Living a Steadfast Life Today

As a highly respected authority on the equities markets, often when Bob Doll joins us we have the opportunity to hear about the world’s financial markets and how he integrates faith and work. But at this year’s Global Cohort Gathering, we had the privilege of hearing Bob’s thoughts on living a life centered on the Gospel and how he has exemplified a life steadfast to the Lord. As we’ve journeyed with Bob, we’ve watched him navigate the ordinary, as well as through numerous triumphs, health scares, economic crises, and more. Throughout it all, we’ve seen someone who is immovable in his character and consistent in his journey with God.

Beyond all his myriad accomplishments, we asked Bob to share with our cohort members how he has cultivated a life that is consistent and committed to God and His mission. In true Bob Doll fashion, he shared seven simple yet profound principles to chew on.

1. Be reminded that our work is a holy calling. God has created an intersection of our abilities, our interests and the people around us. We need to recognize the redemptive nature of our work and as Christians in the marketplace, realize we  aren’t just the people who finance God’s work. For Christians in the marketplace, Bob reminded us this means “we have a phenomenal opportunity and responsibility.” He went on to quote Billy Graham, who famously said "I believe one of the next great moves of God is going to be through the believers in the workplace.”

2. Remember our standard for work because God, whether in creation, sustaining, salvation or sanctification, is a worker. We are made in His image and have “the ability, the responsibility, the goal of being excellent at our work as He is.” Our God cares deeply about what we do with our waking hours, and the majority of that time is spent at work.

3. Be a hearer and a doer of the Word. It is simple. Love God. Love God’s Word. Love God’s people. We can’t work for our salvation but once we are made righteous before the Lord, it is good deeds that naturally come if our faith is genuine.”

4. Prioritize the eternal. We are all on this planet for a short time, but in eternity forever. Like David Platt reminds us in his book Radical, the key is believing that the world is not our home. If our lives are going to count on Earth, we must start by focusing on heaven. To keep this at the top of his mind, Bob keeps three questions on his bathroom mirror that he asks himself daily - Am I going to have a Christ-like attitude today? Am I maintaining a “passing-through” mentality, because this is not my home? Am I going to have an “own nothing” perspective?

5. Be purposeful about longevity. Determine early-on what your priorities are, and develop the daily disciplines to set yourself up for a lifetime of faithfulness. This includes spending time daily in the Word and surrender to God, developing a deep dependence and interdependence on other believers, demonstrating faithfulness in giving, and determining as Romans 12:2 puts it, to be transformed by the renewing of your mind to ensure you aren’t conformed to the image of the world.

6. Pursue music. Martin Luther reminds us that while a sermon appeals to the intellect, music appeals to the intellect, the senses and the memory bank. Music transports us, and as it runs through your mind over and over. Perhaps one of the most poignant lessons we can learn from Bob is this “I have memorized more scripture through music….I commend music to you in some way, shape or form, but make sure it's good [theological] music.”

7. Ponder the lessons learned from COVID. How have you used this season, ordained by God, to honor Him? What unexpected joys have you found in this season of church at home? And how have you intentionally stewarded your resources to serve the poor - poor in spirit and physically poor? “Life is short. This episode has impressed upon me the importance of each day. Use it well.

Bob was asked how he remains humble in the midst of so much success. His reply? “Well I don’t know that I’m always humble, but I guess the center is to understand that it’s not of me. It’s of God...I think humility starts from recognizing who God is and therefore who we belong to.”

“Bob Doll is no stranger to Resource Global. He has walked alongside us, me, for years as we fought to establish this ministry and launch our cohorts. He epitomizes what I want all of us to be - he is a God-fearing man who loves the Lord and walks in humility.”

— Tommy Lee, Resource Global President

Leadership During Crisis: Guiding the Ship through the Storm

By Wayne Pederson

“The Lord has made everything for His own purpose, even the wicked for a day of disaster.” ”

— Proverbs 16:4

I’ve been asked to assemble a gathering (virtually) of a dozen or so global ministry leaders to address the issues and adjustments they’re forced to make out to the COVID pandemic.  No one could have imagined as we began the new year the challenges we would be facing in our ministries, in our relationships, our finances and our personal lives caused by the “invisible enemy” COVID-19.

However, we’re finding that all the news is not bad news.  This ad hoc group of think-tank ministry leaders is discovering there’s a silver lining in the midst of all of the confusion and anxiety in our culture.

Passion and Vision

One of the leaders in our group who’s based in Africa works collaboratively with a large number of indigenous partner ministries.  According to his report, partner ministries that have a clearly defined mission along with a fervent passion for their calling are thriving.  Ministries without a clear mission and vision see COVID as a disaster and they are struggling.

David Willis of National Christian Foundation and chair of ECFA stated in a podcast recently those ministries built on a solid foundation of strategic funding, carefully laid-out strategy and solid board governance and staff management will not only survive, but thrive.  Those ministries that have not built a solid financial, strategy, leadership base will not survive the crisis.  Recent case studies are bearing this out.

Audience Response

Almost every ministry represented in the group reported greater response to the Gospel.  Sheila Leech of FEBA in the UK said listenership has increased.  And her team is working on ways to be sure that growth is sustained long-term.

