The Thrive! Podcast

Hear excerpts from a few of our most listened to episodes of 2021! Special Guests: Dale Witherington, Gerald Duran, Gretchen Stevenson, and Mike Henry Sr..

Bob Lambert, founder of successful start-up companies, author, and radio talk show host of Faith Marketplace, shares his journey of learning how to bring his faith into the marketplace, and guiding principles he has learned along the way. In this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Bob highlights practical actions you can take in your life as you seek to connect faith and work. You will leave this conversation with Bob encouraged to work with excellence and show your faith to those you interact with each week. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Bob Lambert.

Ron Johnson, professor, customer service professional, and author, unpacks his experience sharing his Christian faith with others and how God makes an impact on all areas of our life when we invite Him in. In this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Ron shares his deep appreciation for education and the journey he took to find his place as a professor. You will leave this conversation with Ron encouraged to invite God into your life and work as you see how God responds to your invitation. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Ron Johnson.

Gina Lokken, professional coach, speaker, author, and trainer specializing in strengths-based leadership and team building shares techniques she utilizes to help clients move past what they originally thought was possible. In this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Gina talks about the importance of learning and growth in life. Coaching and mentoring provides a space to work with someone who believes in you, maybe even before you believe in yourself. You will leave this conversation with Gina encouraged to see yourself how God sees you, and discern the next steps in your life. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Gina Lokken.

Leslie Jackson, speaker, author, and racecar driver, shares how she combines faith and fun in her life in her personal and business endeavors. In this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Leslie talks about her career and the path that led her to co-founding a roofing company with her husband. She also describes the two books she has written, and how she hopes they help others process and release the struggles they carry in life. You will leave this conversation with Leslie encouraged to seek hope and healing in your life. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Leslie Jackson.

Robb Hiller, CEO of Performance SolutionsMN, coaches business leaders through the process of finding the right talent to meet the needs of the company. In this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Robb shares his testimony of how he came to faith in Jesus Christ, and the lessons he learned from that experience about asking the right questions. He believes asking the right questions is key in coaching and mentoring. You will leave this conversation with Robb inspiried by his story of facing health challenges and using the Power of 3 to navigate through life. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Robb Hiller.

Dale Henry, founder of Critical Insight Group, Real World Super Hero Academy, and The Abundance Group, helps develop leaders, teams, and coaches people to find and develop their strengths. On this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Dale shares how he started his businesses, and the freedom he found as he launched companies aligned with Christian values. He also talks about developing influence, and how leading from influence rather than power benefits organizations and teams. You will leave this conversation with Dale encouraged to find ways to display Christian values in your workplace as you care for the people around you. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Dale Henry.

Carl Wesley Anderson, founder of Born to Blaze Ministries and author of Love Speaks, shares the value of inviting God to speak into your business and work decisions and the ways he has learned to hear God. On this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Carl shares stories about his life as an entrepreneur, author, and founder of a ministry. He also tells about the life-threatening cancer he faced and how he navigated decisions about treatment by seeking direction from God. You will leave this conversation with Carl encouraged to consider ways you can share simple testimonies of God's voice in your life with the people you encounter at work. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Carl Wesley Anderson.

Timothy Mahoney, author, filmmaker, and founder of Thinking Man Films, experienced a crisis of faith that led him to create films presenting evidence for biblical events. On this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Timothy talks about the journey his life took as he worked towards owning a production company. He discusses how God's purpose for his life has shaped the direction he took with his career. You will leave this conversation with Timothy inspired by the stories behind the documentaries he has created, and supported on your journey to finding the calling God has for your life. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Timothy Mahoney.

Os Hillman, author, speaker, and coach, helps men and women integrate their faith into their work life. He sees a gap between many people's faith life and what they do each week at work and his work includes resources to help business people and pastors learn what it means to connect faith and work. On this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Os shares practical ideas and resources aimed at equipping all Christians to develop a deeper understanding of what it means to view work as a place of ministry. He discusses the multifaceted purpsoe of a Christian owned business and the four elements that differentiate a Christian in business from others. You will leave this conversation with Os encouraged to listen to God's direction in your life, and tangible ways to respond to the purpose you are on earth to fulfil. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Os Hillman.

Mel Beaudry, a real estate agent in Elk River, Minnesota, shares the path he took that led him to becoming a real estate agent and how he supports clients through prayer and encouragement during the ups and downs of the home buying process. On this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Mel shares his personal faith testimony the story of how prayer has impacted the Elk River, MN community. He encourages all people to consider how prayer can impact the lives of those around them. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Mel Beaudry.

