Session 2 - God Owns My Business

Summary

In this session of 'Faith Driven Entrepreneur,' the concept of stewardship over ownership in business is explored. The video emphasizes that all resources belong to God, and entrepreneurs are merely stewards. It features Bertie Laurence, CEO of WASTEPLAN, who shares his journey of integrating faith into business, aiming for zero waste to landfill and using profits to support education and alleviate poverty in South Africa. The session challenges viewers to consider their businesses as God's and to use their success for His purposes, promoting a mindset of abundance rather than scarcity.

Takeaways

• 😇 The concept of stewardship versus ownership is central to the Christian entrepreneur's perspective on business, emphasizing that all resources are gifts from God to be managed for His purposes.
• 🌿 Entrepreneurs are likened to stewards in God's kitchen, using the ingredients He provided to create, but not owning the ingredients themselves.
• 🛠️ The struggle with surrendering ownership to God is real, especially for those who have put in significant effort and risk to build their businesses.
• 💡 The idea that everything belongs to God challenges the traditional notion of personal ownership and success, prompting a shift in how entrepreneurs view their achievements.
• 🌱 A business owner's intentional act of giving shares to God symbolizes the ultimate surrender of ownership and a commitment to use business for divine purposes.
• 🌟 The story of WASTEPLAN in South Africa illustrates how a business can be a vehicle for environmental stewardship and social impact, aligning with Christian values.
• 📈 The pursuit of zero waste to landfill is a tangible goal for businesses to reduce environmental impact and align with a higher purpose.
• 🏫 NICA CAPITAL's mission to alleviate poverty through education in South Africa shows how business profits can be redirected to address social injustices and improve lives.
• 💼 The transformation of a business from a for-profit model to one that includes a non-profit structure can redefine the purpose and legacy of the company.
• 🌱 The principle of abundance in Christianity encourages entrepreneurs to see potential for wealth creation and sharing, rather than scarcity and competition.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the 'Faith Driven Entrepreneur' series?

The main theme of the 'Faith Driven Entrepreneur' series is exploring how the principles of the Gospel can shape an entrepreneur's approach to creating, leading, and stewarding their business in a way that aligns with their faith.

How does the concept of stewardship apply to entrepreneurship according to the transcript?

In the context of entrepreneurship, stewardship is viewed as the understanding that all resources, including business ideas and assets, are gifts from God. Entrepreneurs are seen as stewards who manage and cultivate these resources for God's purposes, rather than owners who possess them for personal gain.

What is the significance of the Garden of Eden story in the discussion of business stewardship?

The Garden of Eden story is used to illustrate the concept of stewardship over ownership. Adam was not the creator of the garden but its steward, tasked with cultivating it. This analogy is applied to entrepreneurs, suggesting they should view their businesses as entrusted to them by God for cultivation and service rather than as personal possessions.

What challenges does an entrepreneur face when trying to integrate faith into their business practices?

Entrepreneurs may face the challenge of reconciling their personal sense of ownership and accomplishment with the belief that all they have is a gift from God. This can create a tension between the desire to claim personal success and the need to acknowledge and submit to a higher purpose.

How does the idea of 'God owning the business' change the entrepreneur's perspective on business growth and success?

The idea that 'God owns the business' shifts the entrepreneur's perspective from personal achievement to divine purpose. Success and growth are seen as opportunities to serve God's kingdom, with the entrepreneur acting as a steward to maximize the impact of the business for spiritual and social good.

What is the role of the non-profit entity NICA CAPITAL in the story shared by Bertie Laurence?

NICA CAPITAL is a non-profit entity that was created to legally represent God as a shareholder in the business. It owns 51 percent of the business, ensuring that the company's profits are used to finance the Kingdom of Jesus and alleviate poverty through education, particularly in South Africa.

What is the 'Adopt a School Project' mentioned in the transcript?

The 'Adopt a School Project' is an initiative where NICA CAPITAL participates in five schools, focusing on teacher development and mentorship programs to improve the quality of education and support the holistic development of children, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds.

