WEBVTT 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:05.726 There's a reason you aren't satisfied with the ordinary, 00:00:05.750 --> 00:00:07.310 you were made for adventure. 00:00:08.330 --> 00:00:11.036 A life with God doesn't have to be boring. 00:00:11.060 --> 00:00:14.696 It can be a pulse pumping, heart pounding life of purpose 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:16.556 and we can guide you there. 00:00:16.580 --> 00:00:18.746 The adventure awaiting you is bigger 00:00:18.770 --> 00:00:21.986 and more life giving than you could ever imagine. 00:00:22.010 --> 00:00:25.256 Join us every weekend for 45 minutes of challenge, 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:29.650 hope and encouragement to guide you on your spiritual adventure. 00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:36.828 - Hey, I'm Hannah and welcome to Crossroads. 00:00:36.852 --> 00:00:38.006 - And I'm Kyle, 00:00:38.030 --> 00:00:40.046 your community pastor for Crossroads online church. 00:00:40.070 --> 00:00:42.206 - And this week we're going to be tackling a question 00:00:42.230 --> 00:00:44.306 that, man, I've had, maybe you've had. 00:00:44.330 --> 00:00:46.588 I feel like everyone has this question and that is: 00:00:46.612 --> 00:00:49.193 what the heck am I supposed to do with my life? 00:00:49.217 --> 00:00:51.182 - It's a big question. It's an important question. 00:00:51.206 --> 00:00:52.690 The Bible word for that is calling, 00:00:52.714 --> 00:00:53.841 is what we're talking about. 00:00:53.865 --> 00:00:55.587 - Ok, so calling, that's a really good word, 00:00:55.611 --> 00:00:57.746 but it might be a little bit what we call Churchy. 00:00:57.770 --> 00:00:59.396 So let's unpack that for people. 00:00:59.420 --> 00:01:00.423 What is calling? 00:01:00.447 --> 00:01:02.991 - Calling, the problem with that is that it can be intimidating. 00:01:03.015 --> 00:01:05.102 Like how in the world do I know what I'm called for? 00:01:05.126 --> 00:01:06.690 Well, today we're going to tell you how. 00:01:06.714 --> 00:01:09.086 See, it's the place where your gifts, your talents, 00:01:09.110 --> 00:01:10.436 and your opportunities intersect. 00:01:10.460 --> 00:01:12.251 And here's the thing, you can find it. 00:01:12.275 --> 00:01:13.277 - Hmm. 00:01:13.301 --> 00:01:16.676 So it sounds like it's a thing that God has designed you for. 00:01:16.700 --> 00:01:18.236 So, Kyle, what's that for you? 00:01:18.260 --> 00:01:20.456 - For me, it's this right here. 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:23.726 It's helping lead and build Crossroads Church Online, 00:01:23.750 --> 00:01:26.526 a movement you can fully belong to no matter where you live. 00:01:26.550 --> 00:01:27.656 I found that place. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:29.114 And here's the thing, you can, too. 00:01:29.138 --> 00:01:30.147 That's our goal today 00:01:30.171 --> 00:01:32.516 is to help you find that intersection in your life. 00:01:32.540 --> 00:01:34.856 - Absolutely. So in just a moment, our senior pastor, 00:01:34.880 --> 00:01:36.746 Brian Tome is going to share with you 00:01:36.770 --> 00:01:38.996 how you find that answer for yourself. 00:01:39.020 --> 00:01:40.826 And we've even got a story about someone 00:01:40.850 --> 00:01:42.776 who made a huge impact in their city 00:01:42.800 --> 00:01:46.278 by saying yes to God and going on an incredible journey. 00:01:46.302 --> 00:01:48.507 - I think it happened right here, where we are, right? 00:01:48.531 --> 00:01:49.537 - Right here, absolutely. 00:01:49.561 --> 00:01:50.846 So thanks so much for being here. 00:01:50.870 --> 00:01:52.670 Let's get into it right now. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.656 - I'm Brian, we're here at a nonprofit called Mortar 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:16.046 with the person who leads this, my friend Allen Woods, 00:02:16.070 --> 00:02:20.434 also known as Top Knot. 00:02:20.458 --> 00:02:22.566 Tell us about Mortar, what's the vision of Mortar? 00:02:22.590 --> 00:02:25.856 - Absolutely. So we wanted to create an accelerator 00:02:25.880 --> 00:02:28.340 that made entrepreneurship more accessible, 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:31.286 specifically for people of color and women 00:02:31.310 --> 00:02:32.816 who come through our program to learn 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:34.526 how to accelerate their ideas, 00:02:34.550 --> 00:02:37.316 how to take their business concept to the next level, 00:02:37.340 --> 00:02:39.326 how to start, how to create a network, 00:02:39.350 --> 00:02:42.326 how to get funded, and ultimately how to carve out 00:02:42.350 --> 00:02:45.296 a space where they can assist in growing their communities. 00:02:45.320 --> 00:02:47.276 - And you went after that sort of segment, 00:02:47.300 --> 00:02:49.730 people basically who aren't white males like me. 00:02:49.754 --> 00:02:50.539 - Right. 00:02:50.563 --> 00:02:52.616 - Because those folks have the hardest time 00:02:52.640 --> 00:02:54.326 getting something started, is that right? 00:02:54.350 --> 00:02:56.606 - Absolutely. And when you look at the wealth gap 00:02:56.630 --> 00:02:59.666 and you look at net worth of the black community 00:02:59.690 --> 00:03:00.866 versus the white community, 00:03:00.890 --> 00:03:03.386 there is a huge difference between that. 00:03:03.410 --> 00:03:05.756 And we're talking over $100,000 difference 00:03:05.780 --> 00:03:07.466 of the average net worth. 00:03:07.490 --> 00:03:10.556 And so what we're doing is we're trying to combat that 00:03:10.580 --> 00:03:13.736 by giving people an opportunity to pursue entrepreneurship 00:03:13.760 --> 00:03:16.916 as a means of building that legacy for their families, 00:03:16.940 --> 00:03:18.540 whether that be financial or otherwise. 00:03:18.564 --> 00:03:20.197 Ultimately, that's what I'm here -- 00:03:20.221 --> 00:03:21.656 That's what my purpose is in life, 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:23.456 is to kind of help people get better 00:03:23.480 --> 00:03:25.046 and become their best selves. 00:03:25.070 --> 00:03:26.996 So I get to do that with entrepreneurs every day. 00:03:27.020 --> 00:03:30.956 - Was there ever sort of an external compulsion you had 00:03:30.980 --> 00:03:32.991 where you heard a voice from heaven saying, 00:03:33.015 --> 00:03:34.773 "Allen, help people put money on their table 00:03:34.797 --> 00:03:35.857 and support their family"? 00:03:35.881 --> 00:03:38.096 Did you ever have any those kind of things? 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:40.496 - Early on, there were a ton of different things 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:41.826 that God kept lining up. 00:03:41.850 --> 00:03:44.216 You know, our first office even, you know, 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:46.376 we had an article that, you know, appeared in 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:49.136 one of the local papers and a guy reached out to us 00:03:49.160 --> 00:03:52.030 and said, "Hey, you know, in your article you said 00:03:52.054 --> 00:03:54.026 that you were looking for a place to have classes 00:03:54.050 --> 00:03:55.676 and to have an office space. 