After 20 years in business together , jason and I have realized that there are three crucial mindsets that will make you an effective leader . We've had to go through leadership of all kinds with various businesses , but we found in Scripture , as we were devouring the Word of God , as we were building our businesses , there are three mindsets that if you have these , and if we have these , we can be effective leaders , and we find them in the book of 2 Timothy . And now , before we dive into Timothy , you just need to know that when you are trying to run a faith-filled business , that you need to spend time praying every single day and you need to get on a Bible reading plan so that every single day , you're reading something of scripture and then telling God essentially the same thing we told God back in 2003 when we started our business . We're like , okay , lord , we don't have business training , we don't have all sorts of stuff . You know , back then it wasn't . They didn't have like online courses on how to run business and start it and stuff like that . I mean , the internet was a thing , but Google was still just picking up speed , and so we did promise that we were going to be reading the scripture , and for us . That promise was cover to cover every year , you know for however long it would take . And we said , lord , just show us stuff in the scripture and we'll apply those principles .
Speaker 1And so we're reading just all sorts of stuff and I remember in Lamentations we got a word from the Lord not Lamentations , it was Leviticus . We got a word from the Lord on the rule of five that in your first five years don't spend the money that you got . And we learned that straight from Leviticus . And so , as we're reading , we're continually getting things out of scripture and it's so incredibly important for you as a faith-filled entrepreneur , so make sure you're spending time in the word . And one of the words that David and I got was right here in 2 Timothy . As our business began to grow , we recognized , hey , we're not just running a business here , we're actually leading people . We need to be better leaders . And what we discovered here in 2 Timothy 2 was the older Paul talking to the younger Timothy , who was in charge of helping to build out the churches that Paul was planting , and so he's essentially mentoring him . He's coaching him like a business coach to a business owner . And so now , when we read it in that perspective , you'll read 2 Timothy 2 quite a bit differently . So Paul is encouraging the younger Timothy how he's supposed to conduct himself in leadership and right out of the gate .
Speaker 1Before we get to the three mindsets , we want to share with you a couple things that were the foundation for what Paul said . David , read verse 1 of 2 Timothy 2 . You , then my child , be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus . Isn't it interesting that the first thing Paul tells this young man is be strong . Like , be strong . Draw strength from where Christ ? From the grace of God , the amazing grace of God . Do you deserve God's grace ? No , start there . Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me . We don't say that in today's culture . Start there . Paul tells us there is a foundational truth to your leadership that needs to understand you are whacked , you are messed up . You need a Savior , you need God's grace . Start there . As messed up as we are , we are incredibly loved and incredibly valued , and knowing that should make you strong . So now we operate in strength . Why ? Because God forgave me . He doesn't hold all that stuff over me . That's right . He has forgiven me . So be strong . That's the first pillar . The second pillar before we get into our three mindsets . Verse two David , and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses , in trust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also , okay , disciple others .
So Timothy needed to have an upstream , which was Paul , and a downstream , which were the other people , and Paul was giving him this just foundational truth of leadership . This is before our three mindsets . So the first thing hey , you need to be strong . If you want to be a leader , you need to be strong . You need to draw your strength from God , starting at the place where God has given you his amazing grace . Secondly , you need to have a willingness to disciple others . You need an upstream and a downstream , and every leader needs that . They need people who are pouring into them and then they need to turn around and pour into other people . An apple tree does not yield more apples if it refuses to give away the apples that it has . It has to give away its apples right , so that it can then make room for other apples . So you need an upstream and you need a downstream .
Speaker 1You know , I've talked to many entrepreneurs and they're like sometimes I just feel so stagnant in my walk with the Lord and I'm like okay , well , who are you pouring into ? Who's pouring into you ? Are you being intentional with being mentored ? Are you being intentional with mentoring others , with pouring out others ? Because , honestly , when you have to whether it's leading a Bible study , leading a company meeting , leading just someone individually , maybe after a workout , and you're spending time with them you have to prepare , you've got to be in the word . And a workout and you're spending time with them , you have to prepare , you've got to be in the word and you know that . And sometimes you won't do it for yourself , but you'll do it for others , especially when it's your children . And in doing that , and in the preparation and in the time of darkness and quietness , when you're preparing , you're actually becoming something brand new and the Lord is shaping you and molding you . Yes , that's exactly right . So be strong , have a willingness to disciple others .
