by Dr. Paul Campbell

“We are an Inclusive Workplace and will hire the most qualified candidate period.” Sound familiar? By its very nature, this statement is a contradiction in and of itself. You can’t hire the most qualified candidate without he or she first having the opportunity to acquire the right balance of experience, education and social network. As such, this necessarily excludes a majority of Black and Brown contributors from the Diversity & Inclusion conversation. How so you may ask? The biases which created a need for the D&I division within organizations are in fact the very cause of their lack of effectiveness. This article highlights 3 main reasons why many D&I initiatives fail to make significant progress for People of Color. Moreover, it provides strategic insights that organizations can use to increase the effectiveness of their D&I initiatives. Let us start by unpacking the first cause of failure, Premature Diagnosis.

Premature Diagnosis 

Oftentimes D&I initiatives fall short because they start off with the wrong set of assumptions. Asking “How do we attract and retain top underrepresented talent” leads organizations to premature solutions such as measuring Diversity as a singular KPI. Put differently, leaders are settling for check the box diversity compliance rather than digging deeper to understand the barriers preventing underrepresented contributors from becoming the “most qualified candidate”. Take for example the development of experience and the critical first-time job. According to data provided by the US. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2018 the unemployment rate of African Americans between the ages of 16-19 years old was 24.8% (double that of their white counterparts at 12.1%). Moreover, today in 2019, the unemployment rate of African Americans between the ages of 20-24 is 14.3%. To put these numbers in perspective, the highest rate of unemployment in America during the Great Depression was 24.9% and hovered around 14% from 1931-1940. Why is this number significate? Without experiencing creating first-time jobs Black and Brown contributors are failing to gain the necessary work experience which leads to higher salaries. Before we jump to conclusions of the causal nature of these huge employment gaps in Communities of Color, let us explore the second reason for D&I failure, Racial Discounting 

Racial Discounting         

According to a study published in 2017 by researchers at Northwestern University, Harvard and the Institute of Social Research in Norway, racism was still a problem as it pertains to hiring top talent. For example, in one experiment researchers sent out resumes with similar levels of education and experience. One set of resumes were sent out with stereotypically Black or Latino names and another set were sent out with stereotypically White names. What they discovered, unfortunately, was that anti-black racism in hiring had gone unchanged from 1989-2015. The cause of this discounting could be best understood through the lens of Racial Economics, that is, the study of racism which builds on behavioral economics, the groundbreaking work of cognitive scientist Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman. Racial Economics focuses on the implications of concepts such as bounded rationality (i.e. the cognitive limitations on decision makers) and confirmation bias (i.e. a cognitive bias to support beliefs already held) on the economic flourishing of Communities of Color. For example, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2016 Black women officially became the most educated group in America. However due to racial and gender discounting, in 2019 unemployment amongst African American women between the ages 20-24 still hovered around 11.4%. In other words, despite having similar qualifications and education; Black and Brown professionals are being excluded from consideration of entry-level positions. Let us consider now the final failure of D&I, Strategic Misalignment. 

  Strategic Misalignment  

One Black Executive I interviewed stated, “Upper Management used to be a “Good Ol’ White boys club”, then companies gave us a little hope by implementing Diversity & Inclusion programs. What we got instead was a “Good Ol’ White girls club”. What this statement highlights, is that the strategies used for promoting gender equality have made noticeable progress. Although this progress is a step in the right direction as it pertains to the Diversity & Inclusion conversation if organizations fail to customize their strategies to address barriers such as racial discounting than what they will get instead is Diversity Illusion, that is, the false sense of D&I progress within their organization. The reality is that each underrepresented group has a different set of Ism’s in which to overcome and as such, requires a different set of strategies to make meaningful progress. 

In conclusion, if leaders truly want to increase the opportunities for underrepresented contributors, then they must first stop attempting to address the symptoms of inequality and strike at its root. Meaning, we must move beyond policy formation and design talent acquisition and talent development systems that neutralize racial, gender, and other such biases. This is going to require a radical approach to Diversity & Inclusion. Organizations will need to form robust experience development initiatives in underserved communities. It will also require leaders to think through how racial discounting is affecting their bottom line or their organization’s ability to hire and retain top talent. Finally, it will require leaders to create newly tailored designed KPI’s which objectively move the needle for all underrepresented contributors. The bottom line is, we will never move past the Diversity Illusion without intentionally designing systems which neutralize cognitive biases.

