Follower of One : Missions For The Rest Of Us

Everything God created will thank him. His faithful people will praise him. Why do we give thanks? The moment we thank someone else for something, we acknowledge that, even if we could have done the same thing for ourselves, we didn't. We received it from someone else. They chose to give and we received. 

When we thank God, we acknowledge our rightful place in the world. I don't think any of us can fully evaluate the gap between what we're capable of and what God does. Everything we have is from him. If he didn't create this planet, we're dead. He's the One who gave us oxygen, water, life, strength, brains. Everything we know was first his idea. Everything we do is done using his resources. Our life and our time exist by his power. 

When we respond with thanks to even the seemingly negative things that happen, we're telling the world we trust God. Let's live like we appreciate God as much as possible, every day. That action will help others see him, and it won't come close to evening the score, either. 

Please consider paying it forward. We've had over 280 people take our Marketplace Mission Trip. This podcast has been downloaded over 65,000 times. Our goal is to mobilize Jesus-followers to make him visible in a practical and relevant way. Why not make a contribution to Follower of One to help us multiply our ministry in 2021. Go to www.FollowerOfOne.org and click the Donate button. Thank you very much.

In this week's episode of the Follower of One podcast, Mike talks with Mark Deterding. Mark is a Leadership Development Consultant and Executive Coach and is currently the President and CEO of Triune Leadership Services. Triune helps executives gain soul-deep satisfaction in how they lead through faith-based servant leadership. Please welcome him to the Community!

Episode Breakdown

1:00 - Meet Mark Deterding

2:25 - Mark Explains Triune Leadership Services 

5:35 - How Mark Found God

7:10 - Mark's Faith at Work

12:55 - Mark's Book: Leading Jesus' Way

19:30 - Character Matters

21:50 - The Unity Foundation 

26:40 - Connect with Mark

28:25 - The journey we are on

You Have A Purpose

God has already created you with a purpose for your life! Great news! Finding your purpose is much more difficult, though. Many of us have found our purpose and those are genuinely happy with their life. Are you missing something? Not genuinely happy or satisfied with the way you interact with the world? Look no further than Mark's book "Leading Jesus' Way". Mark provides practical experience and knowledge to generate a road map for your purpose and how you can generate a way to extend your faith through work and become a better you. No matter your age, there is time to find purpose in your life in all aspects, work, family and even recreation. Don't give up, focus on Jesus and you will find the path for you! Please go pick up a copy of Mark's book. It will help! 

Building Relationships

This is typically one of the most talked-about things in any business, relationships. Why do they matter? How can we build them? It certainly isn't easy but the one thing we all know for sure is that it is the single most integral part of achieving success in your life. It isn't just about work. Friendships, sports, your walk with Jesus, business- relationships matter in all aspects of life. What have you done recently to foster greater relationships within your center of influence? Do you have a center of Influence? Who you choose to be around you shows you who you are. If you are aspiring for more, look for people who are doing more! 

Interview Quote

" People don't create their purpose. The Lord has created you with purpose, values, and strengths already. It is a discernment process" 

Connect with Mark

Mark's LinkedIn 

Triune Leadership Services

Leading Jesus' Way (Book)

Mark's Email: [email protected]

Connect With Follower Of One

Join us over in our Online Community, get social with us; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Listen to our podcast on your way to work and subscribe using your favorite podcast app. Be a part of our next Marketplace Mission Trip!

Paul urged the Corinthian believers to give for over a year to help the Christ-followers in Jerusalem. Most of this chapter is about their preparation. Paul doesn't want them to forget their commitment. They've been saving for quite a while. Or he hoped they had. He didn't want the time to come, and rather than a year of savings, the Corinthians only had a week or two worth of savings put back.

Important things are seldom urgent. If we focus on the urgent, we blow it on the important. Paul reminds them to follow through. This verse is a linchpin in his reminder. Jesus became poor for us.

Giving is important. Are you strategic with your giving? I confess to be less strategic than I'd like to be. Where do you need to prepare more. Jesus became poor for us, so we might become rich. What are we willing to do, over time, as a response. He invested his entire life for us. What part of ours can we give up.

Your investment determines your trajectory, and your destiny. Let's be strategic givers. Plan to pray for others. Ask God to make giving front of mind. Find a way to go beyond what is expected of you so you can help others move one notch closer to Jesus. 

Jesus spoke about giving quite a bit. In this passage, Jesus uses some extreme terms to describe the reward we receive when we give. If we hoard, we are not rewarded. But if we give, we can expect the return. We can expect rewards in reward for bing a rewarder.