Sedrik Newbern, author and founder of Newbern Consulting, shares his experience of the value of being a mentor, and having mentors in your life. He tells the story of one young person he has mentored and the joy it has been to walk alongside them and share in the highs and lows of their life. On this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Sedrik discusses his philosophy of sharing faith with others: show in it your actions through visible love and respect people you encounter. He encourages listeners to look for unique ways to show their faith in their business or place of work as well. You will leave this conversation with Sedrik motivated to be authentic in your life and business and encouraged to show the love of Christ to the people you see each day. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Sedrik Newbern.

Erica Dvorak from Faith & Gather and host of the Faith Inspired Podcast believes sharing her faith first through her actions brings opportunities to share Jesus with those around her. Showing kindness, treating others well, and going above and beyond prompt conversations about why she makes the choices she does and give her a change to talk about her faith. Today Erica shares the path God has taken her on in her career that led her to start her own business. She highlights the importance of waiting on God in business and in life to allow Him to speak into the work you do. You will leave this conversation with Erica feeling supported in whatever season you find yourself in - whether a season of fast growth or a season of waiting and building behind the scenes. Be encouraged in your faith and equipped with ways to connect your faith and work. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Erica Dvorak.

Taylor Blom from Next Door Photos lauched his business with the goal of advancing God's kingdom and serving others. Today Taylor shares the ups and downs of starting a business and offers his perspective on how business is an incredible way to advance God's kingdom. He believes it is part of God's purpose that people connect and network with each other. You will leave this conversation with Taylor encouraged in your work, whether you are a mid-level manager, entry-level employee, or business owner. Discover ways to build your relationship with God and view your business as place to offer encouragement to others. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Taylor Blom.

Jeff Miller from HELLO This Is Jeff uses design to connect people to causes that matter. Today Jeff shares his passion for telling stories through branding and the importance of getting to know the people and stories behind the brand. He explains how a service mindset is a key part of the work he does. You will leave this conversation with Jeff encouraged in your journey to connect faith and work in your business. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Jeff Miller.

Brent Voight is a coach and mentor with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He sees the high level of influence coaches have in the lives of the youth they coach and desires to use that influence to make disciples of Jesus. Today Brent shares the value of doing faith in a community of people and how all Christians, no matter their title or role, can evangelize and be a disciple maker. He shares how important it is to view your job as a calling so you can maximize your influence in the lives of those you interact with each day. You will leave this conversation with Brent encouraged by the most impactful things Brent does in his life as a disciple maker. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Brent Voight.

Jim and Martha Brangenberg believe your work is a ministry opportunity God has called you to. Today Jim and Martha share the importance of using discernment to filter the messages surrounding you about the importance of your work. They discuss how your gifts, talents, and abilities are given to you by God and are part of your witness for Christ. You will leave this conversation with Jim and Martha prepared to view your work as something you can do to the glory of God. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Jim and Martha Brangenberg.

Dave Kahle discovered in his study of the Bible that work is God's first choice of a venue to have a relationship with human beings. Today Dave shares how he has fulfilled multiple purposes from God in his career and his belief that you don't have to have just one purpose from God, you can have serial purposes. Dave sees God show up in work and wants you to view your job as something you do together with your Creator. You will leave this conversation with Dave with encouragement to do excellent work and develop Christian virtues so you can give the glory to God when opportunity arises. Subscribe and leave a review of Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Dave Kahle.

Gretchen Stevenson from Gretchen Stevenson Ministries encourages Christians to consider how to share their faith through how they live at work and in their neighborhoods. Today Gretchen shares parts of the journey that brought her to where she is now in ministry, and how the faithfulness of God and trusted counsel from others guided her. Gretchen has a passion for serving and showing others how being a servant like Jesus increases their witness. You will leave this conversation with Gretchen with practical ways to consider how your actions appear to others, and encouragement that God longs to spend time with you and teach you through His word, the Bible. Listen and subscribe to Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! Special Guest: Gretchen Stevenson.

Kevin Mitchell of Transform Your World has witnessed God respond in powerful ways to the prayers of himself and others. Today Kevin shares the impact prayer can have on your work and the relationships you have with people in the marketplace, and he tells two stories from his career that illustrate how God works through the prayers of His people. You'll leave this conversation with Kevin with new ideas for viewing your work as God's work, and ways you can use prayer to help connect your faith and work. Leave a review of the show to help more listeners find the Connecting Faith and Work podcast! Special Guest: Kevin Mitchell.

