Embracing Risk

“Fear not for I AM with you; be not dismayed for I AM your God.”
- Isaiah 41:10

I’ve been learning more and more about myself as an evangeleader and one of the challenges I face is my own aversion towards risk. It is something I’ve had to face in the mirror, question, and manage in order to get where I am today. Ever since I started pursuing my true calling in 2000, it has been a journey of making decisions that require me to embrace risk.

Risk is defined as “exposure to the chance of injury or loss.” Certain decisions may expose us to a loss of money, respect, image, comfort, stability, riches, or even bodily health. When we fly, we are exposed to the possibility of crashing into the open sea. When we eat, we’re exposed to the chance of food poisoning, but most of us do these things without thinking much about the risk involved. Why?

Well, for one, we see the great benefit of eating and flying. In my case, if I don’t eat, I’ll disappear…so it is not an option for me :) I also highly doubt anyone wants to sail across the sea or drive to every work assignment that is several states away. We take on risk because of the overwhelming benefit.

Also note that we take on the risk of everyday decisions because somehow we have already estimated the possibility of experiencing loss or injury. We fly on vacation because we doubt anything would really happen. The possibility of injury or loss is very low. There are no equations or statistics running through our minds, we simply move forward because past experience and our observations give us a feeling of comfort.

As an Evangeleader, the ability to embrace risk is going to be a huge part of your success. Decisions to follow a career path, move across the country, take a new promotion, start a small business, or enter the mission field cannot be made without embracing risk. If we live in fear of the risks involved in life, it will be very difficult to fulfill our calling and glorify God at our maximum potential.

Before you opt out of your next decision because of the risk involved, consider these 3 key points:

1. First, what is the potential benefit of embracing the risk?

2. Second, think about your past experiences with God. Has he demonstrated a pattern of letting you down? Probably not. If so, you have to question whether your decisions were outside of His will.

3. Third, before you run towards your comfort zone, what do you observe in the lives of other men and women of faith. Has God let them down when they made a Godly and Risky decision?

Past experience should tell you that God delivers big time and observing God’s hand in the lives of others will just reinforce that fact. Remember, the Evangeleader is not just a leader in society. We’re leaders that walk with the Author and Finisher of our faith. Learn to embrace risk, because the benefits could be beyond your imagination.

Pop the Culture,

Bro. Wize

The Power of Questions

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ASK of GOD, who gives to all liberally and without reproach…”
- James 1:5

During my own journey as an Evangeleader, there are many answers that I’ve been looking for. However, with every answer, there has to be a preceding question…wow, that’s deep right? (Joking)

There are many students and professionals that find themselves looking for their life vision to be defined, a next step, the lost piece to the puzzle, a new opportunity…some overall sense of direction. Our mind begins looking for answers and wisdom for where we should be. We then begin to experience the swirl of confusion, doubt, and hopelessness. I’ve been there and at times I still feel it.

Why do we feel this way? Well, it’s because sometimes we look for answers without probing with the right foundational questions. When we don’t proactively ask the right questions, our journey becomes reactive and we wait for the next big clue to appear out of nowhere. We end up waiting for a great dream to come to us at night. I’m sure some of us have prayed for that!

Life guiding questions are an important part of personal progress as an Evangeleader. Have you hit a point of confusion? Do you feel you’ve hit a plateau in your career? Are you frustrated with being stuck in limbo land? As a student, do you know where to go after you walk off the graduation platform?

Don’t lose hope. In fact, be encouraged and use well-defined questions to light your path. Here are a few that have benefited my own career and spiritual development:

1. What do I enjoy doing? (Things that I draw energy and excitement from)
2. What am I capable of doing WELL? (talents, gifts, strengths)
3. What are my weaknesses?
4. Am I leveraging my strengths in my current job or curriculum?
5. Does my current job or degree program intrigue me?
6. Can I use it as a stepping stone, or is it just a stone in the way?
7. If where I am is not the best fit, what are some potential destinations? (A new degree program, new job, new career path, etc.)
8. What are some steps that I need to complete to get to that new destination?
9. What opportunities should I test out that are available to me right now?
10. What can I do to start building momentum towards the new destination?
11. What are the limitations and restrictions to my current progress? (fear, money, wisdom, etc.)
12. What can I do to resolve these limitations?
13. What does God have to say about my plans through Word and Prayer? Am I in a place of testing and refinement for a reason?

