Leadership in Context

Tithing is a practical way to put God first and train your heart to actively participate rather than passively receive. It builds discipline, creates a shared culture of giving, and frees leaders to lead without hesitation. Over time it forms a testimony in your life, strengthens your spiritual confidence, and invites God’s active involvement in your finances.

The priesthood of Melchizedek that received the tithe is still in operation because Melchizedek and Jesus are one, and they have not changed. Even though the earthly priesthood has faded away, we still bring our tithe to Jesus.

Tithing isn’t a side note in Scripture. It runs through the covenants, from Abraham’s promise, to Moses’ process, to Jesus’ covenant that gives us the power to obey and then to share the blessing. Tithing isn’t merely an Old Testament command; it is clearly addressed in the New Testament.

God is not against you having things; He is against things having you. There are over 2,500 Scriptures that speak about money. Together, they reveal five clear truths: God wants us to prosper and is able to help us prosper. God wants us to enjoy Him and enjoy His blessings. God is generous, and He wants us to be generous. God does not want us living in debt or bondage. God wants us to work hard and invest.

Your cash and your calendar reveal what you truly value. Everyone is equally rich in time—24 hours a day, seven days a week—but how you assign those days determines your priorities. Accountability sharpens how we live, and your calendar is your greatest tool, because you will never get that day back. This isn’t about living in a hurry; it’s about living with intention.

Scripture says that our life is like a vapor. How we think about time should be biblical. The enemy wants to distort our view of time. Everyone assumes they have tomorrow, but we aren’t guaranteed that. We plan like we have tomorrow, yet we should live like we do not.

If you want to have a lot of friends, serve good food because people will show up. If you want to be a good leader, feed them good words—healthy, encouraging, sound words of Truth. Sound words result in having faith and love in Christ Jesus. We need to guard the treasure of Truth, of sound words, that has been entrusted to us.

The government is not the head of the Church. The culture does not dictate doctrine and morality for the Church. We are the body and Christ is the head of that body. When the body is not connected to the head, it is dysfunctional and it dies. If a body has two heads, it is abnormal; it is a monster.

Today we have a special bonus episode of the Leadership in Context podcast. While the team was traveling back from Ukraine last week, Keith interviewed each one about the significance of this trip at this moment in time. In the natural, it’s easy to wonder, “What are we thinking?” But God! If God is for the Church in Ukraine, who can be against them? The need is as great as ever, but in spite of all of this, the Church is growing better than ever.

Jesus is the light. The Holy Spirit is the oil. And we are the lampstand. The light of God in us isn’t to just stay in us, but to go out into the world to lead others to Christ.

Join us for a special episode recorded in the van as our team in Ukraine travel from one city to the next. All the while in unimaginable circumstances, our brothers and sisters in Ukraine are standing firm in their faith and conviction, their resilience and persistence, their leadership and devotion to prayer, and their quality of fellowship and love. We carry them in our hearts and pray for them often as they are not forgotten. You can continue to partner with us by giving at NRPUkraine....

Christ is returning for a victorious Church. Just as a bride prepares for her wedding—welcoming her guests with care, remaining loyal and resolved in her relationship with her groom, and knowing his heart—so should we, as the Bride of Christ. This is a great picture of the Church.

A pillar resists a downward pressure and anchors for the upward force of wind. God has called us, the Church, to be the pillars of Truth. To be there, we have to be firmly planted in the foundation of Christ.

As leaders, we can demonstrate our confidence in God not based on our personal perfection, but in our response to God and how He works in our lives. Being approved by God through the things we have gone through and our response, that is integrity. When you cut through something that is solid wood, all of the layers are wood. It’s the same thing through and through. Integrity is there. Integrity is consistency.

Scripture outlines some core values of a disciple—work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope. Faith is a work; it is something we do. Love is a labor at times, but is also our motivation. And staying steadfast in our hope, that gives God the opportunity to move.

Sanctification is the mark of Christian growth and maturity. It is God’s divine empowerment of our will. Not that we rely on our will to not sin, but a yielding of our will to the Holy Spirit.

Increase your capacity with your convictions, competency, curiosity, and connection. Today we are pulling an episode from the archives on increasing your capacity. Convictions override feelings. Increasing your competency will increase your capacity. Curiosity is part of a learning venue. And connection multiplies your capacity.

If you are going to increase your capacity, you have to take advantage of what you already have. Today we are pulling an episode from the archives on increasing your capacity. People tend to complain about what they don’t have, but they don’t fill up what they do have. The greatest mark of a leader is that a leader leads himself.

Capacity is what you can take hold of, what you can handle. Today we are pulling an episode from the archives. Increasing your capacity doesn’t mean you have to get a new talent. It means you have to use the talents you have more effectively. For leaders, the key way to drill down is learning the power of “yes” and “no.” If you say no to the right things, you’ll be able to say yes to the right things—that increases your capacity.

How can we say that love never fails? True love, godly love, is always representing Christ. It is being like Jesus. Love never fails because love always honors God.