Mike Henry of Follower of One believes sharing your faith means living in accordance with what you claim to believe. Today Mike shares how viewing your workplace as a mission field changes how you interact with the people around you and the five things he teaches believers to do every day at work. Mike knows, based on the Bible, that you will be given the opportunity to answers questions from others about your faith, and he wants you to be equipped to answer well. You'll leave this conversation with Mike with practices you can put into place in your life to help you be a witness for Jesus in the marketplace and inspiration for how you can appreciate and serve those you work with. Leave a review of the show to help more listeners find the Connecting Faith and Work podcast! Special Guest: Mike Henry Sr..

Presented by Ambassadors for Business: Lisa Richter, Aimee Lee, and Kathy Mueller bring the music of the Andrews Sisters to life! The Andrews Sisters were the most popular female act of the 1930's and 40's. The trio's trademark close harmony singing, nimble delivery, and effervescent smiles defined the jitterbugging and boogie-woogie crazes of the World War II era. Join us live or via livestream for this Andrews Sisters Revue! Bring a friend or gather your whole family at home!

Dale Witherington from Restore Minnesota equips pastors to equip their congregations to fulfill the call God has placed on each individual. He is passionate about helping Christians realize their role in the world as witnesses for Christ in the marketplace. Gain practical wisdom from Dale in this episode as he shares his philosophy of ministry and practical ways you can share your faith at work. Leave a review of the show to help more listeners find the Connecting Faith and Work podcast! Special Guest: Dale Witherington.

Gerald Duran from Cana Global saw first hand as a young entrepreneur how reading the Bible and asking God for wisdom brings success. Today Gerald shares stories about God's guidance from his career as a serial entrepreneur, and the journey God took him on to build an online learning community for faith-driven entrepreneurs and dreamchasers. Gerald places a high priority on reading the Bible daily and relying on God for the wisdom he needs to find success. You will leave this conversation with Gerald with the knowledge that the Bible is a book of promises, and practical take-aways to help you discover your purpose and share your faith in the workplace. Listen and subscribe to Connecting Faith and Work on your favorite podcast platform! connectingfaithandwork

*Introducing Colleen Burrs, the new host of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast! * Today Colleen shares how God led her to Ambassadors for Business, and equipped her for her role as Chief Operations Officer. In her work and life Colleen leans heavily on lessons she learned about faith and work from her father. Growing up she saw firsthand what it was to view your business as your ministry. Join Colleen on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of each month to hear stories and wisdom from guests who bring their faith to work in an intentional way. You will walk away from each episode knowing practical take-aways you can apply to your connecting faith and work journey. You matter to us! G7 is a place to grow your faith by building connections with other business leaders to network and build your faith while increasing your bottom line. To find a group near you... visit www.g7networking.com connectingfaithandworkpodcast Thank you to our partner for this episode! G7 Networking - Visit www.g7networking.com to learn about groups forming right now!

Author, speaker, and content creator Dave Kahle focuses on two things as he helps Christians build Biblical Businesses: excellence and influence. "I help [Christians in business] have an excellent business, and at the same time expand the influence of their business to be a powerful entity in the kingdom." - Dave Kahle Dave's passion for building biblical businesses started when he looked at the Bible and asked himself, "does God think of business as an entity?" In this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Dave shares what he discovered as he uncovered examples of business in the Bible. He also shares resources he has developed for Christians in business who want to invite God into their work. Resources referenced in this episode: - Biblical Business Assessment (https://www.thebiblicalbusiness.com/business-assessment/) - 7 Key Initiatives E-Book (https://www.thebiblicalbusiness.com/7-key-initiatives/) - Subscribe to Dave's E-Zines (https://www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/ezine-subscribe/) - The Good Book on Business (https://www.thebiblicalbusiness.com/good-book-on-business/) Connect with Dave Kahle: - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davekahle/) - Email info@davekahle.com - Visit his website (https://www.davekahle.com/) Special Guest: Dave Kahle.