00:03:55.700 --> 00:03:57.776 And I would love for you to use my office." 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:00.806 He was like, "You guys can feel free to use it at no charge." 00:04:00.830 --> 00:04:02.666 And my business partner, Derrick, was like, 00:04:02.690 --> 00:04:04.226 "Well, why are you doing this?" 00:04:04.250 --> 00:04:06.956 And the guy, his name was Scott, he said, 00:04:06.980 --> 00:04:09.673 "You know, do you guys believe in God?" 00:04:09.697 --> 00:04:10.754 And I said yes. 00:04:10.778 --> 00:04:12.896 And he said, "Well, I feel like God is telling me 00:04:12.920 --> 00:04:14.096 to do this for you." 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:17.004 And I say, "Well, I think you should listen to Him." So-- 00:04:17.028 --> 00:04:18.661 - I think you should give it to me. 00:04:18.685 --> 00:04:20.816 - You should absolutely listen to God. 00:04:20.840 --> 00:04:23.636 And so we've just had all of these different doors 00:04:23.660 --> 00:04:26.000 that have opened up for us throughout this time 00:04:26.570 --> 00:04:28.826 where there's things that we cannot deny that 00:04:28.850 --> 00:04:30.806 this is the presence of God. This is ordained. 00:04:30.830 --> 00:04:33.326 These are things that He's carving out for us. 00:04:33.350 --> 00:04:37.316 There's no way that we started this thing almost 7 years ago 00:04:37.340 --> 00:04:40.226 thinking it was going to be a program in one neighborhood 00:04:40.250 --> 00:04:42.866 and then now to be in 6 neighborhoods in Cincinnati 00:04:42.890 --> 00:04:44.816 and then 6 additional cities, 00:04:44.840 --> 00:04:47.066 it's just not something that we could have ordained. 00:04:47.090 --> 00:04:49.286 We didn't even think that that was possible. 00:04:49.310 --> 00:04:51.786 - There wasn't some parting of the clouds. 00:04:51.810 --> 00:04:54.596 You just looked at who God had made you be 00:04:54.620 --> 00:04:56.186 and the things you wanted to do 00:04:56.210 --> 00:04:58.571 and the opportunities that were before you like that thing. 00:04:58.595 --> 00:05:01.452 And it sounds to me like you just walked into those things, 00:05:01.476 --> 00:05:02.923 which was your calling, is that fair? 00:05:02.947 --> 00:05:04.047 - Yeah, absolutely. 00:05:04.071 --> 00:05:08.006 And I think that He always will connect us to people. 00:05:08.030 --> 00:05:10.526 So like, when we talk about having a network, you know, 00:05:10.550 --> 00:05:13.526 having a network with God, I mean, like how big -- 00:05:13.550 --> 00:05:15.176 how much bigger can your network be? 00:05:15.200 --> 00:05:17.426 So I think that God intentionally has put people 00:05:17.450 --> 00:05:20.096 in our pathway who have been designed to help us. 00:05:20.120 --> 00:05:22.706 Ultimately, when we think about what Mortar is, 00:05:22.730 --> 00:05:25.616 the whole name is about building something up 00:05:25.640 --> 00:05:27.566 that's bigger than us and the mortar is the thing 00:05:27.590 --> 00:05:29.306 that holds everything together. 00:05:29.330 --> 00:05:32.996 And so we understand that we are a small part of this. 00:05:33.020 --> 00:05:35.306 But the people that we interact with, 00:05:35.330 --> 00:05:37.076 the people who go through our program, 00:05:37.100 --> 00:05:38.846 they are the mortar of their cities. 00:05:38.870 --> 00:05:41.156 They're the people who hold everything together. 00:05:41.180 --> 00:05:43.175 So you can have these brilliant ideas, 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:44.749 but if you don't have real people 00:05:44.773 --> 00:05:45.951 who are connected to them, 00:05:45.975 --> 00:05:48.182 you don't have people who are going to hold it together 00:05:48.206 --> 00:05:49.346 and make it make sense. 00:05:49.370 --> 00:05:51.246 - So if someone has a feeling about 00:05:51.270 --> 00:05:52.556 what they're calling may be, 00:05:52.580 --> 00:05:55.016 but they don't know how to start or what the first step is, 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:56.630 what counsel do you have for them? 00:05:57.244 --> 00:05:58.885 - Start, start. 00:05:58.909 --> 00:06:00.656 - Just start, take the step, whatever it is. 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:04.076 - Figure out the thing that you feel driven and do every day. 00:06:04.100 --> 00:06:07.466 Typically, our purpose is also connected to our passions. 00:06:07.490 --> 00:06:10.953 So if it's something that you feel drawn to do, just start it. 00:06:10.977 --> 00:06:12.034 You're never going to -- 00:06:12.058 --> 00:06:13.736 if you wait until everything is perfect, 00:06:13.760 --> 00:06:15.296 you're never going to get started. 00:06:15.320 --> 00:06:19.251 So start where you are with what you have and do what you can. 00:06:19.275 --> 00:06:21.747 - The easiest car to steer is one that's moving. 00:06:21.771 --> 00:06:22.856 - Absolutely. 00:06:22.880 --> 00:06:25.796 - Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 00:06:25.820 --> 00:06:27.716 I think you've given us a lot to chew on 00:06:27.740 --> 00:06:31.911 and the idea of the stories that can come out of your story 00:06:31.935 --> 00:06:33.416 and out of the teach this weekend, 00:06:33.440 --> 00:06:35.081 I'm really jazzed to see how that can have 00:06:35.105 --> 00:06:37.346 a ripple effect over our whole culture. So thank you. 00:06:37.370 --> 00:06:38.850 - Thank you. Thank you for having me. 00:06:47.950 --> 00:06:51.466 - Some of us go to work, some of us work a calling. 00:06:51.490 --> 00:06:54.706 It can be the same thing, but we've got to understand this 00:06:54.730 --> 00:06:56.293 to understand what our life is about. 00:06:56.317 --> 00:06:58.726 The very beginning of the Bible, back in the Book of Genesis, 00:06:58.750 --> 00:07:02.126 God creates man and woman and puts them in the garden. 00:07:02.150 --> 00:07:05.056 Before anything goes wrong, they're actually working. 00:07:05.080 --> 00:07:06.496 They're taking care of the ground. 00:07:06.520 --> 00:07:07.996 They're taking care of creation. 00:07:08.020 --> 00:07:11.140 They're replicating, amazing things are happening. 00:07:12.010 --> 00:07:14.536 And you have to believe and I have to believe that 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:16.996 the work that you're about is important. 00:07:17.020 --> 00:07:21.196 All work is work that God is a fan of 00:07:21.220 --> 00:07:23.686 and you have to choose your attitude 00:07:23.710 --> 00:07:25.526 in the work that you're doing. 00:07:25.550 --> 00:07:29.956 There's a story told about President JFK who, obviously, 00:07:29.980 --> 00:07:34.006 cast that amazing vision that he wanted to see under his watch. 00:07:34.030 --> 00:07:36.496 America sent the first man to the moon. 00:07:36.520 --> 00:07:38.916 And he toured the NASA facilities one time 00:07:38.940 --> 00:07:42.197 and he bumped into a janitor who was pushing a broom 00:07:42.221 --> 00:07:43.726 and he asked them what he was doing. 