How does the concept of abundance in the script relate to the entrepreneur's approach to business?

The concept of abundance suggests that there is enough for everyone and encourages entrepreneurs to operate with a mindset of generosity and innovation. It challenges the scarcity mentality and promotes the idea that by investing and giving away resources, entrepreneurs can create more value and contribute to a society of abundance.

What is the significance of the biblical references to the idea of stewardship in the transcript?

Biblical references, such as those from Deuteronomy and Colossians, emphasize that everything belongs to God, reinforcing the concept of stewardship. These references guide entrepreneurs to view their resources and talents as gifts to be used for God's purposes, rather than personal ownership.

How does the transcript suggest entrepreneurs should approach the use of their financial success?

The transcript suggests that entrepreneurs should view their financial success as a means to increase their potential for impact in God's kingdom. They are encouraged to use their resources to sow into the kingdom, not just to build their own kingdoms, and to understand that God multiplies resources to increase the standard of giving, not just living.

Outlines

00:00

💡 Stewardship in Entrepreneurship

The first paragraph introduces the concept of stewardship in the context of entrepreneurship. It discusses how business owners should view their ventures as a gift from God, rather than solely their own creation. The analogy of Adam in the Garden of Eden is used to illustrate the idea of being a steward rather than an owner. The speaker encourages entrepreneurs to embrace the role of stewards, managing what God has given them, and to use their businesses to reflect God's ownership and purpose.

05:06

📈 From Struggle to Surrender: A Business Transformed

Paragraph two tells the story of Bertie Laurence, CEO of WASTEPLAN, who sought to include God as a shareholder in his business. Despite the legal challenges, Laurence's intention was to give a portion of the company to God. The narrative then shifts to discuss the waste management industry in South Africa and WASTEPLAN's innovative approach to reducing waste and increasing recycling. The company's goal is to achieve zero waste to landfill, and it has been successful in significantly reducing waste for its clients. The paragraph concludes with a discussion of the economic benefits of recycling and how WASTEPLAN helps clients unlock the value of waste materials.

10:13

🛐 A Divine Shift in Business Ownership

In the third paragraph, the narrative continues with the story of a business owner who, after a period of making poor decisions, realized the need for divine intervention in his company. The owner surrendered control to God and established a non-profit entity called NIKA CAPITAL, which now owns a majority stake in the business. The focus of NIKA CAPITAL is to alleviate poverty through education, particularly in South Africa where the legacy of apartheid has left many without adequate education. The paragraph highlights the company's efforts in early childhood development and its involvement in the 'Adopt a School Project,' aiming to make a generational impact.

15:13

🌱 Cultivating Stewardship: A Personal Journey

Paragraph four features a personal account of an individual whose life was significantly impacted by WASTEPLAN. Starting as a sorter, this person was able to rise through the ranks due to their dedication and the company's faith in them. The story illustrates the potential for upward mobility and the transformative power of employment opportunities. The paragraph also discusses the broader themes of reconciliation and healing, as well as the concept of obedience to God's request for shares in the business, symbolizing the transition from being an owner to being a steward of God's resources.

20:14

🌟 Embracing Abundance: The Steward's Perspective

The final paragraph delves into the biblical principles of abundance and stewardship. It contrasts the scarcity mindset with the abundance mindset, encouraging entrepreneurs to view their resources and successes as gifts from God meant to be used for His purposes. The speaker challenges the notion of ownership, emphasizing that everything belongs to God, and we are merely stewards. The paragraph concludes with a call to action, prompting entrepreneurs to consider their role as stewards and to use their businesses, talents, and resources to serve God's kingdom, reflecting on the reasons behind their success and how they can align it with divine intentions.

Keywords

💡Stewardship

Stewardship refers to the responsibility and management of something that is in one's care. In the context of the video, it is about recognizing that all resources, including a business, are gifts from God and should be managed with the intention of serving a higher purpose. The video uses the analogy of the Garden of Eden, where Adam was a steward rather than an owner, indicating that entrepreneurs should cultivate and manage their businesses as stewards, not owners.