Diversity Without Unity is Chaos and Unity Without Diversity is Blind... So, how do we get there? At Ambassadors for Business we believe unity starts with finding common ground - via understanding each other. That's why we're hosting what we pray will become a recurring event called Thrive! Common Ground. We desire for our community to keep asking the difficult questions, listening, and having dialogue that brings understanding without casting stones. In finding common ground we can begin to unite and make progress toward toward a just society where the vision of our country's forefathers can be realized. Panelists Include: Stephen Crawford: Stephen graduated from North Central University with a degree in Urban Studies. He received a Master's of Divinity and Transformational Leadership as well as a Doctorate in Emerging Leadership from Bethel University. He is a certified business coach and corporate trainer with Experience Leadership affiliates of the John Maxwell Team. Latoya Jones Burrell: LaToya Jones Burrell, JD, MBA serves as Dean of Graduate Education and Accreditation at North Central University. Her career has included practicing law and teaching and leading in higher education. She is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and Minnesota and her practice areas have focused on bankruptcy, mass torts, complex litigation and business consulting. Duane Coleman: Duane Coleman is the President and founder of Dashboard Interactive Marketing. Duane's company has been in business since 2006 and they help small and medium-sized businesses increase visibility on Google and other digital platforms and they leverage deep dive analytics to help their clients generate new sales leads and sell products online. Bill Bojan: In 2008 Bill founded Integrated Governance Solutions, LLC (IGS), an organization whose goal is to support achievement of a higher standard of board and risk governance within the marketplace and other realms of institutions such as nonprofits, academia, and government. Since 2018 Bill has served as a Director in the Business Risk Services practice of CliftonLarsonAllen bringing next generation governance to clients in the health care, financial institutions, and nonprofit/public sector industries. Bill Green: Bill Green has served in Christian Education and Higher Education Administration for over 30 years. He has participated in various capacities for enrollment, retention, student development, and administration at the local, national and international levels. Special Guest: Jeff Sidner.

Mike Henry Sr. is from Follower of One in Tulsa Oklahoma. He previously worked in IT Leadership and became a Christian after already establishing his career. When he came to know Christ, he was frustrated with the struggle of integrating his faith and his workplace. After speaking with different pastors about overseas missions' trips, he realized that the workplace is just as much a mission field as anywhere. His passion is to help workplace Christians make their worktime count. He speaks on the background of the Marketplace Mission Trip and what to expect when going on this mission's trip. He explains how every missions' trip purpose is to go somewhere to build relationships with people in order to be able to share the gospel and that going to work every day is no different. Mike explains Follower of One's five steps that anyone can do every day to help become a marketplace missionary: Pray Appreciate people Know what you believe Serve others Speak for yourself Each Marketplace Mission Trip is a two week experience that happens virtually through daily tasks, emails, and phone calls with others on the mission trip. Find more information about Follower of One here: https://followerofone.org Learn more about going on a Marketplace Mission Trip or to register for the next one here: https://followerofone.org/marketplace-mission-trips/ Special Guest: Mike Henry Sr..

At Ambassadors for Business we believe unity starts with finding common ground - via understanding each other. That's why we're hosting what we pray will become a monthly event called Thrive! Common Ground. We desire for our community to keep asking the difficult questions, listening, and having dialogue that brings understanding without casting stones. In finding common ground we can begin to unite and make progress toward toward a just society where the vision of our country's forefathers can be realized. Guest panelists included: **Stephen Crawford, Owner of Experience Leadership Ron McConico, CEO of McConico and Associates Bill Green, Director of Multicultural and International Affairs Brenton Carroll, Student at North Central University Jeff Sidner, Owner, National Karate South Minneapolis, Hopkins, Bloomington**

Small business owner Jeff Sidner has been in the martial arts industry for 30 years and one of his karate studios is located in south Minneapolis. He is very invested in that community, and has a passion for impacting the people there through martial arts. In this episode, Jeff shares his perspective on the challenges facing the black community and the response the nation has witnessed to the death of George Floyd. Jeff also responds to some of the hard questions and common talking points in the conversation about racial injustice. He lends his voice as a Christian, business owner, and black man to this challenging, but needed, conversation. Special Guest: Jeff Sidner.