Jan-Eric Nauman of IBRA reported more people are coming to Christ.  Numbers are growing by the week. More listeners are responding with questions about knowing Christ.  International ministries are receiving more inquiries via text or email from listeners who are anxious, confused, fearful and needy.  He reported 40% of inquiries result in that person accepting Christ as Savior for the first time. 

Focus on the Gospel

Given the above information, ministry leaders are re-doubling their focus on presenting the Gospel, keeping the Gospel front and center in their content.  Lauren Libby, CEO of TWR is challenging staff to stay on the Gospel core.  Provide eternally rich content.  Doug Hastings of Moody Radio said they’re presenting the plan of salvation on the air every hour.  And Moody postponed their on-air fundraiser feeling it was more important to focus on ministry than raising funds.

Core Calling

This is not the time to delve into projects outside of our core mission.  Ed Cannon, CEO of Far East Broadcasting stated: Stay on your singular focus.  Stop doing things that are not core to the mission.  In the process of adjusting to the “new normal”, ministries are finding the need to abandon projects and strategies that have become obsolete or are peripheral in order to refocus on their basic, foundational calling.

More Virtual, Less Face-to-Face

Various opinions on the dependence on Zoom and GoToMeeting.  For Chuck Bentley of Crown Financial, they had already adopted the work from home model, which required almost no adjustment with the pandemic. They are now 100% remote.  Productivity and creativity is up.  However, they’re finding staff are working longer hours, because work is at home.

Others have discovered that virtual meetings have actually increased connection with staff, partners, volunteers, and donors.  One leader noted increased creativity and efficiency from partners and staff working from home away from distractions in the office. One coalition member has been out of the office for 3 month, but is actually doing more team care from home that he did at the office.  And his management style has become more pastoral, less management.  This from a leader who previously tended to be more managerial, less people-oriented.

Another reported that he wasn’t missing the 45 minute commute every morning and every night.  Another found that without those15 hours flights on a plane, his “think time” has decreased, because of handling one Zoom call after another.

Fund Raising

Covid has forever changed the way we raise funds.  The era of the “chicken dinner circuit” is over.  One global ministry CEO stated that getting on a plane, staying in a hotel, eating at restaurants, to meet with donors can take a whole weekend or the better part of a week.  Now, he can Skype, Zoom or Facetime a half dozens donors in a day at no cost and in a fraction of the time.  And most donors have expressed preference for this method.

In fact, Crown Financial has enjoyed their annual Fall dinner with hundreds of ministry partners, meeting with them face to face, telling stories and casting vision for the ministry.  This year they surveyed their donors asking whether they preferred an in-person banquet or instead a virtual fund-raising event.  A surprising 89% of their donors indicated a preference for visual.  So in October Crown Financial will have their very first virtual fund raising event, with greater attendance, videos from staff all over the world, and at practically zero cost!

An urban Chicago ministry called By The Hand cancelled their expensive annual gala.  In it’s place they held an all-day Saturday funding event that included an morning prayer time, videos from staff, and the children and families impacted by their outreach in the community.  it was an astounding success in storytelling, vision-casting and fund raising

One of our participants said this: Donors are not interested in responding to the “Help.  We’re in trouble” type of appeals.  His bottom take-away line: “People want plans, not pleas!”  If we can truly describe how our ministries are focused on their core mission during this time of crisis, they WILL respond.  In fact, a number of our think-tank team indicated even in the crisis, with limited personal contact, donations are up 12%!  

Isn’t it just like God to turn turmoil and tragedy into opportunity and triumph!

Allocation of Resources

Ministries are saving tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars because of cancelled flights and travel restrictions. The result is incredible opportunity to re-allocate spending towards more ministry.  One global ministry cancelled plans for a gather ing in the Philippines for 200 ministry partners  By cancelling airfares, accommodations, meals and other meeting expenses, they achieved a six-figure saving.  They have re-allocated those funds to help hurting partner ministries in Indonesia, Philippines, India, Bangladesh who are suffering because of the pandemic. And donors have responded enthusiastically to that reallocation from expensive travel to expanded ministry.

Tim Whitehead, executive director of Galcom is using funds normally spent on global travel and doing more advertising buys on Facebook and Google.  Because of the cutbacks by many companies on advertising, ad rates on social media sites are cheap.  It’s a good time to be buying.

Shorter, More Frequent Communication

Chuck Bentley is using input from his under 35 staff to help reshape the way they communicate.  They’re telling him we need 10X more content and 1/10 the length.  Crown is now editing their 50 minute daily program to 10 five-minute features.  That allows them to have more frequent contact with listeners and constituents.  

In fact, a number of our team stressed shorter, more frequent connection.  And that applied to print as well.  Supporters are more prone to read a concise one-page report than an extensive 8 page newsletter, which they may put aside with “maybe later”. 

Greg Thornton, VP of Media for Moody has turned his creative staff loose to create shorter content and even free e-books.

Greg told an amazing story.  Gary Chapman is Moody’s top selling author.  Every weekend Gary is out on the road presenting his 8 hour seminar on 5 Love Languages to married couples in cities across the nation.  Now, Gary and Moody have produced a 2-hour virtual Strengthen Your Marriage seminar. That 2 hour virtual seminar is attended by more couples attended the previous on-site model in a whole year!

