Episode 1457: Interview with Pastor Troy Gramling About Finding Your God Given Potential

[00:00:00] Scott Maderer: Thanks for joining us on episode 1, 457 of the Inspired Stewardship Podcast.

[00:00:07] Pastor Troy Gramling: I'm Troy Gramling and I challenge you to invest in yourself, invest in others, develop your influence, and impact the world by using your time, your talent, and your treasure to live out your calling. Having the ability to realize your own potential and believe the dream is the key.

[00:00:24] And the one way to be inspired to do that is to listen to this, the inspired stewardship podcast with my friend, Scott Maderer.

[00:00:33] And I think it's because of the weight of success. Success is heavy and it's not the end. They cross the Jordan river, they get into the promised land and then they got to Jericho. I mean, it's not like they're in heaven and you get the business started. You make a million dollars, you start the church, whatever it is.

[00:00:50] There's all these challenges on the other side as you're carrying the weight of success.

[00:00:55] Scott Maderer: Welcome and thank you for joining us on the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. [00:01:00] If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent, and your treasures for your true calling.

[00:01:10] In the Inspired Stewardship Podcast, you will learn to invest in yourself, invest in others, and develop your influence. so that you can impact the world.

[00:01:22] In today's podcast episode, I interview Pastor Troy Gramling. I asked Troy about the intersection of his life and faith journey and how it led him to focus on the God given potential each of us have. I also asked Troy about his book, Potential, and why he finds it important. And Pastor Troy also shares with you how he found his own potential and how you can find yours.

[00:01:45] I've got a new book coming out. called Inspired Living, assembling the puzzle of your call by mastering your time, your talent, and your treasures. You can find out more about it and sign up for getting more information over at inspiredstewardship. [00:02:00] com, Inspired Living. That's inspiredstewardship. com, Inspired Living.

[00:02:08] Pastor Troy Gramling, a dedicated and inspirational spiritual leader, has led Potential Church for over two decades. Overseeing its remarkable growth into a vibrant congregation of over 20, 000 members with a far reaching presence spanning the United States and Latin America. His journey as a pastor is characterized by an unwavering commitment to his vision, fueled by a passion and a mission to partner with people to reach their God given potential to impact the world for good.

[00:02:35] Beyond his pastoral role, Pastor Gramley is a multifaceted individual with a rich background. Before answering his divine calling, Pastor Troy honed his skills as a college basketball player and later as a coach, where he undoubtedly sharpened the values of teamwork, discipline, and dedication, which he now imparts to his congregation.

[00:02:54] His leadership insight is evident and has an exceptional ability to develop and nurture leaders within the church [00:03:00] community, ensuring that his ministry leaves a lasting legacy. Pastor Troy is known for his innovative and unconventional teaching methods, which captivate and inspire his congregation. His creative approach to spreading the message of Jesus resonates with people from all walks of life, making the profound teachings of the gospel accessible and relevant in today's world.

[00:03:21] Pastor Troy, with his devoted wife, Stephanie, and their loving family, has made South Florida their home, where the family is actively involved in the ministry of Potential Church. His life's work is a testament to the profound impact that faith can have on individuals and communities, and he continues to be a guiding light for those seeking to embrace their God given potential and make a positive difference in the world.

[00:03:43] Pastor Troy Gramling: Welcome to the show, Pastor Troy! Yeah, it's awesome to be here. Thanks so much for the invite.

[00:03:48] Scott Maderer: Absolutely. So I talked a little bit in your intro about, some of what has brought you to this point in your journey. But, intros are the, whether you want to call them the cliff notes version of our life or [00:04:00] the Instagram photos of our life, where we just show part of what's going on.

[00:04:04] I always think there's more to our journey than that. So would you mind unpacking a little bit about your journey and what's brought you to where you are now at Potential Church?

[00:04:15] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah, I had planned on being a basketball coach. I started, back at, in the day you didn't start quite, my grandson's five and he's already started playing basketball, but I started in sixth grade.

[00:04:27] So it was quite a bit different, but I just fell in love with it. And we did well. And so I played in high school and then in college and then a little bit overseas. And, I went to school to get the degree to be able to coach. And that was my plan. And that's what I thought I was going to do.