Listen to a recent message Roger Thompson of Berean Baptist Church shared with his Ironworks men's group about COVID-19. Here's a quick note from Roger to go along with the message: "My mind and heart are in the spin cycle every day. I bounce between the maddening constrictions and confusion pumped at me daily and the timeless encouragements of God's presence and promises. To elevate my spirit above the flood, I wrote these questions in my journal. I hope they will help you orient your heart as well. ** 8 Questions for Every Day** Is the sovereign Lord still reigning? Does Jesus have a plan for this day? Does Jesus have a purpose for my life today? Will the Holy Spirit be guiding me today? Am I available when he directs me? Am I willing to surrender to him? Will I rest in his provision? Will I diligently accept any assignment he gives me today? There's no getting around it: we are in serious times. We need to be informed, but we need also to be infused with God's purpose and confidence. Take a deep breath of courage and hope as you ask yourself these questions." - Roger Thompson

Find COVID-19 resources on the Ambassadors for Business website: https://www.afbnl.com/covid-19resources/

The events referenced in this episode were cancelled due to COVID-19. In the final installment of this series, Chuck Proudfit shares real life examples of what he call Biznistry. Biznistry is business and ministry integrated together in a kingdom enterprise. Be inspired to explore ways to connect business and ministry in your community! Chuck encourages listeners to not despise small beginnings. It is fun to hear big stories like the ones he shares, but they started where you are and built out the concept over time. Biznistry book - https://www.amazon.com/Biznistry-Transforming-Lives-Through-Enterprise/dp/0615938825/ref=tmmpapswatch0?encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= At Work on Purpose - Free Biznistry Teaching Seminars: https://atworkonpurpose.org/videos-category/training-videos/biznistry-bootcamp/ The events referenced in this episode were cancelled due to COVID-19.

The April 16th events referenced in this episode were cancelled due to COVID-19. Chuck Proudfit expounds on the five primary spiritual struggles Christians face at work, and the spiritual solutions to these struggles. These five choices are what make up the Choices Profile that Chuck is bringing to people in workplace. Be encouraged by the stories Chuck shares and the lessons he has learned from implementing the Choices Profile into his own life and business. Find practical ways you can reframe how you think about faith, work, and the intersection of the two in your life. Learn more about Chuck and his work by visiting www.atworkonpurpose.org The April 16th events referenced in this episode were cancelled due to COVID-19.

Find COVID-19 resources on the Ambassadors for Business website: https://www.afbnl.com/covid-19resources/

The April 16th events referenced in this episode were cancelled due to COVID-19. Chuck Proudfit's journey to faith was triggered by his frustrations with work. The first project he was assigned as young brand manager left him feeling empty and less than inspired. He was totally depressed when a still, small voice reminded me of the friends he had in college who had faith. He started exploring religion and philosophy and came to Christ at age 31 as a young working professional. Over the years Chuck learned how to weave his faith into his work. When he started to see the fruit of that he was hungry for other people to experience it. He started reaching out to working Christians who had an interest in this idea of bringing faith to work to start a discussion group. Over six months word spread and they had grown to over 300 people who wanted to get involved. Chuck began to meet with these different Christians and learning about how they were integrating their faith into the work they did each week. Before he knew it what was emerging was a decentralized and organic model - a network of people tied together through relationship - with these different workplace initiatives. At Work on Purpose ended up being born as a ministry to help curate existing workplace initatives. Chuck became convinced that they needed to get really good at understanding how to equip working Christians with a straight-forward framework that would be action oriented. He decided to do a research project about how Christians experience faith application at work and the feedback that came was that there are five overarching spiritual struggles that we face at work regardless of what we do. For each one of them there is a spiritual solution we can deploy. This became the framework for the Choices Profile that we package in a product called Mission to Monday. To close out this episode, Chuck explains the five spritual struggles Christians face in the workplace, and the solutions to them. Learn more about the ministry of At Work on Purpose by visiting their website: Go to www.atworkonpurpose.org The April 16th events referenced in this episode were cancelled due to COVID-19.

Join Bob Willbanks and a panel of guests as they discuss trusting God and making wise decisions in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis the world is facing. Join a Thrive! Connect meeting for more encouargement and support throughout your week: https://business.afbnl.com/eventcalendar Reference Links: William J. Bennett Article - https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/04/06/anadvantageddiseaseindeed142867.html COVID-19 John's Hopkins Map - https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 World Meters - https://www.worldometers.info/