At the end of every podcast recording, we like to ask our guest where God has them in this season. This is what Jimmy Song shared with us.

by Jimmy Song

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Ephesians 4:28

I love that verse first of all, because it says don’t steal. And I think at least in the fiat economy, I think we’re all guilty of that, whether we know it or not. And stopping from that and working with our own hands, creating something that is good. So he will have something to share with one who has need. That to me sometimes is interpreted as go and make money so you can give alms to the poor. For me it means go make something with your hands so that you can contribute something to civilization, to someone else in the market that can get value from whatever it is that you create.

And the verse is really about money and the role of money, which from a spiritual sense is a signal to you, to each individual to know how it is that you can provide most value to other people. And when the money is not corrupt, it’s the purest sort of signal for what we should be doing because it tells other people, I find what you’re doing, your goods or services more valuable than the money that I am willing to give it up for. So for me, that’s what it is. The other thing I’ll share is that this book for me is sort of like, as I mentioned before, the merging of two huge passions in my life, Christianity and Bitcoin.

I was at a conference last year, a big block boom. It was Bitcoin conference and it was in Dallas. And I gave a talk and somebody asked a question and I revealed that I was a Christian at that conference. And I also told the audience at the end, hey, I’m writing a book about this, if you’re interested, please. Talk to me afterwards, no less than 30 people throughout the next two days came up to me and told me that they are Christian, that they are Bitcoin. They were afraid of saying something. And for me, that was a huge validation of what God was doing, because it was clear that there are a lot of Christians that don’t want to be known as Christians. And a thing for me when I think about that is, wow, how sad is that? Because according to the Bible, these are Jesus’s words. He says, if you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before my father

My hope for your listeners is that they learn to be bold with their faith. And, you know, we tend to think, OK, God doesn’t want me to be ashamed of him, but then I’m going to get embarrassed. That’s not the way it is, at least for me. My experience has been that God has blessed me, that he wants me to be bold so that he can bless me and what I am doing. And this book has come out as a result of that. We’ve got a lot of reviewers from that conference that were able to chime in on Bitcoin and Christianity and give us some really good feedback that we incorporated. But for all your listeners that are thinking about investing better in these industries where, you know, it might not be cool to talk about Jesus, take a chance people about it, because God wants to bless you.

by Bill High

It’s a common story.  A person starts a new venture or business.  In the early days, the struggle is real, and it’s hard.  The trial is marked with uncertainty, much prayer and a building trust.  But at some point, there’s a breakthrough.  Perhaps it is imperceptible but the struggle is lessened.  Or so it seems.

And with the success, there’s excess, and with the excess, there becomes indulgence into toys—the trappings of having arrived. Maybe it’s a fancy car, a boat or a second home.  The toys are easier to come by when the treasury—the storehouse is stocked.  Life is not so hard when there’s money in the bank.

Such was the story of King Asa.  He rose to the kingship in a period of upheaval.  His grandfather, Rehoboam,  lead the kingdom to civil war and the split of the nation.  His father, Abijah, was a  wicked king by all accounts.

So when Asa reaches the throne, much of his early reign was to bring stability.  Asa was a good king.  He wanted to do what was right and likely those early days were hard as he sought to correct the wrongs of the past.  Worse still, in the 10th year of his reign, Asa is confronted by a nearby king who seeks his destruction.   In despair and desperation, Asa pleads to God:

And Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”  II Chronicles 14.11

God answers Asa’s plea and order is restored.  In a newfound fervor, he institutes reforms.  While the text is silent, it is easy to guess that in the coming years, the newfound peace leads to prosperity.  Without the threat of war, production surges and the treasuries become stocked.  And perhaps, with a little imagination, it’s not a stretch to believe that  Asa began to accumulate his own toys.

Sadly, in the 36th year of his reign, Asa is once again confronted by war.  This time it’s Baasha, King of Israel.  But unlike in former times, Asa does not appeal to God.  Instead, he turns to his stocked treasury and uses it to hire the king of Syria to join his opposition.

He trusted in his treasury more than God.

Sadly, it seems that Asa never recovered.  The Bible records that just three years later that  Asa suffered a disease in his feet “and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians.”  II Chronicles 16.12

The lesson of Asa?  It is so easy and so subtle to move from that place of dependence upon God.  Asa’s early appeal speaks volumes—“there is none like you.”  While Asa is noted as one of the good kings of Judah, it’s likely that even in all his reforms and good deeds, he lost sight of the Deliverer and placed his trust in the security of gold and silver coins.

