Four Functions 1. Going Deeper with God Seminars /4 2. Life Coaching 3. Writing 4. Leaving a Legacy

Three Needed Functions Counseling: repairing the past or the present Mentoring: sharing with you what God has shared with me Coaching: drawing out of you what God has put in you

The Consequences of Arrogance 1. Rebellion – I do not have to obey you 2. Self-Exaltation – I am better or more important than you 3. Indifference – I don’t care about you All 3 lead to humiliation – “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Church Planter’s Greatest Needs 1. passionately pursuing God 2. humility My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

The Calling Journey

Calling Being Call: how I uniquely incarnate Jesus in my life – who I am – life message Doing Call: what function God gives me in His kingdom

Overall Learning Objectives 1)Understand the timeline that tracks your calling development 2) Understand how God has been at work in your story your story 3) Make a plan to join God in what He is doing

Timeline Model

Four Stages and Three Valleys Stages are times that primarily focus on developing the skills and experience we need to fulfill our destiny-the outward work. Valleys focus primarily on developing the character and identity our call requires-the inward work.

What Knowing Your Timeline Can Give You 1. God’s perspective on what you are going through 1. God’s perspective on what you are going through 2. ability to engage what God is doing 2. ability to engage what God is doing God has a plan and a timetable to prepare you for your call

Joseph’s Story 1. Lordship 2. Natural Promotionstage 1 3. Valley of Dependence1 st valley 4. Preparationstage 2 5. Valley of Wholeness2 nd valley 6. Day of Releasing 7. Releasing Stagestage 3 8. Valley of Identity3 rd valley 9. Fulfillmentstage 4

The Timeline Model 1. We go through distinct stages as we move toward our life call. 1. We go through distinct stages as we move toward our life call. 2. This process is universal and predictable. 2. This process is universal and predictable. 3. God has a different growth agenda for each stage. 3. God has a different growth agenda for each stage. 4. This lifelong process is how God builds leaders. 4. This lifelong process is how God builds leaders.

Shifting Paradigms 1 st Paradigm Shift calling is something I am, not something I do Definition: an external commission from God for others externalcommission from God for others

Calls The heart call is your life message— something you are—your being call Your mission, task, or role is the channel for that heart—your doing call Your mission, task, or role is the channel for that heart—your doing call

David Doing Call: prince over my people Israel Doing Call: prince over my people Israel Being Call: a man after God’s own heart Being Call: a man after God’s own heart

Abraham Doing Call: go to the land—father a nation Being Call: become the father of faith

Paul Doing Call: apostle to the Gentiles—take the gospel to places it has never been preached Being Call: grace, reconciliation of Jew and Gentile

Shifting Paradigms 2 nd paradigm Shift Process mindset: “making the right choice” vs. “developmental perspective”

Shifting Paradigms 3 rd paradigm Shift God uses negative experiences, delays, and sufferings to propel me toward my destiny. - the place of pain in God’s purposes - Romans 8:28 - God does not cause our suffering—He redeems it for His purposes - going through difficulty does not mean something is wrong or there is sin in your life

Summary of 3 Paradigm Shifts 1. Calling is something I am that comes through what I do. 1. Life is a growth process. 1. Suffering prepares me for my destiny.

What God is Doing 1. Discovering God’s Agenda 2. Understanding God’s Agenda

What does a Life Message look like? Encounter: Place where you met God deeply and were deeply shaped Encounter: Place where you met God deeply and were deeply shaped Focus: A central theme - soapbox issue Focus: A central theme - soapbox issue Power: your place of power in ministry Power: your place of power in ministry Faith: Your place of faith Faith: Your place of faith

Confirming a Message Focus: A central theme - soapbox issue Focus: A central theme - soapbox issue Power: Your place of power in ministry Power: Your place of power in ministry Faith: Your place of faith Faith: Your place of faith

Theory of the Calling Journey Model We move through a series of growth stages on the life-long journey to our call. These stages are: Planned: God has a specific plan with growth agendas in each stage Planned: God has a specific plan with growth agendas in each stage Universal: Broad elements of this plan are found in the development of all leaders Universal: Broad elements of this plan are found in the development of all leaders Redemptive: While every event is not from God, he redeems everything in life to prepare us for our destiny Redemptive: While every event is not from God, he redeems everything in life to prepare us for our destiny

Identifying Valleys and Stages What Makes a Valley? Triggered by a time of stress, adversity, and/or relational upheaval Triggered by a time of stress, adversity, and/or relational upheaval Feels like my call is getting farther away Feels like my call is getting farther away Focus moves from outward productivity to inner renovation Focus moves from outward productivity to inner renovation At least 6 months (more likely a year) long At least 6 months (more likely a year) long

Signs of a Valley Transitional Transitional Loss/failure Loss/failure Doing less: Outward productivity is curtailed Doing less: Outward productivity is curtailed Confusion Confusion Intensity of experience Intensity of experience Dissonance: my expectations of what my life and call will look like are not met Dissonance: my expectations of what my life and call will look like are not met Regression: Sense of moving backward or stagnating Regression: Sense of moving backward or stagnating

What Makes a Stage? Outward Focus Outward Focus Triggered by change in role or task Triggered by change in role or task Sense of moving forward in the call Sense of moving forward in the call A long season: 5+ years A long season: 5+ years

Validation Symptoms list (see pg. 184) Symptoms list (see pg. 184) Typical stage lengths diagram (pg. 49) Typical stage lengths diagram (pg. 49)

Current Timeline Model