“The church has left the building.” Somewhere along history, “church” has come to mean a building.  But Jesus made it clear, so did Paul, that the church is not a buildling.  Church is the people, the ecclesia, the “called out ones.”  A church in Cary North Carolina with a normal weekend attendance of 8,000 now has 25,000 weekly virtual attendees.  Many churches are now going to “huddles” or smaller groups of believers meeting together.  

Real Estate vs. At Home

A number of ministries are finding that having a large corporate office is no longer necessary.  Staff are finding greater flexibility, higher efficiency, greater creativity, higher job satisfaction working from home.  Yes, many miss the chats, the coffee breaks, the personal connection afforded by being physically together.  One manager expressed concern that some employees had adopted a kind of “vacation” mentality and needed to tighten up expectations and policies related to remote work.  Zoom actually did a study which showed efficiency actually increased 40% when people were working remotely.  The study also indicated greater job satisfaction, less stress, greater longevity without the daily time spent commuting to an office.  

One of our members is seriously questioning the need for a large corporate office.  Rather looking at ways to segment staff into smaller work groups, while maintaining a much smaller office for financial and development functions.  Selling the building and re-allocating those funds for reserves or expansion seemed to make a lot of sense.

In home, remote or at the office?  What will it be?  I’m guessing it will be some new kind of hybrid of the the best of both worlds.

Dr. Alan Cureton, president of University of Northwestern-St. Paul said: Stay true to your mission. But adjust applications to your mission. Will we stay with on-line learning, or will students return to the classroom?  More likely it will be some sort of hybrid. 

Alan continued: The virus is not going away.  How do we anticipate a COVID resurgence: How do we live with it long term.  In budgeting we must define a new paradigm to live on 1 year’s revenue for 2 years expenses. 

Take-away Bottom Line

Are we making decisions outside our comfort zone?  Yes!  Leaders are finding it increasingly challenging to make decisions in uncertain, ambiguous times.  One leader said: We’re learning from our mistakes.  That’s why the book of Proverbs says: “The prudent carefully consider their steps.  The wise are cautious and avoid danger.”  Proverbs 14:15,16

How much of these adjustments are temporary?  How many will be permanent.  Someone mentioned their staff is growing in their desire to be physically together.    Others have said we will never to back to how we did things a year ago.

Leaders must lead with calmness, clarity, speed, and steadiness in crisis times.

Leaders must acknowledge the uncertain, the ambiguous, the “I don’t know”..

Leaders cannot be territorial. We must collaborate and coordinate.

Leaders have to work with resources that we have, not what we don’t have.

Leaders have to be creative, flexible, transparent, decisive.

Leaders have to prioritize what’s crisis and what’s not.

Leaders have to keep in plan for the immediate AND the long-term.

And we do know this:

We will continue to meet more frequently using virtual meetings.

We will make greater use of digital, interactive, virtual tools for communication.

We will reallocate spending vast amounts on travel.

We will examine the benefits of owning or leasing a large corporate office.

We will adopt shorter, more concise, more frequent communication models.

We will stay focused on our core mission.

We will stop doing things NOT core to the mission.

We will keep the Gospel front and center in our content.

We will make use of virtual tools to connect with more donors more frequently.

We will not measure activity or hours. only measure results.

We will allow our younger creative staff more input into ministry leadership.

We will view this season as opportunity to create long-term contingency plans.

I’m finding the book of Proverbs exceptionally relevant to ministry leadership these days.  In an ambiguous, uncertain culture, we need to seek God’s combination of knowledge, wisdom, understanding, insight, discernment. God promises in James 1 that when we humbly ask for God’s wisdom He will give it.  

“The prudent understand where they are going.”  Proverbs 14:8  

For sure, that’s where we go from here! “

_

Wayne Pederson was the former President of Reach Beyond and NRB and now sits as the Chair Board member of Resource Global. Prior to Reach Beyond and his work with NRB, Wayne served as vice president for Radio at Moody in Chicago, with 35 owned and operated stations, reaching 1 Million listeners each week, plus 800 radio outlets nationwide. He’s a writer, speaker and air personality for a number of organizations. Wayne graduated from the University of Minnesota and the Free Lutheran Theological Seminary in Minneapolis. He has two daughters, Christy and Michelle and 9 grandchildren, all in Minnesota.

3 Steps to Avoid the Spiritual Danger of Doing Good

As a Christian activist, I meet people in need all the time. At the end of the day, the hardest part is after listening and solving people’s problems, I have no energy left to solve my own. Many times, coming home means instantly shutting down--unable to care for those closest to me. 

The scary part is that I am often unaware of how fast my lamp was burning. Most times, my lamp is already huffed out and burnet out when I realize that I actually need a fresh infilling. My giving became a drudgery, not a delight. The call of doing good, simply becomes a burden, devoid of love.

————-

It was a Sunday. I was expected to be at Church to welcome a friend coming for the first time. The moment I saw Husi, I grinned widely. His coming was long-awaited; He came to church after meeting me at my NGO’s healthcare day. 

Post church, as soon as we sat down for coffee, Husi poured the weight of his WHOLE world to me. His eyes glistened passionately as he shared. I knew how important it was for him, but in my tiredness, I treated him as another "social consultation session”. Poor guy! His biggest smile was met by my blank stares and snappy words. I ended the meeting abruptly, lying I had to be elsewhere. I was in no rush, but I just didn’t have the energy to listen to him nor to sympathize with him. 