O Lord, let us learn the lesson of Asa.  Our hearts desire your righteousness and truth.  May you continue to fan afresh a zeal and dependence upon you.  We pray that even in success that our trust will never be in our toys or our treasury.  Let us always be prepared for battle and the desire to lift up your name.

Article originally posted here by Bill High

Article originally posted here by Chris Meyer

by Chris Meyer

In honor of Earth Day 2023, Chris Meyer, Praxis Mutual Funds’ Manager of Stewardship Investing Advocacy and Research, took a moment to reflect on his passion for caring for Creation – on behalf of Praxis and his own family. By day, Chris leads the corporate engagement program for Praxis, seeking positive, mutually beneficial change for the planet, people, and companies we all rely on. By night, Chris and his family live in a home they built, off the grid, with lumber from their property in the hills of eastern Ohio. He enjoys growing much of their own food, hunting game in the surrounding woods, and cleaning the snow off their solar array on frigid winter days so his lights and wireless internet will work.

This Earth Day, I’m reflecting on what motivates me to care for Creation. While many reasons come to mind, perhaps there is one that connects them all: a sense of wonder.

Where I live in the Ohio woodlands, April is a pleasant time to be outside and immersed in nature. The temperature is mild, the undergrowth is minimal, and the mosquitos aren’t yet biting. Forest flowers are in full bloom, taking advantage of the sunlight that reaches the forest floor before the trees leaf out and shade the ground. Morel mushrooms magically sprout out of the soil; hunting for them is one of my favorite pastimes. These rhythms of nature provide a sense of renewal and assurance in uncertain times. 

April is also the time for an amazing annual event that occurs on swollen oak tree buds ready to burst into leaves. At this stage, for just a few hours, each bud is vulnerable to a particular insect. During this precise time, female gall wasps inject eggs into the oak bud tissue. The process takes only a few minutes. The injections chemically manipulate the bud tissue and cause galls to form as the leaves grow. Galls are the spherical plant growths many of us see on oak tree branches throughout the year. The galls do not harm the oak trees and the wasps are much too small to sting people.

The galls provide both food and protection for the wasp larvae. The larvae pupate inside the gall and emerge as adults in a few months or a year, depending on their type. There are approximately 800 species of gall wasps in North America, each producing unique galls and with their own special adaptations with oak trees. Among other distinct features, some galls secrete sweet substances to attract ants which stay close to the gall and protect the developing larvae from predators. Gall wasps are integral to the lifecycles of many insects and play a vital role in our ecosystem, including as the prey for dozens of arthropods. Who knew?

I certainly didn’t until I read The Nature of Oaks by Douglas Tallamy. The book is organized by the months of the year – each month is a chapter – and chronicles the various cycles of life that occur in and around oak trees during each period. The level of detail is fascinating. The gall wasp story is only one example of life entwined with oak trees in a book overflowing with them. 

Oaks are my favorite type of tree, and I thought I knew a lot about the various species and their attributes and lifecycles. However, Tallamy helped me realize that what I knew only scratched the surface. For instance, I knew virtually nothing about the web of insects sustained by oaks, the insects’ relationships with birds or the centrality of birds to oak regeneration. With each layer I uncovered, my sense of wonder increased. My first thought was “Amazing!” But as I neared the end of the book, I was thinking “What else don’t I know?” 

Many people, I’m sure, share my feelings of wonder and humility when encountering the marvels of the natural world, or even upon learning about them in a book. We retreat to nature to experience awe, catharsis, and even spiritual renewal. Maybe on a subconscious level, this is what draws us toward an ethic of Creation care. We’re amazed by what we observe and humbled by what we don’t know. Even the experts only understand a fraction of what there is to know about the natural world.

When we integrate these feelings into our approach to economics, it can have a powerful influence on the world. Perhaps if we view nature as an essential part of God’s Creation worthy of its own existence, rather than simply as a commodity to be exploited for human gain, we can develop a more holistic stewardship approach. When we reduce the natural world to simple inputs for our economies or assets on the balance sheet – or even impediments and obstacles to overcome – we’re selling Creation short. Alternatively, a deep appreciation for our environment encourages a long-term outlook over short-term profits or growth at all costs. It fosters a sense of our interdependence with nature.

At Praxis Mutual Funds, we believe the natural environment is a finite resource, the inheritance of future generations, and a gift from God. Our role is to be stewards of God’s Creation, not just consumers of it. We believe that human flourishing requires thriving ecosystems. This perspective infuses our embrace of impact strategies from company engagement to impact bonds to community development investments. We’re working toward a sustainable planet where our heirs can enjoy the magnificence of Creation and businesses operate profitably without diminishing the earth. 