If we give, we can expect to be given to. Can we give according to what we believe about Jesus, or do we only give based on our own ability and our own reserves? How can we spend our energy and our gifts and our resources? What can we give? Does everything have to be money? What about time? What about knowledge?

Does God challenge you? If not, you may not be listening. I believe God calls us out beyond what's comfortable. Can you get uncomfortable with your giving? 

Also, consider making a donation to Follower of One. We ask the people who benefit from this ministry to help cover the cost of growing the ministry. Everything you donate goes to trying to reach and encourage more Jesus-followers to become people who help others move one notch closer to Jesus. Why not head over to www.FollowerOfOne.org to learn more and take part.

Well, did you ask God yesterday to give you an idea of how to serve others? What did God tell you to do? Remember we talked about 3 reasons why you might not have heard. If you didn't hear the answer, ask again.

Today's passage is about being a cheerful giver. The word translated cheerful is actually the word we get "hilarious" from. The word also means ready, spontaneous, excited, prepared. God loves someone who is ready to give. 

Since COVID has become part of our reality, I carry less cash. I've had to make a point to carry it more so that I'm ready to give. I want to look for ways to give and enjoy giving. I want to be quick to give and excited to give. 

Are you? The scary thing going on in our family right now is that we don't have any more resources, but Vicky and I are trying to listen to God more and put him to the test. We want to see him working in more of our lives. So we're trying to be intentional about how we walk with him. We want to see him use our resources to make himself known. We want to be much more cheerful about what we can do, and at the same time we want to resist the temptation to focus on what we can't do. 

What can you do today? Did you ask God? Are you willing to ask God? Our first daily activity as a marketplace missionary is to ask God what he would have us do. Punch in. Tell God you're working for him today. Get your assignment and then figure out how to get it done. Add something to your list of eternal accomplishments today by being who God wants you to be with your coworkers, customers and friends. God may tell you to memorize a bible verse, but he may also tell you to leave a $20 tip. He may tell you to send a note of thanks or encouragement to a friend. He may even ask you to stay late and help someone.

Let God put you to work today and expect to be excited, cheerful, spontaneous. God loves a hilarious giver.

You know members of Follower of One pay it forward to help others hear this podcast and go on marketplace mission trips. Do you appreciate these podcasts? Have you been on a Marketplace Mission Trip? Why not make a commitment today to pay it forward so we can help find and encourage other Christ-followers to become hilarious givers, too. Go to www.FollowerOfOne.org and click the Donate button to make a contribution. Thanks very much.

Yesterday, I spoke about God giving me an idea to be more generous. Well, I waited until I took the action inspired by God to record today's episode. Today's passage is Matthew 5:42 - Give to the one who asks you and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. While I was preparing for this message, I got another idea and I acted on that idea, too. Do you hear God challenging you? 

I'm reading a book titled The God Of The Mundane by Matthew B. Redmond. It's currently difficult to find, because they're about to re-release it. Our lives are pretty ordinary. Jesus calls to us in our ordinary lives to make a difference in the life of one other person. It may be by praying for them. It may be through a gift, of time, money, or attention. When was the last time you made time for someone? When was the last time you gave more than you thought? When we do acts like these, because we trust Jesus, they matter forever.

You've probably heard it said that you can't out-give God. But are you trying? I'm not. I wonder what my life would be like if I lived like I want to trust God for everything. I certainly would be quicker to give. Today, let's act on one of the ideas we have. If we don't have an idea, we're not asking. 

If you pray and ask God to show you something you can do for someone else, I can think of 3 reasons why you might not hear his idea. You're either asking the wrong person, which means you don't know and follow Jesus, you're not listening to his answer; or you have some obstacle in your life that he wants fixed first.

Call me if you ask and don't hear an answer. I would be glad to help you hear Jesus as he puts you to work. You won't have to change your job, sell your stuff and move to another country. But you may do something that makes you a little nervous. 

James 5:4 says "Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields and which has been held by you cries out against you." I confess thinking of my as one of the laborers in this verse. When I first became a Christ-follower, I was living from paycheck to paycheck. Today, I have money saved. And I wonder about the degree to which I might be withholding pay of laborers. 

Do you ever ask yourself questions? Do we have the courage to ask God to judge us and convict us in our spirits. The Psalmist asked for a clean heart (Psalm 51:10). But he's asking after he is convicted of a sin he committed. If we think we're right with God simply because we haven't asked or thought about it, we're negligent. Sometimes, I'm carelessly arrogant. I think I know so I don't ask. And other times, I listen to our enemy the devil who constantly accuses and lies. But over and over, I want to ask God. He will give you an idea. Do you need to pay someone more than you do? Do you need to find a way to be more generous? What we hang on to besides Jesus becomes our stumbling block.