My friend Andrew, observing what was going on, though he didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. I knew I was being unkind. That night, I was apologetic. “Why was I so snappy?” I talked as if God was in the passenger seat. In my justification, I reasoned, “Isn’t Sundays supposed to be a time when you let ME rest!?” I complained to God for what was my lack of discipline of Sabbath rest.

Then, the Holy Spirit brought to mind what happened last Thursday at my Bible Study. I received a text from a colleague. It read “Can you help me? Someone has been abused.” Instantly I left the Bible Study and all I remembered was that I was so heartbroken. Not realizing that because of that my tank was leaking. No wonder my tank was so empty on Sunday.

It wasn’t the lashing out that was the sin. The lashing out only gave way to what was happening inside of me. This was the danger of doing good...

—————

You see, we can do good works on autopilot mode. It is easy to separate the act of loving with loving itself. It’s easy to make work our idol---weaning our dependency from God. Our activism may blind us from our own need of the Gospel-- either we turn to our own strength to replace the need for the Savior, or we begin to be unfaithful in our stewardship. Giving might be a mask of serving God, when actually it is a means of self-glorification.  

But Samuel reminds us,

“What is more pleasing to the LORD:? Your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. - 1 Samuel 15:22

More than our hands, God desires our hearts. Doing JUST good is a good gift, but a terrible God. If we’re not careful, we can be the Pharisees Jesus spoke to in Matthew 23:26,

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”

Gleaning lessons from Jesus’s words, here are 3 ways to avoid the spiritual danger of doing good:

1. Abide in the Vine

Just like the branch cannot bear fruit without being connected to the vine (John 15:4-6), We cannot witness what we do not have.  Jesus said “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you...I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in Him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”  Jesus’ compassion is from the beginning, the means, and the end because He rested through abiding in the Father.

2. Rest in His Sovereignty

Understanding the Creator-Creature distinction helps put perspective on the limitations of being humans. Unlike how the world encourages endless hustling, a character of a Christian activist is to be restful! We CAN work restfully. “Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:1–2). 

John Piper says, “The spiritual leader knows that ultimately the productivity of his labors rests in God and that God can do more while he is asleep than he could do while awake without God”. He knows what Jesus said to his busy disciples, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). He is not so addicted to work that he is unable to rest. He is a good steward of his life and health. He maximizes the totality of his labor by measuring the possible strains under which he can work without diminishing his efficiency of unduly shortening his life.

3. Commune with His People

The writer of Hebrews encouraged us (10:24-26), “And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  Encourage, meaning to give courage, is the duty and delight of a community. As fellow redeemed sinners in the body of Christ, we are free to be vulnerable and be built up to grow towards the Head Christ Jesus Himself. 

So we pray,

Father in Heaven, lover of the broken and hurting, keep us abiding in You.  Thank you for creating me with a high purpose in my life. Move our hearts to consider how we might share Your love tangibly with so many around the world. Give us the power and wisdom to love, as we draw upon the deep well of Your compassion. Enable us to trust in Your Sovereignty over the good works you have given us to do. Jesus be so central that we realize the work comes from you, by you, and for you alone. 

May justice roll down like a river and righteousness like a never-failing stream, 
Tamara Wu

Tamara Wu writes and speaks on self-love, social justice, and theology. Currently, her work immerses her deep in the startup world; she runs Simona APAC Women Founders accelerator program, a non-profit called Second Chance Initiative, and an ethical fashion social enterprise called Liberty Society. When off work, she thrives on catch-ups over coffees, AM breakfasts after a HIIT workout, or a sunny day at the beach. 

Transforming Work in Nairobi

By Sunru Yong & Anne Chen

Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, is the center of social enterprise and impact investing in East Africa. It has become the regional hub for up-and-coming business leaders who recognize the significant needs, but seek new ways to renew this city. For many people, this means shifting away from reliance on NGOs and charity towards innovative business models that can combine social impact with commercial sustainability. Social enterprises have positive impact by providing critical goods and services to the underserved. There are many possibilities: the manufacture of clean cookstoves that reduce hazardous smoke and environmental impact, providing clean public toilet services for the slums, developing a network of affordable maternity clinics, or using mobile technology to link farmers to buyers. This is not to say that every impactful business needs a catchy “story” or innovation; even conventional businesses can have tremendous impact. Indeed, in a city plagued by unemployment and corruption – any business that creates jobs and is led with integrity can be said to have positive social impact.

The Nairobi entrepreneurial ecosystem also includes “impact” investors, who deploy seed, early-stage, and venture capital while applying a social impact lens to potential investments. Often, the investment funds are provided on more patient, less onerous terms than conventional venture capital; this gives entrepreneurs more space and time to refine their business models, and – hopefully – achieve profitability and scale. In a business environment like Kenya, such investor flexibility is essential. Would-be marketplace leaders do not have an easy road. High costs, poor infrastructure, and corruption all conspire against the entrepreneur. Furthermore, any business trying to introduce an innovation must convince a skeptical market to try something untested. Figuring out how to learn quickly enough and build a sustainable business with limited capital – this is a tall task for anyone, much less one who seeks to do so with integrity and faith-based values.

