January 23, 2011
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Their Hearts Guilt vs. dream
motivation
– I want to offer a simple premise about motivation. Guilt can be a
good
short-term motivation to stop doing the wrong thing. However, guilt
can’t be
used as a motivator to do the right thing. It
just doesn’t last. People who do reach
their goals in life carry in their hearts a dream about the future that
provides a basis for their optimism and motivation. So, when we think
about
making disciples, we should lay a foundation in the basics of spiritual
maturity, but the real basis for graduation is, “Have you found your
dream?”
Our real goal, personally, and in the church, is helping people touch
the place
where their dream, their vocation, and their Kingdom calling intersect. Now, if we have a
job (nearly all of us do), we don’t at
first connect our vocation with our ministry. We see our vocation as a
secular
necessity, and exercising our gifts as spiritual ministry. This dual
mindset is
OK for a phase in our growth, but it doesn’t define marketplace or
Kingdom
ministry. Here’s why – Each of us has a dream planted in our hearts by
God.
When we touch that dream, it will include our vocation. For the first
time our
gifts, ministry, and vocation line up as the will of God. That starts a
fire
that turns introverts like me and you into zealots with the passion of
Kings. Traditional
Discipleship
– The church is rightfully a place where we are trained to adopt the
character,
anointing and ministry of Jesus. Nine
Fruits of the Spirit (character)
- Gal 5:22-23 love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and
self-control Nine
Gifts of the Spirit (anointing)
- 1 Cor 12:8-10 Wisdom,
knowledge, faith, gifts of healings, miracles, prophecy, discerning of
spirits,
tongues, interpretation of tongues. NKJV Nine
Motivational Gifts (ministry)
– Rom 12:6-8, Eph 4:11-12, 1Cor 12:29-30 prophet,
servant, pastor/teacher, exhorter, giver, ruler, mercy, apostle,
evangelist The problem comes
when we adopt an obedience motivation to
reach these goals. Obedience will never carry you through a lifetime of
Kingdom
work into your destiny. The message new disciples get is that I’m
supposed to
obtain the list above, come to church every Sunday, read my Bible,
pray, tithe,
give, save the lost, heal the sick, help the poor and do it all with a
smile… I
get tired just thinking about it. What really happens to disciples is
that they
will stick with the program for several years until they reach some
level of
proficiency in spiritual maturity, and then we lose them. Churches
highlight
all the newcomers and growth, but we’re silent on those who go out the
back
door because they lost the motivation to keep going. Sermons on a
lifetime of
obedience and service were not the answer. Tapping into our heart’s
desire is
the motivational basis for a lifetime of victories in the Kingdom. Real Motivation – Obedience has a place. There is nothing wrong with telling the new disciples to simply “do it this way” and see the result. Spiritual maturity is the appropriate discipleship goal of the church – we’re equipping saints with all the tools for ministry (Eph 4:11-12). However, spiritual maturity can’t be the ultimate goal for anyone. Spiritual maturity is not a goal; it’s just a tool to use toward the real goal. What’s the real goal? It’s your dream: that place where your vocation, destiny, gifts, character, ministry, wealth, heart’s desire, and God’s purpose start working together… as tools to help you reach your real destiny! “Workplace
Ministry” at a "gift focused" level of maturity retains a distinction
between my vocation and my ministry. I go out from the church (after
work) and
use my gifts to “minister” (street evangelism, interpreting dreams in a
mall,
community service, lunch time bible studies, prayer at the flag pole,
etc.).
It's very good training, but it's not the best, because it doesn’t
touch your
personal dream. You will eventually quit. But I’m a chemical engineer! -
As a freshman in college, I chose a curriculum by a very simple
process. I wasn’t
good in the arts, and gravitated toward math and science. Engineering
was all
that was left, so I picked the one that paid the highest salary. After
I got in
touch with my spiritual gifting, I couldn’t find a connection between
my
vocation and my destiny. Most of us are there. My response was to
redirect my
life and choose “pastoral ministry” (religious people make this mistake
frequently), so we planted two churches over a 14 year period. That
didn’t turn
out to be the answer for me. I really didn’t want to be a full time
pastor,
once I got a taste of what it was really like. I loved the people, the
leadership team, the worship, the conferences, but I was not content to
just shepherd
God's people in a church. You can read the rest of my personal story
on the interview page. There is a raging fire burning in this heart to
ordain Kings
into marketplace ministry to impact our culture - that reformation is
my dream.
