Video Transcript: Credibility

Welcome back to starting a MinistryBiz skills class. So today, we're going to talk  about credibility. How do you have credibility if you want to influence people?  Okay. All right. So, Paul's credibility questions let's look at, okay. II Corinthians  11. Paul, Paul was, he was being attacked by some of the, the apostles, Paul  was sort of a disciple, late to the game. And there were people criticizing him.  So he feels the need to defend himself. Although, as he's defending himself,  he's saying, you know, why am I even doing this? This doesn't matter. But in the  end, I think, you know, it matters. So he says, Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are  they Israelites? So am I, are they Abraham's descendants? So am I are they  servants of Christ. I'm out of my mind to talk like this. I shouldn't have to worry  about this, right? But it's something we all do. I am more, I've worked much  harder, been in prison more frequently been flogged more severely been  exposed to death again and again. And then he goes on and on, to defend why  he shouldn't be listened to why he should be an influencer. And so that's really  what we're talking about. If you want to start a MinistryBiz, if you want to do any  Ministry at all, if you want to do any business at all, you're really, it's really about  being an influencer and credibility is part of it, right. So why should people listen  to me? Why Why should people follow what I say? So there's two aspects of  credibility. One is, if you don't think you're credible, right, then you won't  influence anything. That could even be like one of the most important things  about credibility, as you know, in your heart, your confidence, right? If you're not  confident about what it is that you want to say, or do, then why would people  follow anything that you do? So having self confidence and credibility in yourself  is one thing. But then there's also why should someone you might be, yeah, you  should all listen to me because I know what I'm talking about. I'm God's gift to  the world. But why should someone else buy what you have? You have to say?  What makes you credible? What's behind your statement of hey, please, follow  me. So I want to just look at a few verses. This whole credibility issue is behind  leadership. Right? So after you know, Judas, one of the 12 disciples, he killed  himself, so they're only 11, they felt the need to replace him. So in Acts 1,  therefore, it's necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the  whole time, the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John's baptism  to the time when Jesus was taken up from us, for one of these must become a  witness with us of His resurrection. So there was some criteria that they use to  pick that 12th disciple who witnessed these things. We are the witnesses of who Jesus is, we need a replacement. And so we need someone that's credible,  right, that has seen what we have seen. So they applied some credibility.  Standard behind that. Okay, let's go to Romana Excellent. Okay. Choosing of  the seven. So this is the beginning of the early church again, they chose that  extra disciple, but it wasn't enough leaders, right. So the 12 gathered all the  disciples together and said, it would not be right for us to neglect the Ministry of  the Word of God in order to wait on tables. There was a problem with the Jewish

widows and the Greek speaking widows. Brothers and sisters, choose seven  men from among you, not just any men among you who are known to be full of  the Spirit and wisdom, we will turn this responsibility over to them, and we'll give  our attention to prayer and the Ministry of the word. So they needed seven  leaders. They didn't just pick them randomly. They pick people who fit a certain  criteria again, so there's certain standards behind certain credibility system is  behind the leadership because these, these seven men are going to go out and  do it helping. And we don't know what five of them did. But we know Stephen in  the very next chapter is not waiting on tables. He's like preaching preaching.  He's doing evangelism. And so powerfully, first martyr After Jesus Christ, right,  he ends up being stoned because he was preaching so forcefully. And the next  one is Philip, who is out there evangelizing and baptizing people. He founds the  church in Ethiopia. right. So these are, these are leaders, these are diakonos.  They are serants serving, but they went out in competence, because there was  some criteria by which they were chosen. Very interesting. credibility. So what  we want to look at is credibility in your seven connections, who I like that to  seven connections. So number one, in your relationship to God. So that's the  most important it is. If you don't have a relationship with God, and that is not  evidence, then your credibility at all Ministry is questioned. Right? So if you're  not working with God, and you're telling people how to live, you're out there  preaching or you're out there doing chaplaincy work, or you're trying to  evangelize, or you're trying to do a coffee shop where you're trying to lead  people to the Lord, but you're not actually walking with God yourself. Right?  Then what do you have to share? There's a great story about that, when Peter  and John are railing up and arrested. There, they're wondering what to do. And  there was that one line, they took note that they have been with Jesus, right. So  how in the world did people take note of that? Right, it was evident, it was  evident. So that's their personal, I'd say the personal connection, or the  personal, faith, belief, they walked the walk, and they were not going to be easily flogged out of their passion for Jesus Christ. Right. So this week in our church is going through the book of Acts right now. And so I have to preach on the  weekend. And so I'm reading the passages and thinking about them all the time, about how Paul had to stand in trials several times. And then I thought about  how one day we will all stand trial. So that's what's on my mind. Now, as I'm  talking to people see, to be relevant. I can say things like, hey, you know, I was  just reading this week in the Bible, see, I have a relevant walk with God. It's not  just some, hey, let me share some some shims that I learned long ago about  how I share my faith. I'm talking about the things that I'm doing ongoing real  relationship. That is credible, because we even hear the Holy Spirit is to deposit  when, when you are walk with God, right? You even are credible, because you  are right connections with the God in the universe. So a lot of times, you know,  someone will have some bad experience, are they going through something and