[00:04:43] And just as I had a contract in front of me to be able to coach basketball at the same time, I sensed God gets nudging my heart towards ministry. I didn't know what exactly that meant or what that was going to look like. And I was scared of it because, coaching's all I'd ever thought about.

[00:04:59] [00:05:00] And but anyways, I wanted to be obedient. And so I stepped in that direction and realized that, coaching, inspiring, encouraging, teaching, challenging, it was really in every aspect of life. It's not just. Basketball. And even when I was thinking about basketball, it was how do you develop these young men or young ladies into adults, into people, and so now I get to do that in the spiritual realm, which, I don't like to divide spiritual and secular. We have one life. We're on this journey. And so I get to partner with people and helping them accomplish their dream, be what God's called them to be and created them to be and in, in pursuit of that.

[00:05:36] And for me, that's what I've felt the freedom to run after and to pursue. And, I think that's just, in all of us, that's who I am. That's the kind of father I am. That's the kind of spouse I am. That's the kind of pastor I am. That's the kind of friend I am, which is great. At times it can, I think it can be.

[00:05:51] Sometimes people get tired of being challenged to keep going and move on. Yeah, I've had that comment

[00:05:56] Scott Maderer: myself.

[00:05:59] Pastor Troy Gramling: [00:06:00] Exactly. But that's how I, ended up here. I just take the step that's in front of me and the opportunity that's in front of me. And I didn't come here to be the lead pastor.

[00:06:08] I came here to learn, to grow. And and then as a result, the door opened up, and I, I think that's, when we take the step that's in front of us, when we're obedient to the opportunity in front of us, you never know really where it's going to lead or the adventure that's in front of you.

[00:06:22] And that's how I ended up here.

[00:06:25] Scott Maderer: So backing up a little bit, you, when you pivoted and said, okay, wait, maybe this coaching thing, isn't what I'm really being called to do. Maybe I'm being called to go a different direction. And, what was. What was that like? What did you fight against it?

[00:06:40] Or was it one of those things where it's like, Oh, no, this is what I'm supposed to do. How did that transition? work out for you?

[00:06:47] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah, I was confident that it was what I was supposed to do, but it's not what I wanted to do, because we have pretty perceived ideas of what everything is.

[00:06:54] So in, coaching is what I'm one, felt confident in one in my mind's eye, when [00:07:00] I thought about success or impact it took that realm of basketball and coaching and ministry, the pastors I had were great people, but they weren't people like me. And the hardest part was how do I be me?

[00:07:14] and pursue what I think I'm being called to do and cannot, or do I have to change? Do I have to become what I've seen, in front of me? And so I think that was the biggest challenge for me is just figure out how do I be me and yet pursue what I'm feel I'm being called to to do?

[00:07:31] How does that kind of fit, fit together? And I think it was similar to, when you think about even stewardship with athletic ability, like how do I? How do I leverage that? How do I steward that? As a Christ follower, it's okay, I want. I don't want to just play basketball, but I want to leverage it for my faith, even, in high school and in college and how do you do that?

[00:07:52] How do I be me and yet live out my faith? And I think that's the way I felt as I was trying to, to transition into, [00:08:00] to me, which was a different profession, when it came to ministry and pastoring and, not knowing a lot about it, not, that's not what I went to school for, but yet. So I'm thankful for the confidence.

[00:08:11] that I had in, this is the direction I need to go, because I think it would have been a lot more challenging had I not felt that sense of this is what I need to do. But but it wasn't easy in that sense.

[00:08:21] Scott Maderer: Where do you think that confidence came from?

[00:08:23] Pastor Troy Gramling: I would say because I trusted Christ at a young age.

[00:08:28] And so my journey was, I think if my journey would just have been fresh, it'd have been more difficult, but I had seen God, I had seen, what I sense God nudging my heart to do and then doing it and then seeing the outcome of that. So I think I had that experience, not at this realm of, what I was going to do vocationally, but like I said, with basketball, how can God use basketball?

[00:08:49] And I remember going on a mission trip where we would share our faith and play basketball and do all those. And so I think. I'm thankful. That's where I go back and I'm, incredibly thankful to my mom because [00:09:00] my mom, I got two younger brothers and she just always made sure. Her faithfulness made sure I was where I needed to be to have the experiences that helped me even as I got older.