It is in serving these up-and-coming leaders – those who aspire to change Nairobi through social enterprise and impact investing – where Resource Global has an opportunity to add value. By the numbers, Kenya is a very Christian nation. Approximately 80% of the population identifies as Protestant or Catholic. However, it is clear there is still much to do in effectively bringing faith and work together. At a recent Nairobi conference sponsored by Resource Global and Hesabika, one speaker after another lamented the reality: Kenya is an ostensibly “Christian” nation, yet corruption and exploitation are pervasive. How, they all asked, can we be a country that is over 80% Christian, and yet we allow – or worse, participate in – such injustice?

The church must face the fact that for too many people, being “Christian” is merely a cultural signifier, rather than an identity, and that the message heard on Sunday may have little bearing on the actions taken on Monday.

In Nairobi, there are many places in which faith can – and indeed, must – transform work. Christ-centered leaders are needed everywhere: government, corporations, NGOs, non-profits, schools, development institutions, and beyond. Resource Global has a part to play too. In 2020, we will focus on providing practical support and mentorship to the social entrepreneurs and impact investors looking for daring, innovative ways to change the city. The stresses of entrepreneurship are high and there are important issues facing those who want to honor Jesus as they navigate this. Resource Global can help by leveraging and adapting the model it has rolled out in other cities. We believe that there can be tremendous benefits in fostering a community of like-minded leaders. We are eager to bring together fellow believers to encourage each other through the trials of entrepreneurship, the excitement of changing their city, and the joy of honoring God in their work. 

Anne and Sunru have been living and working in Nairobi, Kenya for over eight years. They are currently helping our Resource Global Team invest in local Nairobi Christian leaders who can make an impact in their workplace and city for the Gospel.

Modern mentoring: Why is it important and how is it different?

Merriam-Webster defines a mentor as a trusted counselor or guide. 

“The number one thing employers can do to demonstrate their investment in a young person becoming a leader is to train and develop them, including coaching and mentoring,” stated Lindsey Pollak, The Hartford’s Millennial Workplace Expert. 

Many millennials seek purpose in their work. Helping them to explore their God-given vision and the talents they possess early in their career increases their job satisfaction and enables them to make an impact throughout their life.  

Lifeway research found that 68 percent of church-going young adults identified the opportunity to receive advice from people with similar life experiences as very important. Young adults place high value on connecting with people who have more life experience than they do.

As we find regularly at Resource Global, today’s emerging leaders of faith frequently desire to make a difference through their careers and in their communities, cities and the world. They long for a like-minded guide who will come alongside them and help them think through strategic questions and provide relevant resources as they navigate the marketplace. 

Is mentoring biblical? While you won’t find the word “mentoring” in the Bible, we see many examples of mentoring relationships taking place throughout scripture. Jethro mentored Moses, Moses mentored Joshua, Naomi mentored Ruth, Eli mentored Samuel, Samuel mentored Saul and David, Elijah mentored Elisha, Elizabeth mentored Mary, Priscilla and Aquila mentored Apollos, Jesus mentored the disciples, and Paul mentored Timothy. In Titus older women are instructed to train younger women and Paul implies that older men should teach younger men by example.

So how is modern mentoring different from traditional mentoring?

First, the focus is on what the mentee wants to learn, not on what the mentor knows. Mentees bring their most important questions and mentors engage with them to help foster growth in the desired areas. Mentors may recommend resources, assignments, and contacts in their networks who have particular expertise or experience. The mentee is an active participant throughout the process.

Second, the relationship is characterized by authenticity. Mentees are seeking a more experienced person who will share their work and life experiences with transparency—the good, the bad, and the ugly. This occurs when the relationship is a safe place to discuss ideas and both parties share experiences that include stories of successes and struggles, how they have processed them and what they learned.

Finally, mentors benefit in the process. Mentors aren’t just giving, they also receive. In my own experience as a mentor I am inspired nearly every time I connect with my mentees—by their heart to make a difference, their lives of faith and by their thoughtful engagement with God, their work, and the world around them. I learn new things as I engage with different perspectives and experiences. Time flies and I am always thankful for the opportunities I have in mentoring. 

So what are you waiting for? Jump in and become a trusted guide for an emerging leader in your organization, church or community. You’ll be providing a valuable service and you may just find you receive much more in return. 

Christine Gorz helps Resource Global with connecting and developing our mentorship pool for our cohorts. She formerly was the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Moody Bible Institute. She has also done marketing in the Christian music industry in Nashville, Tenn. She and her husband, Chris, live in Chicago and she loves mid-century design and a good cup of coffee.

The Five Giants of Jakarta

Below is an interview with Suparno Adijato who is the Chair of our Jakarta Board and Tommy Lee, our President.

CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?

I am an Indonesian, who has been living in Jakarta for thirty years. We have a family plantation and mining business. My wife and I are educators for preschoolers to adults. But my passion is in ministry, building up and discipling young adults so they can contribute to their cities.

WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE FOR THE CITY OF JAKARTA?

The number one word that comes to mind when I think of Jakarta is vibrant. Jakarta is full of life, even traffic jams represent the city’s vibrance. Jakarta, with a population of 30 million people, is the second biggest megalopolitan in the world, just short of Tokyo. Another word for Jakarta is improving. Indonesia used to be at the bottom of Transparency International. In 1998, we had one of the worst economic crisis, along with a change of government. But amidst the skepticism by many people, things are improving in the country. Many people thought Indonesia would go down the drain, but people have been praying for the country. There is a national prayer network that has millions of people covering Indonesia with prayers.

YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE FIVE GIANTS (PROBLEMS) IN THE CITY OF JAKARTA, WHAT IS THE FIRST PROBLEM?

Corruption is a big problem. It breeds inefficiency. By being inefficient, you get more money. Corruption also breeds uncertainties and risks. Foreign investors will not invest if the risk is too high due to corruption. With corruption, people can be bought. There is no security when you don’t know who you can trust. People don’t need to have integrity where there is corruption. So I believe that if our society can overcome corruption, then we would be on the right path.

WHAT IS THE SECOND GIANT?

The second giant is inequality. Not only are there minorities in terms of race and religion, Indonesia has one of the greatest unequal distributions of wealth amongst its people. There are three classes of people:

• the few, who have a lot of wealth,

• the small amount, which is considered is middle class,

• and then the class majority of Indonesians fall into, those who are near poverty.

WHAT IS THE THIRD GIANT?

The third giant is vulnerability. A society works well if the law works to protect the people. The law is not perfect, but so is the implementation of the law in Indonesia. There are inefficiencies in the way the law is drafted. Due to that fact, a lot of times people feel that the law is against them. As a result, the people are wary and do not know who they can trust. There should be some form of social justice.

WHAT IS THE FOURTH GIANT?

The fourth giant is poverty. Unemployment is a huge issue. The government has made improvements, but there is still a lot of unemployed people. For example, people who work on a farm work for about six months and only about five hours a day. So if they get sick, there is no money. People here run into a lot of problems because of debt.

WHAT IS THE FIFTH FINAL GIANT?

The final giant is hopelessness. There is an overarching sense of hopelessness and oppression. But Jesus has come to help those that are oppressed; God has given us hope through Jesus and hope for the future. There is hope. I believe our society can and will continue to improve going forward.

ANY LAST THOUGHTS?

The Bible talks about David being the giant slayer. In our lives, we have Davids, but also men and women who can be Davids and support Davids. God can use everybody. Although we may not be a David, we can still help to bring back the kingdom. All of us can do something to slay giants.

Thanksgiving, Hospitality, and Opportunity

By Felicia Hanito

Thanksgiving became one of my favorite holidays back when I was a student in the States: not only is it an occasion to share delicious food and quality moments with loved ones, but it helps us take a step back from our busy everyday routines in order to remember and cherish the simple gifts of life—including the people around us. 

This year, I had the privilege to spend one of my best Thanksgiving dinners yet with a group of new friends from three West Jakarta universities. Our belated celebration, held on Friday, November 30th, was co-sponsored by Resource Global and hosted by a small community of Christ-following working adults who share a common vision of investing holistically in university students through our platform of “Next Generation Professionals”.  

Over the past few months, we had met and befriended students of myriad backgrounds and faiths through hosting a series of free professional development workshops and English conversation classes in partnership with their English Clubs. Through our Thanksgiving dinner gathering, we hoped to connect on a deeper, more personal level with our new friends and demonstrate our continued commitment to love, serve, and equip them and their campuses.

In total, we were blessed with twenty-one attendees who pretty much filled up every corner of my co-leader’s apartment! The menu comprised of a unique fusion of Indonesian-American Thanksgiving offerings: roast chicken and mashed potatoes paired with chocolate pudding, es buah (Indonesian iced fruit cocktail), and martabak (Indonesian sweet pancakes). As excited as our guests were about the food, the true highlight of the night was the camaraderie built through laughter-inducing games and personal sharing about the things we were most grateful for that year. Several students expressed their gratitude for the new, genuine friends they had made through English Club and the “Next Generation Professionals” community—especially for those who had just moved to a new city and/or were going through hard times.

Following this dinner, my community co-leaders and I look forward to continue engaging these and their campuses in workshops and hangouts and are also considering the option of offering a tailored personal mentorship program for a smaller, committed group of students. Our dream is that we can eventually know these students not just as our dear friends but also spiritual brothers and sisters, and co-laborers in the God’s mission to catalyze gospel transformation in all nations.

Felecia Hanito is the Education Program Manager at the Djarum Foundation and has a heart to reach college students across cultures and faith journeys. She was in Resource Global’s 2nd year cohort and we are excited to see what God is doing in her and through her.

Lifeʼs Little Detours

What do you when things donʼt go your way? Do you often grumble, do you often resist, and try to push forward? There are time when weʼre called to simply brave it through, to push through. But there are also the other times where detours are necessary.

How often do you get thrown off guard when things donʼt seem to go as you had planned it to be?

Thatʼs me most of the time. And as I took time to ponder upon the question: Why is it so hard for me to simply let things be? And I came to realize:

Resistance often comes when what we want (what we plan) isnʼt what He wills.

And ever since I come to realize that, I feel an immeasurable surge of peace and I choose to yield into His leading. Iʼm simply gonna let things flow, learning to flow in His grace. And to not let little things that doesnʼt seem to go our way throw us off.

With every detour thereʼs a blessing, or an opportunity to serve.

Therefore we must instead pay closer attention to what Heʼs doing, instead of getting irritated. Easier done when our will is no longer ours.

I would have not been here if it were not some of these detours. And I praise God for the little detours in my life. For it is part of His way, to drive me a little out of my “seemingly straight path”, a little further, a little off-the-road experiences, whereby the view is better, or where an unexpected encounter and experience occurs.