Speaker 1David , verse three Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus . So that is our very first mindset shift that you want . I say mindset shift , that is your mindset . So the three mindsets , I'll give them to you really quick . You want to be a soldier , you want to be an athlete , you want to be a farmer . Those I'll give them to you really quick . You want to be a soldier , you want to be an athlete , you want to be a farmer . Those are the three things that Paul is encouraging Timothy . And right here in verse three , he says be a soldier . Okay , so those . That that's your first mindset shift . They read verse four , which tells us about what a soldier does . No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits , since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him . So let's just think about a soldier for a second . A soldier first recognizes that he's in a battle . Number one , that's right . He recognizes that he's in a battle . That , open in your eyes to that , changes everything .
Speaker 1Now , in today's American church , so often we have created a cruise ship , not a battleship . In terms of the church , a church attendance , it's more of a cruise ship instead of a battleship . And so if you think about the identity of the passengers on a cruise ship and the identity of the passengers on a battleship , it's totally different . You have consumers waiting to be entertained or producers waiting to engage the enemy . See , this is so crucially important that we have to see ourselves as soldiers in a battle . This is a spiritual battle , so we have to see ourselves as soldiers in a battle . This is a spiritual battle , so we have to be spiritually locked in . Whatever business you're in , whatever job you're doing , you're doing it as unto the Lord . But also understand the context is a great spiritual battle over the hearts and souls of not only people but nations . And so we have to be truth-vers and truth speakers , because if you know the truth , the truth will set you free . So you have to recognize you are a soldier on a battleship . You are not a consumer on a cruise ship , and you know what .
Speaker 1That's what your business is for . Your business is a part of the wealth transfer mechanism where God transfers the wealth of the wicked to righteous hands . Why ? So that you can take influence over cities . That was the reward for the faithful servants when they got the talents . They didn't just you know , the one at 10x , the one at 5x , they didn't just get to keep their income , no , they were then handed authority over cities . So recognizing that your business is something that God will use to take back territory , to take authority , that is very , very important .
Speaker 1You know another thing about a soldier he protects the weak , so he's always looking for the vulnerable . He's looking for a way to protect the weak . How can your business help protect the weak ? That's why our business literally was the genesis of starting a pro-life ministry that has since blossomed into another pro-life ministry that's now in , I don't know , 25 different states or whatever 24 cities . And we knew that our mission was that we wanted to be the largest real estate firm specifically dealing with foreclosures in the country , so that we could breathe life into cities across America . Our whole thing was protecting the innocent and we wanted our business to be a part of funding that . So that's why it's important for you to recognize your role as a soldier .
Speaker 1Another thing about a soldier when it comes to leadership , he doesn't want to fight , but he sure as heck ain't going to back down to one . That's right , you know , a soldier is willing to suffer , and here's what one of the things that I think is the most important , especially as entrepreneurs a soldier doesn't meddle in needless fights that aren't a part of his mission , you know . So a soldier over in Iraq , let's say , and then he is walking down the road and they're looking for landmines or something , and he sees a husband and wife getting into this massive argument , you know , and he doesn't walk over there and go hey , can I help you guys with your , with your , with your argument ? No , because he realized that's not his fight . He's got a bigger fight . So a soldier doesn't meddle in stuff . That's not a part of his mission . You need to know your mission and and but we have to be tapped into the fact that there's a spiritual reality that we are all engaged . When the unborn are murdered or when truth is being trampled in the streets and all of a sudden , gender is being twisted and now targeting our kindergarten kids , that's not like . Well , that's not my mission . No , that's God's mission . You speak truth , no matter what , but he wants you faithful to what specifically he has called you to do .
Speaker 1So , jason , which one are you heading to now ? Are you going to go ahead and hit verse five ? Yes , that's where I'm going to go . Okay , so the three types of people that you want to be a soldier , an athlete , a farmer . Verse five talks about the athlete , and an athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules . Okay , so let me just say two things about an athlete , because if you're going to be the leader that God wants you to be , number one .