[00:09:10] But I think that's where that confidence came from. It's just past experience.

[00:09:14] Scott Maderer: Let's talk a little bit about your faith journey. I believe that our life journey and our faith journey intersect with each other and feedback on each other in different ways for different people.

[00:09:24] We all have unique journeys, but There's something human about that journey as, as well, but you share a little bit you mentioned your mom kind of making sure you were where you needed to be early on and having an early experience with, coming to Christ, but unpack that a little bit more.

[00:09:40] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah, so therefore I can, I grew up in the church. I remember, from the time I was little, my mom taking us, my dad didn't go. He always, had something that he would rather us do when we were little, especially, but my mom took us, my, her mom and dad, some grandma and grandpa were always there.

[00:09:54] And it's interesting. I remember, I don't know, around the age of 10 or whatever, the pastor talking to me [00:10:00] and saying, don't you think it's about time, you became a Christian. And I was always one of those shy kids. I guess if you think I should, but, and I, and so I, went through the formality of, trusting Christ, in that religious context.

[00:10:12] And, but it was only because the pastor said, don't you think you should do that? But about two years later, I remember like my mom had taken us to what they called a revival, we were sitting there on some weeknight and I just remember for the first time in my life, I knew I needed Jesus. I felt lost.

[00:10:29] I'd never felt that experience before. I never had that realization. Of being a sinner or being separated from God or in need of his grace. And I just, remember the reality of that. And then, looking to my mom and saying, look, I need to do something about this and, stepping out and doing what I'm new to do.

[00:10:49] And and that really, the change. That was the transition. That was the, that wasn't a religious experience. That was a real experience, a relational experience, that I've always been able to go back [00:11:00] to and then build. Build on that. And I'm thankful for that, because I think, religion is almost transactional, God, I'm going to do this, and then I'm going to, and so relation, it to me is always about position.

[00:11:13] So I can remember in high school, getting frustrated that those, who might, who chosen to live differently would do things. And, and it's I remember I'd go to my room and I'd lay on the bed and I'm, I would have this sense I can do whatever I want. God, it's not, he's not got a bars on my doors but not being able to get away from the reality that real happiness is only going to be found in being obedient to him.

[00:11:37] And and I'm just thankful for that, because that was able to guide a lot of my, Life, the good decisions that I made along the way, weren't because I was of my willpower. It was just of that understanding. I do what you want, Troy, but if, there's only one direction that's truly going to lead to the joy and the peace that you want, that you're after, and and I think it goes back to having that [00:12:00] real relationship is not just a, Had I just built on the decision I made because the pastor talked to me, I don't think it would have seen me through, I would, it had all been a game, trying to get more good check marks than bad check marks as opposed to a real relationship.

[00:12:14] Scott Maderer: That, that approach to it from a almost a, I'm following the rules because I'm supposed to follow the rules because that's what gets me what I want, as opposed to no, that they're, I'm following the rules because I love. God and God loves me and we have a relationship and I don't want to let that relationship down more relational.

[00:12:36] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah, exactly. And I'm I'm so thankful for that because it allows you to be real and vulnerable and honest, as opposed to trying to to be religious, I've never felt the need to be religious, or to hang on to a symbol of religiosity as my, Confidence or my faith, you know what I mean?

[00:12:56] Scott Maderer: And that's one of the reasons, that I asked the question the way I do, because [00:13:00] I've been asked this about it before, I asked about faith journey or spiritual journey. I don't ask about religious journey. And to me, faith and spirituality and religion. Are related to each other, but they're not all the same thing either.

[00:13:14] If that makes sense. So it's separating some of that out of the idea that cause some of the, quite frankly, some of the holiest people I know have never set foot in a church, honestly but they're very deeply spiritual and have a deep relationship with Christ and, on a very spiritual walk. When you think about that going back to that. journey from, coaching basketball, all of those things to pastoring. I think a lot of times people think that, most pastors were born knowing that's what they were going to do. That there was this sort of divine mandate from on high that, comes down and anoints us, but obviously that wasn't exactly your experience.