00:07:43.750 --> 00:07:46.726 He said, "I'm putting a man on the moon." 00:07:46.750 --> 00:07:48.153 That's what he said. 00:07:48.177 --> 00:07:50.506 People who have a negative attitude might have just said, 00:07:50.530 --> 00:07:52.816 "Well, I'm just -- I'm just sweeping the floor." 00:07:52.840 --> 00:07:55.456 But this guy said, "No, I understand what I'm doing 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:57.976 is putting somebody on to the moon." 00:07:58.000 --> 00:07:59.486 He saw himself as a calling. 00:07:59.510 --> 00:08:01.930 He wasn't just going to work, he's had a calling. 00:08:02.650 --> 00:08:05.836 You may be a physical therapist, that might be your work, 00:08:05.860 --> 00:08:08.980 or are you called to help people walk again? 00:08:09.670 --> 00:08:12.556 You may be a waiter or a hostess or a bartender. 00:08:12.580 --> 00:08:14.986 You might do those things as part of your job, 00:08:15.010 --> 00:08:18.166 but you might be the person who's giving people 00:08:18.190 --> 00:08:21.646 a good time when they're out and they need refreshment. 00:08:21.670 --> 00:08:26.366 I had an old friend who sang cover tunes in bars and 00:08:26.390 --> 00:08:29.972 he said, "Man, that's just my calling. That's what I do. 00:08:29.996 --> 00:08:32.733 I go out and I give people a good time to help them 00:08:32.757 --> 00:08:34.426 unwind from the difficulties of their life 00:08:34.450 --> 00:08:36.616 and get them re-geared up to do it again." 00:08:36.640 --> 00:08:40.366 Some of us as a result today, we're going to find 00:08:40.390 --> 00:08:43.666 it's time to get a new job, a new calling. 00:08:43.690 --> 00:08:45.376 Others of us are going to find we just need 00:08:45.400 --> 00:08:48.310 to get a new attitude about the job that we're in right now 00:08:48.880 --> 00:08:50.650 because it's actually a calling. 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:01.476 We're going to look today at the two ways calling operates, 00:09:01.500 --> 00:09:04.746 either as an external compulsion 00:09:04.770 --> 00:09:08.346 where God says something to me from outside of me, 00:09:08.370 --> 00:09:11.376 maybe the clouds are parted or I see something, 00:09:11.400 --> 00:09:13.086 you know, written in the sand 00:09:13.110 --> 00:09:15.216 or somebody gives me a prophetic word 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:17.766 or I just hear -- whatever it is, external compulsion. 00:09:17.790 --> 00:09:20.776 And the other thing is an internal conclusion 00:09:20.800 --> 00:09:22.326 where I just do an internal process 00:09:22.350 --> 00:09:23.766 and I come to some conclusions. 00:09:23.790 --> 00:09:26.130 I'm going to help us to see those today. 00:09:26.774 --> 00:09:28.925 What does it mean to have a call? 00:09:28.949 --> 00:09:30.309 You know what it basically means? 00:09:30.333 --> 00:09:33.396 It means to have a vocation. 00:09:33.420 --> 00:09:38.106 The word for vocation in the Latin is vocari, 00:09:38.130 --> 00:09:42.156 which is to name or to call something. 00:09:42.180 --> 00:09:43.680 That's we're talking about. 00:09:44.280 --> 00:09:46.776 The thing that we're naming and that you're calling 00:09:46.800 --> 00:09:48.841 that this is what my life is going to be about. 00:09:48.865 --> 00:09:51.247 If we take a look at the whole Bible where you would think 00:09:51.271 --> 00:09:53.198 you would see person after person who was called. 00:09:53.222 --> 00:09:55.866 There was a bunch of people called, but actually 00:09:55.890 --> 00:09:59.976 of the people of the external compulsion callings, the people 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:03.696 like Moses who sees a burning bush and God speaks to him 00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:06.906 or Noah who God tells about the Great Flood 00:10:06.930 --> 00:10:11.926 or the Apostle Paul who has his road to Damascus experience 00:10:11.950 --> 00:10:15.096 who is struck down and falls off his horse and lightning. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:17.736 And he sees and hears Jesus. 00:10:17.760 --> 00:10:20.196 I mean, these external compulsions, 00:10:20.220 --> 00:10:25.626 there's about 100 of them in the Bible, 100, that's all. 00:10:25.650 --> 00:10:29.226 Everybody else has more of an internal conclusion. 00:10:29.250 --> 00:10:31.956 This is not about saying here's the spiritual people 00:10:31.980 --> 00:10:33.726 and here's the spiritual people. 00:10:33.750 --> 00:10:36.510 It's about saying you've just got to figure out 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:41.556 and call out and name what it is that you're about. 00:10:41.580 --> 00:10:44.376 That's what it means to have a calling. 00:10:44.400 --> 00:10:46.146 Some of the powerful people who have 00:10:46.170 --> 00:10:48.366 internal conclusions for their calling 00:10:48.390 --> 00:10:50.886 are people like Nehemiah, 00:10:50.910 --> 00:10:55.326 who he sees a wall that's down, the wall around Jerusalem. 00:10:55.350 --> 00:10:59.316 And he has this emotional, cathartic thing of, 00:10:59.340 --> 00:11:00.726 "Oh, no, this is bad." 00:11:00.750 --> 00:11:03.306 He's got the gifts and the abilities 00:11:03.330 --> 00:11:05.136 and the connections to raise money. 00:11:05.160 --> 00:11:07.056 And he has the opportunities come together. 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:10.356 He doesn't hear like the voice of God saying, 'Do this." 00:11:10.380 --> 00:11:14.586 Or Lydia, who was a huge, huge fundraiser 00:11:14.610 --> 00:11:16.806 or giver in the early church. 00:11:16.830 --> 00:11:20.556 Lydia was known as a trader in purple cloth. 00:11:20.580 --> 00:11:24.006 This would have been like being the owner 00:11:24.030 --> 00:11:26.466 of a Rolls Royce dealership today. 00:11:26.490 --> 00:11:29.286 Purple cloth was incredibly extravagant. 00:11:29.310 --> 00:11:32.646 It didn't have really any purpose other than 00:11:32.670 --> 00:11:35.076 being really sweet, really beautiful, 00:11:35.100 --> 00:11:38.856 and only afforded by people who were very, very rich. 00:11:38.880 --> 00:11:40.580 This is Lydia. 00:11:41.880 --> 00:11:45.826 She is a main, main giver and she is operating in that 00:11:45.850 --> 00:11:46.896 and that's her calling. 00:11:46.920 --> 00:11:49.356 And we don't have any understanding at all 00:11:49.380 --> 00:11:51.486 that God came to her and said, "Lydia, 00:11:51.510 --> 00:11:55.326 thou shalt make purple cloth, which will be 00:11:55.350 --> 00:11:59.706 the uniform for Barney," or something like that. 00:11:59.730 --> 00:12:03.720 We don't have any example of that at all, but she was called. 00:12:04.520 --> 00:12:06.420 Book of Galatians 2:8: 00:12:16.260 --> 00:12:21.096 The Apostle Paul is saying, "I was called to people who -- 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:22.386 or everybody who isn't a Jew. 00:12:22.410 --> 00:12:25.146 That is everybody who wasn't circumcised by religious right. 00:12:25.170 --> 00:12:28.296 Peter, he's called the people who are Jews 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:30.480 who've undergone the rite of circumcision. 00:12:31.290 --> 00:12:34.266 Both of them equally important before God, 00:12:34.290 --> 00:12:37.440 but both of them are very, very different. 