I keep this in mind as I engage companies on a range of Creation care issues. We embrace our own eco-system – working together with environmental advocates, corporate leaders, local communities, other investors, and research partners – seeking a more sustainable future for all.

I believe it’s important for us to think of the natural world as interwoven with our own lives – that we’re in this together. So when it’s time for much-needed perspective, I engross myself in nature and marvel at the wonderous life around me. This provides me with all the necessary motivation to keep caring for Creation. And who knows, maybe this spring I’ll be able to catch a gall wasp in the act of laying eggs in an oak leaf bud.

About Chris

Article by Chris Meyer, Stewardship Investing Advocacy and Research Manager for Praxis Mutual Funds®. Chris joined Praxis in 2006. He leads the company’s work in corporate engagement and supports its investment screening and proxy voting functions. He has led shareholder dialogues on many pertinent issues such as climate change, toxic chemicals, child slave labor, and predatory credit card practices with multinational companies. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn. 

About Praxis

Praxis Mutual Funds is a leading faith-based, socially responsible family of mutual funds designed to help investors integrate their finances with their values. Praxis is the mutual fund family of Everence Financial®, a comprehensive faith-based financial services organization helping individuals, organizations and congregations. To learn more, visit praxismutualfunds.com and everence.com, or call 800-503-0905.

This article was originally presented at the Christian Economic Forum. CEF is a platform that provides a relational learning environment where leaders and experts from around the world gather to discuss and address some of the world’s greatest challenges and most pressing needs.

Learn more about them here.

by Chris Conant

It was June of 2017. I was at a Christian business conference when a pastor got up on stage and repented on behalf of the church-at-large. The apology was to God and all the Kingdom-minded CEOs and business owners in the room. The offense was: “treating business leaders like a second-class citizen, like you have one foot in the world and one foot in the church; for downplaying your assignment in the Kingdom; for not sharing you with others; and thinking that you are the source of our financial provision for ministry.”

He had the right words. And the offense depicted the treatment of a misunderstood Kingdom-minded CEO, owner, or managing director.

CEOs/owners are leaders with many talents. Much like Bezalel of Exodus 35—36, the Holy Spirit fills CEOs with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. God made them multi-skilled to know how to carry out the work He commands.

As a former owner/CEO for 18 years and now Managing Director of Monmouth Society, I understand the life, challenges, and assignment of a Kingdom-minded owner. About five years ago the Lord revealed to me why we need to link Kingdom-minded investments to Christian leaders of companies.

When we compared the segments of the US population to Pew Research Center’s data indicating how many church-attending Christians there are in the US,[1] and then applied that metric against Gallup data on the number of small businesses in the country,[2] [3] [4]we identified there are approximately 459,000 Christian CEOs/owners/managing directors of companies in the USA with 10 or more employees.

Let me ask the reader: How many private investments do you have in these Kingdom-minded CEOs? If the answer is zero, you’re not alone. There are currently very few private equity companies taking capital from investors who were only Kingdom-minded for the purposes of supporting Christian CEOs and their companies. Second, the infrastructure in the Christian business sector is not yet mature for incubating mass deal flow from God-honoring companies, plus the due diligence is complex. Third, we noticed universally that the Christian community frets about the direction of America, yet continues to purchase public stock, thereby preferring to invest in secular companies that support values in opposition to theirs so the Christians can sustain provision for their family. That sentence just saddens me to write.

If a young Jewish entrepreneur today starts a business, the elders in the temple are likely to come around him and invest, and they very well could become his or her board of advisors. The Mormons do this well. Even the Muslims have a $1B Sharia fund. But where are the Christ-follower investors and why have we not taken care of our own or our culture?

To answer this question we must examine a strong argument as to why we should invest in a Kingdom-minded CEO.

The Monmouth Society compared the population of unbelievers in the workforce versus in the church on an average week. Approximately 98 million unchurched Americans are in the workplace for 30+ hours a week, versus an estimated 7 million in church for a 30+ minute service on a Sunday3. (See figure 1.) The results should compel us into this mission field.

In the workplace, Kingdom-minded CEO/Owners get 2,940 million hours per week of “unbeliever mindshare” versus a pastor who would get about 3.5 million hours per week of “unbeliever mindshare.” At large, CEOs/Owners get 840 times more influence!