People touched by the concept of Releasing Kings still want to call me
“pastor”
– a term that I now politely refuse. I’m a King. I can do the work of
the
ministry gifts and offices (use the tools), but I don’t have, or want,
the
titles. I thank God for, and honor, pastors who faithfully serve in
their local
churches to make disciples and release Kings. What’s it like to
be a King?
Marketplace ministry at this level sees my vocation and my ministry
calling
intertwined. My vocation is a tool, like my gifts that take me toward
my
calling. Both are central parts of my heart's desire, my dream. This
opens up a
whole new world. ·
I know what
mountain I belong in; I
can see my role in the Kingdom and I understand the boundaries on my
sphere of
influence (I am super, but not superman). ·
I can feel the
wind at my back.
Divine appointments, the sense of God’s timing. ·
I feel a sense of
ownership over the
work I do – It touches my God-given dream and gifting. ·
I’m experiencing
creativity, initiative,
boldness - I’m courageous in my area. ·
My 40 hour work
week is all one big
church service – an opportunity to minister and co-labor with Christ. ·
I gave up my
“offering mentality.” I
am a source of wealth.
Prosperity is
part of my Kingly ministry. ·
I’m allowing
myself to receive
promotion, recognition, and glory (I see myself as a steward of God’s
glory). ·
I’m having fun,
making money and
loving people. Give yourself
permission
- Allow the Lord to unveil the oneness of your vocation, your dream,
your
ministry gifts, and God’s purpose for your life. You’ll be amazed at
the
blessing that flows from a heart integrated in those four areas. The
ensuing
passion is highly contagious. The work of the ministry that impacts our
culture
is in the marketplace; it’s the saints who take up the mantle of
“Kings” who
will carry the great commission into the entire world. The good news
is: We
serve a God who calls us "friend" and meets with us in our heart's
desire and leads us to an abundant life. We're going to take that
abundance and
bless all nations. "I
will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I
will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I
will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and
all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Gen 12:2-3
NIV But I’m Stuck in
a job I don’t like
and can’t afford to quit!!! – I know the
feeling. So did Daniel
when he was in Pharaoh’s prison, and David when he was tending sheep,
and Job
when he was sitting on the ash heap, and Jesus when he worked in the
carpenter’s
shop, and Paul when
he spent 14 years in
obscurity after his salvation. God has the power to use our history
process as
a learning center. Step 0 is having a sense of the purpose in our past
and
present and being thankful for it and growing where you’re planted.
What
character or skill set can be redeemed from your station in life? And
we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who
have been called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28-29 NIV Here’s where to
start.
Both of these
books are very helpful and personal… they are
my own story from, “this might be possible” to “here’s how it happened.” Note:
Creating wealth is a spiritual discipline that funds our ministry. We
can’t be
ashamed of it. Many dreams and ministries shipwreck because the
financial
foundation is not in place; the spiritual disciple of making money was
absent
from the plan. No one else is going to fund your life or dream. If you
will
take responsibility for the financial side, opportunities will start to
appear
for both finances and ministry.
Desire to Destiny is available now at our store along with reviews. Not sure what your dream is? This book will help you pull the curtain back on your future. Newsletter - If your newsletter comes incomplete (filtered), you can always catch the latest version in our archive along with 200 others. 1800+ people from around the world get Kingly encouragement from our weekly newsletter. Invite a friend to subscribe - they will be blessed. How to Start a Small Group - Kings are increasingly getting involved in Bible study or mentoring groups to facilitate their "Release." Here are some helpful suggestions www.Releasing-Kings.com/Starting-a-Group.html. We've also updated our Vision Brochure with graphics to show how to become a King and how you can help Release Kings. Lastly we've created a guideline to help you take your dream to the next level by considering the elements of a business plan. See Write Your Business Plan. French Translation - Releasing Kings is now available in French thanks to the efforts of Cees Bakker and Support Ministries in the Netherlands. In France, copies can be obtained from Editions Menor or Librairie Chretienne CLC. The Title in French is “Libération des Rois pour le ministère dans le monde du travail”. Cees is also the guy who made the Dutch translation possible - available through his website. He can be contacted for Releasing Kings conferences in France and throughout Europe. Facebook - I'm posting more information on Face book at http://www.facebook.com/john.garfield1
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