— by Henry Kaestner

One of the most formative constructs for me as I consider my life as an entrepreneur comes from a conversation that Luke and I had with David Morken on a road trip with our boys from Yosemite to Tahoe.   After a jousting incident with another RV (long story) and an epic milkshake to recover, we had a time to reflect on the early days at Bandwidth…..the times when things were hard, and the times when they were good.  We had some of both, thanks be to God for far more of the latter, and yet both taught us valuable lessons amidst a simple framework.  Things seemed to go well when we were faithful, things tended not to go well when we were willful.   A good example of being willful was during our time of fundraising when we went 0 for 40.  We were just being willful, acting out of greed or naked ambition, driving ahead more because we thought that’s what we should do, then out of any sense from having heard from God.  We prayed…..that we’d come out of a meeting with a $10mm term sheet, we weren’t praying about whether God wanted us to have the meeting at all.

As we reflected on that time, David came up with the following note which I asked him shortly after our return to put down in writing.  What follows is the entire text of that email.  It was done in a matter of moments and isn’t representative of his best writing (he was the editor of the ORU student newspaper, and I’ve been the beneficiary and victim of his time there), but it is, most assuredly, representative of some of his best thinking. There are a couple of major lessons about being an entrepreneur that I think are essential for our flourishing.  If you’ve been following us at FDE for a while, you know that the concepts of identity and generosity are two of them.  A third, and the subject of this blog, is the difference between being faithful and willful.  I hope you are blessed by this note the way that I have been:

On Fri, Aug 26, 2016 at 7:16 AM, David Morken <dmorken@bandwidth.com> wrote:

Gents, incomplete scratchings at a thesis…sending because if I don’t I’ll leave in draft folder forever…this is my original thinking, but I’m sure some christian dude in biz has taken this farther, I just haven’t done any prior art search to learn…

Question:  I’m a founder/CEO with conviction that I’m called to lead my startup.  How do I know when I’m being willful and creating my own path versus following the one the Lord has for us?  In other words, can I lock and load, rock and roll, and go go go after all the goals I set?  As long as I respect the business laws of gravity such as cash flow and written contracts, so that I’m not putting the Lord your God to the test, am I free to do my will with the business?  Is being faithful more than just following best practices and going for it?  What does it mean to be faithful and how can I tell what to do next or when?  Are greed and fear legit motivations for action?

Operator Continuum:  Willful vs Faithful

Willfulness can be both active by doing or passive by not doing.  Faithfulness also can require doing or actively waiting.

The question is how to be an aggressive operator who is faithful to God’s timing, not willful for our own…how do we know when we are willfully active or passive, what are the signs?  How do we know when we are being faithfully active or eagerly waiting, what are the signs?

Biblical examples:

First example is young King Saul.  He waits seven days for Samuel, as he was told to do.  When Samuel doesn’t show up, Saul reacts to his men scattering and the Philistines gathering by doing the sacrifices himself to seek God’s favor before battle.  Sounds reasonable, right?  Black swan outcomes were looming larger, so he seized the initiative!!  In simple terms, in the face of reasonable danger he acted willfully.  The result is God abandons him then and there for all time!  Compare that to Gideon, who is obedient in the face of same or worse odds, and God delivers victory.  Both had orders, one from a prophet, one from God.  Saul was willful, not faithful.  He felt fear and disobeyed.  

Ok, fine, but both had direct guidance from God or a prophet!!  What am I supposed to do if I have only silence from God in the face of business uncertainty?  

One way to know if you are being faithful is how you respond to fear/threats to your business.  You must not ignore threats, but are you believing and acting or doubting and acting?  