And the list goes on!

Specific questions are powerful because they force us to dig deep and provide honest answers. Sometimes, the answers are intimidating because you may be challenged to take a step of faith in an opposite direction. Other times, the questions will reveal life changing truths about you.

Don’t live life as it comes. We can never plan every detail of our future ahead of time, but we can at least probe ourselves and God with questions to prevent complacency. If you don’t find the answers you’re looking for right away, be patient, wait on the Lord, and keep asking the Source of all wisdom. Your answer is coming.

Pop the Culture,

Bro. Wize

Who are you?

“Who once were not a people but are now the people of God...”
- 1 Peter 2: 10

Expanding your influence, changing the world around you, excelling in your career, developing others, pursuing personal development, using your core strengths…what a great journey for the Evangeleader! But you're more than the activities you are involved in. You're more than the influence you are building. There is more to you than meets the eye. Transformers was a great movie by the way!

As you continue to lead in the marketplace, in the arts, in ministry, or any other career calling, the Evangeleader has to have a strong understanding of their IDENTITY. Identity goes deeper than the actions we demonstrate in public. Identity taps into how well we know our roots. Where did we come from? What drives our inner values? If our possessions are gone, what defines us then?

Before we found God, we were traveling through life aimlessly with no sense of purpose to identify with. We were the product of environment changes and other people’s perceptions. We didn’t have much to hope for because without a God to promise a destiny, life was a game of chance. Our values were corrupt and instead of leading, we followed the tide of life.

Now we are Evangeleaders…“the people of God”. You are not just your parent’s child, or an employee, student, or an entrepreneur. You are of God. How is that for an identity? To be of God is to have access to His direction. We have the ability to trust in someone much bigger than ourselves. When we are challenged in our journey, we know that God can guide us on the path of best results. As failure rears its ugly head, we can hold on to the fact that we are a people that have an eternal hope, grace to endure, and the ability to tap into the Divine. God’s character and image is within us, eager to take control.

As you influence pop culture, remind yourself that your identity is in God. Not man, money, activity, or power. First be bold in God then be bold in what God does through you.

Pop The Culture,

Bro. Wize

Read Before You Lead...

“As children, desire the pure milk of the WORD, that you may grow...”
– 1 Peter 2:2

Reading the Bible is essential to Christian growth but let’s face it, it can be boring at times. You know that feeling you get when you should read the Word but something inside you is saying, “C’mon, I don’t feel like it” and then you end up watching CSI Miami till you fall asleep :-) The Word of God is comprehensive, detailed, filled with doctrine, laced with convicting passages, and loaded with verses that can be very difficult to follow, especially if you’re reading the New King James version.

On the flipside, the Word is a necessary ingredient for growth and success as Christian leaders in today's pop culture. It is our spiritual food, our guide to victorious living, a source of powerful wisdom, and it is a reflection of God's will and character.I asked my young adult bible study class why they have trouble getting into the Scriptures on a daily basis and the answers were not that surprising. Here is what they said:

- My daily routine does not allow for it
- I wait till the end of the day and fall asleep while reading
- It is hard to understand
- I don't know where to start reading
- I don't feel "into it" when reading
- My current life circumstances get in the way
- I feel like I can learn the Word as time goes on and that I'm ok where I am

I'm sure many of us can relate to some of these responses! We just have to remember that being an evangeleader means approaching our Christian walk with desire and urgency. This is not an easy task. There are tons of church-going Christians that get their knowledge from one Sunday service every week. The evangeleader is dedicated to consistent and frequent time with God’s word. How else will we be able to influence pop culture and the marketplace unless we are equipped? Being a Christian in the church bubble is easy, but being a Christian on the frontlines of pop culture is another ball game.

With that in mind, here are few suggestions to help us all down the road of spiritual growth through God’s Word…

Before reading the Word, ask the Holy Spirit to overcome your old nature. Our old nature doesn’t want the things of God. Pray for desire and understanding.

Ask the Lord to forgive you of any of your faults and shortcomings. Don’t let guilt stop you from reading the Bible. The Word is there to help you, not hurt you!

Set a REALISTIC goal and budget a time to spend in the Word. Let’s say 15 minutes Mon. – Fri. to start off. Build your endurance over time. Don’t try reading the whole Bible cover to cover in 3 months…especially at night!

