4/28/2009 Speakers Series Call with Tim Irwin (3:00pm ET) - Gaining Trust During Challenging Times Register here
5/11/2009 Mortgage Affinity Group Call (3:00pm ET) Register here
5/18/2009 Biblically Responsible Investing Affinity Group Call (3:00pm ET) Register here
5/19/2009 Prayer Conference Call (3:00pm ET)
5/20/2009 Coaching Call with Ron Blue (3:00pm ET) Register here
Should My Client Leave A Large Estate to their Children? While it is up to clients to make the final decisions about their estate plan, how much they will leave to future generations and how much they will give charitably, Ron asserts that it is the advisors role to ask questions that respectfully challenge clients to think about what they hope to achieve with the resources God has entrusted to them. If advisors truly offer counsel from a Kingdom perspective, they have the obligation to ask clients if they have considered the impact their plan with have on their heirs, people they will never meet. How will they handle their wealth? Will it be used to further the Kingdom or be used to the detriment of future generations? Listen to Rons message and gain valuable insight into how to approach this sensitive topic with your clients.
Losing Your Life for His Purposes By Os Hillman, President, Marketplace Leaders When the time came for God to fulfill Joseph's dreams, Joseph himself had virtually no interest at all in it. Jesus said, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it" (Luke 9:24). God wants to teach us a different set of values so that the kind of thing we start out wanting becomes secondary. God has something in mind for us that is far greater than the interest we began with.
"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it." - Luke 9:24
When the time came for God to fulfill Joseph's dreams, Joseph himself had virtually no interest at all in it. Jesus said, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it" (Luke 9:24). God wants to teach us a different set of values so that the kind of thing we start out wanting becomes secondary. God has something in mind for us that is far greater than the interest we began with.
Joseph's day of exaltation had arrived. Yet, through it all, a very real humiliation had to take place. We know about the humiliation Joseph had experienced for 13 years after being sold by his brothers into slavery, then taken to Egypt. We know how he was falsely accused and cast into prison.
Then came a different situation. Joseph had had a triumph and was given an exaltation, but the kind he really never asked for. He did not appear to be all that interested in what was about to happen. He watched as the Pharaoh took his ring off his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. Joseph never asked for that. All he wanted was to go home. He longed to go back to Canaan, to see his father, and to have his dreams fulfilled.
Therefore, here we find an extraordinary incongruity: a humiliation in the heart of vindication. A triumph that was the opposite of everything he, himself, could have envisaged. Joseph wanted to go home, but a one-way ticket to Canaan wasn't available. Before he knew it, he had Egypt in his hip pocket. He had never prayed for that. But God wanted Egypt. What God wanted is what Joseph got.
Joseph was given something that he could be trusted with because it didn't mean that much to him.
Os Hillman is president of Marketplace Leaders and the author of ten books including The 9 to 5 Window, The Upside of Adversity and The Purposes of Money. He authors a daily email devotional entitled TGIF Today God Is First. Visit www.marketplaceleaders.org to learn more or subscribe to his free daily devotional.
Keys to Leadership Success Part 1 By Dean Harbry, PCC Leadership success can be attributed largely to two factors: emotional intelligence and covenantal (i.e. professional) management behaviors. We oftentimes follow the modern cultural belief that if a person graduates from a reputable college with a high grade point average they are automatically prepared as good leaders and managers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Leaders and managers need that magic blend of book smarts and street smarts to succeed in today’s world.
Leadership success can be attributed largely to two factors: emotional intelligence and covenantal (i.e. professional) management behaviors. We oftentimes follow the modern cultural belief that if a person graduates from a reputable college with a high grade point average they are automatically prepared as good leaders and managers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Leaders and managers need that magic blend of book smarts and street smarts to succeed in today’s world.
Noted author and researcher, Daniel Goleman, states in his writings that IQ accounts for about 20% of a person’s success in life, and that the other 80% is largely due to emotionally-based behaviors he calls “emotional intelligence” (EQ). This does not exempt IQ from the equation in our work—rather his research reinforces the belief that education and training are essential to strong technical skill. However, technical competencies are not the driving force that helps people to complete difficult tasks, develop loyal followers, or inspire individuals to surrender personal agendas for corporate goals. What is important in a leader is his ability to influence other’s to act in the best interest of the organization.
