Kingdom Worklife – Blessed are the Persecuted
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 5:10 NIV How is this possible? Aren’t blessings and persecution antithetical? Wouldn’t we rather say, “blessed are you when everyone likes you, follows you, and when your friend requests keep rolling in?” What is persecution? Insults, slander, abuse, […]
Kingdom Worklife – Blessed are The Peacemakers
Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God! Imagine there is a disagreement: tempers flare, two angry men square off, ready to come to blows. Friends step in to pull them apart and de-escalate the conflict. Is that what it means to be a peacemaker? The biblical concept goes beyond […]
Kingdom Worklife – The Pure in Heart Will See God
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” What does “pure in heart” mean? Most of the Christian conversation around purity focuses on sexual purity. While this is of great importance, I think that this passage purity of heart probably has more to do with motivation. Sexual impurity would be a subset […]
Kingdom Worklife – Blessed are the Merciful
The beatitudes cut counter to the wisdom of the age. This is a different kingdom. There is a genre of film called “revenge flicks.” When we watch those films, do we identify with the hero who gives out cold justice to the villain? Why don’t we see ourselves as the ones in need of mercy? […]
Kingdom Worklife – Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
When you think of human priorities, little comes before food and drink. These are the necessities: without them, you die. Jesus is saying that those in His Kingdom hunger and thirst for righteousness. Kingdom people prioritize the King and the Kingdom in all of life. Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and […]
Kingdom Worklife – The Meek will Inherit the Earth
For at least ten years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, one of the most common themes I heard in prophetic words was, “wealth transfer is coming; the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the righteous.” When someone would give this word in a church or conference, there was always an enthusiastic […]
Kingdom Worklife – Those who Mourn
Blessing and cursing both operate on the principle of agreement. “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse— the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God…” (Deut 11:26-28 cf. […]
Kingdom Worklife – The Poor in Spirit
The word philosophy comes from the greek (philo sophia) meaning love of wisdom. At its essence, philosophy is about reality and how wisdom answers the questions of life – what is real, true and good. James quoted Jesus’s sermon on the mount and describes the beatitudes as wisdom from heaven (James 3:17). He contrasts this […]
Kingdom Worklife – The Philosophy of the Kingdom
Years ago I heard a pastor tell of a conversation he had with a fellow passenger on an airplane. As they circled the city waiting to land, the city’s streets and buildings stretched out below them. The man asked, “so pastor, where’s your church? The pastor thought for a minute and then said, well some […]
Every Monday is an outreach
The force for evangelism sits in our sanctuaries Sunday morning and heads off to work Monday morning. Pastor, there is an opportunity here – your people can either just head off to work or they can be sent off to work. Every Monday is an outreach. This Monday morning sending has more potential to impact […]
The Move of the Spirit in the Workplace
A few years ago I read a book titled “The Happiest People on Earth,” a testimony of Demos Shakarian and the story of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship. At that time the book was out of print, but thankfully a second edition is now in print. If you haven’t read it, I recommend it – […]
Helping Your People Discover their Assignment
Pastor Philip, the senior pastor of an African megachurch, told me about a government official in his congregation. She was so effective in her government role she had achieved national news recognition for her accomplishments. She was also a member of the choir and had a lovely voice. He would often thank her for using […]
When Try Harder is Not the Answer
Research shows that 9 out of 10 pastors feel worn out and overworked. 75% would describe themselves as “highly or extremely stressed out.” In my conversations with pastors, I hear many of the same themes. They feel overworked and trapped by the busyness of ministry. They would like the church to grow but feel stuck […]
The Eden Pattern on Monday Morning
What do you feel when you look at your community? If you are like most leaders I know, you carry a burden for your community – for those who don’t have a shepherd. You see those bound by sin, walking in darkness and deceived by the enemy, and you, like Jesus, are moved with compassion. […]
Bizinstry: what if we took a new approach?
This article by Jeff Greer and Chuck Proudfit is reprinted with permission from OUTCOMES MAGAZINE. For most of us in leadership, resources never seem to keep pace with vision. Whether you’re running a church or a nonprofit organization, donations tend to fall short of needs with frustrating regularity. Taking initiative to tackle this, we started […]
Resources for Marketplace Ministry
Dear Marketplace Leader, TFN is working diligently to develop a robust marketplace track. God is moving powerfully in the marketplace in this hour and we want to embrace that move and do all we can to extend the kingdom of God in the marketplace. Our prayer is that these resources help you in your ministry. […]
Beyond Business-Friendly
When asked to list their top desires for their churches, most pastors list the same things: more people, more finances, and more of the presence of God. As leaders, we all want to see new resources unlocked for Kingdom advancement, increasing relevance in the community, and the spark of revival and reformation that transforms the […]