Read with direction. If you want to learn more about Jesus and His life, read the Gospels. If you want more instruction on living, read the letters of the apostles. Need more wisdom? Read Proverbs. Supplemental devotionals may give you some helpful direction. Don’t just open the book and start reading blindly!

Remind yourself of the Word’s value. Don’t read because you have to. Know that God’s love is also in His Word, and He wants us to grow and be successful in our purpose.

Lead On,

Bro. Wize

Evangeleaders Know The Top Priority!

“And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” - 1 Corinthians 12:28

When you look at this verse, you may think that the apostle Paul is ranking the value of individuals based on what they do. For example, since church member Bob is a teacher, he is worth more than church member Steve. In current day Christianity, pastors, teachers, prophets, and pretty much any stage personality is held in high regard. All these important members of the church are worthy of honor and respect, but I believe the scripture here is highlighting God’s top priorities. So what are His priorities?

First comes your spiritual/eternal health,
Then comes your natural/earthly needs,
Then the operation of the church organization.

It so happens that the various gifts and members of the body are meant to fulfill these strategic priorities.

Apostles, prophets, and teachers are called to build people up by delivering the word of God and helping people grow to become “established” Christians. Apostles are sent forth by God to build, teach, and expand the church body. Prophets deliver a word in a timely manner to challenge, encourage, and warn the people. Teachers have the keen ability to communicate principles, critical truth, and doctrine in a way that can be understood by people growing in their faith. Some chosen people have been given elements of all of these gifts. The key is to realize that God places the WORD and your spiritual strength at the top of his “to do” list. The Lord uses apostles, prophets, and teachers to complete this mission.

Let’s not forget about your natural and physical needs! Even though your eternal health is most important, God is also focused on your earthly requests. We all want health, financial stability, strength, assistance, and miraculous doors to be opened. It is hard for some people, even Christians, to believe that God can still work miracles, heal the sick, and blow our minds through His power. It is awesome to watch the Spirit work through human hands and through prayer. He also uses others around us to be of service and provide help when we’re in need.

After your spiritual and natural health, God now looks at how we operate his church organization. To effectively fulfill the mission, there is a need for strategic leadership and administration. A faith based organization cannot run without a plan, policies, process, and procedures. It also requires a vision and goals!

As an Evangeleader, always remember God’s priorities and how they build upon each other. When we are in line with His priorities…the miraculous starts to happen!

Running Effectively

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” – 1 Corinthians 9:4

The legendary Apostle Paul makes a crucial life statement in a very simple manner. At a high level, he gives the key strategy to reaching both earthly goals and our eternal prize. Simply put, we must make sure we’re running effectively.

From a spiritual perspective, we are pressing towards an eternal prize with Christ. The race to see Christ requires us to “run” in a certain manner. For example, we must believe Christ is Lord, we must love God and love others, and we must continue to grow in character and purity. Even though our works do not get us into heaven, we are still accountable unto God to reflect His leadership in our lives.

We can apply the principle of “effective running” in all aspects of life. Not only does God want us to be eternally secure, but He wants us to fully run in our design. What is that burning desire and vision that you see when you think about your future? Do you want to be an actor? Professional musician? Corporate leader? Doctor? Missionary? Teacher? Entrepreneur? In order to see this vision become reality, we can’t just sit on our butts and do nothing! Faith is definitely a critical element to our success, but faith requires us to MOVE. Remember that faith AND works create your future reality. So the question is, are you running in such a way that you will obtain the vision for your life?

There are 168 hours in a week.
~ 50 hours are spent sleeping.
~ 10 hrs spent on the phone.
~ 30 hrs or so socializing/ entertainment/ TV / Misc
~ 40 hrs working or in school
~ 10 hrs driving
~ 28 hrs left to do whatever else…prayer, reading, strategizing, etc.

Are you spending your time wisely and expending your energy on the things that will bring you closer to your vision? Socializing and entertainment are necessary for balance, but are you spending too much time in this area and not enough time studying or praying? Maybe you work too much and a sacrifice is needed in order to make your vision a reality. Look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Am I running effectively?” Don’t make excuses on why you haven’t made progress, take action and change how you run!

Before we can begin running, we need to have clarity on God’s will for our lives. His will is His desire, His desires then become our desires, and our desires ultimately drive how we run. Are you clear on what your direction is? What prize are you running for? Begin asking God these questions daily, and start running effectively.