then we'll say, hey, I'll pray for you. Right? Okay, we say that. But it's almost  become a cliche, it's almost become just a saying. But if you say, I'll pray for  you, and the next week, you meet that person and you go, I've been praying for  that situation. How is it going? Now that I will pray for you has credibility,  because there's something there. Interesting. Number two, your relationship with your spouse. Okay, we remember Henry we would do is when we worked at the  Bible League, we did our church planting seminars, and we had one spouse  come, yeah, remember, and we would teach them this and that and they got all  excited, they were pumped, they were ready to go. And then they came home.  And their spouse sort of threw cold water on everything that they had learned.  And we were like, and they would never come back from the follow up. So we're  like, Okay, what's going on here? But what's going on often is the spouse has  seen the Ministry person, get excited about a lot of things and not follow  through. So here he comes. He's been to another seminar, and he's all full of it.  But I know he's not going to follow through. So from then on, we thought we're  gotta have the husband and wife there together, because they need to be on the same page. If you want to do Ministry, your spouse is the closest person to you.  Right? So start with Ministry there. Right you know We do our ordination  recommendations, and one of them for ordained role is, will your spouse  recommend you? Right? And we have found that if your spouse will not  recommend you, then maybe you should hold back from seeking license or  ordination. Because there's such there's an issue there. When a spouse is all in  on you, guess what we're we are impressed that you are someone who is  recommended, right? Because your spouse knows you. And if you treat him or  her well, in love the Lord and they see you love the Lord, that's a big deal. And  that's it, you're going to start a MinistryBiz. It takes, it takes everything you have, and to have the person closest to you be in the supportive role you have. You  know, as you face those roadblocks, you have someone in your corner. So  being on the same page with your spouse is absolutely critical. Number three,  credibility in your relationship to your family. If you're doing anything it's with your family. Now I know we both went into the church planting thing. And that is a  consuming thing. Yeah, you started planting a church it consumes your life. And  in the early stages, I was ignoring my family to plant the church. But then  eventually, I realized that I am hurting the church by hurting my family, because  I'm being the worst example to everyone that has a family. Right. And that is I  finally realized that the time I spend with my family is Ministry time. Absolutely. I  am showing I am modeling how other people need to make their families front  and center. And that's true in the MinistryBiz, because families have to be  somehow involved. They have to be supportive, they have to be a part of it. It's a it's a family endeavor. And there is no guarantee that everybody's going to turn  out like some utopia. But if you are walking with the Lord, with you, yourself,  your spouse in your family, you're creating a proximity of credibility, right? Again, 