00:12:38.070 --> 00:12:41.370 In the book of 2 Timothy 4:5 says: 00:12:48.900 --> 00:12:51.996 So when you're going after your vocation, you're calling 00:12:52.020 --> 00:12:54.546 four things are going to happen with all of us. 00:12:54.570 --> 00:12:56.666 One is you're going to be sober-minded. 00:12:56.690 --> 00:13:00.300 You have to use your mind and think rationally, 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:03.366 think practically, think wisely. 00:13:03.390 --> 00:13:07.206 The second thing is endure suffering. 00:13:07.230 --> 00:13:09.936 That's right, difficulty. 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:13.656 If it's not difficult, it's not a job. 00:13:13.680 --> 00:13:17.226 If it's not difficult, it's not a calling. 00:13:17.250 --> 00:13:20.851 Whatever your calling is, you're going to have hard times. 00:13:20.875 --> 00:13:23.533 And when the hard times come, you don't go, 00:13:23.557 --> 00:13:24.996 "Oh, no, God must have abandoned me. 00:13:25.020 --> 00:13:27.846 I'm in the wrong calling. I need to go find something else." 00:13:27.870 --> 00:13:31.986 No, you endure. You hang in there and you endure. 00:13:32.010 --> 00:13:33.936 None of the greats in the Bible 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:35.766 who had lives that were meaningful 00:13:35.790 --> 00:13:38.616 jumped out of things when it was difficult. 00:13:38.640 --> 00:13:41.136 Three: Do the work of an evangelist. 00:13:41.160 --> 00:13:44.040 Whatever your job is, construction management, 00:13:44.730 --> 00:13:47.886 teaching, CEO, CFO, whatever, whatever it is, 00:13:47.910 --> 00:13:50.046 stay at home parent, you have the ability 00:13:50.070 --> 00:13:51.936 to proclaim the good news where you are, 00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:53.706 to do the work of an evangelist, 00:13:53.730 --> 00:13:57.496 to represent God physically and verbally. 00:13:57.520 --> 00:14:01.516 And then finally, four, all of us fulfill your ministry. 00:14:01.540 --> 00:14:04.576 Your ministry, the thing God has called you to 00:14:04.600 --> 00:14:06.076 in the environment where you are. 00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:10.420 And I want to emphasize your, your ministry, 00:14:11.110 --> 00:14:16.996 not Brian Tome's ministry, not Billy Graham's ministry, 00:14:17.020 --> 00:14:20.266 not, you know, Kirk Franklin's ministry. 00:14:20.290 --> 00:14:25.546 No, your, your ministry. What is it God wants you to do? 00:14:25.570 --> 00:14:27.916 Fulfill that thing. 00:14:27.940 --> 00:14:29.896 Stop living somebody else's life, live your life, 00:14:29.920 --> 00:14:31.786 live the calling that God is giving you. 00:14:31.810 --> 00:14:34.846 Now, most of us are not going to have 00:14:34.870 --> 00:14:37.846 some external compulsion, clouds part 00:14:37.870 --> 00:14:41.806 and we have an unmistakable direction map from God. 00:14:41.830 --> 00:14:44.026 Most of us are going to have to go through 00:14:44.050 --> 00:14:46.116 an internal process where we come to a conclusion, 00:14:46.140 --> 00:14:47.236 internal conclusion. 00:14:47.260 --> 00:14:49.156 I want to show you something that has been 00:14:49.180 --> 00:14:51.796 very, very helpful for a lot of folks I've shared it with. 00:14:51.820 --> 00:14:55.750 There's a couple of things look at. One is this: gifts. 00:14:59.230 --> 00:15:01.270 What are my gifts? 00:15:01.870 --> 00:15:04.166 Gifts are the things that you have received 00:15:04.190 --> 00:15:05.440 that you haven't worked for. 00:15:06.340 --> 00:15:09.526 Spiritual gifts or a real thing, the gift of leadership, 00:15:09.550 --> 00:15:11.710 the gift of helps, the gift of prophecy. 00:15:12.370 --> 00:15:13.816 Those things are all part of gifts, 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:15.766 but also the gifts of -- 00:15:15.790 --> 00:15:18.160 the gift of my personality that's come my way, 00:15:18.700 --> 00:15:22.246 the gift of whatever financial resources I have, 00:15:22.270 --> 00:15:24.046 the gift of the creativity I have, 00:15:24.070 --> 00:15:25.846 the gift of my resourcefulness, 00:15:25.870 --> 00:15:28.606 the gift of whatever country I was born in, the gift of -- 00:15:28.630 --> 00:15:31.066 It's just the things that you haven't worked for, 00:15:31.090 --> 00:15:33.046 but they are, they've just been bestowed you. 00:15:33.070 --> 00:15:34.180 What are your gifts? 00:15:34.933 --> 00:15:35.980 Take notice of those. 00:15:36.004 --> 00:15:39.940 The second thing is what are your desires? 00:15:44.290 --> 00:15:46.756 What do you want to do with your life? 00:15:46.780 --> 00:15:48.466 What are you excited about? 00:15:48.490 --> 00:15:50.176 What gets your heart pumping? 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:53.506 What causes you to daydream and fantasize about something? 00:15:53.530 --> 00:15:55.666 What are those things? 00:15:55.690 --> 00:15:59.026 Your desires could be the kind of position you want. 00:15:59.050 --> 00:16:00.886 Your desires could be what you want 00:16:00.910 --> 00:16:02.746 your friendship circle to look like, 00:16:02.770 --> 00:16:05.086 what your family should look like, 00:16:05.110 --> 00:16:06.856 how you want to be remembered when you die. 00:16:06.880 --> 00:16:09.076 What are your desires, your hobbies? 00:16:09.100 --> 00:16:10.180 What is it you just like? 00:16:10.750 --> 00:16:13.270 The Book of Psalms 37:4 says: 00:16:19.750 --> 00:16:21.490 So as we get closer to God, 00:16:22.270 --> 00:16:25.607 the desires start lining up with where God is 00:16:25.631 --> 00:16:28.970 and those are the things He's really inclined to give us. 00:16:28.994 --> 00:16:30.016 What are your desires? 00:16:30.040 --> 00:16:34.966 And then another bucket is opportunities. 00:16:34.990 --> 00:16:38.416 I'll shorten it there, opportunities. 00:16:38.440 --> 00:16:43.216 What are the things that are before you that you can do? 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:46.426 What are the doors that are open that you can walk through? 00:16:46.450 --> 00:16:49.126 What are the offers you have on the table? 00:16:49.150 --> 00:16:51.466 What are the possibilities you could make happen? 00:16:51.490 --> 00:16:52.490 Those things. 00:16:53.740 --> 00:16:55.546 What we then do with these, if we take a look, 00:16:55.570 --> 00:17:00.826 here's what all my gifts are, all of them, all my gifts, 00:17:00.850 --> 00:17:05.386 and here's what my desires are, all my desires. 00:17:05.410 --> 00:17:08.350 And here's what my opportunities are. 00:17:09.190 --> 00:17:14.146 Where these things intersect, right here, 00:17:14.170 --> 00:17:18.850 these places, this right here, that is your calling. 00:17:27.560 --> 00:17:30.026 - So going after that intersection for your gifts 00:17:30.050 --> 00:17:31.413 and talents and opportunities 00:17:31.437 --> 00:17:33.206 can be a little bit intimidating. 00:17:33.230 --> 00:17:36.656 God calls us to big and sometimes even scary things, 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:38.301 and that's in all parts of our lives. 00:17:38.325 --> 00:17:40.564 - That's right, in every place He calls us to trust Him, 00:17:40.588 --> 00:17:42.086 our jobs, our relationships, 00:17:42.110 --> 00:17:45.366 even our finances through this thing that He calls tithing. 