💡Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur is an individual who creates and runs a business, taking on financial risks to do so. The video emphasizes the role of the entrepreneur as a steward of God's resources, highlighting the importance of using entrepreneurial ventures not just for personal gain, but for the greater good and the expansion of God's kingdom.

💡Ownership

Ownership implies having the right to use or control something. The video challenges the traditional notion of ownership by suggesting that everything belongs to God, and humans are merely stewards. It encourages entrepreneurs to view their businesses as entrusted to them by God, to be used for His purposes rather than for personal accumulation of wealth.

💡Divine Providence

Divine Providence is the belief in a higher power's control over events. The video script suggests that all talents, resources, and opportunities are given by God, and thus, success in business is a result of divine providence. It encourages entrepreneurs to see their achievements as part of God's plan and to use them accordingly.

💡Abundance

Abundance refers to a plentiful or sufficient supply. The video script contrasts a scarcity mindset with one of abundance, suggesting that God has created a world with enough resources for everyone. It encourages entrepreneurs to operate with the belief in abundance, which can lead to more wealth creation and the potential to make a larger impact.

💡Scarcity

Scarcity is the state of having a shortage of something. In the video, scarcity is presented as a limiting belief that can hinder wealth creation and generosity. It is contrasted with abundance, and the video encourages viewers to reject a scarcity mindset in favor of one that believes in the potential for unlimited resources and opportunities.

💡Tithing

Tithing is the practice of giving a tenth of one's income to the church or a religious institution. The video script extends this concept to suggest that all of one's resources, not just a tenth, are to be considered as gifts from God and potentially to be used for His purposes, thus redefining the concept of tithing in a broader sense.

💡Cultivate

To cultivate means to prepare and use land for crops or gardening, also used metaphorically to mean to develop or nurture. The video uses the term in relation to the Garden of Eden, indicating that Adam's role was to cultivate rather than own the garden, suggesting that entrepreneurs should develop and nurture their businesses in a way that aligns with their role as stewards.

💡Empowerment

Empowerment is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights. The video discusses the empowerment of black communities in South Africa through education, indicating that businesses can be a tool for social change and empowerment, aligning with the stewardship concept.

💡Reconciliation

Reconciliation refers to the restoration of friendly relations. The video mentions that God wants to bring reconciliation and healing, and the business mentioned is contributing to this by addressing historical injustices and aiming to uplift communities that have been disadvantaged, thus serving a broader social purpose.

💡Generational Impact

A generational impact refers to the effects or changes that last across multiple generations. The video speaks about making a generational impact through education and business practices, suggesting that the legacy of a business should extend beyond immediate profits to include long-term, positive effects on society.

Highlights

The concept of stewardship versus ownership in entrepreneurship is introduced, emphasizing that all we have is a gift from God.

Entrepreneurs are likened to cooks in God's kitchen, using the ingredients He provided to create.

The story of Adam in the Garden of Eden is used as an analogy for the stewardship of businesses.

A tension exists between the desire for personal ownership and the understanding that all belongs to God.

The importance of surrendering ownership to God for the growth and success of a business is discussed.

Bertie Laurence, CEO of WASTEPLAN, shares his journey to include God as a shareholder in his business.

WASTEPLAN's innovative approach to waste management aims for zero waste to landfill.

The company's success in waste reduction and the economic value of recyclables are highlighted.

The story of Stephen Kganelo, from sorter to senior contract manager, showcases a pathway out of poverty.

NICA CAPITAL is established as a non-profit entity to represent God's ownership in the business.

The mission of NICA CAPITAL is to alleviate poverty through education, particularly in South Africa's black communities.

The Adopt a School Project and teacher development programs are mentioned as part of NICA CAPITAL's social involvement.

The concept of abundance in entrepreneurship is explored, contrasting the scarcity mentality.

The idea that God multiplies resources to increase our giving, not just our living standards, is presented.

The session concludes with a call to see businesses as God's and to steward them according to His purposes.