Devin Dickel, church relations lead at Open USA, interacts with churches and colleges to cast vision for using business to transform the world for Christ. He comes alongside what God is doing in churches and schools, and looks for ways to partner with them in their efforts to bring Christ to the marketplace. Devin talks about how the sacred/secular divide is rooted in the idea that some vocations are more important to God and those who do them are more important to God. Everyone else is supposed to make money to support those who do the important work. This leads to marketplace workers feeling that God doesn't care about their work, or how they do their work. Through his work at Open USA, Devin is helping people consider what it means to be a someone who loves like Christ in the marketplace. *Practical action: *Write out a description of your work on a piece of paper. Once you have that, write out a prayer right next to it about how you want to devote and dedicate every aspect of what you just wrote about your work to God. "...you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 2:5 Questions about prayer to consider: 1. Are you talking to God about the specific details of your work? 2. Are you praying regularly for 3-5 co-workers you see in your office? 3. Do you ask to pray with your co-workers when they tell you about needs in their life? Our love needs to look different - consider small, yet meaningful, ways to show love in your workplace. Unless the Holy Spirit prompts you to share the whole Gospel, it is best to not say too much too quickly. Wait until they are hungry to share the whole Gospel. Listen to the Lord and follow His prompting. Make little things a part of your routine. Download the AFB Bible App: - Apple App Store (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/afb-bible-app/id1236212095?mt=8) - Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gotandem.wlafbbibleapp)

Host Bob Willbanks interviews Chris Fleck, an Ambassadors for Business board member and legacy planning expert, on the topic of estate planning and being good stewards of the resources God has given us. Join Ambassadors for Business, North Central University's legacy planning team, and Generations Legal Services on March 12th for an overview presentation of the four key pieces of a strong estate plan. It is important to get the conversation started, and this event will do just that. Find more details about the March 12th, 2020 Big Event here (https://business.afbnl.com/eventcalendar/Details/big-event-legacy-planning-educational-presentation-who-will-inherit-the-mess-162799?sourceTypeId=Website).

Devin Dickel, church relations lead at Open USA, interacts with churches and colleges to cast vision for using business to transform the world for Christ. He comes alongside what God is doing in churches and schools, and looks for ways to partner with them in their efforts to bring Christ to the marketplace. Devin finds that churches start from many different points when it comes to how they view the importance of sacred and secular work. In a lot of churches, Devin sees a divide between jobs that are viewed as sacred (pastor, missionary, etc) and jobs that are viewed as secular (accountant, architect, etc). Devin asks questions and seeks to understand where each church stands on this topic so he can bring forward Biblical principles and new perspectives to get people thinking and talking about the role of all work in the lives of Christians. "A church that looks like Jesus from a vocational perspective will respect all the vocations in the church - seeing them as equally pleasing to God." - Devin Dickel After Devin shares about the work he does with Open USA, the conversation shifts to thinking about the common divide between sacred and secular work in the minds of Christians. Devin presents the fact that in Scripture we see Christ working in a traditionally secular role - as a carpenter - and later in life we see him in what would be considered a sacred role - preaching the good news of the Gospel. Drawing from the Biblical principles, Devin shows how Christians can learn from Christ's example and strive to be more life Christ in how we view our work and the work that others do. To learn more about Open USA, visit their website (www.openusa.net).

Get all the Live2Lead Summit details: Click Here (https://business.afbnl.com/eventcalendar/Details/big-event-live2lead-139518?sourceTypeId=Website)! Ready to register? Click here (https://afbnl.growthzoneapp.com/ap/Events/Register/GrZ4WRVP?sourceTypeId=Website)! Read the show notes (https://www.afbnl.com/2019/11/20/big-event-live2lead-summit-rebroadcast/)!

Peter Demos was exposed to church and Christianity from a very young age. Through his exposure to people to claimed to be Christians, but didn't lead faith-filled lives, he became very antagonistic towards Christians. His experiences in college encouraged this attitude. When he met his wife, faith - or the lack thereof - was something they kept quiet. When Peter gave his life to Christ, he started exploring what it meant to give every part of his life and business over to God as a ministry and a mission field. "We started by changing the business over to God for him to use as a ministry and mission field." - Peter Demos One question Peter addressed was "how does Jesus define success?" Jesus defines success as going and sharing the Gospel. As Christians, we must take care not to separate that command from what we do each week. "If all things we do, we do to the glory of God, then that includes our business." - Peter Demos Peter notes that as a culture, we have gotten away from an understanding that the Bible directs our paths. Peter notes that every time he reads the Bible, he makes sure he has a pen handy so he can note insights he sees. He has read the Bible every day since he gave His life over to God, and he still finds passages to meditate deeply on and truths that speak into this life. Peter shares a few ways he ensures he is keeping God in the center of everything he does in his life and business: 1. Have a faith mentor 2. Pray and fast on a regular basis 3. Set appointments in your calendar to meet with God 4. Speak, "Lord, I trust you," aloud when you encounter fear Find Peter's book, Afraid to Trust, and other resources by visiting his website (https://afraidtotrust.com/).

