Stuart has spent many years preaching, teaching and training Pastors in New Zealand, Australia and America and is the senior Pastor of Spirit Life Church in Robina and Tweed Heads on the Gold Coast, Australia.

Stuart is married to Colleen and has several beautiful grandchildren.

Venue: The Colonial Gold Club, Paradise Springs Avenue, Robina

Time: 7:00 for 7:30 a.m. breakfast

Cost: $17.00 per head

RSVP: By email before Wednesday 8th September 2010

For more information call Victor Ho on 0466 257 489

Recently I have entered into many discussions regarding placing yourself in the community and business marketplace as a Christian business.

Within the discussions most people have an anxiety over what perception others may have if you openly confess and show you have Christian faith.

I ask the following questions:

• Are you not confident in your faith to stand up for the truth?
• Is your business not a place of sanctuary from the world and it’s perceptions?
• Do you think people will see that you are exploiting your Christianity?
• Are you anxious about becoming wealthy?

Now there is no wrong or right answer here, no correct perception.  It really depends on where you are on your Christian journey and your understanding of where you are right now on your walk.  Overcoming social fear and stigma’s is often the biggest cause of procrastination and “conforming” we as Christian’s need to overcome.

The great news is that the Bible scriptures handle all of these objections;

• As Christians don’t put your hope in riches but be generous and ready to share 1 Timothy 6:17-19
• You have been anointed by God to prosper.
• “Do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil by others” Romans 14:16
• “The Lord will protect good people but will ruin those who do evil.” Proverbs 10:29
  

The Church is the marketplace, don’t confuse the Church with a Church building.  Your business is part of the marketplace.

What is needed most is the mind-shift to understand your place in the Kingdom of God via his ministry in the marketplace.

“Do not let your occupation (or business) block your destiny; instead, allow your destiny to shape your business by turning it into your ministry.” (C) Anointed for Business by Ed Silvoso

Does your business structure support your long term business goals?

Do you really understand the use of Companies and Trusts in achieving these goals and ultimately achieving your exit or succession plans?

Start with the end in mind! Realistically nearly all of us get into business because we are great at what we do…  When reality strikes, we are usually not that great at the non “my stuff” functions of business.  It is never too late to align your business structure with your long term personal and business goals.

If you would like to discuss this, please let me know and I can introduce you to some great professionals in that field.

The format will include:

Information session – Communication, Business Functions, I.T., Marketing etc
Fellowship & Networking
Brainstorming and much more!

They will be run in a regular fortnightly format to cover group requested items.  This is also a platform for Christian fellowship and a regular meeting may include prayer or ministry if it is requested by an attendee.

More information shortly!

The shell is there but the soul has moved on!

Ever respected someone in a position of leadership and then whilst you are watching their soul doesn’t meet up with the “mask” of leadership anymore.  Leaders are susceptible to incredible scrutiny from everyone around them.  It is a slow effect and often goes unnoticed by the majority as they don’t see the subtle changes happening every week.  Slow changes to organizations are easy to miss when you are a part of the organization or so close that you are in it every day.  All too often, unless you stand away and look closely you don’t even see it happening.

What am I talking about?

The moment (or moments) when it becomes evident that the leaders purpose and mission has changed from servant leadership to protecting their little empire.  Ego and pride get in the way and their focus evidently changes to telling people how good they are.

Boastful leaders are not leaders!

Leaders who avoid being accountable to others tend to succumb to pride, the archenemy of spirituality.

Spiritual leaders know that the criticism of a supporter is more valuable than flattery of an opponent:  “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses”

Proverbs 27:6

Who is apt to tell you when you’re “too big for your shoes”?  If someone were to do this, what would your response be?

Would you punish or alienate him or her?

Be careful out there as a Leader.  The world watches you.

John Burkhardt – Amplio Business Solutions

Last week I attended an International Coaching Federation meeting whose guest speaker discussed and helped us assess our own Genius.

What an extraordinary exercise.

With the methodology used, it crystallized who I was and what I was meant to be doing (this of course), but it allowed me to think of the other opportunities that aligned with who I am.

Even for us in the coaching industry, we need to constantly stop, rethink , realign ourselves and our mindset with who we are and what our passion is and move forward.

Everyday my focus is living my genius so that I fulfill my destiny assigned to me by God.

John Burkhardt – Amplio Business Solutions

If you are in any way desirable for knowledge, you read and consume numerous books, articles, magazines and search the internet endlessly.

You study successful people, read their biographies, check out  stories on business, sales, wealth creation, personal development and have an unquenchable thirst for logical knowledge.

The underlying principles that are taught in the Bible are often referenced by leading authors and speakers.

Wanting a story on understanding Delegation?

Check out Jethro to Moses in Exodus 18

Why Vision is important?

Check out Proverbs 29:18 or Isaiah 25

Mentoring?

Numbers 27

Leadership?

The book of Exodus

The list goes on.  The principles that apply to life apply to business and Jesus’s marketplace was rarely inside the temples.

When Vision and Values match, business growth will occur naturally.

Set the Vision, prepare an accountable, actionable and comprehensive business plan.  Action your plans within God’s direction.

John Burkhardt – Amplio Business Solutions

Activity is vital to achieving goals, however the right activities are required for you to achieve your goals.

So what should we as Christian Business owners be sowing?

Invest in your mind, turn yourself into a living, breathing knowledge base (an information library)

Associate with successful people and business’s

Learn why the other people and business’s are successful and model their strategies and results.

Make sure you invest in your people with time, money and training.

Monitor your expenses and treat each as an investment in your business.  Invest wisely.