God is working in all things, including the detours.

So the next time, something doesnʼt go your way, consider that a “pause” sign from God. To ponder, and to come to Him, ask Him to open up your eyes, so you may be attentive to what Heʼs doing. Because our God is purposeful and intentional in every way. Therefore, with every detour, it could be a pause sign to ponder and pray; it could serve as a warning; it could be a way to get your full attention to what Heʼs doing; it could be His way to redirect you. It could be a million things. Therefore it is wise to simply consider and pause, rather than simply push through. Otherwise youʼd be going through life just zooming through it, managing it, and missing the whole point of life itself.

Lifeʼs little detours calls for us to learn to flow in His grace.
Lifeʼs little detours calls for us to learn to surf with the waves.

And I pray today that I may be able to understand this everyday and every time something unplanned comes my way. Iʼll pray the same for you too.

Sonia Wirya, Jakarta Cohort

Know Your Place

Tau diri  is a common term used in the Indonesian culture (usually by an older person to a younger person) as a reminder to "know your place". What does that mean exactly? It means:

• Don’t speak out unless you are told to do so.

• Respect elderly people and heed their advice; don't talk as if you know better.

• As an employee, never outshine your superiors.

• If you are the 2nd or 3rd born in your family, accept that most of the leadership roles will fall under your oldest sibling.

Tau diri. Know your place.

It is a phrase that is often times belittling, oppressive, and negative. It is usually used when scolding someone, that someone being of lower status, age, rights, and/or gender(women are still seen as “less” in this country).

A friend once told me that because her parents repeatedly told her to "tau diri," her insecurities grew. She expected less from herself. She didn’t want to stand out or speak up. To her,Tau diri meant keeping quiet and always nodding along in order to be the "proper person". It prevented her from seeing herself the way God sees her.

I challenge us to see this term "tau diri" in a different light. Yes, tau diri means know your place. But let’s try and see this with a positive perspective - know your place, as a child of God. Know your place as an ambassador of Christ. Know your place as someone that has been saved by the loving grace of God.

I agree that it is important for us to "know our place" with regards to our family, work position, and age. It is always good to have a humble heart and attitude. However, humble does not mean one is weak or less than others. We should know that God has placed us in this family, this country, this culture, this group of friends, and this company, all for a reason...know your place. Know your place as a child of God. A child that is loved, cherished, and saved. We do not need to look for fame or position to be secure because God is our security.  

With this “new” definition, I want to challenge all of us to Tau Diri from a kingdom perspective, God’s eyes. Know your place as a child of God. A child that has been given a mission and vision for the people around you.

Grace Liu, Jakarta City Director

Standing...

By Pastor Oscar Muriu
Nairobi Chapel

Standing to be Counted

True leadership has two sides of it. Psalm “when god looked for a leader he looked for David…”

The only safeguard against the corruption of power is values. Values that cannot be shaken or corrupted. Risk friends and popularity.

Qualities looked for in a leader:

1. Vision

2. Ability to unify people

3. Humility. Willingness to be held accountable.

4. Caring. Help the poor.

5. Integrity. Character.

First quality of integrity is blameless was. Number two, speaks truth of heart, truthful and forthright. Three, does neighbor no wrong, transparent, no gossip. Fourth, despised foul men, stands for what is right. Fifth, keeps oath. Six, lends money without asking for interest, kind to those in need. Seven, does not accept bribe against innocent, incorruptible. Best place to see true character of someone is in their home. Can hide from public, but not family.

Standing for Something

Hope in spirit of change. Put hope in God and God alone.

God does not treat us as we deserve. He is merciful.

God hears the prayers of His people.

God has a plan for this nation.

Middle class needs to be out on the streets, involved. Hold leaders accountable. Together we may build this nation. There has been a lot out into place because of middle class. Continue to do your work and continue to do it well. God holds the destiny of this nation in His hands. He is able to raise up and remove. He holds the heart of the king in His hands, He hears the prayers of His people, He has a plan.

Our hope is in God.

Standing in the Gap

Yahweh is a name God gave Himself in Exodus 3. Many of Gods nicknames come from men after God impacts their lives. We are unsure if we pronounce it correctly, Hebrews didn’t use vowels. The Jews themselves wouldn’t have dared to say the name of God in case they use His name in vain. Always write a different name in place of the name God named Himself.

Tribes were established by God. Made of of many families that share same heritage, roots. Band together for survival. Language becomes identifying mark of that tribe. Tribes are larger than families but smaller than nations. God allowed tribes to halt the spread of evil. In the beginning they were a good thing. God built them as an instrument to stop evil. Satan creates tribalism. The problem is not tribes, it is tribalism - a way of thinking and behaving where people are more loyal to their tribe than to their friends, nation. Other people are dumb, ignorant, negative stereotypes. Tribalism strives to exclude, divide, and oppress. Tribalism at a national level can be racism and ethnocentrism. Racism is tribalism at its worst. The only way to fight tribalism is to first fight it within your heart.

You are all children of God through faith.

Cross of Christ unites us, we are all equal.

Are You a Secure Leader? (Part II)

Part II: Letting go and Letting God. 

I BUILT THIS. 
THIS IS MINE. 
NO ONE WILL DO THINGS THE WAY I DO IT.

