Skip to main content

What To Do First to Make a Profit

The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat  ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're  not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director.  Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year.  God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started inve
Post a Comment

Flakes, phonies and frauds


Yesterday my post was about flakes and I got some good feedback on it, both on the blog and off.  Today I just wanted to mention that an unfortunate reality about flakes is that they create confusion and cause people to be skeptical of what is real.  When God really moves some people don't even recognize it because they've seen so many shenanigans they don't even know what to believe anymore.

I have scores of friends and acquaintences in ministry who are so in tune with God.  They are not charletons, on the contrary they are truly God's men and women of power and they are anointed. 

Last week one of my close friends, Pastor Melissa Kelly spoke to me by phone and said God had given her a word for me. She was right on target.  I'll be honest it was a hard word, but I received it.  Actually God had already spoken it to me but this was a confirmation and it came from a trusted friend that I've opened myself up to.  Melissa is an intercessor who moves in many gifts - she fasts and prays more than anyone I know except maybe my friends in Africa.  

Then on Monday I was working at the church and my assistant Cathy buzzed in and said Pastor Alice Beyer was on the phone for me.  I'm acquainted with Alice through her attendance at the Unstoppable Conference sponsored by the Pastoring Partners Network, and we have become friends.  Although it's been a while since I've seen her or talked to her, God strongly spoke to her Monday and said, "call Deanna NOW with this word!"  She did and it was IDENTICAL to the one given to me by Melissa.  When she called it was with tears, and hesitation to give this word.  She's such a humble woman and moves in the gifts of the spirit with such grace.  She didn't know how I would respond to it because it was correction from God but I said, "Alice, I know you're right on target here and I'm listening up."  I told her what had taken place with Melissa last week and she was so blessed to know that her urgency she felt in the spirit was not unfounded.  
I am not a flake but I am an intercessor and I do flow in the supernatural gifts of the spirit and this is definitely a big part of ministry for me.  However I do notice as I minister that "flakes" definitely affect people's perspective.  Many times when  people are raised in a church environment with flakes they have a harder time receiving real ministry than those who come in as unchurched people not knowing a thing about the supernatural gifts.  Larry and I were ministering at a revival in a church one night and a teenage pastor's daughter who had "seen it all" over the years with flakes sat in service where true miracles were happening and God was moving so mightily and we noticed she was sitting there just stone cold, unfazed by anything.  Larry went over to talk to her and minister to her and gently asked her, "How are you feeling right now about what's going on here?"  She said, "I am just numb, Pastor Larry.  I've seen so much fakeness in the church during my lifetime that when something real comes I don't even know how to respond to it."  My  heart just went out to that girl.  I am happy to report that she was able to sort through all that and respond to the presence of God, and has a strong walk with the Lord today.  But many people who feel just the way she did don't have the same outcome.

Maybe you're reading this today and you've come across a lot of flakes, phonies, and frauds.  Don't let it desensitize you to experiencing the real.  God's power is real and He will meet you where you are with a word in due season!
Labels:

Comments

Ruth, PA said…
Deanna, is it sinning to be a skeptic? I am not skeptical in every situation but I have a difficult time accepting certain situations with the same few people who claim to have received from the Lord yet "go out" the same way they "came in." Is this skepticism in me harming the work of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ? I always felt this was a discernment from the Holy Spirit. I am not cold to the Spirit's leading and welcome His moves, but just struggle with those certain few! Give it to me straight, sistah! I value your wisdom! :)
Ruth
8:26 AM
Melissa said…
PD let me tell you that I wrestled with giving you that word as well. I kept thinking there is no way this is going to minister to you. I am glad that Alice was obedient as well because it confirmed it to me. I have learned that if God gives you a word that you can't shake off you better share it or you are not going to have peace!
Love ya!
10:40 AM
Dr. Deanna DossShrodes said…
Ruth,

I Corinthians 14 tells us to "weigh carefully what is said" or judge the spiritual gifts. It must be tested. You don't just accept it carte blanche. So no, we are not to just check out brain and the door and believe anything that is said or done. God says test it. If it doesn't stand up to scripture and 100% agree with it, or it is given in a manner that is not in line with the fruit of the spirit, it's not God. It's a real balance there, to stay totally open to the Holy Spirit, yet weigh carefully at the same time what is being said or done. But, it is possible, otherwise we wouldn't have been instructed in the Bible to do this.
11:12 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Relevant Church doing something...

incredibly RELEVANT!

I just heard some news today that really inspired me. A church here in Tampa, Relevant Church is doing a new thing this month called the "30 Days Sex Challenge." (I've never visited the church but Pastor Trinity - our children's pastor - has visited or has met some people from this church and he was very impressed.) Realizing that this is a major element missing from some marriages (the frequency factor) their lead pastor, Paul Wirth, has issued a challenge for all the married couples to have sex for 30 days in a row. At the same time he has issued a challenge for all unmarrieds to completely abstain from sex. Of course we know the Bible says that those who are unmarried should not have sex in the first place but the point is, a lot of unmarried's aren't obeying the Lord's command to abstain and this is just one pastor's way of trying to get them to see that indeed, there is a better way! (God's way!) At the same time, many married couples are not
29 comments
Read more

What Verbal Abuse is Really Like, and Why We Must Care
Guest Post: Terri von Wood

In my speaking travels, I meet the most amazing people. Some are connections that go beyond just a night or a weekend of preac hing. One day on my journey, I met Terri von Wood, and we immediately clicked and have been friends ever since.  Just a reminder that all of our guest bloggers this week are available to chat with you in the comment section here on the blog or on my facebook page where the blog is also published.   *** People who have never suffered through or witnessed abuse (including pastors) often don't know how to help women in abusive situations. Knowledge is power and it is my belief that if the church understood the prevalence of abuse, help would be made available.  First, we must acknowledge that the divorce rate is the same  in the church as in the world.  Second, we must understand that the 50% divorce rate does not include all the women who are abused but stay because they do not know what else to do or do not have anyone to turn to.  If those women we
12 comments
Read more

Stuff I Adore That Costs Little to Nothing...

Okay...taking a break today from writing about heavy things...like grief, loss, and bawling. Time to write about random stuff today that nobody may be interested in reading. Nevertheless here it is... Stuff I adore that costs little to nothing... Listening to playlists I make on (free) Spotify Drinking out of canning jars Reading books again that I already have on my shelf. Walking and riding my bike. Admiring crepe myrtle trees. Taking a bath in the daytime with the lights off in the room. (Natural light.) Naps. Snuggling with my husband or one of the kids and watching a movie at home. Having all noise turned off when no one is home. (No TV, no music, just silence.) Prayer.
Post a Comment
Read more