[00:13:55] Do you see Because you mentioned something when you were talking about it, that at its [00:14:00] core, it's still this idea of coaching, of mentoring, of growing people, of lifting people up. Do you see that your calling was clear from the beginning, that idea of lifting other people up, and it's really more you were figuring out, how am I going to do it?

[00:14:15] Or do you really feel like, no, this was a complete shift in, the way I thought I was going to go versus how I ended up?

[00:14:22] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah, I think that's a good question. I would say that some aspects of it are as far as coaching, leading, if I look back on my life, I've always had those roles, from a little kid, whether it was on little league baseball team, not because I per se pursued them, but just because of the way I'm wired.

[00:14:40] And, it's I'm going to, I'm going to do it. I don't know if I know how to do it, but if nobody else is going to do it, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to do it. I'm not a extrovert. I'm more of an introvert, but I'm at the same time let's do something. I'm more action oriented.

[00:14:52] And action oriented people tend to, Find themselves often in leadership positions. So I think the idea of leading of [00:15:00] helping people to become something I think has always been there. So I think, I thought I knew exactly what that would look like. But I think, so I think the foundational idea of what I would be doing, no matter what I'd be doing, it would be in that context.

[00:15:15] You know what I mean? As far as in some sense of leading and partnering with people so that they could reach their dreams, be what they were created to, to be. So I think even if I were a coach, it wouldn't just be about the trophy at the end of the day. It would be about those kids, growing up to, to be successful, that for me to feel successful, no matter how many trophies I had, if the kids were, there's, I got a big light up thing on my wall that I stole from John Wooden.

[00:15:40] He said it about basketball, a great UCLA basketball coach. And he said that, you can you can use young men to build a great basketball team, or you can use basketball to build great young men. And on my wall, I put, you can, use people to build a great ministry or you can use ministry to build great people.

[00:15:59] And so [00:16:00] I think, to me, that's what success is to leverage whatever we're doing so that what, and I, what I think God cares about is the people can be can, whatever we're doing can be leveraged so that the people can become more, they can grow, they can learn, they can be loved and cared for, and they can care and, they can serve, they can do all those kinds of things.

[00:16:20] So I think that's the foundational, no matter what I was doing, that's what I would be doing, but I'd nudged my heart towards ministry.

[00:16:28] Scott Maderer: Yeah, I think a lot of times too, it's easier to start seeing those threads. after, on the other side, on the beginning side, it's I don't know what's going on.

[00:16:36] You get afterwards and you're like, Oh, that's what was going on. Okay. I understand now. We don't see it sometimes before, before we've done it which kind of brings us to, to your book a little bit too. You've got a new book. potential out. And why is this a message that you wanted to put out into the world?

[00:16:54] Pastor Troy Gramling: It's just, way back in the day when you had little day timers and stuff, I wrote in the, in the front of it, you're [00:17:00] always going to write your purpose or mission or something. And I'm put almost the same thing that we have today in the sense of just partnering with people to reach.

[00:17:08] their potential. And so that's just, that's what gets me excited. That's what I get passionate about. That's most of my teaching. When I look at the scripture, that's what I see. Is how is it, We're, we were intentionally created and to me, that's just great joy in that, we didn't get born and then God tried to figure out what he was going to do with us, but that we were in the mind of God before we were ever in the womb of our mothers.

[00:17:31] So that means we were born with a sense of greatness, a sense of potential. And, to me, the most challenging aspect of that is believing that. Life is really hard and difficult. And there's lots of people that will point out all the areas in which we fail. And so just believing that, this God, this all powerful God actually intentionally had us in mind to do something of significance.

[00:17:54] And for me, that's always been what I've tried to communicate. And to me, the book is just an extension [00:18:00] of that. of that message. And I, the book goes from the people of God being enslaved in Egypt to the promised land. Cause I think that's the journey we're all on. We're trying to get from where we are to, to what we've been promised, what God put in our heart, that, that thing that makes our heart pump, that thing that we like to read about or talk about or listen to.

[00:18:19] And so it's like, how do we get there? And it's a journey, it's a process. And and so that's, I think, been at the core of who I am.

[00:18:29] Scott Maderer: So when you think about that, I think a lot of us, I think a lot of us feel like we're spending a lot more time in the desert part of that journey than we are in the promised land part of that journey.

[00:18:40] What are some of the obstacles that kind of keep us in the desert for 40 years, as opposed to, crossing the river and getting into what we're really promised and what our true potential is.

[00:18:52] Pastor Troy Gramling: I think it's our perception of the desert, in their journey, right off the bat, God gives them, the gold of the Egyptians.

[00:18:59] He gives [00:19:00] them what they need. And, right off the bat, first of all, they have the Egyptians change their mind and they're pursuing him. So they have that challenge. And then you would think, okay, they get through that. God's got to get them over there before, all these disasters. But it says that he took them the roundabout way because they weren't ready.

[00:19:15] They weren't prepared. And I think, The reason we spend often so much time in the desert is because we, our perception of the desert is a place we're not supposed to be instead of a place of preparation. And so we're continually trying to get out from underneath the lessons we actually need to learn.

[00:19:33] In order to succeed or and when I say succeed, I don't mean just make a certain amount of money, but it's to accomplish the dream that's in our heart and have a sense of peace as we do that, cause success can destroy you, as much as failure can. And I think, so I think if we could, if we begin to understand what is it I need to learn in the desert, what is it that I need to strengthen in the desert?

[00:19:56] Ask ourselves those kinds of questions. We don't have [00:20:00] to, they ended up spending 40 years because they didn't learn it the first time, a whole new generation of people had to cross the Jordan river. And I think I want to learn it the first time if I can, the best of my ability.

[00:20:11] Scott Maderer: Yeah. Having been in a few organizations where some folks needed to pass on and another generation needed to come up before, before they learned things. I've been in a couple of those places before. I think most of us have. Yeah. That idea then of leaning into the desert, not as a place of punishment, but as a place of learning is what, what you're saying what do you see as because I think, it hurts sometimes to be in the desert, some of those lessons.

[00:20:35] aren't fun. What do you see as that relationship between, is it, you've got to suffer before you can get there, what's the relationship between pain and unpleasantness and reaching our potential?

[00:20:47] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah. Again, the scripture does a lot with that. James talks a lot, the brother of Jesus talks, about the value of trials and how they mature us and they grow us and they strengthen us.

[00:20:57] Sam Chan says that really success [00:21:00] is determined by our pain tolerance, and and I think it's because of the weight of success. Success is heavy, once you, and it's not the end. They cross the Jordan river, they get into the promised land and then I got the Jericho.

[00:21:13] I mean, it's not like they're in heaven, and you get the business started. You make a million dollars, you start the church, whatever it is. There's all these challenges on the other side as you're carrying the weight of success, right? The fear of failure, the expectations of people. And so I think the pain that we feel is to build.

[00:21:32] The endurance, the perseverance, the maturity that's necessary to sustain success, because, sustained success again, encourages others to succeed. If we cross the river, if we start the business and then crash. How many people are going to use that as their excuse to not even pursue success? So I really think that, pain is not just pain or, but it is the process in which we become the kind of [00:22:00] people who can sustain.

[00:22:01] and enjoy success.

[00:22:04] Scott Maderer: So one of the other thing, we, you've used that word success a lot and I'm a big believer in defining what people mean. Cause again you mentioned that's not just about how much you make or whatever for you, what does the word success mean? Not in terms of are you successful, but just how would you define that

[00:22:24] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah, I I think again, to me, it comes back to becoming what was in God's mind when he created me, and having a sense of peace in the pursuit and experience of that, so I, I think it starts with what is, what is my destiny?

[00:22:43] What is my purpose? What is my potential? Those questions are really important because I help, I think they, Help without them. You can't define success because so then you're going to be living according to somebody else definition of success. You know what I mean? You're reading a book, somebody else's idea of a certain [00:23:00] amount of money or whatever it is.

[00:23:02] But to me, it begins with, okay what was in the mind and heart of God when he created me, and then success is being able to live that out, but with a sense of peace, a sense of fulfillment.

[00:23:16] Scott Maderer: That that idea of, Peace and success. Like you said I've seen a lot of people that get to a certain point of, they start that business, the business is grossing a million dollars a year, whatever, some goal that they had and because they've always equated that goal and achieving that goal with, okay, this is what success is, they get there and it's but I don't feel any different.