Speaker 1You've got to play to win . You don't just don't get out there and it's like I just want to make , just enough , you know , kind of think . No , you got to play to win , like win , whatever industry you're in . Play to win , yeah , one of the things we've done in this culture is we've created the blue ribbon athletics and not everybody gets a blue ribbon . It doesn't work like that . We should not be teaching our kids Everybody's a winner . No , it's not true Now . Everybody is a winner .
Speaker 1If you get out on the field and do your best , now that is winning . You have to redefine winning . But not everybody wins the game . You have to compete to win . Yeah , compete , compete , compete , okay . But now make sure that you're doing it , and this is just a total different teaching altogether . That we've already done . But you've got to run at the pace of your people , and your primary people are your family . So don't get out there and forsake your family because you want to win . Right , you need to win in your family first , but then , when it comes to your business , you need to make sure that you're playing to win as well . It's just got to be within the context of the , the , the um , the pace that your family can handle , okay . So not only does an athlete play to win , but an athlete also plays according to the rules . He plays according to the rules . So what are the rules of the game , you know ?
Speaker 1And when David and I got into real estate , there were some gray lines out there where , when David and I first got into real estate and we were actually brokers , there were people out there that would sell a house to somebody and that person would go get a mortgage and they would negotiate a house to somebody and that person would go get a mortgage and they would negotiate a silent second from the seller , you know , where the seller would hold back like twenty thousand dollars or whatever and he would owner finance it and they're just a bunch of stuff like that was happening . They wouldn't put it on the settlement statement , yeah , and it was just we're like oh , that's kind of gross . And we actually almost did a deal like that until one of the guys said , hey , y'all can't do that . We're like you can't Like no , I'm like well , that dude's been doing it and he's the one that told us you could do this . So we realized there were some gray lines out there .
Speaker 1You've got to play according to the rules , and this is where radical purity comes in running your business . When David and I first started our company in 2003 , we did make a radical commitment to the Lord . We're like okay , lord , purity , like if it's every area yeah , in every area , personal , in every area , corporate , like when we're running our businesses . We just want to make sure that we're pure and you know what You're going to fail , and when you do , there's repentance , there's the reset button , but it is a faithfulness playing to win and a desire to play inside the rules .
Speaker 1The power of sin is in secrecy , so we can't be secret . Well , it's just my business , this is the way I do business . Or I'm hiding books over here , or whatever it may be . Or even in your own personal life right , two phones , an extra laptop somewhere hidden . I mean , we've walked through a lot of this kind of stuff with different entrepreneurs . But listen , the power of sin is in secrecy . So you need to be tied into community and be open and vulnerable . If you're a dude with other dudes , if you're a woman with other women , be open so that we can truly live out the purity that God wants us .
Speaker 1When I think about the athlete who plays to win and plays according to the rules . I think about the two jobs , the two things that God gave to Adam in the garden even before Eve came . He gave him a job to do and a boundary to obey . So that job , he had to be really good at his job and he needed to do a really good job with his job . That's a lot of job , and then he also had a boundary to obey . So there are always rules . So play according to the rules . So be a great soldier to be a great leader . You want to be a soldier , you want to be an athlete and thirdly , you want to be a farmer .
Speaker 1Verse six it is the hardworking farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops . You know what ? There's some truths about a farmer ? A farmer is faithful in the little . I mean it's . It's very difficult to get up . You know three o'clock in the morning , get out there and work on your tractor and then get up and start plowing and start doing the stuff that you're doing . A farmer is someone who is faithful in the little . And here's what the farmer does he does his part and he trusts God to do his part . So he trusts God to do God's part , but he makes sure that he does his part . What's his part ? His part is to get up , make sure that the tractor's running , make sure that there's gas enough there , to make sure that he gets out there and sits on that tractor and goes out and plows the field . That's his part . And then he's planting the seed . That's his part . What's God's part ? To bring the rain , that's right . And the farmer trusts God to do his part .