Planning time outweighs designing strategies.

Keep strategies simple, measurable and able to be monitored.

Implement test and measure.

Learn when to respond and when to react.

The seeds you sow across each aspect of your business will influence how people deal with you and your business.

“You may make plans, but God directs your actions”

Proverbs 16:9

John Burkhardt - Amplio Business Solutions

Ever noticed that as habitual people, we don’t step outside of our comfort zones to enable us to move forward?

Then complain when we don’t get what we deserved!

How often do we a Christians in business or our personal life, fall into the trap of blaming God or satan for our misfortunes, without having a good hard look at what we have done to get those results.

I listened to a great short video today which talked of the process (or law) of cause and effect.  If you are not happy with the result you have, then look at what you did to influence the cause.  The result is always an action of what we have done with our thinking, feelings and actions that precede the results we have achieved (or not achieved).

Start learning how to change the cause.  If you don’t like the fruit on the tree, don’t get upset with the fruit or the tree; Plant a different seed!

What seed are you planting?

Set a goal.

Work backwards: what do I have to do to think, feel and action to achieve this goal.

Organize the information in the correct order and then focus on this thinking, feeling and actions required.

No amount of cussing will change the fact that the orange tree has oranges on it.  If you want apples, plant an apple seed!

And finally be patient about it.  We don’t learn everything overnight and we sow what we reap.

“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us”

Hebrews 46:10

John Burkhardt – Amplio Business Solutions

However, if you ask the owners why they originally started the business and what motivated them, money usually if very low on the list.

Most will describe to you phrases similar to:

I had an idea for a product and was so passionate about it I turned it into a business.

I needed freedom from my job and by starting my own business, I was able to control my time more (give time to my family, spouse etc)

I couldn’t get anyone to come into business with me, so I did myself.

I knew I could give better service with this product than what the other business’s were giving.

I was able to help people and the money was a bonus.

I needed so much to do something for myself and my family.  This gave me the opportunity to prove myself.

The list goes on……….

Most will not mention money.  The focus on money is well down the list and usually the only consideration was that they had enough to pay the business bills and provide for their family.

I will talk further about balance in my posts, but this Proverb from the Bible is a healthy reminder to us all:

“Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich.  Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle”

Proverbs 23:4

Have fun out there!

John Burkhardt – Amplio Business Solutions

“The four levels are:

1. to be a Christian in the marketplace,

2. to be a Christian who applies biblical principles in the marketplace,

3. to be a Christian who does business in the fullness and in the power of the Holy Spirit, and

4. to be a Christian committed to the total transformation of the marketplace.

On the first level are those who believe the marketplace is an evil place but feel they can hold their ground as Christians.  Survival is their objective, and they need a lot of maintenance because they see themselves as POW’s, forced to survive with dignity in an undignified place.

The second level represents those who apply Christian principles in the marketplace.  They have a more positive outlook than those on level one but do not believe that applying Christian principles can do much for the corporation where they work, much less for the marketplace as a whole.  Those principles allow them to overcome temptations and to keep a good testimony.  Basically they settled for a draw:  They will not change the marketplace and the marketplace will not change them.

On the third level we find Christians who wholeheartedly believe that they can work in the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit.  They seek God every day, they hear from Him, and they implement what He tells them.

The fourth level represents those who, after they have experienced God’s transforming power in their business, see themselves on a mission to transform the marketplace.’

Courtesy and copyright of Chapter 8 of “Anointed for Business” by Ed Silvoso

John B – Amplio Business Solutions

“The skyline of a city defines its identity the way physical appearance identifies humans.  Today skylines consist not so much of church spires, but of the buildings that house the corporations that breathe life into commercial arteries.  It is right there where the kingdom of God needs to be established.  Those are the corporations that must experience the power and the presence of God.  For a city to be transformed, complete change has to come to the marketplace, and Christian businesspeople must play a key role.

What exactly is that role?  The role is always determined by the kind of relationship Christians have with them marketplace.

The four levels are:

1. to be a Christian in the marketplace,

2. to be a Christian who applies biblical principles in the marketplace,

3. to be a Christian who does business in the fullness and in the power of the Holy Spirit, and

4. to be a Christian committed to the total transformation of the marketplace.”
Courtesy and copyright of Chapter 8 of “Anointed for Business” by Ed Silvoso

John Burkhardt – Amplio Business Solutions

This morning we attended our local Church and the Pastor preached on transition in our life.  Be it in moving from being a non believer to a believer, single to married, primary school to high school, school to a job or any other thing in life where change takes us.  The changes are external, the transition is internal.  The internal changes are many, from mindset, to attitude, to acceptance (or denial) and much more!

Also the realization that in every stage of your life, that you are in some sort of change.  Either just starting, going through it or coming out of it.  Then you line up again for more change, more transition and per personal growth.

Think back over your life to when you have been most challenged. Usually it is when you are undergoing massive transition on the inside to due changes on the outside (external influences).   Also this is usually when most of us question our Faith and where is God in all of this.

In my personal experience, this is usually when God doesn’t talk to you.  You will however get plenty of closed doors or difficult actions if you decide to take the wrong direction and not follow God’s will.  Why do we think that it is all about us?

The other transition “thought” that we need to get rid of is the “that happened before when” mindset, which effectively is trying to keep the previous door “ajar” just in case.  In case of what? Our lack of Faith?.

The most progressive part of this journey is the transition within ourselves, the questioning of our own mindset and the resetting of our goals in all areas of our life.  Business, personal, health, sport, leisure, spiritual etc.

Anyway, something to think about. 

John Burkhardt – Amplio Business Solutions