[00:23:40] So how do you see folks as they're working towards their potential, how do they overcome some of that? feeling of, wait a minute, is this all there is this what it's supposed to be?

[00:23:52] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah. I, again, I think goals, you want to almost see them as, steps towards your success or towards your [00:24:00] destiny.

[00:24:00] I think we tend to dream too small, our dreams tend to be for one generation. And I think in order to continue to be able to enjoy the journey, your dream has to be bigger than that. And you have to understand. your calling, your potential, your purpose, whatever word you want to use when you think about that idea.

[00:24:19] I think you want it to be bigger than just your life so that it can grow with you. As I think about my own life and I think about, we, when we lived in Arkansas, we started a church. And so when I thought about partnering with people, that looked a certain way. Now, as I'm in 57 years old and I think about still the same purpose, but it looks different.

[00:24:40] How do I now pass this on to the next generation? How do I, position them? How do I prepare them? How do I make decisions that are bigger than just my generation? So I think it's to not dream too small. We tend to dream too small, and that's what, and a gold, is meant to be that way, it's to motivate us toward [00:25:00] certain behaviors, to accomplish something. So when we get goals and purpose or potential, those bigger ideas confused, I think it leads to a sense of, I've been there, I've done that. And It didn't, it didn't feel like, we want the feeling of athletics, you cross the finish line, I won, we hear them talk every, NBA or Major League Baseball. They're the champions. Yes, exactly. You get the crown, you get the, and they all are like, oh, it's so good. It's so worth it. All the hard work. I, they're 22 years old and they're talking about all the sacrifices they've made.

[00:25:33] And I'm saying, you haven't even lived long enough to make sacrifices, God bless you. But I've got

[00:25:37] Scott Maderer: shoes older than

[00:25:38] Pastor Troy Gramling: you.

[00:25:38] Scott Maderer: You

[00:25:40] Pastor Troy Gramling: know, you're talking about how you lived in poverty, but it was only for 10 years. But I, I think, but we're looking for that. And so if we set ourselves up to have that kind of emotional experience it's always going to be.

[00:25:53] It's always going to be a sense of of a let down. And I think athletes, are great examples of that because, when they leave the [00:26:00] sport or even, two weeks after they've gotten the trophy, they're okay now what, that's why you seldom, when somebody repeats or they win three trophies, it's a main, it's like, how, that's a major thing because they're able to keep, stay motivated, keep the team together, all those kinds of things.

[00:26:14] Because there is that tendency to say, now what,

[00:26:18] Scott Maderer: well, and I think, to that point, there, there are athletes that have left sports and have, very successful lives in other ways. And we very seldom hear about those though. They do exist, but we don't hear about them a lot.

[00:26:35] But what we do hear about a lot is the athlete that left, and then crashes and burns, in some sort of dramatic fashion. I think some, I saw a stat one time that something like 40 percent of professional NFL players go bankrupt within 10 years of retirement, that kind of thing.

[00:26:49] And it's like, How's that even possible, but it, it can happen and it's because they're trying to fill that hole of that feeling of euphoria that they had, when they were [00:27:00] playing with other stuff, usually some different way they've lost track of what they were really after,

[00:27:06] Pastor Troy Gramling: right.

[00:27:06] And a goal is not a, even a successful gold is not big enough to sustain your life. And, when you think of it in that sense, you're always going to be. let down, and athletes and celebrities, especially in today's world, where we get to watch, we get to learn from them and be reminded that all those goals, whether it's the Academy Award or certain amount of money or whatever, that you can attain all those things and still be unhappy.

[00:27:32] And I think that would, multiply your unhappiness because then you're looking around thinking, man, I, all this stuff I thought would make me happy hasn't made me happy and can really lead to a sense of desperation and, that's a, not a place we want anybody to go or to experience.

[00:27:48] Scott Maderer: Absolutely. So I've got a few questions that I like to ask all of my guests. But before I ask you those, is there anything else about your book potential or, what we've been talking about this [00:28:00] morning that you'd like to share?

[00:28:02] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah. I think the first part of the book to me is the most important part.