My favorite verse about farmers is Psalm 126 , 5 and 6 . And I have prayed this and read this so many times throughout business . It says this Psalm 126 , verse 5 , those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy . He who goes out weeping bearing the seed for sowing shall come home with shouts of joy , bringing his sheaves with him . In other words , look as a farmer . You are going to sow seeds , you're going to spend the money to buy that bag of seed and when you throw the seed in the ground , you're literally like throwing that money into the ground , having no clue if it's going to work or not . You know , because you have to get the sun , you have to get the rain , you got pests and pestilence and all kinds of stuff famine , drought , whatever it may be . You have all of these things that are outside of your control . Sowing the seed . It's hard , it hurts . That's what investment looks like David and I always talk about . Take your active income and turn it into passive income . Turn your cash into cash flow . That hurts . Every time you release that money , it's like it's not in your account anymore , and so it just takes some time .
Speaker 1Let me say something else about a farmer .
Speaker 1Not only is he faithful and little , not only does he do his part and trust God to do his .
Speaker 1He doesn't worry about the results , he just concerns himself with his duty . That's a good farmer . Yeah , he is concerned with the results , but he doesn't worry about it . A good farmer . He knows that God's going to do his part , he just concerns himself with his duty . So just do the duty , whatever it is . Have your vision for your business and then create your process , the steps that you're going to do to accomplish your vision , and then just do it and trust the process . The farmer does that , and you can too . So you have the soldier , you have the athlete , you have the farmer .
Speaker 1And let me say one more thing about the farmer . The farmer is always faithful when nobody is watching , because most farmers work alone . So be faithful when nobody is watching . That's the hard part . But then verse seven , at the end of this listen to what Paul says , under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit , to young Timothy Think over what I say , for the Lord will give you understanding in everything . Yeah , so if you're thinking about your business , you're like well , how does this apply to me ? Just think over it , pray over it . So if you're thinking about your business , you're like well , how does this apply to me ? Just think over it , pray over it . God's going to give you understanding in everything , because you're his kid and he loves you and if you know him , you need to pray to him .
Speaker 1My son called me the other day . He's like dad for the first time . I actually just straight up and he's living in Nashville . He's now out on his own out of college , about to get engaged , and he's living in Nashville . He's now out on his own out of college , about to get engaged , and he's like .
Speaker 1I asked God , lord , I just need more work . He goes . I've never prayed that before . I need more work , lord , give me more work . He's a freelance videographer , producer and all this stuff . And he goes and the very next day I get a phone call from a producer who's got this YouTube account . And now I'm just he's already given me work .
He said , in less than 24 hours . He's like I can't believe it . I said I mean Ty , bailey Chase , those are my other two Ty . I said Ty , that's what God does because he loves you . He says if you ask anything in my name , he'll give it to you .
Speaker 1That doesn't mean he's going to give you that red Porsche . That doesn't mean he's going to give it to you immediately and all that stuff . But what it does mean is when you are asking according to God's will and God's will is that you work . God's will is that you provide an income for yourself . He wants you to do that . Read 1 Thessalonians , 4 , 11 , and 12 . He wants that for you .
Speaker 1And so when you're asking him , lord , give me work , please help me . Help me in this God will answer your prayer . Now that doesn't mean he answers it in 24 hours . He might answer it in two months , it doesn't matter , because in that waiting time he's creating something in you . He's building you , he's growing you and strengthening you and you can trust him , just like that farmer .
Speaker 1You go out there , you make the phone calls , you pray , you knock on the doors , you pray , you do some marketing , you pray , you meet with clients , you pray , and God he knows . You're sowing the bag of seed . You're sowing the seed in the ground and you're weeping . You're like this hurts , but it's going to come . So you can trust the Lord and when he says , think about what I say , for the Lord will give you understanding and everything God's got you . He knows right where you're at . So be a soldier , be an athlete , be a farmer . Those are three keys to help you be the leader that God has called you to be , so that you can be the faith-filled entrepreneur and launch yourself into greater freedom and success and become the person that God totally has designed you to be . You can do it . God bless you , peace .