606 Prayer the foundation for leading

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MODULE 606 PRAYER THE FOUNDATION FOR LEADING A COMPANY FOR CHRIST Dr. Mario Denton Crown Financial Ministries Marketplace Programme Director for Africa Africa Director for FCCI (The Fellowship for Companies for Christ International) CEO STRONG MESSAGE BUSINESS CONSULTANT Let's keep the good marketplace vibes alive. Let's network. Tel (w) + 27(0) 82 88 29903. E-mail address: mario@crown.org.za Website: www.crown.org.za and click on marketplace E-mail address: marden@mweb.co.za website: www.strongmessage.co.za Skype: mario.denton

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Table of Contents 1. The power of prayer 2. To lead effectively, follow Christ in Prayer 3. Follow the model of Christ in prayer 4. The effective prayer life of a Christian CEO/business leader 5. Appendix

Prayer, the Foundation for Leading a Company for Christ Prayer is the very spiritual air we breath. It is how we commune with God. Prayer is the connection with God that gives us the power to be effective business owners and leaders of our families and in our communities. It is through prayer that our efforts each day count for eternity. Prayer is our “extension cord” to God’s powerhouse. The purpose of this course is to train us to be powerful in prayer and equip us to be effective through prayer in every aspect of our lives. Excellence in Business Leadership Excellence in Business Leadership

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The Power Of Prayer OVERVIEW: It is crucially important to spend time with your creator and owner. • Adore God, confess sin, thank Him for His provision, and ask Him to provide for your needs on a daily basis. • Start your day with prayer and studying Scripture. Seek God’s power to resolve the issues of the day. • Give God your best time each day. Make your time with Him your first priority. The Necessity of Prayer Jesus owns you You were bought at a price” I Corinthians 7:23 You are to live your life for Christ “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” I Corinthians 4:2 You can only be effective in Christ Without me you can do nothing” John 15:5 ACTS – an Approach to Prayer Adoration: Praise to God for Who He is “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Psalm 103:2 Confession: Agreeing with Him that our specific sins are SIN. Name them.

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“When we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” I John 1:9 Thanksgiving: Thanking God for all He has done “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.” Psalm 106:1 “…but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving…” Philippians 4:6 Supplication: Asking God to provide for our needs “...present your requests to God.” Phil. 4:6 Excellence in Business Leadership 2 The Power of Prayer “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father” John 14:13 “…in my name…” In the best interests of Jesus’ Kingdom, according to His will and representing His interests on earth. “…that the Son may bring glory…” The purpose of Jesus granting the request is to bring glory to the Father. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things…” John 14:26 To pray in Jesus’ name is to represent Him, just as the Holy Spirit does. Strategies for Prayer Start the day with prayer. “...in the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you.” Psalm 5:3

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In a solitary place without interruption. “…very early in the morning, Jesus … went off to a solitary place where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 Read Scripture daily. Learn the mind of Christ. “Your statutes are wonderful, therefore I obey them.” Psalm 119:129 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” Colossians 3:16 Give God Your First Fruits, Your Best. Make prayer a priority. Don’t give God the leftovers of your time. “But seek fi rst His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 “The ...first fruits … you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God.” Exodus 34:26 Conflicting Time Demands • First, erase your generic schedule. • Then, budget your time with your creator and owner: Jesus Christ. • Finally, fit everything else around it. • Make your relationship with Jesus the most important thing in your life - and show it by how you spend your time. Summary: • The Necessity for Prayer: It is crucially important to spend time with your owner. • An Approach to Prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. • Strategies for Prayer: Start the day with prayer and Scripture. • Priority of Prayer: Give God your best time. PRACTICAL APPLICATION 1. What prevents you from enjoying a more intimate relationship with God?