00:17:45.390 --> 00:17:47.216 - Okay, so tithing is a big word, 00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:48.986 maybe even a little bit churchy. 00:17:49.010 --> 00:17:50.336 Let's break it down for someone 00:17:50.360 --> 00:17:52.246 who maybe is hearing this for the first time. 00:17:52.270 --> 00:17:53.666 - Okay, it's really simple. 00:17:53.690 --> 00:17:56.426 Tithing is giving 10% of what God gives you, 00:17:56.450 --> 00:17:57.956 what you make, back to Him. 00:17:57.980 --> 00:17:59.906 It comes from the Book of Malachi in the Bible, 00:17:59.930 --> 00:18:02.456 this place where God actually says, "Try this, 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:06.321 try giving to Me and see if I don't bless your life." 00:18:06.345 --> 00:18:07.766 - Yeah. - It's really simple. 00:18:07.790 --> 00:18:09.742 - Absolutely, so maybe let me call out 00:18:09.766 --> 00:18:11.343 the elephant that might be in the room. 00:18:11.367 --> 00:18:13.495 You know, that sounds a little bit self-serving, Kyle. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.584 You're saying give to the church. You're the pastor. 00:18:15.608 --> 00:18:18.056 Doesn't that go to you? Let's break that down too. 00:18:18.080 --> 00:18:19.496 - Yeah, look, I get it. 00:18:19.520 --> 00:18:22.646 I've been where you are. It does seem self-serving. 00:18:22.670 --> 00:18:24.866 But I want you to know one thing first upfront. 00:18:24.890 --> 00:18:27.416 Giving is not something that I want from you. 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:29.516 It's something that I want for you. 00:18:29.540 --> 00:18:31.046 There is a freedom and a blessing 00:18:31.070 --> 00:18:33.806 that comes your life through nothing else. 00:18:33.830 --> 00:18:36.806 Now, when you give I'm not saying, please hear me clearly, 00:18:36.830 --> 00:18:38.936 that it's going to rain money from the sky. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:41.066 In my life what I've seen is that sometimes 00:18:41.090 --> 00:18:43.556 the best blessings God's given me 00:18:43.580 --> 00:18:46.046 are things that money can't buy. 00:18:46.070 --> 00:18:50.576 Second, we've made this so you can try it risk free. 00:18:50.600 --> 00:18:52.916 It's something called the 90 Day Tythe Test. 00:18:52.940 --> 00:18:55.676 It works just like this, you try tithing for 90 days 00:18:55.700 --> 00:18:58.676 and if at the end of those 90 days you don't experience 00:18:58.700 --> 00:19:01.046 blessing and freedom in your life, we'll literally 00:19:01.070 --> 00:19:03.836 give you all of your money back, no questions asked. 00:19:03.860 --> 00:19:05.876 It's that simple. - That's right. You know what? 00:19:05.900 --> 00:19:08.541 We've seen thousands of people try The Tithe Test 00:19:08.565 --> 00:19:11.264 and they've experienced incredible life change 00:19:11.288 --> 00:19:12.596 and heart change. 00:19:12.620 --> 00:19:14.126 They've got some good stories, man. 00:19:14.150 --> 00:19:16.626 So to get started or to just learn more about it, 00:19:16.650 --> 00:19:19.576 you can head to Crossroads.net/tithetest. 00:19:19.600 --> 00:19:21.416 - And hey, if you're somebody who is currently 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:24.596 taking The Tithe Test, one, way to go. 00:19:24.620 --> 00:19:26.876 Two, we are praying with you. 00:19:26.900 --> 00:19:29.336 That thing that you've asked us to pray for in your life, 00:19:29.360 --> 00:19:32.636 we are partnering with you on that, asking for God to show up. 00:19:32.660 --> 00:19:34.616 - And another big thank you to a group 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:36.596 that we call around here The Blue Team. 00:19:36.620 --> 00:19:39.146 These are folks who are faithfully tithing. 00:19:39.170 --> 00:19:42.926 And let me tell you, we cannot do what we do without you. 00:19:42.950 --> 00:19:44.570 - Amen. Hey, let's get back to Brian. 00:19:46.590 --> 00:19:48.676 - If you can get your life 00:19:48.700 --> 00:19:51.876 to where you're operating right here, 00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:55.266 you are going to have a life that is incredibly impactful 00:19:55.290 --> 00:19:57.096 and incredibly fruitful. 00:19:57.120 --> 00:20:00.126 The problems that most of us have come from 00:20:00.150 --> 00:20:05.510 us being in one or two of these areas and not three. 00:20:06.040 --> 00:20:08.280 Let's have some examples here. Just some examples. 00:20:10.110 --> 00:20:13.686 Someone desires to be a music singer. 00:20:13.710 --> 00:20:17.520 And what do you know? American Idol's coming through town, 00:20:18.570 --> 00:20:20.316 but you don't have any gifts. 00:20:20.340 --> 00:20:22.746 Yeah, we laugh at you and you're immortalized 00:20:22.770 --> 00:20:26.526 on television forever because you got this going, 00:20:26.550 --> 00:20:29.830 but you just -- you don't have this at all. 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:34.146 I have gone after people before and tried to get them 00:20:34.170 --> 00:20:36.216 hired into a various job at Crossroads. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:38.631 They no question have the gifts. No question. 00:20:38.655 --> 00:20:40.324 And I'm giving them an opportunity, 00:20:40.348 --> 00:20:41.791 we're giving them an opportunity, 00:20:41.815 --> 00:20:43.236 but they just don't have any desire 00:20:43.260 --> 00:20:45.996 for student ministry, whatever it is. 00:20:46.020 --> 00:20:48.186 And you just want to argue with them. 00:20:48.210 --> 00:20:49.873 "No, this is great. You should take this." 00:20:49.897 --> 00:20:52.300 But, you know, if they don't have desire, I've just learned, 00:20:52.324 --> 00:20:54.721 if they don't have desire just just back way off. 00:20:54.745 --> 00:20:55.960 Here's another one. 00:20:56.520 --> 00:20:59.916 Let's say you have the gifts, you have a great palate. 00:20:59.940 --> 00:21:01.716 It's a gift giving you, a palate. 00:21:01.740 --> 00:21:03.936 Okay, you can just sense flavors 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:05.711 and you're really, really good with stuff 00:21:05.735 --> 00:21:06.996 and pairing everything. 00:21:07.020 --> 00:21:08.676 You have desire. 00:21:08.700 --> 00:21:13.967 You have a desire to bring people artisan mayonnaise. 00:21:13.991 --> 00:21:15.006 That's what you want. 00:21:15.030 --> 00:21:17.646 You want to bring people artisan mayonnaise. 00:21:17.670 --> 00:21:19.236 Guess what? There's not enough people 00:21:19.260 --> 00:21:20.586 who want artisan mayonnaise 00:21:20.610 --> 00:21:22.836 to actually put food on your own table. 00:21:22.860 --> 00:21:24.516 So sorry, you can want that all you want, 00:21:24.540 --> 00:21:28.056 but no one cares about artisan mayonnaise. They don't. 00:21:28.080 --> 00:21:31.056 This actually was -- this was me, this up here. 00:21:31.080 --> 00:21:35.376 I had the gifts for doing things that were beyond 00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:38.796 where I was at the previous church that I worked. 00:21:38.820 --> 00:21:42.156 I had desires to be used to a greater degree, 00:21:42.180 --> 00:21:46.236 to be helping people, to be part of a movement. 00:21:46.260 --> 00:21:48.246 And I also had the desire to have my gifts 00:21:48.270 --> 00:21:51.216 of teaching and leadership expanded 00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:52.776 and to be exercising those more. 00:21:52.800 --> 00:21:55.950 But what didn't I have? I didn't have opportunity. 00:21:56.820 --> 00:22:01.416 So what I did is I went and I answered every ad 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:07.050 for every church job that would have helped me with my gifts. 00:22:07.650 --> 00:22:11.196 And those jobs were things like the senior pastor, 00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:13.866 a teaching pastor, or a church planter. 00:22:13.890 --> 00:22:17.136 I answered all ads in those three categories. 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:19.986 I sent letters to all the churches I knew of 00:22:20.010 --> 00:22:22.506 that were really, really big and said, "Hey, 00:22:22.530 --> 00:22:25.338 I don't know what you have needs, but I've got these gifts 00:22:25.362 --> 00:22:26.826 and I have desire to work with you. 00:22:26.850 --> 00:22:28.266 Whatever it is, I'll come and do." 00:22:28.290 --> 00:22:31.746 I did all of that and throughout all those things 00:22:31.770 --> 00:22:34.860 just no opportunities ever came. 00:22:35.530 --> 00:22:37.476 I called upon all my own denominational leads, 00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:39.576 no, not a single opportunity came. 00:22:39.600 --> 00:22:42.390 At the end of day, the only opportunity that ever came 00:22:43.080 --> 00:22:44.496 were a group of eleven people to put 00:22:44.520 --> 00:22:47.586 an ad in the back of a magazine that I answered, 00:22:47.610 --> 00:22:51.306 a bunch of 30 year olds and they had $15,000 in the bank 00:22:51.330 --> 00:22:52.476 and there was 11 of them. 00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:54.936 And they said, "We want to reach a church for people 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:57.276 who have given up on church, 00:22:57.300 --> 00:22:59.466 but haven't necessarily given up on God." 00:22:59.490 --> 00:23:02.526 And they guaranteed my salary, my salary for a year, 00:23:02.550 --> 00:23:06.956 my salary for a year, and, man, we were off the bases. 00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:10.036 Why? Because that was the only opportunity we had. 00:23:10.060 --> 00:23:12.510 "What was it like when God called you to Crossroads?" 00:23:12.534 --> 00:23:16.224 You mean when God gave me the only job possibility I have? 00:23:17.132 --> 00:23:18.793 You mean, you mean, no, I'm sorry. 00:23:18.817 --> 00:23:20.270 I wish I could tell you like 00:23:20.294 --> 00:23:21.701 there was this like parting clouds. 00:23:21.725 --> 00:23:23.076 And I can't tell you that. 00:23:23.100 --> 00:23:26.346 It was the only opportunity I had 00:23:26.370 --> 00:23:28.446 when I had gifts and had desires. 00:23:28.470 --> 00:23:30.936 So much so that I learned these things 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:33.696 that we've talked about as a euphemisms were actually true. 00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:36.726 Like I got cold feet when the offer came. 00:23:36.750 --> 00:23:37.785 I literally -- 00:23:37.809 --> 00:23:40.356 my feet were frozen. They got cold immediately. 00:23:40.380 --> 00:23:42.666 Something happens with the blood system, it shut down. 00:23:42.690 --> 00:23:44.190 I was scared poop-less. 00:23:44.790 --> 00:23:46.806 I will give you the other word, but it is church, 00:23:46.830 --> 00:23:49.326 so I'm trying not to offend any of us. 00:23:49.350 --> 00:23:54.186 I found out, literally, it was like I drank Imodium, 00:23:54.210 --> 00:23:56.806 what is was called Imodium AD? 00:23:56.830 --> 00:23:58.416 I call it Imodium Concrete. 00:23:58.440 --> 00:23:59.766 You take that Imodium Concrete. 00:23:59.790 --> 00:24:02.496 It's like I've just got concrete my bowels. 00:24:02.520 --> 00:24:06.000 I didn't take a dump for days. I was scared poop-less. 00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:12.316 If I had an external compulsion, maybe it would have been easy. 00:24:12.340 --> 00:24:15.370 No, it was hard. It was difficult. 00:24:17.100 --> 00:24:19.296 And that's what made it fulfilling. 00:24:19.320 --> 00:24:20.460 Frederick Buechner says: 00:24:28.620 --> 00:24:30.750 Where is your gladness? 00:24:31.300 --> 00:24:33.156 Where is the hunger? 00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:36.516 When you come together in that area, 00:24:36.540 --> 00:24:42.240 you're going to have a life that has massive, massive impact, 00:24:42.810 --> 00:24:45.726 not just on the world, but on you and everybody around you. 00:24:45.750 --> 00:24:47.265 Now, having said that, 00:24:47.289 --> 00:24:48.960 let me just tell you about being called. 00:24:49.890 --> 00:24:52.830 There's an upside and there's a downside to it. 00:24:53.790 --> 00:24:56.586 The upside of being called is that 00:24:56.610 --> 00:24:58.716 you're going to have a clear purpose for your life. 00:24:58.740 --> 00:25:00.420 You're going to know why you exist. 00:25:01.430 --> 00:25:03.540 I'm here to help people. 00:25:04.520 --> 00:25:07.100 I ran across one person a couple of years ago. 00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:09.926 She cleaned houses for other people and said, "Oh," 00:25:09.950 --> 00:25:11.623 she said, "I love dirt." 00:25:11.647 --> 00:25:15.470 She said, "Dirt is my life. I love dirt." 00:25:16.040 --> 00:25:19.316 For her really cleaning was a calling 00:25:19.340 --> 00:25:21.826 and she had a purpose, she just enjoys it. 00:25:21.850 --> 00:25:25.016 She saw how it brought clarity in order to things. 00:25:25.040 --> 00:25:28.376 When you have a calling in your life, you'll have clear purpose. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:34.316 And the downside of it is you'll have clear pain in your life, 00:25:34.340 --> 00:25:36.626 because the people who don't have callings 00:25:36.650 --> 00:25:38.246 just keep jumping from thing to thing. 00:25:38.270 --> 00:25:41.126 They don't have the same level of pain that you'll have. 00:25:41.150 --> 00:25:43.706 You will have a pain of sticking through things. 00:25:43.730 --> 00:25:46.106 You'll have a pain that comes to you because 00:25:46.130 --> 00:25:49.796 you're going to say no to things that other people do say yes to. 00:25:49.820 --> 00:25:52.316 You're going to have a clarity and a purpose, 00:25:52.340 --> 00:25:55.886 which means there's also going to be a unique difficulty 00:25:55.910 --> 00:25:57.656 that's going to come to your life. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:26:00.005 The upside in having a calling 00:26:00.029 --> 00:26:02.821 is you have clarity and direction. 00:26:02.845 --> 00:26:05.316 I know I'm supposed to go here. I have clarity and direction. 00:26:05.340 --> 00:26:09.266 I know I'm to go to Cincinnati to help start Crossroads. 00:26:09.290 --> 00:26:12.740 Downside is there's a lack of clarity for decisions. 