I recently trained a group of leaders and managers gathered for their annual East Coast staff retreat. The title of my presentation was, “Managing the Difficult Employee.” What a buzz in the room. I could see people just waiting for the question and answer time in order to throw me for a loop with one of their impossible employee scenarios. One gentleman asked, “What do you do when an employee just won’t listen to you?” Perfect setup. I asked for a little background, and this is what he said.
“I have to tell them over and over again what I expect and how to do the job, and they just don’t seem to get it—they can’t do it right. I get so frustrated that I end up doing the work myself, and that makes me angry, to the point that I lose my cool.” Thus the adage, if you want anything done right, you have to do it yourself, right? There are at least two principles embedded in this scenario. One is to avoid being emotionally hooked (self control, an emotional intelligence competency) and the other is the art of asking particular questions (a professional management behavior).
First, if you really want an employee to “get it,” the thinking has to happen inside their heads, not the manager’s head. In other words, they have to be the ones doing the thinking. To the degree that we tell, give orders, and make demands, we are utilizing our thought processes and it just won’t register as well in their minds as when questions are asked. I suggested to this manager that he engage in a series of questions like, “What is your understanding of the job? … What has to happen next in order for you to complete the task in a timely manner? … What are some of the possible barriers you are going to face and how do you plan to navigate around them?” The bottom line is that if you can get them to do the thinking, and express it back to you verbally, it gives you the manager more opportunities to ask further questions to bring clarity in the employee’s next steps.
Second, notice that the questioning process mentioned above automatically puts the burden on the employee to do the problem-solving and it frees the manager from getting emotionally hooked. Here is a truth—when we are emotionally hooked, it’s because our world has been rocked. In essence, it’s a form of self-centeredness. (I really hated this discovery when I was first confronted with this thought!) It’s true.
One nonnegotiable in professional management is to always make it about them, not you. It may at first require the patience of Job to maintain composure, but the more you push the thinking down and use it as an opportunity to get your people to think, the better their judgment will be in the long run. You recover time and emotional energy to do the things you need to do, and you are freed from doing your employee’s work, cutting down on the frustration factor. There are hundreds of principles… we’ve only talked about two so far. Stay tuned…
Dean Harbry is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and President of Internal Innovations, LLC, an organizational development firm focused on organizational psychology, executive coaching and professional training. Past employers include Ronald Blue & Co, Bank of Ireland and the University of Pittsburgh. Dean also served as a missionary with Youth With A Mission for seventeen years. Dean and his wife, Janet, have been married for twenty-nine years and share a love for leadership, management and creating covenantal organizations through professional coaching. Dean can be reached at dean@internalinnovations.com.
Can you truly “make a profit giving it away”? This question seems to be such an absolute contradiction of terms. Yet, this giving reality is not new. Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38)
Since our country was founded upon Biblical principles, it should not surprise us to find out that our country maintains this financial principle through the design of our tax laws. But how can you actually become wealthier by giving away some of your wealth? Here is just one simple example.
Can you truly “make a profit giving it away”? This question seems to be such an absolute contradiction of terms. Yet, this giving reality is not new. Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38)
Since our country was founded upon Biblical principles, it should not surprise us to find out that our country maintains this financial principle through the design of our tax laws. But how can you actually become wealthier by giving away some of your wealth? Here is just one simple example.
Mr. Wilson, a senior executive with a major Fortune 500 company, just retired. During his 33 years with the company, he had exercised every one of his stock options and had accumulated over $1,000,000 worth of company stock. Of course, his cost basis was minimal.
The stock was paying only about a 2% dividend, which was far below what he could generate in a well-balanced, long-term, investment portfolio. He also found his portfolio was almost exclusively this one stock and realized that he needed to diversify. If he sold the stock, he would pay $150,000 in capital gains taxes.
Additionally, the remaining $850,000 would be included in his taxable estate, and the IRS would “lop off” another $467,500 in estate taxes at the eternal relocation of the last spouse. Therefore, the Wilsons would have had only $850,000 to work with while they were alive, and their children would have only $382,500 to work with after they were both gone. The cost for trying to keep it all for themselves and their family would exceed $617,500 of the original $1 million. Quite a penalty for failing to consider giving options in planning, wouldn’t you agree?