Transcripts

(soft music)

FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR HOW THE GOSPEL SHAPES OUR CALL TO CREATE

SESSION 2 GOD OWNS MY BUSINESS

Welcome back to the Faith Driven Entrepreneur.

Stewardship of a paycheck can feel

much different than something that you've created.

After all you had the vision right?

You took the risk,

but everything we've been given is a gift to be stored in.

As we lean into that reality,

we're gonna be free to create

and do great business and lead our people,

and also know God more fully.

We can talk about that more here.

We're working with God's goods,

we're the cooks in His kitchen.

That's the honest, humbling truth.

Even in perhaps, especially

if you started your own business,

you're creating out of the ingredients God created first.

We see this in the Garden of Eden, right?

Adam didn't create the garden.

He cultivated it instead of own it.

He steward it.

And that's what entrepreneurs can do with our businesses as well.

But if we're being honest,

there's a part of us that wants to push back.

It's my business after all, I came up with the idea.

I did the hard work.

I raised all the funding.

I hired all the people.

What does God have to do with what I've created?

Truthfully there's a great, healthy tension here.

If your company is growing year after year,

thanks to your ability to bootstrap

and your consistent hard work and effort is hard

to surrender ownership event to anyone.

It's never easy to look at our company's businesses

and ideas and say that they're not ours,

that they're God's.

But if God is who He says He is,

then everything already belongs to him anyway.

So will we struggle to possess and hoard

that which we've been given to protect and cultivate,

or will we fight the daily battle to submit ourselves

to the role of steward and surrender our businesses

to the God who already owns it all.

Let's start exploring this topic by watching this powerful story, talking

about stewardship and ownership

about how God worked in this life.

(soft music)

I went to work during 2013 trying to create the place for God to be a shareholder in

our business.

But it's very difficult to put God Almighty on

the share register, and, you know, the government register office will ask

questions. But my intention was to give shares to Him. How crazy is it?

My name is Bertie Laurence.

I'm the CEO of WASTEPLAN.

So the waste industry in South Africa is used to just collect and dump.

Sending everything to landfill.

That's the modus operandi.

But if I look at how we as men pollute the Earth, I don't think our Father is happy

with it. It also costs you money to dump it.

And that cost increases every year.

So our job is to help the client put a separation system in place.

We come and see if we can make a change and

we can decrease the number of bills that you send to landfill.

I'm Stephen Kganelo. I'm a senior contract manager for WASTEPLAN.

We separate the organics from everything else.

All the rest, which is really packaging, is all your

typical recyclables that all have an economic value.

And for all the ways that we get from you there is every bit that you can get.

With the goal of achieving zero waste to landfill.

Most clients that have no programs in place will have 80 percent to landfill.

And then we'll do the basic things the low

hanging fruit and quickly get somewhat to 50 percent. But zero

waste to landfill is an absolute focus for us, and some of our

clients have taken this serious and they

are on five, six, seven percent to landfill

right now. Let me give you an idea of volumes.

We employ a 1600 spread over 400 locations

in seven different cities and we manage

about 150 thousand tons

of waste a year and the value of

recyclables have increased over time.

We help the client unlock the value of

this appreciating asset, and as we unlock

that, we earn more money and we also pay a

rebate to the clients.

Over time is as in the client in

partnership, do well with diverting waste

away from landfill. So these costs come

down and we make profits.

I had a very intentional desire to build a

business that gives glory to God through

the way that I execute my decisions, but

at some stage more or less in 2011 I

started making bad decisions and

one big decision just goes the company to

start lose a lot of money.

All of a sudden.

And the company didn't have enough money to

last six months, you know, to

sustain those losses and more or less 12

months later, we were still losing money.

So I found myself in a place before God

where I realized that I was making bad

decisions. I didn't quite know what drove

those bad decisions, but I realized that I

wasn't as great as I thought I am.

And I found myself in a moment of

surrendering to God, where I said to him,

I'm not willing to attempt business

anymore without Him.