00:26:13.460 --> 00:26:17.680 You would think that if I know that this is my calling, 00:26:17.704 --> 00:26:19.736 then everything is going to be natural from that. 00:26:19.760 --> 00:26:20.760 No, it's not the case. 00:26:21.290 --> 00:26:24.516 I don't have clarity for decisions about -- 00:26:24.540 --> 00:26:27.861 I say clarity, God doesn't speak and say 00:26:27.885 --> 00:26:29.846 here's how many staff members you should have. 00:26:29.870 --> 00:26:31.766 God doesn't speak and say here's exactly 00:26:31.790 --> 00:26:33.718 how you should organize your week this week. 00:26:33.742 --> 00:26:35.957 He's never come and spoken, said, "Boom, 00:26:35.981 --> 00:26:37.918 here's exactly the size of mortgage 00:26:37.942 --> 00:26:39.056 Crossroads should have." 00:26:39.080 --> 00:26:41.616 There's just like a lack of clarity. 00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:44.536 I know where I'm going, but it would be really great, God, 00:26:44.560 --> 00:26:48.356 if there was an individual thing You would force me into here 00:26:48.380 --> 00:26:49.697 or make very, very clear. 00:26:49.721 --> 00:26:50.972 Upside of vision, 00:26:50.996 --> 00:26:53.420 upside of calling is that it attracts people. 00:26:54.290 --> 00:26:56.186 You find somebody who knows who they are 00:26:56.210 --> 00:26:58.084 and where they are going and you'll find 00:26:58.108 --> 00:26:59.979 a lot of people want to be around that person 00:27:00.003 --> 00:27:02.636 because people are comforted by clarity 00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:05.936 and vision attracts people. 00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:07.646 The calling you have, it attracts people 00:27:07.670 --> 00:27:11.076 who want to be around your life and at the same time, 00:27:11.100 --> 00:27:13.610 vision disappoints people. 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:17.490 When God gives you clarity and vision, 00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:20.916 people don't get what they want because you go, 00:27:20.940 --> 00:27:21.966 "No, I'm going this way. 00:27:21.990 --> 00:27:25.031 You want me to go this way and do this, no, it's this way." 00:27:25.055 --> 00:27:26.196 And you disappoint people. 00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:30.516 You can't -- you can't just satisfy everybody's desires. 00:27:30.540 --> 00:27:32.856 No, you don't. That can't happen. 00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:37.626 You have to satisfy the desire of God, the desire of the call, 00:27:37.650 --> 00:27:39.276 and that means people don't like you, 00:27:39.300 --> 00:27:41.293 more so than any other way. 00:27:41.317 --> 00:27:43.236 I can't tell you how many friendships I've lost 00:27:43.260 --> 00:27:45.006 over things or people who badmouth me, 00:27:45.030 --> 00:27:47.595 and I just have to say, "I'm sorry. 00:27:47.619 --> 00:27:49.273 This is a this is a me and God thing. 00:27:49.297 --> 00:27:50.425 It's not a me and you thing. 00:27:50.449 --> 00:27:52.716 I know you don't like it. I know you don't approve of it. 00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:53.952 But you've got to realize 00:27:53.976 --> 00:27:56.586 this is personal with me and with God." 00:27:56.610 --> 00:28:00.570 I lost one of my best friends when I helped start CityLink. 00:28:01.284 --> 00:28:02.319 He didn't like CityLink. 00:28:02.343 --> 00:28:04.423 He thought it was a bad idea for a bunch of reasons. 00:28:04.447 --> 00:28:05.976 And and our friendship basically ended. 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:08.376 And I had a conversation with him years later. 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:12.546 I said, "Look, you think that our friendship ended over this. 00:28:12.570 --> 00:28:15.516 It didn't end over that. You think it did. 00:28:15.540 --> 00:28:18.246 It ended because there was a calling on my life 00:28:18.270 --> 00:28:20.376 to invest in the CityLink vision, 00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:23.916 to bring a one stop place where people who are 00:28:23.940 --> 00:28:27.273 in the working poverty class of our culture 00:28:27.297 --> 00:28:28.298 could come to get help. 00:28:28.322 --> 00:28:30.192 And every time you were around you just thought 00:28:30.216 --> 00:28:31.700 it was a bad idea, you didn't like it. 00:28:31.724 --> 00:28:34.316 So I'm going to take the call from God. 00:28:34.340 --> 00:28:37.440 I'm to take that call from God before I take our friendship." 00:28:38.850 --> 00:28:41.010 You have to make difficult decisions like that 00:28:41.760 --> 00:28:42.760 when you're called. 00:28:44.140 --> 00:28:46.906 You've got thething that Gods is pointing you to. 00:28:46.930 --> 00:28:50.086 Colossians 3:23 says whatever you do, whatever you do, 00:28:50.110 --> 00:28:53.146 whatever it is plumber, artist, school teacher, 00:28:53.170 --> 00:28:55.960 stay at home parent, pastor, author: 00:29:02.370 --> 00:29:05.223 Whatever you do, your calling is not my calling 00:29:05.247 --> 00:29:07.579 and your calling isn't less important of my calling either. 00:29:07.603 --> 00:29:09.459 Your calling is just different than my calling. 00:29:09.483 --> 00:29:11.440 It's different than the person beside you, 00:29:11.464 --> 00:29:13.426 it's not more important than the person over here, 00:29:13.450 --> 00:29:14.506 it's just different. 00:29:14.530 --> 00:29:18.406 Whatever it is, whatever it is, work at it, 00:29:18.430 --> 00:29:20.176 push into it, lean into it. 00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:22.707 It's the thing that's going to define your life 00:29:22.731 --> 00:29:24.460 is your calling. 00:29:25.310 --> 00:29:27.400 2 Timothy 1:6, the last verse I'll share with you: 00:29:36.280 --> 00:29:38.836 I've done so many fires in my life. 00:29:38.860 --> 00:29:40.696 And you create that fire, right? 00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:43.046 You put a little ember there, a little fire starter. 00:29:43.070 --> 00:29:46.208 Then what do you do? You go (blowing). 00:29:46.232 --> 00:29:48.196 You take a little piece of cardboard. 00:29:48.220 --> 00:29:49.876 You're trying to take that little ember 00:29:49.900 --> 00:29:53.710 and you're trying to fan it into flame. 00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:58.468 This is what the Apostle Paul is saying to Timothy, 00:29:58.492 --> 00:29:59.567 who he built into. 00:29:59.591 --> 00:30:01.570 He said, "Timothy, I prayed for you. 00:30:02.890 --> 00:30:04.240 I've asked God to fill you. 00:30:04.870 --> 00:30:09.256 I've given you the gift of my life into your life. 00:30:09.280 --> 00:30:11.476 This thing that I've deposited into you, 00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:14.536 or God has deposited into you, nurture that, 00:30:14.560 --> 00:30:19.666 honor that little ember, keep it, fan it into flame. 00:30:19.690 --> 00:30:23.626 God has given you something and job one for you 00:30:23.650 --> 00:30:25.520 in your job of your calling 00:30:25.544 --> 00:30:27.586 is to protect your walk with Christ. 