Those were the walls of pride that God had to break down in my life as he asked me to step up in a new level of leadership.

Developing Humbleness.

It's not mine.
I had to recognize that this ministry belongs to God. He simply allowed me to play a part as a leader in helping it grow. He did not need me, he simply allowed me to be a part of it.

I am not the best.
I had to recognize that God has gifted the members in my group with different ways of leading. As a leader I needed to tap into each potential leader's strengths and styles of leading. I needed to encourage and empower the next generation of leaders to NOT lead like GRACE LIU but lead in the way have have been gifted and called to lead. Being a secure leader means not only understanding your own strengths and style in leading, but helping the next generation of leaders understand and develop their own style of leadership.

A secure leader wants and will do everything in their power for their successor to do better than them. They would want their discipled leader to lead bigger groups, lead effectively and accomplish exponential growth beyond what they can achieve themselves. A secure leader has the mindset and heart attitude that acknowledges in whatever job, position, title that God allows him/her to be in; it is not about me.

The Change

Our young adults community will be multiplying this year. I have decided to step down and not lead any of the groups. Instead I will empower and support the new leaders as they initiate these new community groups. Although there have been much hesitation, some sadness and some fears that have been voiced out by some members, I feel this a step in the right direction for our community and for me as a leader. Letting go, and allowing God to do his work through this community in raising up leaders has been (and will continue to be) a challenge. However, I do believe that in order to be healthy and grow deeper in our faith we need to be sensitive towards God's leading. God is calling us to grow and not to stay comfortably where we are at. 

My pastor at church shared this quote with us:

 “Healthy things grow

Growing things change.

Change challenges us.

Challenge forces us to trust God.

Trust leads to obedience.

Obedience makes us healthy.

Healthy things grow…”

Let's choose to let go and let God direct us in the way we should go. 
A secure leader is about living a life of obedience and encouraging others to do the same.

Grace Liu, Jakarta City Director

Are You a Secure Leader? (Part I)

Part I: When You Cannot Let Go

What would you feel when God asks you to let go of your position, your title or the ministry you have built over many years?
How do you feel when you handover power to your disciple and take a step back?
How do you feel when you successor is more successful than you?

Your response to these questions will tell you whether you are a secure or insecure leader.

After 5 years of serving and leading life groups (community groups), I felt God calling me to empower young adult leaders to start their own community groups. A mentor of mine confirmed this calling and told me this: "Stop being the hero. Instead, be a hero-maker of the people God has placed in your community". It made sense to me and I knew this was a clear sign for me to start delegating tasks and raising leaders in order to multiply. 

Something was holding me back.

The stubborn, micromanaging side of me was not ready to give in to the calling God had for me and our life group. Our attendance had grown from 12 to nearly 80 people in the past 2 years. I enjoyed seeing our group grow. A sense of accomplishment helped me grow in my confidence as a leader. As months passed, I realized in order to deepen our faith as a group it was important for each person's story to be known by others. In order to build a healthy community it was important to cultivate vulnerability and openness and this was hard to do in such a large group. 

I began to reflect on why it was so hard for me to receive God's calling to empower leaders and split into smaller groups.

I realized there were 2 insecurities I had developed as a leader:

1. I am afraid of losing power and control
I was worried about the quality and depth of the groups if I was not the leader. I was worried that the new leaders were not able to carry out the same passion and zeal I had for the life group. I felt like if I was not present and in charge, something would go wrong. These worries were not about the abilities of the future leaders, this was more about my unwillingness to give up control and step down in order to give room for others to lead. 

2. I am afraid of being forgotten
I was worried people would forget about how awesome of a leader I was (or I would like to think that I was) and like the new leader better. I was worried that this new leader would be a much better leader than me and his/her group would grow to be bigger than my original group. I was afraid I would no longer have a say and my sacrifice would be forgotten. 

Both of these insecurities stem from one thing: PRIDE. 

I made my ministry all about me. This community unconsciously became part of my identity and I realized this is a danger that can happen to followers of Christ who have committed a big portion of their life to ministry. I have realized that it is possible to be selfish about serving Christ. Pride can develop from desiring recognition from the church to as a good, strong, committed Christian.

God was calling me to the next step of leadership. God was calling me to develop and empower the next generation of young adult leaders. God was reminding me that everything belongs to Him and I cannot get overly attached to anything, even when it is a good thing like ministry. Often times we get so busy with perfecting our way of serving that we lose sight; in order to grow, we need to level up in our spiritual walk with God.  We need to embrace the directional change that God is calling us to go. A good leader serves. A good leader realizes it is not about him/her. A good leader is able to discern when it is time to give up control and let others step up.

Grace Liu, Jakarta City Director

Meet Julia Tan

Resource Global is an organization I started nine years ago to take the vision God had given me to take the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. Resource Global is committed to resourcing and releasing the next generation of Christian leaders and professionals within an interconnected network for Gospel movements in major global cities.

One of the people I have gotten to meet and who has been part of our cohorts has been Julia Tan.  Julia is an extremely bright and talented individual.  She is one of the future leaders in that city.  Julia is the Head of Corporate Development and HR at Liputan Group in Jakarta and the Head of Project at DoctorShare and will be speaking at our annual Icon Conference in Jakarta this year.  

I want to share two videos with you: