personally put out a death sentence upon Elijah. This dismissal of the miraculous saving power of God sent Elijah into a downward spiral of depression. He had put it all on the line for the Almighty, and he had been rejected. Isn’t this true in our lives, as well? When we take a stand for Christ, we expect people to take note. We expect results. We think that when we reject the wickedness in our culture, others will follow our example. When we watch miracles happen in our own lives, we believe that God can do miracles in our co-workers and our companies. We trust that God will show up for them, too. When we stand as a cultural warrior, we trust that culture will change. When it doesn’t, it is very easy to descend into disillusionment. After the incredible victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah expected revival to sweep the nation, not a death sentence. Rather than standing and fighting, he ran away.

“

Yesterday’s Victory vs. Today’s Battle I Kings 19 is an incredible example of a loving Father and a disillusioned cultural warrior. Within a society consumed with idolatry, Elijah bravely stood on his belief that the God of Israel would triumph over wickedness, but when the next inevitable cultural confrontation arose, he gave up. He didn’t follow through and became discouraged. Finding himself alone in a cave after running into the desert, Elijah came face-to-face with his disillusionment. As a cultural warrior, he naturally expected victory to follow victory. He assumed that because of one triumph, the battle was over. But when confronted with the reality of a continuing battle, he became overwhelmed.

On a personal note: Elijah’s Mount Carmel

showdown is one of my personal favorite

Bible stories. A challenge was laid at the

beginning, heavy taunting ensued in the middle, and an explosion of fire punctuated the end. Kind of sounds like a Duck Dynasty episode, doesn’t it? Complete with the explosions!” - Alan Robertson

TwoTenMagazine.com

TwoTen Magazine

“

Therefore take up

the whole armor of

God, that you may be able to withstand in the

evil day, and having done

all, to stand firm.” – Ephesians 6:13

Thankfully, God did not abandon Elijah in a desert cave. That is not how his story ends. God sent a great wind, an earthquake, and a consuming fire to demonstrate His awesome power, but spoke in a still, small voice to show His continuing care. Elijah was not alone, he was not the last of the cultural warriors, and he was not finished.

I, Alan Robertson, am not a prophet. You won’t find me on a mountain calling down fire to consume a burnt offering or hiding in a cave as the sole attendee of a supernatural Earth, Wind, and Fire concert. But I am a Christian. I am a member of a family that lives in the public eye. I am confronted with cultural battles every day. I am a cultural warrior.

The Victorious Warrior

I am incredibly blessed to be a member of the Robertson family. As a young man, I watched as my Dad built Duck Commander upon biblical principles. As long as he was following Christ, he didn’t really care what people thought; he put it all on the line. When he started this venture, he had no idea what battles would arise because of his visible Christianity, but I’m thankful that he has consistently battled disillusionment and has remained a steadfast, unmovable cultural warrior. VICTORY

Every Christian has moments of disillusionment and discouragement. Our society constantly presents us with opportunities to stand for cultural integrity within our corporate and personal lives. We are surrounded by the negativity of temporal pursuits, the consuming power of amassed wealth, and the addictive nature of sinful pleasures, and in the heat of battle, it is easy to become discouraged. Sin is systematically destroying our culture, but through it all, we need to remember that God is in the saving business. One person can make a difference; one prayer can change a culture. In 1 Kings 18:36-37, Elijah prayed: “LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” God has called us to be cultural warriors, to pray for the lost, and to change our culture.

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Alan Robertson is the oldest son of Phil and Kay Robertson. He helped build the foundation of the family business, Duck Commander. Recently, Alan has returned to the family business after serving in full-time ministry for more than 25 years. Alan plays a vital role in the family’s commitment to spreading the gospel of Christ through their love of hunting and the great outdoors. Alan and his wife, Lisa, are parents of two grown daughters and proud grandparents to two granddaughters and a grandson on the way.

Defeating Discouragement

HEY!

I’M TALKING TO YOU!

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR FUTURE SELF

BY: CHRIS PATTON If you have ever read Stephen Covey’s classic, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, then you are familiar with the funeral exercise. In this exercise, Covey asks us, the readers, to close our eyes and imagine our own funeral. What would we want others to say about us and the lives we lived? This is a truly effective exercise, but I think we can put a slightly different twist on it.

is point is to get the reader to imagine what they want the end of their life to look like so that they can map out a path to that end. Like I said, it is a powerful exercise if done well. At the same time, maybe looking that far into the future is a little difficult for some of us. Maybe it can even give us the feeling that we have more time than we might actually have, resulting in a less urgent call to action.

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In an effort to take smaller bites to eat this elephant and to turn up the heat on ourselves, I would propose we look at a picture five years from now. To do this, I want you to imagine that you have just received a letter in the mail. The handwriting on the envelope looks familiar to you, but you cannot place it until you open and begin reading the letter inside.

Hey! I’m Talking To You! A Message From Your Future Self

The handwriting is actually your own, because the letter is from you - five years from now! Somehow, even without the aid of a DeLorean or a flux capacitor, your future self has written to you about the status of your current life and how you need to start working right now to correct it!

I think a real example of this kind of letter could be very powerful in the hands of someone determined to make necessary changes in their lives. However, since I have no idea what your letter might look like or include, I will have to share with you what mine might say.

As you read over it several times, you are blown away. You have never really given much thought to what your life will look like in the future. Now that you read this letter from yourself, you realize that a lot can happen in that short period of time. In other areas, you recognize that very little will change unless you get intentional to do something about it!

As you read this excerpt from what I think my own letter might look like, I want you to notice the various areas of my life (Covey’s “roles”) that I address. While I do not touch on every “role” in this excerpt, it is important that you do when you complete this exercise on your own. You should work through every role you play so that no part of your life is overlooked.

Dear Chris,

March 15, 2019

Did you notice the date above? Bet you are shocked to receive this letter, huh? Especially since it is from me (you)! I wish I could take the time to explain the science involved in me getting this letter to you right now. Unfortunately, I simply do not have the time or ability to do so. You are simply going to have to trust that this really is from me (you) and I am writing it five years into your future (my present). I hope you will also forgive my lack of pleasantries and chit-chat. I would love to go into detail about a number of areas in our life, but I am afraid that would only serve to dilute the urgency involved in the rest of what I have to tell you. Plus, knowing you as well as I do, you might use some of what I tell you to take actions that could interrupt the space-time continuum! Now that I have your attention, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. You need help! No kidding! You and I have some serious problems in our life. Yours are in the future, but unfortunately are affecting me right now! Fortunately, there is nothing going on right now (for me) that you cannot change dramatically for the better with some action on your part. The good news is that you are totally and completely capable of making these changes right now. No, I don’t mean you can completely correct the future problems right now. Nor do I mean you can totally change yourself for the better overnight. What I mean is that right now, when and where you are currently, you are fully capable of doing everything I will ask you to do. I will not ask you to do anything like adding four inches to your height or become fluent in Mandarin Chinese and three other languages over the next five years. All you need to do is change some small habits and add or eliminate some others. I promise that none of this will be rocket science or ask anything of you that is unreasonable. Are you game? Of course you are…I already know all that you are thinking! Let’s start with the most important - your relationship with God. I will not beat around the bush here. You think you have faced challenges up to this point in your life, but I promise tougher ones are coming. Without a much stronger relationship with Him, you will struggle more than ever. Not only that, but I think even more importantly is the depth of relationship with God that you are missing. There is so much more fulfillment available to you if you will start spending more time with Him on a daily basis. You know that book you are reading that talks about getting to a conversational relationship with God? Apply it! You need it more than you know! Specifically, you need to increase your morning prayer time and Bible study in the mornings. You need to increase the importance you place on memorizing Scripture, because there will be many days you will be glad you can call it to mind for the peace you will need. There are other things you can do in this area, but you already know that. Just focus harder on the habits I mentioned above! The next problem area is your marriage and your family. I know you want me to get to the details about your work, but that is part of your problem. You are too focused on what you think God wants you to do through your job, and you are missing some significant problem indicators in your family.

I will tell you that you are not completely failing here. You are not divorced in five years and none of your children are in jail. However, don’t get puffed up, because the next five years after that could look very different if you do not change now. Your wife loves you and still wants to spend time with you, but since all of your kids have headed off to college last year, you two don’t have anything you like to do together. She wants attention from you, but it seems you two are not seeing eye to eye. You have grown apart. Your kids are another story. Because you were so determined to “keep them in line” rather than just spending time with them, they are not as interested in being with you now. In fact, they only come home from college when absolutely necessary. They don’t ask you for money very often, but that is only because it would mean more interaction with you. They don’t hate you at all, but they are just more…detached? There is no real relationship between you and them. They have not strayed from the church necessarily, but they are certainly not engaged there. Now that you are not “making” them go, they seldom do. Find a way to engage them spiritually. Mission trip, volunteering, don’t just speak the word to them, show them the word now. Fortunately, they are not too far gone yet. Seriously, all you need to do with them AND with your wife is to reallocate your resources. You know what that means, right? Spend time with them. Take some time from work and invest it in them. The business will not go away if you do, but they might if you don’t! You don’t have to quit your job or take 5 weeks of vacation. You only need to make some minor, but consistent changes to your schedule. When you do, be intentional about how you are investing the time. Focus on what they enjoy…you will find that you will enjoy it as well. Do it now! Don’t wait until…you hire the COO…or finish the new facility…or make the change in the accounting system…or any other delay you can find. Start today. You can solve both of these issues (marriage and family) with the same solution, and it is so cheap and easy, you are an idiot if you don’t do it! Now, let’s move on to your work...

I will tell you honestly, I got emotional as I put this together. If you are doing it right and taking a brutally honest look at your life, the same will likely happen to you. Folks, as I stated in the letter, there is nothing our future selves would ask of us that is impossible for us to accomplish. The changes we need to make in order for us to be the person we want to be in five years are not that difficult. They simply require dedication and commitment on our part. We must fix our eyes on the prize and run the race laid out for us. If we will do this, I am sure we will be amazed at what God will add to the picture. His part is much more fantastic than ours! Together, the results will be worthy of hearing, “Well done.”

“

There is

nothing our future selves would ask of us that is impossible

for us to accomplish.”

– Chris Patton

VICTORY

Chris Patton

is President of the Mike Patton Auto Family in LaGrange, Georgia. Along with his

brother (and partner) Brian, Chris is a third-generation owner and grew up working in every department in the business, beginning at the age of 10. Chris also writes a blog called Christian Faith At Work (ChristianFaithAtWork. com). He is writing it to business owners and leaders who are trying to figure out how to integrate their Christian faith into their businesses. Chris and his wife Kim live in LaGrange, GA with their three children.

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Hey! I’m Talking To You! A Message From Your Future Self

MARINES MAKE LEGENDARY SACRIFICES.

SENDING THEIR CHILD TO COLLEGE SHOULDN’T BE ONE OF THEM. Awarding more than 30,000 scholarships valued at $80,000,000 since 1962, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is the Nation’s oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen.

HONOR SACRIFICE. INVEST IN EDUCATION. www.mcsf.org/donate

BUILDING A

GOD HONORING

CULTURE

OF CARING WHERE

YOU WORK B Y: D R . M A R K C R E S S

Conversations about “Work/Life” balance seem to abound of late. Certainly, over the last five to ten years the concept has blossomed into a topic of great discussion. So, before dismissing this article as just another in a long string of stories on the subject, please stay tuned for a few more lines to discover how some leading companies of all sizes are tackling this issue with abandon–and success. 72

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Building A God Honoring Culture Of Caring Where You Work

The core of creating a God Honoring Culture of Caring where you work begins with the Christ centered worldview of “loving your neighbor not ourselves.” “Who is my neighbor?” you may ask. Understanding that we are workplace missionaries, our neighbors are our fellow team members, their family members, customers, vendors, people in neighboring businesses, those living in neighborhoods surrounding our worksites, industry contacts, and even our competitors.

you to start small and start as close to the top of your organization as possible. Employees are often eager to get involved once they see leadership take the lead. Sometimes it can be as simple as saying yes to an employee who seeks approval to start a weekly prayer or Bible study group. Remember, it is perfectly legal to allow Christian prayer or Bible study groups at your place of business so long as there is equal accommodation for those of other faiths to initiate their own. Also, it is important to ensure such meetings are totally voluntary in nature and that no employees are required to participate. If the concept of equal accommodation challenges you to be concerned that other faith groups will come out of the proverbial “woodwork” seeking accommodation, you can take heart in the fact that in over 20 years of being involved in the workplace ministry movement, I have never had a business owner tell me someone has even asked.

My dear friend, Buck Jacobs, the founder of Christian based The C-12 Group, created, and for many years has taught, a seminar titled: “A Strategic Plan for Ministry.” One of the most eye opening moments during these events for most participants comes when they fill out a form Buck has designed to calculate the sheer scope of ministry opportunities even the smallest business affords. I recall a story Some of the best about one relatively advice I have heard small business in on this subject came of creating a God Honoring particular that touched from Dr. Bill Jones, Culture of Caring where you more than 5 million President of Columbia work, begins with the Christ people annually through International University, centered worldview of “loving their advertising and when he spoke at a customer base. Just “t-factor” conference to your neighbor as ourselves.” contemplate that for encourage business, – Dr. Mark Cress a moment. Your owners to build God workplace has the honor i ng cu lt u r es potential to reach within their businesses tens of thousands of hosted by Coca-Cola people with the Good Bottling Company News of Jesus Christ by simply becoming intentional in “loving Consolidated recently at their Charlotte, NC headquarters. your neighbor.” Dr. Jones encouraged business leaders to avoid the trap of simply adopting programs and focus instead on establishing Think how many churches it takes to reach that many people stair steps to long-term success. Each of the steps led to each week, yet our American free enterprise workplaces are great spiritual maturity, leading to Christian reproduction perfectly suited to both profit from their business platform and through evangelism, by living out the Great Commission in at the same time succeed grandly as agencies for dispensing the workplace. the fruit of the Spirit, which according to the book of Galatians in the New Testament is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, Clearly, there is no shortage of caring programs and ideas goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These nine a business leader can implement almost immediately. The key words can change your business and the community in which is to find the ones that will be a cultural fit for the long term it operates forever! When we begin to see our workplaces as at your particular business. Cultures within businesses are like genuine ministry and caring outreach agencies, the opportunities fingerprints. All are uniquely distinguished from one another, become enormous. and just because something works in one business does not necessarily mean it will succeed in another. The successful There are literally thousands of businesses in the U.S. currently experiences of Coke Consolidated mirror the leadership model operating under such a plan. If you are not one of them, how do of encouragement and accommodation listed above. Almost you get started? Those who have been at it a long time will advise twenty years ago, some employees sought management approval

“

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The core

TwoTen Magazine

“

Cultures within businesses are like fingerprints. All are uniquely distinguished from one another, and just because something works in one does not necessarily mean it will succeed in another.” – Dr. Mark Cress

to initiate a regular time of prayer during their workweek. Management not only agreed; in addition, senior executives also joined in whenever possible. Many people credit this early approval and participation in the prayer groups as the springboard for the dozens of both internal and external God Honoring caring activities going on at the company today. These activities include, but are certainly not limited to, outreach for single parents, adoption of needy communities, nursing home care, feeding the homeless, programs in schools, a robust chaplain program for all employees, employee led Bible study programs, as well as a host of programs at each company location through an organized “Stewardship” program. These programs at the local level enable employees to extend the organization’s impact for the Kingdom far away from the company headquarters. Another element of success is to get as many people in the company involved as possible. Peter Freissle, a Christian business owner in Spartanburg, South Carolina has become an international leader when it comes to encouraging business people to live out their faith at work. By his own admission, prior to a spiritual epiphany a number of years ago, his industry leading manufacturing business, Polydeck Screen Corporation, was anything but a caring place to work. It was not making a difference in the community. Employee turnover was too high, and Peter readily admits his priorities were not in the right place. Then while on a retreat, God clearly spoke to him about the things he cherished most in life, and immediately he knew things had to change. During this weekend retreat, he surrendered to what he saw as God’s will to dedicate his life to serving Christ

through his life and business. He changed the mission and vision of the company to be one of “caring.” He even printed this mission, complete with references to his Christ centered values, on the back of his business card. Here is what it says: “We are a company grounded in the Christian values of humility, honesty, integrity, respect, kindness and a sense of social responsibility. Our goal is to create eternal value by striving to honor God in all we do. This is reflected in how we conduct our business and how we care for our employees–our greatest asset.” Basically, all Peter did was surrender to God’s call to create a culture of caring in his workplace, and Peter will tell you, God took the reins from there. Today, not only have Polydeck and its stakeholders been transformed through the process; but out of this sprang an organization called His Way At Work, that is successfully offering training and support for business leaders, around the world on four continents, to do likewise (www.hwaw.com). Why not take the leap like Buck, Peter and many thousands of other Christian business leaders around the world to consecrate your workplace to Christ as a place dedicated to “loving neighbors” and seeing lives transformed in the process. VICTORY

Dr. Mark Cress is the Founder of Corporate Chaplains of America. CCA (www.chaplain.org) is the nation’s leading provider of full time workplace chaplains to more than 800 public and private business locations across the US and internationally. He holds business and seminary degrees including a doctorate in Business Ethics and Leadership.

He has authored seven books through Lanphier Press. Mark has a passion for Christian leadership matters

within the emerging workplace ministry arena. He and his wife Linda have two grown daughters and reside in North Carolina.

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Building A God Honoring Culture Of Caring Where You Work

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

& WHAT THEY MEAN FOR OUR BUSINESSES By: Jordan Raynor

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:13-14 ESV The rate of change in technology today is unprecedented. Sometimes it is hard to determine which changes are fads and which have the possibility of being truly disruptive to business. In this edition of TwoTen Tech, I highlight three trends in technology that, on the surface, look like they were pulled from science fiction novels. But if these technologies do prevail over the next few years, they will dramatically disrupt businesses across many industries.

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...Of The Future: Emerging Technologies & What They Mean For Our Businesses

THE INTERNET OF THINGS What is it? We are living in an increasingly programmable world where computers are no longer limited to controlling our experience on digital devices; they are also controlling our experience in the real world. “The Internet of Things” refers to the rising tide of “smart devices” that use the internet to enhance the physical world. Wired Magazine painted a picture of this future in 2013 saying, “Coffeepots that talk to alarm clocks. Thermostats that talk to motion sensors. Factory machines that talk to the power grid and to boxes of raw material. A decade after Wi-Fi put all our computers on a wireless network, we are seeing the dawn of an era when the most mundane items in our lives can talk wirelessly among themselves, performing tasks on command, giving us data we’ve never had before.”

How can I apply it to my business? The Internet of Things has already invaded the consumer electronics market with products like Nest’s Learning Thermostat, which “learns your schedule, programs itself and can be controlled from your phone.” Nest was recently acquired by Google, another piece of data pointing to the dramatic implications the Internet of Things will have on businesses in the future.

AUGMENTED REALITY What is it? Dictionary.com defines augmented reality as “an enhanced image or environment as viewed on a screen or other display, produced by overlaying computer-generated images, sounds, or other data on a real-world environment.” Sounds pretty boring when you put it like that, right? Well, augmented reality is anything but boring in 2014. It is finding amazing business applications across the globe.

How can I apply it to my business? Roberta Firstenberg loved being outside in her garden, but her cancer quickly restricted her from doing so. Firstenberg’s granddaughter contacted Oculus Rift–the augmented reality company that Facebook recently purchased for $2 billion–to request a headset that would allow her grandmother to virtually roam around a Tuscan villa to ease her pain. This amazing application of augmented/virtual reality is just one example of this disruptive technology. Google Glass is another great example. Glass is a wearable computer with an optical headmounted display that shows the consumer information in a smartphone-like, hands-free format. Soon, consumers will be able to see your store from across the park and instantly see the hours of operation, your menu, reviews, and so on.

DRONES What are they? No, I am not talking about Star Wars or cruise missiles. I am talking about the growing phenomenon of remote-controlled pilotless aircrafts called drones. This technology has been around for years, but the business applications of drones have been unclear until recently.

How can I apply it to my business? The most high-profile business application of drones came recently from Amazon.com–the king of online retail. In December 2013, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced an experimental program the company has been working on called Prime Air. The program will use drones to deliver packages up to five pounds to your doorstep in less than 30 minutes after you place your order on Amazon.com. For years, Amazon has been disrupting the massive industry of retail. But this latest disruptive use of technology could be their biggest move yet, assuming they can clear the massive legal and regulatory hurdles, of course.

WHAT’S NEXT? There’s no telling what disruptive technology (additive manufacturing, peer-to-peer payment systems, etc.) will change our businesses next. As leaders of Kingdom-minded organizations, it’s our unique responsibility to strive, press on, consider and evaluate the best ways to deploy emerging technologies into our companies, thereby properly aligning them for the future and God’s glory. VICTORY Jordan Raynor is the Author of Startup Stories: Lessons Learned from a Startup's Launch, Grind, and Growth. A serial entrepreneur, Jordan has spent his career using technology to solve real problems in business, politics, and government.

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TwoTen Magazine

GOOD COMMUNICATION HELPS BUSINESSES FUNCTION BETTER

BY: PA UL WHITE, PHD

Do you ever get tired of hearing the same advice? (Like: the best way to manage your weight is through moderate exercise, drinking lots of water, and eating healthily.) You may get irritated when you hear it, saying to yourself, “Yeah, I know, I know.” And maybe you wish there were a different, easier answer. But you also know that the principle is foundationally true. In fact, the reason the advice is repeated is because it’s true, and it works.

The same dynamic applies to good communication in the workplace. We hear the advice repeatedly from different sources: “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” LEE IACOCCA

“Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn’t even matter.” GILBERT AMELIO

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” TONY ROBBINS

“Good leaders must communicate vision clearly, creatively, and continually.” JOHN MAXWELL

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Good Communication Helps Businesses Function Better

hy do so many leaders, speakers, authors and consultants talk (seemingly incessantly) about communication? Because if you don’t communicate clearly (that is, accurately transfer the message in your mind to someone else’s mind), then at a very basic level, either you are going to wind up doing everything by yourself, or those things that are done by others don’t get done correctly. Is that an effective way to lead an organization?

LET’S SPECIFY SOME OF THE DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF INEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION:

No communication.

Indirect communication.

Gossip.

Negativity & complaining.

Blaming, making excuses.

Anger, sarcasm and cutting remarks.

Good Communication Leads to Positive Results The fact is: Good communication lies at the heart of reaching your goals. When team members communicate well–that is, when they interact often, listen to others, and work at communicating clearly–good things happen in a business or organization. There are fewer errors made (“Oh, I thought you said …”), better decisions are made (and implemented!), roles and responsibilities are more clear, and there is less irritation and conflict between the staff. Recently, I was reading through the book of Genesis, and I came upon the story of the Tower of Babel, where God makes people talk in different languages. Why? Because (and I don’t fully understand the theology of this), God says, “These people are united, all speaking the same language. This is only the beginning of what they will do. They will be able to do anything they want.” (Genesis 11: 6). When people communicate well, they can accomplish great things together. There is a synergy and flow that occurs that allows people to be themselves, to feel energized, and for creative problem-solving to occur.

Poor Communication Leads to an Unhealthy Environment The converse premise is also true: an organization becomes unhealthy when different types of poor communication dominate the interactions. My colleagues and I have been studying toxic work environments for the past several months for our new book. To no one’s surprise, one of the top characteristics of a toxic work environment is a pattern of poor communication across the organization – from management to employees, between supervisors and team members, with vendors and even with customers. TwoTenMagazine.com

This is no surprise. When people don’t communicate with one another, necessary information isn’t transferred, which results in individuals making (usually incorrect) assumptions, or making bad decisions based on lack of information, or being afraid to make decisions, because they don’t have the information they need.