00:30:27.610 --> 00:30:29.356 Protect your walk with God. 00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:33.342 Fan it into flame." 00:30:33.366 --> 00:30:34.427 This is what it is. 00:30:34.451 --> 00:30:36.976 It's not about -- it's not about the call, 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:40.666 it's about the call to relationship with Jesus. 00:30:40.690 --> 00:30:42.526 That's what the call ultimately is about. 00:30:42.550 --> 00:30:43.816 You've got to recognize, 00:30:43.840 --> 00:30:47.020 God is trying to form you to be more like Jesus. 00:30:47.740 --> 00:30:49.816 He's not about that thing out there getting done, 00:30:49.840 --> 00:30:52.090 your type a self who wants to get that thing done. 00:30:52.900 --> 00:30:55.336 He's about getting done in you first and foremost 00:30:55.360 --> 00:30:56.896 the thing that He's wanted to do was 00:30:56.920 --> 00:31:00.316 to form you into being in the likeness of His Son. 00:31:00.340 --> 00:31:04.366 So protect yourself, take care of your calling, 00:31:04.390 --> 00:31:08.596 educate yourself, give yourself some fun times, 00:31:08.620 --> 00:31:11.866 some ability to recreate, some ability to stretch. 00:31:11.890 --> 00:31:13.456 Fan into flame. 00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:16.936 Job number one is protecting your spiritual vitality. 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:19.096 Timothy fans his into flame 00:31:19.120 --> 00:31:24.881 and you and I are supposed to fan ours and the flame as well. 00:31:24.905 --> 00:31:27.076 I tell you what, it's pretty powerful to think about 00:31:27.100 --> 00:31:29.926 what would happen if everybody who's with us right now 00:31:29.950 --> 00:31:35.030 actually did this thing, what our culture would look like 00:31:35.780 --> 00:31:37.586 and what our own hearts would look like. 00:31:37.610 --> 00:31:41.276 You do this and you do with all of your heart, 00:31:41.300 --> 00:31:44.271 you fan into flame the gifts that God has given you. 00:31:44.295 --> 00:31:47.396 Get ready for a life that is vibrant and full color. 00:31:47.420 --> 00:31:48.746 Let me pray for you right now. 00:31:48.770 --> 00:31:52.676 Jesus, I pray for Your hand of blessing, 00:31:52.700 --> 00:31:55.826 Your hand of clarity upon all the called ones 00:31:55.850 --> 00:31:56.850 who are with us today. 00:31:59.140 --> 00:32:02.386 We are honored that You would count us as worthy 00:32:02.410 --> 00:32:05.836 to be used and we want to be used. 00:32:05.860 --> 00:32:06.970 We want to be deployed. 00:32:07.990 --> 00:32:10.366 We asked that You, if You want to speak to some of us 00:32:10.390 --> 00:32:11.926 in an external away, God, we want to, 00:32:11.950 --> 00:32:13.390 we want to hear You speak. 00:32:13.930 --> 00:32:15.736 Others of us are going to hear You speaking 00:32:15.760 --> 00:32:18.250 through working the process that I just outlined. 00:32:19.180 --> 00:32:20.956 God, most importantly, we want You. 00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:24.364 We want You and whatever You want to give us, 00:32:24.388 --> 00:32:25.936 because that's what we're about is You. 00:32:25.960 --> 00:32:28.096 I pray these things according to the character 00:32:28.120 --> 00:32:30.330 and identity of Jesus. Amen. 00:32:30.910 --> 00:32:34.396 So to fan into flame the gift that God's given us, 00:32:34.420 --> 00:32:37.036 to protect that job number one of a relationship with God, 00:32:37.060 --> 00:32:38.956 we've got to set our hearts right before God. 00:32:38.980 --> 00:32:42.321 This doesn't just mean I hear things 00:32:42.345 --> 00:32:43.876 that are good that I just gave you. 00:32:43.900 --> 00:32:46.606 It also means that I sing things that are good. 00:32:46.630 --> 00:32:48.526 I oriente my heart towards God. 00:32:48.550 --> 00:32:51.946 I use my mouth and I sing to Him. 00:32:51.970 --> 00:32:53.866 I tell Him what I think. 00:32:53.890 --> 00:32:55.726 Maybe it's a love song. 00:32:55.750 --> 00:32:57.496 Maybe it's a war chant. 00:32:57.520 --> 00:32:59.386 When guys get together on the field of battle 00:32:59.410 --> 00:33:01.396 before they go to war, they sing. 00:33:01.420 --> 00:33:04.036 Whatever it is, there's all kinds of forms that songs take, 00:33:04.060 --> 00:33:06.706 but it's important to incline our heart towards Him, 00:33:06.730 --> 00:33:08.770 so let's do that together right now as a community. 00:37:10.100 --> 00:37:12.356 - Hey, thanks so much for joining us this week. 00:37:12.380 --> 00:37:14.156 If you have questions about your calling 00:37:14.180 --> 00:37:17.216 or you'd like prayer or you just want to talk to someone, 00:37:17.240 --> 00:37:18.656 we are here for you. 00:37:18.680 --> 00:37:20.576 - All you have to do is head to Crossroads.net 00:37:20.600 --> 00:37:23.586 and click the chat icon and talk to somebody right now. 00:37:23.610 --> 00:37:25.346 - That's right, or you can email us 00:37:25.370 --> 00:37:27.116 and I mean Kyle and Hannah us. 00:37:27.140 --> 00:37:30.056 These are real life email addresses right here. 00:37:30.080 --> 00:37:33.416 We're going to do our best to get back to you within 24hours. 00:37:33.440 --> 00:37:35.186 - Now, the episode may be over for today, 00:37:35.210 --> 00:37:38.411 but Crossroads is about so much more than just this video. 00:37:38.435 --> 00:37:39.691 If you want to be in the know 00:37:39.715 --> 00:37:41.096 about what's going on around here, 00:37:41.120 --> 00:37:43.046 all the opportunities that are available to you, 00:37:43.070 --> 00:37:44.996 that we're working hard on all the time, 00:37:45.020 --> 00:37:46.886 you can sign up for a weekly newsletter. 00:37:46.910 --> 00:37:50.246 Head to Crossroads.net/new to sign up. 00:37:50.270 --> 00:37:52.076 And each week you get a message from me 00:37:52.100 --> 00:37:53.816 and you can read about all the stuff 00:37:53.840 --> 00:37:56.027 that's going on in the community, amazing stuff, 00:37:56.051 --> 00:37:58.263 like that come from all those e-mails you guys send me. 00:37:58.287 --> 00:38:00.446 - Absolutely, and that's where we just 00:38:00.470 --> 00:38:02.516 pray for each other as a community in that space 00:38:02.540 --> 00:38:05.186 and you read about what's happening next at your church. 00:38:05.210 --> 00:38:08.636 - Okay, this time you used a churchy word, pray. 00:38:08.660 --> 00:38:09.746 What does that mean? 00:38:09.770 --> 00:38:13.226 - That's easy, we just talk to God on each other's behalf. 00:38:13.250 --> 00:38:16.436 Each week we share a story of someone who needs our prayers. 00:38:16.460 --> 00:38:18.986 And after you read it, whenever it comes to mind, 00:38:19.010 --> 00:38:20.096 just talk to God about it. 00:38:20.120 --> 00:38:22.371 Just sit down and talk to Him about it. 00:38:22.395 --> 00:38:24.476 It could be in your car. It could be in the shower. 00:38:24.500 --> 00:38:25.985 Or maybe you have time in the morning 00:38:26.009 --> 00:38:27.602 where you talk to God every single day. 00:38:27.626 --> 00:38:28.656 - That's right. 00:38:28.680 --> 00:38:30.254 So get subscribed to the newsletter 00:38:30.278 --> 00:38:32.066 and be part of the community. 00:38:32.090 --> 00:38:33.800 We'll see you right back here next week.