In this episode, we had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Clarence Hill Jr., founder of the Stronger Together movement. His message on city transformation and leadership was both inspiring and challenging.

Dr. Hill explored the concept of city transformation through the lens of kingdom culture, emphasizing four key pillars: prayer, love, unity, and celebration. He stressed the importance of unity among believers and the need for intentional leadership in bringing about positive change in our communities. This episode highlighted the significance of personal sacrifice, forgiveness, and maintaining healthy spiritual rhythms in our pursuit of God's vision for our city.

Books mentioned in the Podcast:

The 5am Club: Amazon Link

The Columbian Orator: Amazon Link

In this powerful exploration of divine purpose, we're reminded that God's plan for our lives is knowable and accessible. The key message is that by earnestly seeking God, we can uncover our unique mission. This echoes Jeremiah 29:13, where God promises, 'You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.' We're challenged to pay attention to the passions and burdens God places on our hearts, as these often point to our divine calling. The journey of discovering God's purpose is portrayed not as a one-time event, but as an evolving process of deepening understanding and revelation. This perspective encourages us to embrace the mystery of faith and view our failures as part of the learning journey. As we navigate our path, we're urged to shift from a performance-oriented mindset to one of resting in God's grace, trusting His guidance rather than relying solely on our own efforts.

Key Points:

• God's purpose for our lives is knowable and can be discovered through seeking Him
• Personal missions and callings evolve and deepen over time
• The importance of resting in God rather than trying to make everything happen on our own
• Recognizing when God is shifting our focus or calling us to a new season
• Learning to hear God's voice through practice, obedience, and community

Episode 9 Show Notes:

Hearing God’s Voice

 “Before we were even born, he gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart.” - Ephesians 1:11 TPT

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” - Romans 8:14

“The sheep that are My own hear and  are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.” – Jesus, John 10:27 (AMPC)

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” - Psalm 19:1

Key Points:

God speaks and communicates. If you’re a follower of Jesus, then you have within you the Holy Spirit – He leads and guides us – including speaking to us.

A part of what makes being a follower of Jesus so amazing is that we not only talk to God but He talks back! God speaks/communicates to us all the time.

Here are some of the ways the Lord speaks to us:

• Bible
• Through Others
• Circumstances
• Dreams
• Holy Spirit’s Still Small Voice

Your next steps:

1. Believe you can hear God’s voice
2. Practice hearing His voice

Additional readings:

1. 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice
2. Hearing God - Dallas Willard

Episode 8 Show Notes

What Holds You Back From Being The Leader God Calls You To Be? Could It Be Unforgiveness?

 “Before we were even born, he gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart.” - Ephesians 1:11 TPT

“Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of Your throne…” - Psalm 89:14`

“Blessed are the peacemakers…” - Matthew 5:9

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” - Matthew 5:20-23

Key Takeaways:

Did you know that God moves at the speed of relationship?

Righteousness = Being “right with God and therefore committed to putting right all other relationships in life.” 

Did you know that your refusal to be “righteous” can be a problem in your own relationship with God?

You can’t control other people – only you. But if you’re unwilling to forgive someone – you may be your own worst enemy. Your refusal to forgive may be a ball and chain to your being a success in God’s view.

Unforgiveness is the only poison YOU drink hoping the other guy will die!

Your next step:

1. First thing to remember – is that there is always a choice to be made:
   1. Who do I want to be?
   2. God sent us to be powerful agents of transformative change. Do I choose to change the world – or just look like it?
2. Is there anyone you cannot stand the thought of? That’s probably the person you need to be praying for. Ask God, if possible, to reconcile that relationship. 
3. Go before God and ask Him to help you be righteous.

Episode 7: How to Not Let Failure Defeat You!

“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Cor. 12:9-10 NLT

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let the patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” - James 1:2-4 

“If we endure, we shall also reign with Him” - 2 Tim. 2:12 

Key Takeaways:

Our reaction and attitude toward hard times comes down to identity. How do we view ourselves? Is it as an agent of transformative change sent by God with a purpose? How we respond as followers of Jesus to hardship should be countercultural and Christ-like.

What you believe about God is THE most important thing about you.

Crisis is a normal event on the road to your destiny. Failure should always be a teaching moment for you and others.

We are in training for reigning!