it's up to the Lord where everything works out. But it's up to us to be faithful. And that's powerful. In fact, the issues I remember you say this over many times, the  issues that you encounter, in leading your family are issues that are you'll  encounter in every endeavor in your life. Because your kids, you know that 16  year old who doesn't want to read the Bible, and somehow you help the 16 year  old read the Bible. That's leadership, right. And that's leadership. Because that  child is just not going to easily be impressed. Possibly, right. I think that's why  Timothy, it says, If you want to be a leader in the church, you have to first be a  leader in your family, because it's the same stuff. So we're real close to real  personal. Yes. So in some ways, the best leadership training that's available to  you is what's going on in your own household in all the walls when all that  doesn't mean that you're going to be perfect, right? As a leader, you're never  perfect. It's really how you handle I mean, you may have a rebellious son or  rebellious daughter, but how do you handle that? You're going to have rebellion  in your endeavors, wherever go, your customers, you know, we are Christian  Leaders Institute and often somebody needs to be expelled, we have to work  with them. Or then your problems are always problem. Number four, credibility in your relationship with your friends. So now you're expanding your influence  beyond just your family, your family is sort of stuck with you, your friends can  take or leave you. Right. So friendship is a great arena to learn leadership  because people don't have to stick with you. Right, your family has to stick with  you. But your friends don't. Voluntary. Right? So, you know, learning how to, to  encourage and balance that whole friendship network. That's an incredible  learning place. And if you have a good supportive friendship network, it's  because you've done some good things well, and that is an incredible support  and credibility system. If you have friends behind you. And as you're launching  out to do something new, a MinistryBiz business of some sort, and you have a  whole friendship group behind you. People look at that and go, Hey, I might get  involved with that too. Because look at all the friends look at all the groups that  that group of friends that you have, they want to support it. I want to be a part of  that team. Very good. All right. Number five, credibility in your relationship to  your church. Now again, the circle is getting bigger figure, if you're at odds with  all the people in your church conflict, conflict, if your church isn't behind you, and maybe you're just in the wrong church, I don't know. But, but having that bigger  team behind you, with whatever you do, I mean, the church really is the most  amazing thing on the planet. Right? When you're a part of the church, you're not just part of a local church, you're part of every church, right everywhere. I mean,  we've gone all over the world, and people will take you into their home, they'll  make you part of their thing. I mean, without hardly knowing you at all, it's just  because we're in the church universal. So they have great relationships with the  church is a great support system, you know, even for many of you, the pastor  did not sign on for you to do Ministry training. And you feel persecuted. 

Intuitively your first reaction is to react. But in a lot of ways, it's like that spouse  who didn't go to the seminar, they haven't seen what God is doing. So it's gonna take a little time. And if you actually show them your award, you show what  you're doing. You volunteer at any position, you don't feel like well, I'm the  answer, man, I'm gonna tell everybody everything. But if you just humbly walk  there, credibility comes and then maybe ask for endorsements for that beginning area of licensure or ordination and not a lot. That is just starting out. What  happened, that pastor that ministers sees, changes in you, and that you're not in conflict. It's a powerful credibility. Credibility in some ways comes in little by little, little by little Right. Any reputation, even in a marriage relationship? Credibility?  Do you follow through with what you say? Do you can I trust you, all those  issues take time to develop. So I agree that you know, you, you've taken some  courses at Christian leaders Institute, and you have grown incredibly, but the  people in your church don't know all that you've learned and all that you've, it's  going to take a little time, there's always a lag between growing and then people catching on to that, you know, I go back to when we have awards, we have  credentials and ordination. You know, people were like, Why do I need all that?  Here's how you, it helps. It helps. Because if I say, Hey, I just finished the whole  Bible class, and the minister or even friends in your neighbor, or your church,  whatever, oh, that's nice. But if you say, you know, I'm really excited, I got this  award, and you can see where it's on your wall, right? And then the pastor  comes over, or church members, they go, what's that? Well, I just finished Old  Testament or New Testament survey that the biblical, or the Bible awards are  really, what are you doing? Right? I'm studying this class. And then you open up  your phone or your computer, your whole 36 presentations going deep into the  Old Testament, then the New Testament. That's amazing. I didn't know John,  Susan, that you had that kind of an interest, right? And then little by little view of  you all of a sudden expands? Yeah. And we hear that 1000s of reports come to  us about that little by little right. So number six credibility in your relationship to  the kingdom. So now we're going beyond the local church. What's your  reputation in the community as a Christian leader, right. So in some ways,  Christian leaders Institute is part of that too, because, you know, you're  expanding your horizons, there's the network where you can communicate with  people get to know other people, that directory, right here. So we encourage you to make use of all those things, because the broader your connection, again, the more credibility, in some ways, the local church is just a small little thing. And,  you know, if someone just came to a local church, they go, Well, that's not  impressive. But it's really impressive to look at every single church around the  world, that we're a part of this incredible network. There's nothing on the planet  like the church. And so if I am part of this bigger thing, then my credibility as I go out, I'm not just representing that little church over there on the corner. I'm  representing what God is doing all over the world. That's powerful. Okay, 