The Wilsons, however, decided to transfer their stock into an Enhanced Income Trust (SCRUT). By doing so, they received a current, charitable, income tax deduction that saved them over $89,000 in income taxes in that year. This was additional cash in their pocket.
They then had the trust sell their stock, avoiding all capital gains taxes on the sale. Now, instead of only having $850,000 to reinvest, they had the full $1 million to provide them a lifetime income. In addition, they found themselves now earning 250% more in net income than they were receiving from the dividends that the stock was paying.
With a small portion of the increased income they were now receiving annually, they established a Wealth Replacement Trust for their children and made small, annual gifts to their trust each year. Now when they eternally relocate, their four children will receive a full $1 million of cash, income and estate tax free.
Since these assets were held in their Enhanced Income Trust when they relocated, they were not included in the Wilson’s taxable estate, avoiding over $500,000 in estate taxes. The cherry on top of this cake was that at the relocation of the last spouse the Enhanced Income Trust will terminate and the remaining balance ($1 million) would be given away to various Kingdom causes that the Wilson’s currently supported.
Because the Wilsons were willing to give something away, they actually ended up substantially wealthier during their lifetime with 2.5 times more annual income. Their children ended up wealthier ($1 million inheritance vs. $382,500 inheritance). And the Kingdom of God ended up wealthier (no Kingdom giving vs. $1 million in Kingdom giving) as well.
Proverbs 13:16 says, “The clever do all things intelligently” (RSV). By utilizing this planning strategy the Wilsons proved to be both clever and intelligent. And in so doing they, their children and the Kingdom of God had more.
The author, E. G. “Jay” Link, is both an ordained minister and the President/CEO of Kardia, Inc., a firm that specializes in assisting wealthy Christian families with the stewardship of all of their life resources. He is also the author of the books Family Wealth Counseling: Getting to the Heart of the Matter, To Whom Much is Given and Spiritual Thoughts on Material Things. Mr. Link may be reached via email at jlink@KardiaPlanning.com.
Are You Engaged with Kingdom Advisors? Get Started Today!
Step 1: Get Connected
Kingdom Advisors members have led the formation of more than 140 Study Groups in cities all across the country. Study Groups provide an opportunity for Christian financial professionals to connect locally with dynamic teaching from Ron Blue, discussion groups and encouragement with like-minded advisors. In addition, Kingdom Advisors has member-led Community Groups based around topics of interest for our members.
Contact Michelle Davis to locate a study group near you or begin your own!
Step 2: Get Engaged
As a Kingdom Advisors member, you have access to a wealth of training, tools and experiences that will enhance your ability to integrate your faith and practice. From monthly Coaching Calls with Ron Blue and nationally known Speakers Series Calls, to high-quality publications and conferences, Kingdom Advisors will equip you with everything you need to leverage the unique role you have as a financial professional for Kingdom purposes.
REGISTER HERE for exclusive member resources and events.
Step 3: Get Trained
Now more than ever before, people are seeking financial professionals who can offer peace of mind in the midst of a severe financial crisis… advisors who are trained to respond to their concerns while sharing the incredible opportunities for Kingdom impact despite today’s tumultuous times. Kingdom Advisors Training is uniquely positioned to train Christian financial professionals for a time such as this. This professional training offers you a pathway to respond to God’s call on your life to have lasting Kingdom impact through your work. The training is designed to guide you through each phase of a life-transforming journey so you emerge with the joy of integrating your faith and profession. From dynamic teaching to conceptual models and practical “how tos”, this training will teach you how to develop a Biblical basis for professional financial advice.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Kingdom Advisors Training.
CLICK HERE to register for the Kingdom Advisors Training.
Step 4: Get the Qualified Kingdom Advisor Designation
One of the greatest unrecognized and unmet needs in the body of Christ today is the ability to find a competent and capable financial advisor who shares a biblical perspective on financial decisions. As part of our mission, though we leave to other certification organizations the provision of designations regarding an advisor’s technical training in his or her profession, Kingdom Advisors has created the Qualified Kingdom Advisor™designation to provide assurance that a particular advisor has participated in the Kingdom Advisors education program, has met certain ongoing continuing education and ethics requirements, and has committed to incorporating biblical wisdom into his or her financial advice.
CLICK HERE to register for the Kingdom Advisors Training to get started.