Very shortly after that, I felt good, just

gently whispered in my spirit that He now

wants control. And I confessed that to my

friend John and I said, God wants me to

give Him control of the company, and John

just kept on holding me accountable to

that. So we had to create a locally

recognized legal entity, and this

non-profit company's name is Nica, the

Zulu word for gift.

My name is John Jones.

I'm the chairman of NIKA CAPITAL.

In the last couple of years, we've seen a

number of companies transfer a portion of

their shareholding in the company, the

equity, into a non-profit structure.

And through a dividend flow the non-profit

is capitalized to do the program stated in

its mission of output.

And in the Founding documents of this company.

We particularly wrote that this company

exists to finance the Kingdom of Jesus and

to be a legal platform to represent God Almighty as a shareholder.

So NICA CAPITAL owns 51 percent of the business.

My family trust 49 percent.

The penny really dropped at that point that

now ownership is legally handed over to

another structure to Stewart, all purpose

for the national focus of NICA, and that is

to alleviate poverty through education.

The Lord has called us to make a

difference as NICA CAPITAL in the hearts

and minds of children who don't have the

same resources and the same benefits that

we have had through generations of being

more fortunate then some of these children.

In South Africa, we have a legacy of

apartheid, so many black people have no education.

If they have an education, it's a poor education. Education

is one of the most important weapons in a country.

And that standard to which black education

is neglected is something very difficult to put in words.

(foreign language singing)

The small children are the future of this country.

So it's very important that we give those

children a right path from the early age.

Kids that experience trauma in the

developing years develop an inability to

learn. So by the time they get to grade

one, they're already behind.

In every grade, they fall further and further behind.

We did a bit of research to find out where

the children of our own staff go, elected

two or three preschools and we trained

teachers to help kids develop emotionally.

A year later, we interviewed the parents

and we found that the kids were more in

tune with learning how to read and write

and get ready for grade one.

Now we would like to roll it out into all

the regions where we work.

NICA CAPITAL is also participating in five

schools through Adopt a School Project.

We have a teacher development program and

then also a mentorship program, so it's all

very real standing with one foot in the

business as a capitalist, but on the other

side being very, very much socially involved.

We need to keep on praying that this company grows.

Because we are giving back to the black communities.

And, you know, it makes you feel gratefull.

You know, WASTEPLAN has played a

huge role in my life.

When I was 16 life was difficult for me,

but the Lord that we pray works in mysterious ways.

WASTEPLAN employed me had faith in me, and

I fell in love with sorting.

And then I was given an opportunity to one

of the biggest clients.

And after three months, I made a huge

difference on that side.

We only sent two percent to the landfill.

That's how I was recognized.

It's actually possible to come from a

sorter and even become a director.

That is essentially a pathway out of poverty.

I applied for senior contract manager, and I'm still

the senior contract manager and

I'm still enjoying what I'm doing.

The Lord wants to bring reconciliation, He

wants to bring this healing to the land,

and we're trying to make generational

impact as a contributor to black empowerment.

What I did was an act of obedience.

God asked for shares in the business.

I gave him shares and now the owner of

this business is God, and He wants to help

people out of poverty and correct the wrongs of the past.

And it starts with faith.

(encouraging music)

Last session we started in the garden.

So let's stay there for a moment

because there's something that we gotta recognize

before we move on,

Adam didn't create the garden.

Remember he cultivated it.

That means instead of owning the garden,

he stewarded it.

You say, well, what's the difference in those?

When an owner says, "It belongs to me,."

An owner says,

"I earned this.

I bought it.

It was my resources that got it.

It was my strength.

So I can do what I want with it."

A steward by contrast says,

"Well, no, it belongs to God.

I mean, sure.

I'm working at it.

And I get to enjoy some of the fruits of my labor,

but my guests and my talents and my time and my resources

they're given to me by God for a purpose that He has.

So I want to know what God wants me to do with those things.

There's lots of dimensions of spiritual maturity

that occur gradually, but this change, the change

between being an owner and being a steward is something

that happens all at once.