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2. Is your prayer life effective? __________________________________ What evidence do you have to support this statement? Does God use you to change lives, circumstances? __________ How? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. What are the barriers in your life to a more effective prayer life? What do you intend to do to remove them? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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2. To Lead effectively, Follow Christ in Prayer Leadership OVERVIEW: • Power comes from being under authority. • The believer is under the authority of Christ and draws his or her power from Christ. • We will bear much fruit as we remain under Christ’s authority. The issue is being under authority

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“... a centurion came to him [Jesus], asking for help. ‘Lord’, he said, ‘my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering...’ Jesus said, ‘I will go and heal him.’ But the centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word and my servent will be healed. For I, myself, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go’ and he goes, and that one ‘Come’ and he comes. I say to my sevant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.’” Matthew 8b-10 Faith is understanding and believing the authority of Jesus “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bears fruit, he prunes so that it will be more fruitful. You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself: it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15: 1-8 Excellence in Business Leadership Under Christ’s Authority “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener.” • The Son is under the Father and the Father is over all. Pruning in Christ

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“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bears fruit, he prunes so that it will be more fruitful. You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.” • We can expect to experience pruning. Remaining in Christ “Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself: it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” We remain in Christ by: • Spending time with Christ every day. • Letting Him speak to us through the Scriptures and through prayer. • Asking Him to bear fruit through us. • Practicing the presence of Christ all day, every day. Effectiveness in Christ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” • We can do nothing of significance for the Kingdom without Christ. • A daily prayer time is crucial for effectiveness. Lack of Power “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fi re and burned.” • Not abiding (remaining) in Christ results in not being used. Power in Abiding “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” • True power comes from abiding in Christ, being under His authority and experiencing His power.

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Fruit-Bearing “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” • The end result is accomplishment (fruit bearing) that brings God glory and shows we are Christ’s disciples. Therefore: • Place yourself under Christ’s authority and remain there. • Spend time with Christ every day to remain (abide) in Him. • Let Him speak to you through the Scriptures and prayer. This takes time. There is no shortcut. • Ask Him to bear fruit through you. • Experience His power working through you to further the Kingdom and bring glory to God. Excellence in Business Leadership PRACTICAL APPLICATION 1. How did the centurion astonish Jesus? What did he believe? How was that manifest in his life? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. What are you doing to remain (abide) in Christ? How is this manifested in your life?

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3. In what areas of your life are you in a leadership role? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Are you basing your leadership on prayer? Are you seeing Christ lead through you? If so, how? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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e Foundation for Leading a Company for Christ

3. Follow the Model of Christ, in Prayer Leadership OVERVIEW: We Are to Follow the Ways of Jesus in Prayer: • Spend much time alone with the Father in prayer as a lifestyle. • Do only what we see God doing or what he has commanded. • Spend significant time in prayer before any major decision. Jesus Modeled Prayer for us: • Jesus spent much time in prayer. • Jesus prayed alone with the Father. • Jesus did only what he saw the Father do. • Jesus spent significant time in prayer before a major decision. Jesus spent much time in prayer All night in prayer “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God.” Luke 6:12 About 9 hours one night in prayer 12


“After he had dismissed them [the crowd], he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.” Matthew 14:22-25 [The fourth watch was about 3 – 6 AM.] Jesus prayed alone with the Father “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 “At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.” Luke 4:42 Excellence in Business Leadership Jesus taught us to pray alone with the Father. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray o your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:5-6 Jesus did only what He saw the Father doing. “Jesus gave them this answer: ‘I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” John 5:10 “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgement is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” John 5:30 Jesus did only what the Father commanded. “So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me’. ” John 8:28

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“For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.” John 12:49 We can do nothing without Jesus. “I am the vine; you are the branches/ If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.“ John 15:5 • We must seek Jesus to do the work through us. Prayer, the Foundation for Leading a Company for Christ Jesus spent significant time in prayer before a major decision. “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.” Luke 6:12-13 We are to follow the ways of Jesus in prayer: • Spend much time in prayer as a lifestyle. • Be alone with the Father in prayer. • Do only what we see the Father doing or what He has commanded. Other models of prayer • The disciples made prayer a priority. “We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” Acts 6:3b-4 . Application: If Jesus, the Son of God, had to spend significant time in prayer, can we, who have been called to run our companies for Christ, lead small groups, or serve Christ otherwise, do any less? Excellence in Business Leadership

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12 PRACTICAL APPLICATION 1. Why did Jesus spend so much time in prayer? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Does your prayer life follow Christ’s model? In what ways? n what ways not? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. What significant decisions have you made in the last 12 months? List a few: Did you base that decision on seeking God’s will in the matter through prayer? Why or why not? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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4. The effective prayer Life of the Christian CEO/Leader OVERVIEW: To be effective in prayer, we need to: • Deepen our relationship with God. • Intentionally strengthen our faith. • Know and apply Scripture. • Be strategic and organised in prayer. Deepen your relationship with God through Christ “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:4 • You were created for a close relationship with God. • Be intentional about being trained and equipped in your relationship with God. • Be intentional about deepening and strengthening your relationship with God . Deepen your relationship with God “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” Mark 12:30 Heart - center of decision and belief. We choose to love. “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:10

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Soul – your life-essence. The blend-point of your body and spirit. Love God with all the energy of your life. Mind – being thoughtful and intentional about the things of God. Strength – putting much effort into loving God. Excellence in Business Leadership Deepen your relationship with Christ • Strive for obedience to the Lord. • Systematically release all areas of life to Him and ask Him to take control of them. Make your life Christ-centered. • “If Jesus Christ is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.” – Jim Elliott • Does the way you spend your time and lead the business show He is Lord? • Systematically release all areas of your life to Christ and ask Him to control them. Give financially to Kingdom work. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 “So we make it our goal to please him…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 “So, then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught…” Colossians 2:6-8 “God rewards those who earnestly seek Him…” Hebrews 11:6 Fall more in love with Jesus. “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:5

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Strengthen your faith “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding…” Proverbs 3:5 Be intentional about building your faith. • Choose to trust God. • Choose to obey. • Be willing to be taken outside your comfort zone. Study the lives of great men and women of the faith. See how they developed their faith and built an effective prayer life. Learn from their walk with God. • Odinary people yielded to God. Teach others how to grow strong in their faith. • The best way to learn something is to teach it. • Teaching others reveals our own weaknesses and holes in our faith. • Lead a small Group. • Mentor a younger person. Be mentored by someone more mature in the faith. Know and apply Scripture Become wise in the ways of God and apply His principles to your life and your business. “ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8 Know Scripture – God’s handbook for leading a company for Christ. • Study Scripture daily. • Meditate on what you have read, ponder it.

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• Know God through the Scriptures. They are a window into how God thinks – His ways and purposes. “But we have the mind of Christ…” 2 Corinthians 2:16 Excellence in Business Leadership Listen to good teaching of Scripture – like Bruce Wilkinson, Henry Blackaby. Study Scripture to be equipped to lead the company for Christ. “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16 Pray the Scriptures. • Pray selected verses back to God, claiming His promises. Be Strategic in Prayer Make prayer the center point of your relationship with God. Give God a substantial offering –your full attention. • Not while driving to work. Give God the first fruits – pray early in the day. “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice, in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Psalm 5:3 Make your time with God the most important and significant time of your day. Spend lots of time in prayer – it’s the most important time you will spend on the company that day. If you are not spending at least 1/2 hour per day in prayer, you have not come to grips with the fact that Christ owns the business. Prayer,

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Be Intentional and Organised in Prayer Seek to understand God’s will and plan for you and for the company. • His vision, purpose, mission and strategic plan. • They always match with Scripture. Then, pray in Jesus’ Name – according to His will, His character, His purposes, and His ways. “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” John 14:13 Make your time effective for His Kingdom - transact business with the Father. • Don’t waste His time or yours. Summary: To Be Effective in Prayer: Deepen your relationship with God and with Christ. • Be intentional in training and equipping yourself for his work. • Intentionally and actively love God. • Deepen your love through obedience. • Make Christ the center of your life. • Give financially to the Kingdom. Strengthen your faith: • Intentionally grow your faith and be willing to move outside your comfort zone. • Study the lives of great men and women of the faith. • Teach others to grow in their faith. Know and Apply Scripture: • Become wise in the ways of God. • Know God’s Handbook for leading a company for Christ. • Pray the Scriptures - claiming His promises.