Don’t Miss the April Speakers Series Call with Respected Author and Consultant, Dr. Tim Irwin
Join us for our April Speakers Series call on Tuesday, April 28th from 3pm to 4pm ET featuring Dr. Tim Irwin. Dr. Irwin has consulted with a number of America’s most well-known and respected companies including SunTrust Banks, Chick-fil-A, Bank of America, Corning, Inc., IBM, Hoechst-Celanese, Gerber Products Company, The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, and Turner Broadcasting Systems. He is a frequent speaker on leadership development and other topics related to organizational effectiveness. He is currently Managing Partner of IrwinInc — psychologists to business, and just released a book, Run with the Bulls without Getting Trampled, published by Nelson Business.
Dr. Irwin will be speaking on, “Gaining Trust During Challenging Times.” Don’t miss out on this exclusive member benefit.
Kingdom Advisors is pleased to announce that our 2010 Annual Conference will take place on February 9-11, 2010 at the Omni CNN Center in Atlanta, GA. Planning for the event is already well under way, and we have already confirmed another outstanding general session speaker line-up. Our speakers include Ron Blue, Anne Graham Lotz, Bob Coy, Richard Blackaby, Bob Doll, Al Weiss and Pat Morley. In addition, we will feature another great line-up of breakout workshops and case studies. There will also be plenty of time for networking and community group meetings.
Don’t miss this incredible gathering of Christian financial professionals next February. We are planning for our biggest conference ever, and we are praying that the Lord gives us an incredible time of ministry and encouragement in Atlanta! Be on the lookout for registration information at the end of the summer!
Don’t Miss Your Local Kingdom Advisors Study Group in May with Teaching from Ron Blue on Developing Generous Clients
The key to financial freedom is not found in debt-free living or even balanced family spending plans. The key to financial freedom ultimately comes down to your ability to be generous with what you have. Financial professionals have the unique opportunity to move clients toward systematic giving, which releases incredible spiritual, personal and economic benefits. Join Ron Blue for the May Kingdom Advisors Study Group as he shares the three levels of generosity, as well as the benefits of generosity for clients and advisors. Ron will also share the most effective questions to ask a client to introduce this important subject with clients. Don’t miss this powerful teaching along with the opportunity to discuss this subject with other professionals who share your passion to integrate faith and practice.
If you would like to find a local Kingdom Advisors Study Group or begin your own study group, please contact Michelle Davis for more information.
Take Ownership in Kingdom Advisors Through Monthly Support
Like other ministries, our carefully considered organizational model means that we are dependent on the charitable donations of our members. And that means we continue to need your financial support as we move forward.
Using your generous gifts for the greatest impact, Kingdom Advisors will grow membership, expand outreach into more local communities and support more study groups, develop new training content and, most importantly, ignite a passion and purpose in more Christian financial professionals across the country, inspiring them and their clients to live for lasting Kingdom impact.
In response to these challenging economic times, we have been good stewards and cut expenses by over 20%, reducing the size of our staff and utilizing other effective cost saving strategies. Despite these reductions, our financial model is dependent on significant member contributions. We need to raise $40,000 in recurring monthly support from our members to meet the expenses associated with serving you and growing this ministry.
Please prayerfully consider the impact this ministry has on helping you fulfill your calling with passion and purpose. Please prayerfully consider what you can do to open the door to enhanced services for members, and reach as yet untouched colleagues so they, too, can release the power of Biblical stewardship in their world.
CLICK HERE to donate today! Please support Kingdom Advisors, the way Kingdom Advisors has sustained you throughout your journey. We need your gift today.
Kingdom Advisors Honors the Life of Faithful Servant Russ Miller
A faithful servant of the Lord and dear friend of Kingdom Advisors, Russ Miller went home to be with his Savior on April 10, 2009 after a brief battle with cancer. Russ was the leader of our Greenville, SC Kingdom Advisors community, and a shining example of a disciple of Christ committed to integrating his faith and profession for Kingdom impact. He was a leader in the biblically responsible investment movement, and a champion for Kingdom Advisors. Since 2001, he has been president of his own company, Foundation Financial, Inc., in South Carolina which focused on providing biblically responsible investing through screened portfolios for separately managed accounts.
Russ was a dear friend of the staff of Kingdom Advisors, and he will be greatly missed. Please keep the Miller family in your prayers during this difficult time. CLICK HERE to visit the Miller family website for more information or to share a tribute to Russ.