You suddenly realize that you're not an owner of anything

that you have, your time, your talent, your treasures,

all of that ultimately is given to you by God.

When you make this shift,

you're gonna stop asking questions like, well,

how much of this do I have to give

to God to stay on His good side?

And you're gonna start asking questions

like, well, why did God give me any of this?

Why did he give me this enterprise?

And why did he give me this scale? Why did he give me this idea?

It's all His, what does He want with it?

He owns a hundred percent of it.

Not just a fraction of it.

Many Christians think, think like owners,

they think that their religious obligation is,

to pay God his basically His tax

off their lives and their earnings.

So that looks like, well,

let's give God 10% of my money.

And 90% of it is it belongs to me.

That's, thinking in terms of an owner who has to pay a tax,

or maybe you're thinking I gotta go to church once a week

and I gotta be engaged in religion.

In that way, that's a tax on your time

You see a steward thinks differently.

A steward says, "All of it,

a 100% of it is yours.

The breadth of my body is yours.

The talents are yours.

How do you want me to use these talents for you?"

So you've got to ask yourself

if you're going to think like a steward,

"Why did God bless me as He did?

Why? What is the reason that I can discern

He gave me this talents.

I'd say many of us understand this,

but, we try to resist it.

In fact, it reminds me of the, preacher

who was speaking to a farmer in his community,

a farmer who had just produced

this beautiful field of crops.

And the preacher says to the farmer,

"Hey, God gave you this beautiful field

and you should give him the glory for."

to which the farmer replies

"Well, you should have seen that this place

when it only belong to God,

as in, I did all this and all these crops,

I get the credit for."

We might not be that brazen in response to God,

but we do think it's my business.

I came up with the idea.

I did the hard work.

I raised all the funding.

I hired all the people.

So what does God have to do with what I have created?

And yeah, if your company has grown year after year,

thanks to a lot of hard work and late nights

by you and some effort and some ingenuity.

Yeah it's hard to surrender ownership of that to anybody.

It's never easy to look at our company or our business

or an idea and say that it's not mine really?

That, it's God's.

But, but here's the thing.

If God really is who He says He is,

then everything already belongs to Him anyway.

The skills, the health, the opportunity,

it's all from God.

In Deuteronomy 10 Moses said to the children of Israel,

"To the Lord, your God belongs the heavens.

Even the highest heavens the earth and everything in it."

Paul would agree in the book of Colossians.

He would say that all things, including our, the breath

and our bodies and the talents and our brains,

they're all from Jesus.

They're given for his purposes.

And ultimately it's his strength that sustains them all,

even as we use them and they exist for his purposes

and see if God owns it all.

That means that we are stewards.

And the most important question we have to ask is

what He wants from the things that He has given us.

He tells us in second Corinthians

that when he gives us financial success, for example,

the part of the reason that He does that is

to increase our potential for impact in His kingdom.

In second Corinthians nine,

Paul says to the Corinthian believers,

"God will enrich you in every way

to increase your seed for sowing."

Why does God increase us and give us success?

It is to increase our seed for sowing.

Hey, what that means is

that God has a lot more to give

but who's He gonna give it to, right?

Is he gonna, I went to the farmer who hoards it,

or is he going to give it to the farmer

who increases the amount of his sowing?

God wants to multiply and bless His people.

You will find that from cover to cover in the Bible,

but he does so under the assumption

that his people will use the increase

that he gives them to sow more into his kingdom,

not just build more of their own kingdoms,

God multiplies our resources

to increase our standard of giving,

not just our standard of living.

When you understand this,

you will see in fact that when you don't use your time

and your treasure and your talents for God's purposes,

you're actually stealing you're embezzling,

God's resources and His money and His opportunity.

Think about how upset you would be

if you made a huge donation to feed the children

for example, and then found

out that 90% of your donation went to the CEO

so that he could upgrade his house or buy some new cars

and the money that you gave didn't go

to feeding the children.

You would rightly be outraged because that guy was stealing.

What wasn't meant for him,

but was actually given for a different purpose.