number seven, credibility in your relationship to the world. The unconnected to  Christ world. So again, to have credibility in that world. You can relate to people.  You don't sound like you're from a different planet. You understand current  events. You know what's going on in people's lives and, you can engage, that  brings credibility. If you're always, you know, judging, criticizing, condemning the answer, man. You people don't know what you're doing. But I know what this  then what credibility Do you have, that they don't see you as a person that can  understand them, you know, even credibility with things that are interesting to  those who are not in the church, you know, to have a pickleball, or golf  relationship to, you know, be part of a library club, a coffee shop could be really  awesome that you can create a very credible witness while you're having  conversations of interest to the people who come, these may not be  conversations that are interesting you but you are engaging in your a credible  place for a voice to be shared when the Holy Spirit opens that door. Alright, so  let's Henry, look at some practices, simple things that build credibility simple  things that you can do. So one is telling the truth. Some ways, does this need to  be said? Well, it's, you know, a lot of times people will say what people want to  hear, right? Or they'll say things that make them look good like a lot of salesmen fall into this problem. They'll oversell. And then when the product doesn't turn out to be that way, then see they lose credibility. You're better off saying, you know,  if your salesman you're selling something, you hear what they have to say. And  you might conclude, you know, what, I don't think this product is the right one for you. See, that would be a now, that guy meets someone else. Who does fit that  he's gonna say something about you. He's gonna say, you know, I met this guy.  And he was, he was willing to let a sale go just to meet my needs. Right? So  telling the truth telling, you know, following through with what you're going to do.  That's, that's the next one really, keeping your promises. I read some study that  suggested that the number one problem between parents and kids, the number  one issue that kids have with parents, is they don't keep their promises, almost  like parents make too many promises to appease the home and keep they don't  really keep track of the promises they made. And then the kids pay attention to  that Yes. And so then what mom and dad say, you cannot count on. Gotcha. So  and that's true in every relationship in friendship, relationships, if you say you're  going to do something, and then half the time you don't, then how can people?  How can you go forward when you have no idea what's going to happen? And  certainly, if you're going to do Ministry, if you promise to do something, you have  to follow through and actually do it, right. And you know, that, you know, like in  parenting, too, it's sometimes hard when you set up discipline things, and then  they do it. And you you have to be the bad guy and follow through with what you said. But if you don't, soon, none of the words that you say mean, anything. So  following through on your promises, if you're starting a business, if you're if  you're going to start a coffee shop, and you say the coffee is good, and then you