Kristina Bonfe faced a 10-year stint of depression and a severe eating disorder. As she cycled in and out of treatement facilities she encountered the question, "what gives you energy?" As she processed this question, a vision of mountians flashed through her mind. Kristina headed to Colorado and climbed the fifty-five 'fourteener' mountians in 87 days while living in her car. This experience of overcoming doubt, fear, and depression totally transformed her and gave her freedom. Now Kristina shares her story and the transformation she went through with those she comes into contact with. "My call is to wake up the royal warrior within us... to make a stand for God." - Kristina Bonfe Kristina firmly believes that people need a new perspective in order to change behavior, so they can have a new life. By pursuing the mind of Christ, we find that perspective. Kristina shares that the only way we get the mind of Christ is if we are in His word, the Bible. As we believe the truth of His word, we come to know our identity in Christ and new habits and behaviors form out of that knowledge. "Christians should be the most confident people on the planet." - Kristina Bonfe Kristina encourages Christians to give God the "how" of your journey. God may have given you a dream and you know it is from Him and it will give Him honor and glory. Don't worry about the "how" - leave that to God - just take the next step and you'll get there. Instagram: @KristinaBonfe Website: www.kristinabonfe.com

If you've listened to episode 59 and episode 60 of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, you'll know we've been taking a deep dive into how striving and abiding work together as we connect faith and work. Today, Dr. Ronald Hanson of OrthoCure Clinic, lends his perspective and experience to the conversation. Dr. Hanson reached a point in his career where he couldn't go any further in his field. He had mastered the most advanced techniques and had the ability to learn new techniques as they came onto the scene. He had to stop and ask himself, "what else is there?" He started shifting his mindset and focusing on allowing God to work through Him. As he used his time, energy, and gifts for the good of others as God directed him, he realized he had more to give than he ever could have imagined. "Don't hold onto the blessings God gives you; release them into the world around you." - Dr. Ronald Hanson Dr. Hanson shares two things to consider as you start shifting your own mindset: No one in this world has ever truly harmed you. Nothing in your life that you've experienced is bad. Learn more about Dr. Hanson's work at OrthoCure by visiting their website (https://orthocureclinic.com/).

Stephen Crawford of Experience Leadership joins host Bob Willbanks to share his perspective on resolving the tension between striving and abiding. "We choose to stop ourselves from following our impulses in order to allow God to have His way. That is one of the most significant strengths we can approach our faith with." - Stephen Crawford Take some time to explore these resources and events related to the conversation on today's episode: Listen to Episode 59: Are You Striving To Abide In Christ (https://www.connectingfaithandwork.com/59) with host Bob Willbanks Find a Thrive! Connecting Faith and Work event near you (https://www.afbnl.com/thrive/). Check out the details for the Live2Lead Minneapolis event (https://business.afbnl.com/eventcalendar/Details/live2lead-minneapolis-126034?sourceTypeId=Website) Learn more about Stephen Crawford's work at Experience Leadership here (https://experienceleadership.com/)!

Are you striving to be successful in life while disregarding Christ? Or do you think abiding in Christ means you can slack off on your commitments and responsibilities? Rather, we should strive to trust and abide in Christ so God can transform us into His likeness over time. Join Connecting Faith and Work host Bob Willbanks and producer Larry Kutzler as they discuss how to strive towards abiding in Christ in our day to day lives. Challenge: Consider the Fruits of the Spirit. Are they one or two words that illuminate why you are working so hard. Which ones are you striving towards? How can you abide in Christ in that area of your life? Scripture to reflect on: ""Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word."" - Isaiah 66:2 For more on Striving and Abiding listen to Episode 38 of Connecting Faith and Work (https://www.connectingfaithandwork.com/38) with guest Mark Pavola.