Why not ask God what he would have you do. If he gives you an idea, do it. It may be how you pay the people who work for you. It may be how you handle your finances. Maybe we need to be more generous. Listen for the God-ideas and then refuse to negotiate. Simply solve for how. Know, also, I'm speaking to myself today.

In our online community or in the comments here, why not share a story of how someone was generous to you? And please ask someone, maybe even that person, to listen to this podcast. When you share about Follower of One, you give your friends a chance to enjoy their walk with Jesus more. 

In this week's episode of the Follower of One podcast, Mike speaks with Ken Powell. Ken is a Financial Planner with Ronald Blue Trust and builds relationships and services based on biblical principles through his work! Please welcome him to the community!

Episode Breakdown

1:00 - Meet Ken Powell

1:45 - Ken's Story

4:40 - How Ken got to Seattle

7:50 - Ken's Transition to Financial Advising 

14:20 - Ken's Faith in his Work

18:00 - Ken's Thoughts on the Marketplace Mission Trip

21:05 - Mike's Story 

24:25 - Connect with Ken 

25:05 - Ken's Family

God Showing Us The Path

Living your faith at work is not always easy and sometimes we don't see God's plan in our lives until we fully give everything to him. Ken talks with Mike about leaving a secure job and moving into a different direction in his life. This takes a good amount of courage and fortitude but God should give you that courage. God needs to be your backbone when you want to make a change in your life that may affect every aspect of your relationships. How has God spoken to you lately in ministering to those around you? Do you see opportunities that previously were not there? Those doors that are now open could be something special just waiting for you to take advantage and it is our job to make sure God is with us when we walk through them! Give it to God and let him take control. 

Making a Difference with Your Faith

In Ken's example, his company directly supports filling the great commission of Christians. The impact we have every day is really to assist in making more Christians. So where does the "work" really begin? For Ken, it is all about helping people understand what they have and where they can be more targeted in their efforts with their money. What about you? Where does your work begin? Is it when you are servicing a client's needs? Is it helping a client understand how they can be better with their business? Do you sell a product that helps your clients do more? These are all aspects of every work we probably see and now is the time to start pondering on where God can be injected to build a better life for yourself and those you serve. If you are wondering how to do this, take the next Marketplace Mission Trip!

Mission Trip Day 10 - Remember Your Why - It's the last day of the mission trip. Mike reminds us that our motives matter. We will get an opportunity to share, but we may not have been given that opportunity over the last two weeks. Don't give up! Jesus tells us in this passage that every action, done because we follow Jesus, matters forever. We will not lose our reward.

It's easy to get discouraged in our marketplace ministry. No one cares. The work world tries to exist without God. We struggle against our flesh, our world system, or economy, and the judgment of others to try and live following Jesus. Your effort counts!!! Everything you do matters. Trust what you know about Jesus, not what you see in the marketplace. Your actions matter. Everything you do will be rewarded.

Know today that Jesus doesn't just save you to take you to heaven when you die. Your relationship with Jesus is intended to impact your everyday life and the lives of your friends. Everyone you come in contact with today is a ministry opportunity and you're a full-time minister. Your actions matter forever whether you see any outcome from them or not. Trust God, remember why you follow Jesus and have a great day!

Mission Trip Day 9 - Deliver Excellence - What does repentance have to do with quality work. As I record this, yesterday, I committed to attend an after-hours meeting and I just forgot it. Clearly, missing a work meeting is not delivering excellence. But why must I repent?

The idea of repentance comes from a Greek word that means to change ones mind or behavior. In the New Testament, it always means change for the better. The reason why I include it here, in a conversation about delivering excellence at work is because of the change of mind that is required of me if I want to deliver excellence. I'm tempted to think only of myself. When I veg out late in the day, instead of thinking of others, I dropped the ball and missed the meeting. I wasn't putting others ahead of myself. So this morning, I needed to repent.

Do you always do your absolute best? It gets tiring. Sometimes we just want to veg out. Sometimes we need a little "me time." But the degree to which we can deliver quality work, we notify others of their importance. Notice among Jesus first words to the crowds were to repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. In God's kingdom, we operate according to his words and his wishes. In a kingdom, what the king says goes. When we do what we want, we are king. But when we choose to follow Jesus, we bring the kingdom of God to the forefront. 

I wonder if there are only 2 choices. Either I choose to follow God. Everything else is something else. That's why I need to do a 180, remind myself of my highest priority and ask for the strength to follow Jesus. When I do, I'll get the energy and creativity to do excellent work. And that excellent work will testify to my beliefs. Let's try that today.