Imagine the shift inside corporate culture when Christian CEOs/owners are supported to steward their influence for Christ! Non-believers would speak highly of the amazing workplaces and their value on people. Customer satisfaction would shoot through the roof. Profit would follow. The Holy Spirit would be present in the organization: physical healings, answered prayer, marriages restored, and more. The gospel would be getting preached, and His kingdom would advance while He gets the glory!

These statistics made us realize that Christian CEOs and owners are perhaps the most underserved and misunderstood US missionary today. As I recall Billy Graham’s words, “the next great revival will be in the marketplace,” Kingdom-minded investors cannot solely expect financial ROI without understanding the value of very tangible outcomes from eternal ROI, when we support our own (like 1 Timothy 5:8).

Many investors are or have been CEOs or owners, so we, myself included, understand a Kingdom-minded CEO/Owner has to function in the role of both king and priest; balancing work and home, while always being “on” for crises, relationships, sales, vision, spiritual leadership, and the like. It can be lonely, exhausting, and isolating, sometimes unto sin.

Intercession, Peer Advisory, and Capital

These are the three investments CEOs have expressed they need in order to build godly cultures and fulfill their assignment.

“Intercession” means standing with the CEO to fellowship closely with God, but we use the word “intercession” to also encapsulate all chaplain efforts, journaling prayer, prophecy, and ministry to the CEOs (and their companies and families). Prayer gives us access to God, and we want the CEOs to experience Him daily.

“Peer advisory” means flourishing in a Christian CEO group and receiving counsel from peers because it is lonely at the top, and sometimes non-CEOs, including a senior pastor, can’t effectively counsel on business issues.

“Capital” means being a resource to fund the vision, including using it to make critical hires, build inventory, and grow the Kingdom impact.

The investor benefits here when an approved Kingdom-minded CEO/Owner builds an organization that hosts the presence of the Holy Spirit and models God’s love. We invest in Kingdom-minded CEO/owners/managing directors because they are our agents or carriers of ministry and evangelism. They lead the companies that steward the influence. In this regard, we are truly operating in a spiritual economy, by letting our fruit grow on someone else’s tree.

This eternal ROI is a great success even without an IPO. Sometimes an aging Christian CEO may want to sell his company, but not to a secular private equity firm. Instead he could seek out a Kingdom-minded private equity firm to do a fair deal (that honors all), and assures the spiritual equity inside the culture is maintained first and foremost.

Speaking of going public, another challenge investors face is the allure of the “spirit of mammon.” As the Word of God clearly states, we cannot serve both God and mammon (the love of money, greed, putting ourselves first, the spirit of relying on self-provision instead of God).[5] And yet, sometimes we meet Christian investors who, within minutes of introduction, direct the conversation to what the financial returns are because “they are being good stewards.” If they are truly stewards of God’s money, then are they saying God wants financial returns first and foremost, at the expense of compassion, love, or salvation?

I wrote that rhetorical question only to provoke thought.

It’s not wrong to ask about financial ROI, but the timing of the question and the focus on money seems to suggest that mammon motivates that person. I will admit, we can all be influenced by mammon to some degree because we participate in the world economy, but, we are also a redeemed people, so it is important to recognize mammon and reject its influence.

If you’re a Kingdom-minded investor, may I propose that you seek the Holy Spirit and ask which investments matter to Him and where He wants you to invest His money. The parable of Luke 19:12–25 clearly tells us of a master who leaves his wealth in the hands of a faithful steward who figures out how to multiply his master’s money. The master was so pleased with the outcomes that he put the steward in charge of many cities. Why cities? Because if one can build a wealth ecosystem with someone else’s money, then that impressive act deserves a reward worthy of leading cities. Here on earth, our Master will return one day and we will be held accountable for where, how, in whom, and possibly even why we invested His money.

I still acknowledge that investors want to invest in something that will make a financial ROI, so they feel connected to stewardship, perpetuating giving to Kingdom work. Perhaps I can address financial ROI this way. The due diligence on a potential asset must be thorough and intelligent, management and company fully researched, investment committee advisors consulted, returns experienced should be excellent, and in most all regards, above market; but all this excellence is not to our credit. It is trusting God, by obeying His leading—that is what qualifies us for Kingdom work—obedience. It’s also what qualifies our CEOs and owners to perform well—spending time in prayer, listening to the Holy Spirit, and then doing what He says. Obeying His voice commands a blessing.[6]

Our SEC attorney will tell a fund manager, “You have a fiduciary responsibility to your investors.” However, if you ask anyone at Monmouth Ventures (including the investors) who the number one responsibility is directed to, they will say, “the Kingdom-minded CEO/Owner.” When the focus is on hearing God in prayer, then Matthew 6:33 is at work (“Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, then all these things shall be added to you”). Plus, there are countless benefits and blessings fulfilled as we come into agreement with the promises of God.