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Be Strategic in Prayer: • Seek to understand God’s will for the company, then pray for it in Jesus’ name. • Make your prayer time effective; transact business with God. Excellence in Business Leadership PRACTICAL APPLICATION 1. Are you effective for the Kingdom? Does it show in your leadership? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. What changes in your life do you need to make to deepen your relationship with God? What is your plan? When will you begin? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. What is your plan to deepen your knowledge, belief, and application of Scripture?

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4. What do you intend to do to strengthen your faith? What is your plan? When will you begin? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5. Since faith is based on believing God’s promises, list five specific promises of God that you believe and cite the verses that support your belief. Share this with your group. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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6. Is your prayer life powerful and effective accordingly? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Progress Report Application & Commitment James 1:22-25 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this,not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-- he will be blessed in what he does.” (NIV)

Series: Leading a Company for Christ

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Date Series Began: ________________________________________ Date Series Ended: ________________________________________ Participant’s Name: ________________________________________ One of the Biblical Truths (Principles) I learned from these sessions was: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I intend to apply this Truth (Principle) in my business by: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will begin applying this truth immediately. I ask and expect my Leadership Group friends to hold me accountable for this and to check with me periodically to determine if I am doing so. Please ask me: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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_______________________

Participant

Date

Acknowledgement

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Mr. Horst Schulze, founder of the world-renowned Ritz-Carlton Hotels, who have explained the process of creating the environment for properly motivating and training employees so that excellence is their main motive for work. In 1999, Johnson & Wales University recognized him with an honorary Doctor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management. In January 2002, Mr. Schulze was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Hotel, Sales & Marketing Association International. Study guide completed by William (Bill) Money Bill came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ after receiving his Masters of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. He came to Christ as a scientist, carefully examining the evidence. It was a decision based upon the logic of faith in Jesus Christ. Bill worked as a research scientist, fi rst for the Navy and then for the Air Force Weapons Laboratory in Albuquerque, NM. In 1977 Bill and two partners formed Tetra Corporation as a compamy for Christ. It was not until Bill joined FCCI in 1997, that he really began to understand what it meant to run a company for Christ. The training and equipping received from FCCI has truly been life changing, a significant instrument of growth in Bill’s life as a Christian. Tetra Corporation is a small new-product development corporation, developing new mining and drilling equipment based on proprietary technology invented and owned by Tetra Corporation. Having God as the CEO of Tetra is a major benefi t in inventing and developing new mining machines. Material adapted by Dr. Mario Denton Mario is the International Field Continental Programme Director – Market-place for Crown Africa, the Africa Director for FCCI (The Fellowship for Companies for Christ International) and the CEO of Strong Message Business Consultancy. He is an international teacher and industrial psychologist and uses his strong academic and corporate background and his uniquely effective coaching to help people tap into their inner being; to utilise their strengths and expand their skills

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to make a difference in the workplace. He and his wife, Mariene, are based in Cape Town, South Africa, and are blessed with three grown sons. Copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system without permission. Regarding permission to reprint material from this material, please write to Dr Mario Denton: Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Crown Companies Legacy Leaders Providing mature business leaders an opportunity to continue to use their skills productively for the Glory of God. Do you desire to pass on the baton to business leaders to transform their business? Legacy leaders are business leaders who have a desire to continue to use their skills productively to mentor and coach and train the other business leaders as well as training the next generation of business leaders for the glory of God

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Crown Companies exists to equip and encourage business leaders to operate their business and conduct their personal lives according to Biblical principles Legacy leaders •

Are experienced in business

Understand and are committed to the vision of CROWN Companies

Have implemented biblical principles in his or her own personal life and business

Are mature in the Christian faith and are of proven character

Have a passion to see other business leaders succeed as determined by God’s standards

Legacy leaders may possess: •

The capability to be an encourager, coach, mentor and discipler.