Let’s look a few more examples to see if we can add more to this answer…

Moses as example: – Let’s look at the difference between God’s response to his willful killing of the guard to be the deliverer, versus passivity as a Midian herder. After fleeing Egypt to save his life, he goes completely passive.  Imagine going from CEO in training at Apple to intern at nowhere inc.  Willfully passive as a direct result of being willfully active.  Ye God goes and finds him, and accommodates him when he objects by providing Aaron. That’s not all, look at God’s response to his  failure to circumcise his family versus his disobedience in striking rock in anger.  In the former case, the Bible says God was on his way to Midian to kill Moses for not circumcising his fam, in the latter case God banned him from entering the promised land, but wasn’t going to kill him!  Now compare both of those to God’s response to his active faithfulness (he gave Moses great power and patience with Pharaoh over and over and delivered all Israel through him).
Seems that the punishments for passivity can actually be more severe than active willfulness/disobedience!  Wow does this put the burden on us to consider our ways and make sure we are being actively faithful.  In Midian, Moses was being prepared by his in-laws, in getting a wife and a wise administrator father in law who would help Moses govern.  So the lesson here is even if you are in a backwater, God may be blooming you where you are planted.So one way to know if you are being faithful is to ask whether you are being prepared, shaped, changed to uniquely serve the Lord in the future.  And God forbid you forget to do something that memorializes your covenant with the Lord! 🙂
David Example
David’s brother’s are being willfully passive with Goliath.  David is faithfully active, but not as Moses did with the Guard, but on behalf of God…how was his courage and action with Goliath not willful?  Answer, he quotes God’s instruction and glory as immediate motivation for action, not his own glory as promised by Saul.  Also, in general, preparation is not passive – David as shepherd, Moses as shepherd – both prepared them, in David’s case for combat, in Moses case for the future as leader with bride and counsel from fam.
One way to tell if you are being actively faithful is if you have conviction that it is for God’s glory by serving/creating/winning for others.
Another David exampleDavid was faithful in not killing God’s anointed.  Willful would have been slaying Saul.  He was also super patient in exile.  God responded by bringing men to him and teaching him to lead.But eagerly patient is NOT the same as passive – see Uriah!  “In the springtime with King’s go off to war – david doesn’t, and boom, David commits adultery and then kills Uriah.  In his own family matters, David totally negligent – boom.  One way to tell if you are being willful at work is if you are destroying families, including your own, by either passivity or willful over activity!

Last David example – David asks to build temple, God says no, just like he said no to Moses going into promised land!  Faithful – David does get to be temple architect and Mo does get to see land.  But neither get what they want…
Sabbath example…who do you trust when confronted with God given opportunity to refresh?  Can you imagine doing fast food but being closed one day a week?  Chick Fil A example…incredible. 
Greed and fear are not legit motivations.  Responding to danger and opportunity in faithful action or eager waiting/preparation are legit drivers.  What’s the diff?  Matter of the heart, matters a ton.  God can meet you and rescue you in either, but he promises to if you respond in faith!

The following post was first published in Success Magazine by our friend Mike Loomis.

— by Mike Loomis

When coaching new entrepreneurs and authors about strategically connecting with influencers and potential clients, I use the three-sentence rule to focus a message. I’ve used it myself, and with clients, to establish new business relationships, referrals and even coveted book endorsements.

To explain this rule, let’s pretend we’re introducing ourselves to a power broker named Riz Clargley. First, let’s discuss salutations.

Dear Delete Me

Seriously. Don’t use the word “Dear” to greet someone, unless that person is your grandparent.

Instead, use “Ms. Clargley” or simply “Riz.” If you’re feeling sassy, you can add “Hi” or “Hello.” The point is to be yourself, move straight to the first sentence and avoid alerting the recipient to the fact you’re a frightened rookie.

Sentence 1: Why

Tell Riz why you’re interrupting her busy day in one punchy line. This sentence must contain these specific elements:

• Why the recipient should care about your email. This might include the fact you share common personal or professional connections. Perhaps you’re from the same home state or university. Casually mention one or two of those shared interests, but don’t sound like a stalker.

• Proof you’re familiar with their work, achievements and worldview. For example, “I love your latest blog, and I’m writing with a related question.” Familiarity with Riz’s professional world shows respect and lets her know this isn’t a form letter.

Sentence 2: Who

Show Riz who you are and what you bring to the conversation. In other words, answer this question in the recipient’s mind: Who is this person and why should I care? Make it clear you are a peer who brings value to the table. Of course, do this in a non-overt way. Instead of saying, “I’m a pretty big deal, founder of the hottest new startup,” try something like, “My employees sometimes ask me similar questions regarding…”

Notice you didn’t mention your title or the size of your business, but this line shows Riz you are a leader of a company and have more than zero staff. No staff? No problem. Mention client issues, which shows you have clients, or some part of your background that conveys you are on a winning track.

By the way, if your signature declares you’re both president and CEO, this signals smallness, not greatness.

Sentence 3: What

Simply ask Riz what you want to ask. Be clear. Don’t apologize. Most important, remember she’s busy. Provide her something she can simply reply to with a “yes.”

If your real goal is a phone call, don’t ask, “Could we have a phone call some time?” This requires consideration, questions about when and how long. Instead, write, “Is Monday at 2 or 3 p.m. a good time for me to call your office for a quick 8-minute chat?”

This sentence tells Riz you respect her time, are willing to do the time-zone math, and all she needs to do is pick up the phone. Whatever your “ask” is, make it clear and simple to say “yes” to.

Get to the Subject

Now that you’ve articulated a clear who, what and why, consider the best subject line for your email. The goal of your subject line is to:

• Stay out of spam folders.

• Be opened, not deleted.

• Start the conversation on the right foot.

I recommend subject lines that are tailor-made for the recipient. “Quick question about your article on leadership” or “Recommendation from our mutual friend, Landy.”

Cryptic subject lines like “Question” or “Connecting” will likely be ignored.

P.S. More Writing Tips

• Don’t use a P.S. unless you’re writing sales and marketing copy.

• Avoid frequent “I” contact. If your three-sentence email has the word “I” or “me” in it six times, keep editing.

• Be nervous, but don’t send a nervous email. Humor, punchy writing and lack of awkward formality show confidence. Self-deprecation has no place in this email. Successful people are repelled by fear and gravitate toward confidence.

• Use an email address with your company domain. Gmail will often go to spam folders, and even if it doesn’t, lack of a bespoke email address shows you are not in it to win it.

• Brevity shows respect. Riz knows if you don’t respect her time, you’re not worth her time to reply.

• Wide open spaces make pleasant reading. Have you ever received an email consisting of one, long, 200-word paragraph? Don’t send something similar to Riz. Put a blank line between every sentence of your email.

• Do your research and make sure you have the best email address. If Riz works at a large corporation and you can’t find her email address, try to find out her assistant’s address. The same rules apply to emailing assistants.

You have one chance to make a connection, and this chance lasts about 10 seconds.

——

[Special thanks to Success.com for the cover photo.]

Subscribe on ITunes or Other

The team sits down with John Marsh of Marsh Collective of Opelika, Alabama to discuss storytelling, what it’s like to run 10+ businesses (the collective part of Marsh Collective) and how to be the steward of 10 square city blocks for the glory of God and Kingdom while being totally unqualified to do so. John helps us understand the practicalities of living in the midst of kingdom tension: being both dead and alive, content but fruitfully multiplying, living here but not being from here. Rusty has John walk us through what systems need to be in place to redeem a life, a family and a city and Henry has him give us some insight on effective parenting while being an entrepreneur. William closes us out with a request for words of wisdom for entrepreneurs and John’s answer: think cities.

 John holds a very special place in the heart of FDE and the team is quite excited to have you hear a bit of his story and want you to be as inspired by what’s possible when we let God in to do what He does best: redeem and transform. How has this week’s episode inspired you to be a part of God’s plan to redeem some part of creation He’s asking you to steward? Where can your business better align with God’s redemptive purpose for it? Drop us a line in the comment section below.

Subscribe on ITunes or Other

The team sits down with John Marsh of Marsh Collective, Opelika AL to discuss storytelling, what it’s like to run 10+ businesses (the collective part of Marsh Collective) and how to be the steward of 10 square city blocks for the glory of God and Kingdom while being totally unqualified to do so. John helps us understand the practicalities of living in the midst of kingdom tension: being both dead and alive, content but fruitfully multiplying, living here but not being from here. Rusty has John walk us through what systems need to be in place to redeem a life, a family and a city and Henry has him give us some insight on effective parenting while being an entrepreneur. William closes us out with a request for words of wisdom for entrepreneurs and John’s answer: think cities.

 John holds a very special place in the heart of FDE and the team is quite excited to have you hear a bit of his story and want you to be as inspired by what’s possible when we let God in to do what He does best: redeem and transform. How has this week’s episode inspired you to be a part of God’s plan to redeem some part of creation He’s asking you to steward? Where can your business better align with God’s redemptive purpose for it? Drop us a line in the comment section below.