One might ask, “Why not receive the wealth from unbelievers as investment into Christian CEOs?” To that I would answer, “That is not what we believe to be our assignment from the Lord,” and “Asking non-believer investors to give spiritual counsel to our Christian CEOs doesn’t work,” and “That would be off-mission for us.” Furthermore, I would add that receiving wealth from unbelievers does happen for us below the CEO level, since the company should be a light to the world, selling products and services that attract and minister God’s attributes to all customers.

With this Kingdom wealth ecosystem at work, the investor serves as steward of the Master’s money. ROI can be used for re-investment into more Kingdom-led companies or for funding Christian agendas. Just like the Parable of the Minas, the Kingdom investor puts the Master’s money to work. This same Master reaps where He hasn’t sown.[7] We understand that God’s ways and purposes are higher than ours, and He does abundantly more than we can ever ask or think, including causing increase where we haven’t strived.

By investing in Christian CEOs/owners for the primary purposes of reaching the lost and shifting culture, Kingdom-minded investors will feel fulfilled by participating in acts of redemptive stewardship and advancing the Kingdom of God.

Ultimately we want to see unbelievers in the workplace turning to Christ. It’s what matters most long after the company is gone. As the Christian CEO/Owner is empowered by intercession, peer advisory, and financial capital they can more effectively encounter God themselves, and then with the love of Christ they can reach the lost among their employees, their clients, their vendors, and their communities. There will be true culture change, and the Kingdom-minded investor and the CEO will both be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:8).

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 states, “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”

 —

[1] pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/attendance-at-religious-services/ (Est. 5.7% of “2”).

[2] https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/employed-persons.

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_attendance.

[4] https://news.gallup.com/poll/224642/2017-update-americans-religion.aspx.

[5] Luke 16:9-11 (NKJV), “You cannot serve God and mammon.”

[6] Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (NIV), “If you fully obey the Lord your God . . .  All these blessings will come. . .”

[7] Matthew 25:26 (NKJV), “you knew that I reap where I have not sown.”

At the end of every podcast, we like to ask our guests to share what God has been teaching them in this season of life. This week we had Steven Diedrich and Dick Blanc on the podcast, and each of them shared where God has them in His Word, both of them pointing to some similar Old Testament passages.

Steven Diedrich: So I’ve been reading through with my two boys first and second Samuel and we’re into Kings now. And, you know, as we’ve been doing that kind of just Bible study with, you know, a four and a five-year-old, one of the things that I’ve been just really taken from and resting in is God’s sovereignty. And I think even just in the face of COVID, that’s something that I’ve been able to communicate to as the spirit’s been teaching me. It’s this reminder that our security is not in our health, or our security is not in our finances or in our, you know, the income we have. You know, that’s not it. And so even if all that’s taken away. Right, God is sovereign. And that’s just an amazing thing to be able to read. Right. To talk to my little kids about. But also then to turn to our analysts and kind of point them to in this time of uncertainty. God is sovereign. 

Dick Blanc: I’m thankful for Bobby Gruenewald, who I think you guys have interviewed on this podcast before, talking about the Bible app. And my discipline is to essentially go through that every year. 

I love just how easy it is and the availability of it. And so I’m at this point in the year where I get to read about king after king in Israel in a quick summary of their life and their impact as leaders of God’s people, the Israelites. The contrast is so stark when you go through and read each of those chapters. It just basically starts out. And so and so was either a good king following in the steps of David or was not. 

So where God challenges me every year in that particular area is just who will I be as a leader and who will I mentor others to be as a leader? And what, if there was a chapter in God’s word that summarized the impact of my life, what would it say? Would it say I was courageous and bold enough to address the things that God dislikes in the ways he wants? Would it say that I trusted him in his sovereignty and in his wisdom versus aligning and partnering with perhaps another acquaintance or company or partner who has some strength to help me in a difficult situation? Would I look to God and say God, like David, do I go to battle or do something else? And that certainly was a test for all the kings. Could it be said that in the scope of the things that I have the opportunity to lead and steward that I left him better than when I was given the role in terms of, you know, being aligned in God’s mission, in the impact that God wants to make in the marketplace. And that’s what resonates with me. And reminds me every day it wakes me up every day to think how we’re making an impact today.