Next Steps:

What to do after you fail:

1. Decide to be the type of person that understands as followers of Jesus, we live within a different Kingdom context, at the next moment of crisis, BE THAT PERSON!

2. Declare it – put feet to action.

3. Thank and praise God for His love and His purpose coming to fruition.

4. Expect God to direct your every step.

Episode 6 Show Notes

What is the Wall in Front of Your House?

“Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters.” - Nehemiah 3:28-30

Key Takeaways:

The currency of the Kingdom of God is love.

The story of Nehemiah. They completed this unbelievable challenge of building a wall for their city in only 52 days which immediately shifted the culture of that community to a place of peace and safety.

Changing the world doesn’t have to be dramatic. It starts by addressing the wall in front of your house.

What does the wall in front of your house mean to you? Think proximity – where has God got you planted.

• Family – your #1 priority
• Neighborhood
• Workplace
• Group of friends

Stop comparing your impact and influence to other people. In the kingdom of God, everybody’s contribution is critical to the outcome of making earth look more like Heaven. 

Next Steps:

• Ask yourself these questions, 
  • “What’s the wall in front of my house?”
  • “How can I bloom where I’m planted?”
• Read the books of Nehemiah and Acts
• Ask God to speak to you as you read and meditate on those rich lessons
• Keep a spiritual journal

Episode 5 Show Notes

“What it Means to be a Change Agent to Culture”

 “Before we were even born, he gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart.” - Ephesians 1:11 TPT

“Culture is the ‘artificial, secondary environment’ which man superimposes on the natural. It comprises language, habits, ideas, beliefs, customs, social organization, inherited artifacts, technical processes, and values.” – Richard Neibuhr

Key Takeaways:

The story of William Wilberforce. 

Three things you should know about Wilberforce and his friends

1. They lived their lives imitating Jesus to the best of their ability
2. They had deep, abiding relationships with God and one another i.e., they loved God and loved their neighbor
3. There were two things that motivated their missional commitment to a transformed culture:
   1. Concern for the lost – those who did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ
   2. A belief that they could influence the world to be a better place to live for all people

Change agents can be for both good and evil. 

Being a change agent first and foremost means our personal pursuit to become increasingly like Jesus in order that the culture around us looks like love. It means being salt and light wherever it is that God has planted you. It means starting within and working your way out because you can only give away what you’re carrying in your own heart.

Next Steps:

• Discover the stories of other change agents and build your faith by seeing how God works through them
• Read about William Wilberforce and his friends in the book, “Amazing Grace” by Eric Metaxis (there’s also a movie)
• Read “The Heavenly Man” by Brother Yun or “God’s Smuggler” by Brother Andrew

Episode 4 Show Notes

Don’t Call Yourself a Leader? Listen to This

 “Before we were even born, he gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart.” Ephesians 1:11 TPT

“From one man, Adam, he made every man and woman and every race of humanity, and he spread us over all the earth. He sets the boundaries of people and nations, determining their appointed times in history.” Acts 17:26 (TPT)

“For we are God’s [own] handiwork, recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which he prearranged and made ready for us to live].”  Ephesians 2:10

Key Takeaways:

In the Kingdom of God, leadership is NOT WHAT YOU THINK

In the Kingdom, we’re all followers. Leadership is good followership.

Kingdom leadership is leadership by choice, not by gifting.

God’s not going to have you do anything you are incapable of doing by His strength!

Everybody has the opportunity to change the flavor of the environment to which God has assigned them --- by being salt and light.

Next Steps:

• You’ve been sent purposefully to a time and space – Start being aware of what that time and space consists of!
• Ask God to highlight what He wants you to address (Jesus did nothing on his own)

Episode 3 Show Notes – The Power of God

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are

possible.’” - Matthew 19:26

“You do not have because you do not ask God.” – James 4:2

“For I the Lord, do not change.” - Malachi 3:6

“For the eyes of the Lord search to and fro throughout the earth that he might strongly support

those whose hearts are completely his.” - I Chronicles 16:9

“What you think about God is the most important thing about you.” - AW Tozier

How to Train for Reigning:

1. You ask God to help you (James 4:2)

2. You stir the embers of your faith

3. Exercise your faith muscles

4. Immerse yourself in the stories of how God has shown up for others.

● God Smuggler

● George Mueller

5. He will reward you for your faith

Imagine a city in which it was commonplace for every follower of Jesus to believe God for

impossible things.