OK, this isn’t a pure play on entrepreneurship…. granted. BUT, it’s John Piper… and he is very, very good. We have no doubt that this article will be a blessing to you today. I wish that I could say that every day 🙂

In this post, John answers the question: How can young workers glorify God at work?

Have an article that has impacted your life as a Faith Driven Entrepreneur? Please share it with us. Special thanks to Charles Eapen, the C12 Chair of Northern New Jersey for coming up to me after a conference, lending encouragement to what we are doing and offering this article.

——

[Special thanks to DesiringGod.org for the cover photo.]

— Gary Hoag

We are excited to share with you a FREE resource compiled by Gary Hoag, Generosity Monk and Christian Super during the summer of 2018.

GO HERE to download your FREE copy of “Purposeful Living: Financial Wisdom for All of Life” eBook!

Please also read below Gary’s original blog post where he shared an article I wrote for the eBook. I’m honored he was compelled to share the article and appreciate his comments at the end of the post below.

—

Henry Kaestner: Identity

Now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20:32

“Successful entrepreneurs who just happen to be Christians (entrepreneur Christians) are often praised, celebrated, and asked to serve on ministry boards either because of their business prowess or their deep pockets and ability to give funding. These people are sought after as mentors to the next generation. Unfortunately, the entrepreneur Christian’s values are passed down through the gene pool of the church.

What is far better, of course, is to find great Christians who just happen to be entrepreneurs — then and only then can we really get somewhere. I see this pattern of equating business success with Christian character frequently unfold among the folks that I know in Silicon Valley or Silicon Alley, Silicon Prairie or Silicon Anywhere.

Why am I on my soapbox about this? In my organization, we meet hundreds of Christian entrepreneurs who struggle with anxiety. Why? It relates to identity. They think of themselves as entrepreneurs first and Christians second. They’d never admit this out loud, but that’s how they operate. They’ve bought the world’s narrative and here’s how it goes: Society gives them kudos for being the next big thing who’s growing a company at 20% each month, or who just secured a $15m investment, or just inked a deal with Google. They hear this message from their friends, their parents, their investors. They believe it without ever knowing when they crossed over from being a Christian first to an entrepreneur first. It becomes a feedback loop that most assuredly doesn’t come from their time in Scripture, but from society at large.

They have mistakenly located their identity in their role as entrepreneurs, oftentimes successful ones, and this only becomes evident when their growth slows or they can’t find funding. Then, the “Protestant Work Ethic” they celebrated as a noble virtue appears as the ugly idol it has been all along. They act like they can earn their salvation and deliverance. Lest circumstances beat them with many blows, they redouble their efforts, only to find the predictable outcome of ever-increasing anxiety and the near total absence of joy.

What’s the solution? Acknowledge the problem for what it is — an identity crisis. Every entrepreneur or worker in business needs to understand that their identity comes from being a beloved child of God with full inheritance rights to His kingdom. They must take hold of the gift of life for now and forever. They need to reflect on that, stew on that. For how long? Well, for as long as it takes for them to have their minds blown by this awesome and indescribable gift. It’s not enough to get this intellectually. It must permeate every aspect of life.

If it takes time in Scripture to get there, then they need to take that time. Once they get there, they realize that they’ve been given the greatest and most meaningful gift and reality imaginable. The Work (capital W) has already been done by Christ, so the most logical thing to do is to bring all we are and all we have to the altar before God, not because He needs it, but because we can’t help but be overcome by gratitude; it consumes us.”

— quoting Henry Kaestner in his three-page essay “What does it mean to be a Christian entrepreneur?” in Purposeful Living: Financial Wisdom for All of Life compiled and edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim Macready (Rhodes, NSW: Christian Super, 2018) 19-21. Click on the title to download this free ebook today.

Coming off Labor Day in America, it’s important to remind ourselves that our work must not be the basis for our identity. Our identity must be located only in who we are in Jesus Christ. The same is true with our generosity. It flows not from wealth we make but from an abundant God who supplies all things for us to enjoy and share.

So, as you head to work today, remember this: base your identity and your generosity not in your work but in Jesus Christ alone. Then, like Paul shared in his farewell to the Ephesian elders, by His grace our Lord will “build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

In plain terms, everything else fits abundantly into place when our identity is fixed on who we are as sanctified or set apart for Jesus Christ. May your identity in Christ also permeate your giving so that you are a joyful giver for God, a conduit of His rich generosity.