The ability to provide wise business counsel to other business leaders

The time and or resources to come alongside other business leaders

Teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90: 1 Legacy leaders serve in a wide variety of capacities, including: •

Mentoring individual business leaders

Working with groups of business leaders

Serving as a ambassador for CROWN Companies your church and community

Traveling abroad to assist in business leaders in other countries

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others for eternity?

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How can you serve the Lord as a legacy leader and begin sharing all that the Lord has entrusted to you? 1. Pray now where the Lord will use you in the lives of other business leaders to impact the Kingdom of God for His glory 2. Contact Crown Companies at mario@crown.org.za or the Crown companies office at 3. Visit our website at www.crown.org.za for more information, tools and resources and become a member to enjoy the support, counsel, fellowship of other members and extensive material that are available

Crown Companies: Reclaim the workplace for Christ Is the vision of your church also to bring the people of your community into a life -transforming encounter with the Kingdom of God?

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The workplace is a key battle ground for achieving the above vision. Mature and equipped believers should live their faith in the workplace. But many need help in understanding what that means as well as support in carrying it out If you want to live your faith in the workplace, we helping to make it more effective of God’s Kingdom on earth, then we at Crown Companies want to come alongside you with support and equipping you. Our mission and intention is to develop flexible training programmes and processes to assist you in this regard Imagine a workplace where ….. •

There were biblically-based, explicitly defined values

Ethics and integrity are paramount

Love and servant leadership governed relationships

Pursuit of excellence was the norm

Collaboration was sought but obedience and commitment to final decisions wee followed

Selfish ambition was nonexistent

Accountability was enforced – in a supportive manner

START WITH A WORKPLACE MINISTRY IN YOUR CHURCH Equip your workplace leaders to become ministers Helping them to become sensitive to the lost Help the workplace leaders of your church get a vision for joining God in the workplace ministry

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Crown Companies: Become the business leaders God intended you to be Sometimes it is a matter of survival but you have to become the business leaders God intended you to be. The purpose of Crown Companies is to help business leaders: •

Draw closer to God

Establish a committed and vibrant relationship with the Lord

Develop deep, meaningful relationships with like-minded peers

Learn what it means to run a company for Christ

Help other workplace leaders to do the same

This is accomplished through •

Monthly leadership groups

Workplace conference

Materials and resources and Training on our website

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31 Search the untold riches of the Bible to find scriptural perspective for operating a company as a steward of Christ with like-minded peers and colleagues. Join a small group facilitated discussions relevant to •

Sales and marketing strategies

Effective time management

Cash flow and profit 30


Planning goals and implementation

Motivating people

Problems solving

For my thought are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isaiah 55: 8-9 START WITH A SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION IN YOU AREA Do you need someone to pray with you – someone who understands the pressures of running a company, someone who cares? Do you desire to integrate your Christian faith into the daily operations of the business God has entrusted you? For more information on a small group in you area contact Dr Mario Denton at mario@crown.org.za And I say unto you, “ Ask , and it shall be given to you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. ‘. Luke 11: 9-10

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Crown Companies: Every believer a minister in the workplace Common dilemmas in the workplace •

Isolation: Feeling the pressure of being responsible for many people

Need encouragement but rarely received it

Need people that they can honestly communicate

Equipping the workplace You have an opportunity to make a difference in the workplace God has called you. Meet monthly with other business leaders to receive instruction and training from other top business speakers on how to integrate your Christian life into your business Form a small group of leaders who serve one another in a well-informed, support group where burning issues like the following can be discussed •

Develop a strategic plan tailored for each member’s business

Developing an action plan for ministry

Developing your company’s mission and vision

Product and service excellence

Giving back to the Lord

Long term financial planning

Building a high performance team

Hiring smart

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Sharing your faith in the workplace

Problem solving

Customer service

START WITH A LIFE-CHAINGING SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION IN YOU AREA Do you desire to integrate your Christian faith into the daily operations of the business God has entrusted you? For more information on a small group in you area contact Dr Mario Denton at mario@crown.org.za

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