Talking through someone else (“Well, you tell Bill…”), going around the proper channels of communication, or not talking to the person who really should know (hoping they may eventually “get the message”) is one of the most effective ways to screw up an organization.

A subvariety of indirect communication, gossip is the process of telling others negative information about another person, which they have no need or right to know. The purpose is character assassination, and gossip is a deadly poison in office relationships.

Some people are experts in making negative, disparaging remarks about any event or circumstance. Complaining comes from a lack of gratitude and contentment–nothing is ever good enough. Employ enough of these individuals, and soon everyone will hate their work and their co-workers.

Originating in childhood, blaming and making excuses are rooted in an individual being unwilling to accept responsibility for their actions and choices (which is why these people seem childish). Unfortunately, these forms of communication can go all the way up the organizational chart and are even used by departments and divisions to avoid being held accountable for the results they are experiencing.

Negativity is one thing, but actively attacking others through anger and damaging words is totally unacceptable. Unfortunately, however, many leaders manage and manipulate their staff through verbal and emotional abuse. The result? Wounded individuals who function primarily out of fear, trying not to get hurt (and therefore, unwilling to take any risks at all). TwoTen Magazine

The Solution? Speaking The Truth In Love As often is the case, the Bible gives us solid, practical instruction in how to communicate well with others. There are many, many verses addressing the issue (for example, read through Proverbs), but an excellent starting point is Ephesians 4:15, where we are encouraged to relate to one another by “speaking the truth in love.” What I find interesting is the variety of ways in which we do not follow this instruction. First, we are to “speak,” as opposed to not saying anything. Some of us don’t want to “make waves” and some of us actively avoid anything that looks like conflict. But this isn’t healthy–for us, or for the other person. Additionally, we are to speak to one another (this is implied in the passage) as opposed to talking around or through others. Some of us are unwilling to talk directly to the person we need to, but are “courageous” enough to try to send the message through somebody else. Indirect communication has a number of faults, but two of the most problematic are: a) the messenger takes the bullet of emotionality from the sender–they are the ones who get yelled at (not the true recipient of the message); and b) there is no process available for the recipient to obtain clarification on the message or to respond directly to the sender. Secondly, we are to speak “the truth,” as opposed to saying false things. Lack of truth comes in many forms–through withholding information (ever know someone who consistently didn’t tell you the whole story?), by distorting information (putting a spin on the information so that the message received does not accurately reflect the reality), or by out-and-out lying. As Jim Collins stated in Good to Great, if we are going to be successful in business, we must “face the brutal facts of reality.” But in order to do so, then we need to know the true facts.

“

We can speak

truth with one another, even difficult truths,

without attacking, yelling or being excessively harsh.

Some of us need lessons in communicating

more gently.” – Dr. Paul White

Finally, we are to speak the truth “in love,” as opposed to speaking in anger, judgment or condescension. While the Southern regions in our country are more likely to err by not saying anything or talking indirectly through others, our Midwest and Northern friends are more likely to “tell you like it is” and not worry too much about their tone or whether you get your feelings hurt. Both are errors. We can speak truth with one another, even difficult truths, without attacking, yelling or being excessively harsh. Some of us need lessons in communicating more gently. For if we are to speak the truth in love, doesn’t that imply we should be careful to not communicate in a sharp, cutting manner? An additional point about speaking “in love”: I think it also means we should not communicate the truth to others in fear, through resentment or jealousy, or hurt. These motivations will not lead to a positive result. Yes, you’ve heard it before, but it is worth saying again: Working on improving your communication patterns at work will create positive results throughout your organization. VICTORY

Dr. Paul White is a psychologist, speaker, and consultant who makes work relationships work. Co-author of the 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace (with Dr. Gary Chapman), Dr. White provides practical advice in improving workplace relationships and successfully transferring family businesses across generations.

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Good Communication Helps Businesses Function Better

“

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you .”

– Genesis 28:15 NIV

PERSEVERANCE “Ta k e c o urag e. We walk in the wilderness today and in the

Promised Land tomorrow” - D. L. Moody -

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