When I examine my career path, on the surface it seems to be wīndy and disconnected. But in the tapestry of life and with hindsight, I see God’s divine direction. Moving from CPA to car rental entrepreneur to banking, then consulting, and finally ministry may seem strange, but God had a plan. Today, I primarily minister to small business ...
Former Lt. Colonel Steve Russell’s book, We Got Him, shares about his troop’s relentless pursuit of former Iraqi leader Sadam Hussein. Over time, they became more mystified as to where Hussein was hiding. Then a prayer warrior from Texas called Steve Russell’s wife. He had a simple directive. “Tell your husband that God knows where Sadam Hussein is hiding. If ...
A past New American magazine article claimed George Washington Carver, counter to many in the scientific community, believed he could have faith in God and science. Carver also poured his faith into others in uncommon ways. In 1906, while at Tuskegee, Carver began leading a Bible class on Sunday’s. He would often act out the Bible stories. When others criticized ...
Martin Luther King Jr. was an unconventional leader. While many, like Malcolm X, promoted revenge and violence, Dr. King voiced a different message. Dr. King once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Although it took patience and perseverance, Dr. King’s unconventional approach made a difference. ...
Every budget process I can recall has projected a revenue increase the following year. Yet, since 1923, America has experienced 15 recessions: approximately one every seven years. This caused me to reflect on UBN’s history. We began in January 2002. Seven years later the Great Recession hit, resulting in a difficult year financially for UBN. 2016 had some personnel and ...
The Gallup Organization conducts an annual poll to determine which institutions are esteemed most by the American people. Year after year, the number one esteemed institution is small business. Even though confidence has dropped to 65% of the population, small business by far still surpasses every other institution’s ranking, even the military. Hebrews 13:17 teaches, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit ...
Someone forwarded me an article and asked, “What do you think about this competing program?” My response was, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” In my opinion, the more people involved in promoting faith and work, the better. The number of organizations in this field has grown from about twenty-five when I started, to an estimated four thousand. Because of ...
As a linear and organized thinker, I have been frustrated at times with creative freeform thinkers. There was a time when I was frustrated with one creative person on my team. It seemed like we were always at odds. Then we took some personality profiles as a team. After seeing this person’s profile, I realized that God had made this ...
A Wall Street Journal-NORC survey revealed recently that 56% of people no longer believe a college education is worth the cost. This assessment was especially true for younger adults. The price of college, online learning, and the huge amounts of student loan debt that haunts students for years has driven many to question the need for a college education. Jesus ...
Recent accusations against Justice Clarence Thomas is a good reason to discuss conflicts of interest. Conflict of interest policies are prevalent for board members, and in many industries, such as government roles, banks, and nonprofits. It’s important that there be clear policies, and transparency related to those policies, so that we are confident that self interest doesn’t undermine the public’s ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