Jim and Martha Brangenberg co-host a radio show about marketplace ministry and bridging the gap between Sunday and the 9-5 work week. In this episode of Connecting Faith and Work they share practical ways to integrate your faith and work. Jim and Martha did not always have an integrated theology in regards to the connection between faith and work. "Early on in our marriage we were taught by other Christians around us that 'business is business and church is church. They have nothing to do with each other.'" - Jim Brangenberg Despite this divide between their faith and work, Martha shares that they weren't neglecting to fulfil their responsibilities at their jobs altough in looking back she sees there was a lack of purpose at work. "We believed in doing work with excellence and we did that. But we felt we had to hurry up and finish work so we could host Bible study, serve at church, etc. Our faith wasn't being activated in our 9-5 jobs." Jim and Martha are seeing that the marketplace ministry movement is not exclusive to just one area of work. All work matters to God whether you are a stay-at-home parent, a c-suite executive, or a small business employee. There are hundreds of books and organizations emerging all across the country and world to help equip Christians to bring their faith to work. What do you say to a compartmentalized person? - Ask how that is working for them? If Jesus cares about the details of our lives, He cares about our work. - Do you believe God gave your the skills you have? Do you believe He equipped you for your work? - How can you minister to the people around you at work? Jim shares that too many Christians have been taught they can live two lives: their church life and their other life. Becoming a Christian impacts every part of our life. Our lives are never the same after. We are impacted by who Jesus is. This must impact our 9-5 work. Finally, Jim and Martha share practical steps Christians can take to start integrating their faith and work. Learn more about iWork4Him by visiting their website: www.IWork4Him.com

God is working through Cody James to bring the Gospel to hundreds of jail inmates in the midwest. In this episode of Connecting Faith and Work, Bob Willbanks interviews Cody about his story and you'll get to hear his song "Right Here Waiting." Cody grew up with a Christian mother, and his father left the family when he was young. This left Cody feeling like he was no good and he started down a path of unhealthy habits. Cody's mother encouraged him to take the chance and try to have a career in the music industry. After playing in Nashville for a year, he landed a job writing songs for other artists. During this season of his life, Cody's mother died and he took a turn for the worst. Cody was incarcerated a few times, and when the Gospel turned his life around God called him to go back and tell other inmates about the hope of the Gospel. Hear Cody James live and fellowship with the Ambassadors for Business community at the August 13th, 2019 summer fundraiser and picnic. RSVP here (https://afbnl.growthzoneapp.com/ap/Events/Register/2rOVoo2L)! Learn more about Cody's ministry by visiting his website: www.codyjames.org Download Cody's songs here: https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/CodyJames

RightNow Media @ Work provides Christian business leaders with an online library of videos to provide to employees. Bob Willbanks interviews Richard Coffey from RightNow Media @ Work in this episode of Connecting Faith and Work. RightNow Media @ Work is a branch of RightNow Media with a separate site and video library for companies to provide content to their employees to help them navigate all areas of their life. "Our mission field as business leaders is inside of the 9-5 workplace we have and the relationships we build there." - Richard Coffey Richard said the biggest hurdle they often see is that Christians in leadership don't know what they can and can't do inside of their own company. Richard says you definantely can bring faith into your workplace. The only thing you can't do is force someone to come to church or a Bible study with you, or to watch something faith based. RightNow Media @ Work is a tool for employers to provide voluntary content for their employees. "It has been incredible to see what the Lord has done through something as simple as a video." - Richard Coffey Contact Richard Coffey using the details below: 972.848.3248 rcoffey@rightnow.org www.rightnowmediaatwork.org

Are you a leader in the marketplace looking for groups to become involved with as you grow in you leadership and your marketplace influence? In this episode of the Connecting Faith and Work podcast, Bob Willbanks and guest Jeff Hagen discuss the work of Transform our World in the Twin Cities. Bob and Jeff also share about the Ekklesia Conference in August. Find more details by visiting www.afbnl.com/tow

Reen and Linda Waterman, founders of Your Refreshed Life, help people renew, reignite, and re-energize so they can take whatever transition point they are at in life and bring their faith into that new season of life. In this episode of Connecting Faith and Work, Reen and Linda share how they read and study the Bible in order to live it out. They encourage listeners to draw nearer and nearer to God until they realize they are living each day for Christ. Linda points out that when Jesus speaks, it includes action. If we just take one verse a day and invite God to make it real in our lives, we will be transformed. Reen discusses the importance of bringing everything we hear from pastors and what we read back to the Bible to confirm the truth of the content. Finally, Reen and Linda discuss discovering and using your passion as a ministry to spread the truth of God's Word. "Use your passion as a vehicle to deliever the message of the Gospel; that's your purpose." - Reen Waterman