you clean the pot, but you don't get the soap out of it, and then it tastes soapy or whatever, your people that affects people. So you have to follow through with  what you're saying. Number three, taking on responsibility. So many people skirt responsibility, they they're waiting for someone else to step up and do  something right so that they don't have to do the work. When you see someone  who steps up and says I will do it, I will take care of it. When people see that  kind of person, they go, I trust that person. If that person is going to take some  hill, I might join that person, because this is a person who does what they say  they're going to do. And they're not afraid to take ownership for something. If  something goes wrong. They're not afraid to say I was wrong. Exactly. Which is  the next one. Oh, Admitting mistakes, right. If you're always we talked glozing,  yeah, glozing G-L-O-Z-I-N-G. It means finding excuses. So it's so easy to do  when things don't go right. It's somebody else's fault. It's the government's fault.  It's the neighbors fault. It's the company's fault. My parents raised on the wrong  side of the track. It's my culture's fault. God's fault. It's the serpent's fault and to  your wife's woman's. It's your fault God. Right? We sinful nature tendency, right? And so But who wants to follow that? Right? All right, next, let's talk about giving  God the glory in all things. But let's just go back to admitting a mistake, okay? I  know, it's, it's humbling to do it. And in some ways, if you admit something, then  why would people follow? Right? You're saying, I am flawed. So why should you  follow me. So that's why we don't admit mistakes. But if we admit mistakes, and  then positively go from that, actually, people can relate to us more. Right? It's  the person who never makes a mistake that we don't follow because we're too  intimidated by them. But a person that admits, hey, you know, I made a mistake.  And but here's what I really want to do. People are actually more willing to follow something like that, because they're honest, and transparent and transparent.  And then they're not going to yank your chain, they're not going to be so  defensive that they, you know, that the, you know, no one wants to follow  somebody that is always right. They will not admit they're wrong. So, actually  admitting wrong is sort of counter intuitive, that, instead of having less people  follow you, you actually get more people follow you. That's very good. Okay. All  right. So, number four, or five, the last one giving God the glory in all things. This is, you know, in some ways, why do I want credibility? A lot of times, we want  credibility, because we're building something, we're making something happen,  we want others to join us. But sometimes, it's for our own glory, we're building  our kingdom, right? And when people sense that you're just building your  kingdom. It's hard to have an influence over people like that. Because you know, why, why do I want to help you build your kingdom. So the key to really, all this  credibility stuff, is to have a sense that you're building God's kingdom, that the  credibility you seek is not for your kingdom building, so that you can build God's  kingdom, knowing a lot of ways it's kind of an interesting topic when it comes to  like, license ordination. In the Apostle Paul says about to like elder Minister 

types, you know, if you seek from network Minister types, if you seek this office,  it's a good thing. And then there's qualification. It's almost like, the good thing is  to do it, to glorify God in a process that others say that You are a recognized  leader, if the care of souls are going to be in your hands. You don't want to say,  follow me I am a leader. I'm credible, because I say so. Right. I think a good  example of that is Nehemiah and the building of the walls, you know in the Old  Testament. They built all these walls, but people did this. They worked hard,  they had a lot of obstacles, they, after it was built half, halfway, they got tired,  and so on. But in the end, they completed the things but then what I thought was interesting, it says, and the neighboring people feared because they saw that  with the help of God, these people built the wall, right? It wasn't because the  people built the wall, right? It was because they saw that with the help of God.  He built the wall. So the credibility is not just your credibility, like you're so  special, and you're so powerful. And you're so people are wary of that. But when they see that but when they see that God is behind everything that you're doing.  See that gives competence because something bigger than you is behind you.  So you've got God behind you. And then like the apostle Paul with Phoebe, I  commend you Phoebe a diakonos and others acknowledge that. In some ways,  Christian leaders Institute College, we've had these types of issues where we're  going for our accreditation. Right now. We're going for our accreditation, not  because we want government funding in the call title four government loans for  our students. We're going for credibility, because we want to help you reach the  world for Jesus Christ. And so that we submit ourselves to a process and the  process is basically involved process that's costly, to have other people's check  everything that we're doing other academics and whatnot to make sure that we  are who we say we are. It becomes sort of like why Do you go through a  process of ordination you'll get recommendations. You ask for  recommendations. And you know, some people have said, well, you know, I  don't need ordination or all I need is Jesus. And yes, that is all we need is Jesus  Christ. But it's true that you're interested in going to an accredited organization.  You're interested in following people that others agree are followable. But it all  comes down to this point. Is it for God's glory? Or is it for yourself? Many, many  people big credibility, because they want a certification so they can get  something. But in Jesus Christ in Ministry, we get certified in a process to glorify  God, it's really just being recognized by others. In some ways, it's, I can say I'm  good at this. But when three other people say that it helps people listening to go  okay, maybe it is true, yes. If it's just me, I mean, I can be delusional about  myself, I mean, honestly, delusional, funny stories, where somebody wants to  seeking ordination, and then get two recommendations, and then can't get the  third and sometimes these stories aren't so funny, people get very upset with us. Why can't you ordain us? You know, in finish the process, when we two in that I 

can't get the third one. But we believe that that's an important standard. So you  need the support of others and that's really what credibility is all about.