In the same way when we don't use our talents

and our opportunities and our resources

for the purposes, God gave them to us for them.

We're stealing from God.

Listen, our enterprises, your enterprise

may not all be nonprofits.

In fact we need a lot more for profit businesses,

but all of us should have that posture

that what we have built is really

what God has built through us.

It's from God and 100% of it ultimately needs to be for God.

God has made a donation to our business,

and He expects us to steward it the way that He intents.

He wants you to, you use His donations for His purposes.

If you sit on them or you use them for your own luxuries,

it's like in his mind,

you're embezzling money or stealing from Him.

We are stewards of God's resources.

We are not owners of our own.

I wanna end this session by talking about one other scriptural principle

that impacts this idea.

And that is a principle of abundance.

You see, God did not create a world of scarcity.

He created a world of potential abundance.

This is a bedrock principle of entrepreneurship.

There is not a limited amount

of resources out there to fight over

there's new money.

There's increased wealth,

there's new ideas

to come up with and new money to be made.

You see, there are two ways to look at the world.

If we live in a world of scarcity,

then we think we have to hang onto and hoard what we have

the other way of looking at the world is

to live in a world of abundance,

where to the blessing of God,

there is literally more than enough for everybody,

the whole Bible screams abundance.

Just think for a moment about the Garden of Eden.

If you think about the dimensions of the Garden of Eden,

if you just go through Genesis

and track out, how big it tells you, it is,

it was more like Yellowstone national park for two people.

And that is abundance.

That is so much that is there for them.

When Israel wandered in the wilderness every morning,

God covered the ground was so much manna,

like little rich crackers dropped down from heaven

so much that everybody had as much as they wanted.

He said, literally to them, "Eat all you want,

and don't worry about tomorrow.

Tomorrow I'll just cover the ground again with more."

That's abundance,

God created the world with abundance.

He intends to us to think in abundant ways.

when we engage in, business and ideas,

sinful man in his fear always thinks in terms of scarcity, that there's not going to be enough.

So I better hoard.

So in the story of the manna, for example,

Israel tried in fear to stockpile the manna.

Well, God gave us all this abundance today,

but there's no telling what's going to happen tomorrow.

I better hoard and hang on to everything.

When they did that, the manna went bad

from start to finish in the Bible,

God instructs His people to look at the world

through the lens of abundance.

He created a world with a potential

for plenty to go around.

And there's always more to create.

When we look at our possessions and our talents,

that way, holding them with an open and a generous hand.

The world flourishes economists will tell

you that the scarcity mentality

in a country leads to poverty.

But when we realize that we serve a God of abundance

and we open up our hands,

well, that gives God a chance to multiply and produce a sized society of abundance,

where there's more than enough for everyone.

So sow what you have your talents,

your resources in faith, invest widely,

take strategic risks for the kingdom of God

and give a lot away and watch God multiply it.

In the New Testament,

Jesus consistently praises the stewards

who give it away,

who invest it widely creating more value for everybody.

And the end result is that there's much more for everyone.

So let me end the session with a question to you.

How do you see your business, your talent and your dreams?

Do you see these things as being owned by you

or being owned by God of which you were just the steward?

And if so, have you asked God why he gave you this success?

Why he gave you that idea?

And if you begun to serve his purposes in it?

I hope you find it refreshing to understand

that financial success provides us opportunities

to do things for God.

But yet also realize that a God

who used five loaves and two fish

actually doesn't need our money

or our influence less we boast.

He wants our heart

and too often money has a hold on our hearts.

So given it,

or feeling an undue anxiety

that He needs us in our success can lead

to a lot of disappointment.

We look forward to joining you next time.

In the meantime, please do check out Faith Driven Entrepreneur,

where we've got a daily blog

and a weekly podcast and a monthly newsletter.

And we'd love to interact with you.

We'd love to hear more about what you're struggling

with on your entrepreneurial journey.

How can we equip and empower

and encourage you as you get out there

and create and wrestle with things like money.

We look forward to seeing you next time. Thanks for joining us.