[00:28:05] There are lots of different practical steps. It's an easy read. It's but. It's just that reminder, and everybody listening today, just, it's so important to never give up on the idea that you were created intentionally for significance, for greatness, because we just live in a world where we think that's for a few people, or that's the right people, or the good people, or the born in, and I just, if there's anything I could get across to folks is just never give up on the idea that as long as your heart's beating and your lungs are taking in air, that there's something significant, important for you to pursue and to become and not give up on that idea of greatness.

[00:28:49] Scott Maderer: Absolutely. So my brand is inspired stewardship. And like I mentioned earlier, words is something that I think it's important to understand how people mean them. And you mentioned stewardship [00:29:00] early on in our conversation, but when you hear that word stewardship, what does that word mean to you?

[00:29:07] Pastor Troy Gramling: What do I do with what I have?

[00:29:09] Even in the book, but we talk about when Moses, God said, Moses, I want you to go set these people free. And Moses is I can't, he, I don't have anything. I can't talk. And God said, what's in your hand? It's like you, what are you going to do with what you already have?

[00:29:23] And to me, that's what stewardship is. Is what am I going to do with what I've been given?

[00:29:29] Scott Maderer: Yeah. One of my favorite passages is in the Bible is when basically God is telling Moses, he needs to go talk to the Pharaoh and Moses basically back to him. I am not eloquent of tongue in this very poetic, flowy language.

[00:29:44] And it's really? Really, dude? It's thanks. You protest too much. think God picked the right guy. Okay. But it is, I think we have those moments too, where we think, why me? Why me? I can't do it. And it's yet. we have the [00:30:00] very gifting that, that God is calling on us to use.

[00:30:03] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah. And that's embrace that, that means stewardship is embracing what you do have to get the most you can out of it for, what you're pursuing to me is purpose and potential.

[00:30:15] Yeah. But to me that's stewardship, whether it's my physical abilities or money or height or whatever it is that I have, it's to, I want to get as much out of that. as I can for sure.

[00:30:28] Scott Maderer: So this is my favorite question that I like to ask everybody imagine for a minute that I invented this magic machine and with this machine, I could pluck you from where you are today and transport you magically into the future, maybe 150, maybe 250 years, but through the power of this machine, you were able to look back and see your entire life.

[00:30:47] See all of the ripples, all of the connections, all of the relationships, all of the impacts you've left behind, what impact do you hope you've left in the world?

[00:30:56] Pastor Troy Gramling: One would be to finish well to [00:31:00] not just have had sections, not perfect, cause, but to just to be able to say I was faithful to the end at what I was called to do.

[00:31:08] And then I think the other is would be. the number of people who felt that they had pursued their potential as a result of something I did in my life. How many people got off the couch and did something, pursued the greatness that God created within them.

[00:31:27] Scott Maderer: So what's coming next for you as you continue on this journey?

[00:31:29] What's on the road map?

[00:31:31] Pastor Troy Gramling: Yeah, we at Potential Church is we really getting involved. We've had a school forever, but we're extending it to 12th grade. We're starting to college, again, in this whole idea of partnering with the next generation. I, I'm not, Old, I'm, 57, I think is how old I am and changes every year for some reason.

[00:31:50] But it

[00:31:50] Scott Maderer: happens, it happens on the same day too.

[00:31:54] Pastor Troy Gramling: And the older you get, the more you try to forget it. But but, I've got less time to run after my [00:32:00] dreams than I, than, than I have in the past. I'm thinking about how do I how do I pursue this dream? multi generational, I don't want to go sit on the sidelines and just be a cheerleader.

[00:32:11] I think I still have got a season of leading and and those kind of things. But I also, know that, I don't, not, you can get rid of this if you want, but I, I, I don't know when people are watching and listening maybe years from now, but we just experienced a debate, for the presidency and you had, two gentlemen who are about in their 80s.

[00:32:33] I don't want to get that old and to believe I'm the best. that whatever I'm leading has to offer. I want to, by that time in my life, I want to be a part, but I want to be investing in those who are going to be, have to live out whatever leadership, policy, whatever decisions, that we make.

[00:32:53] Because I feel like if my life is impactful, they're going to be 30 and 40 year olds who can do better just [00:33:00] because of mentally, emotionally and physically, they're in a better place than I am at that 80. So I don't say that to rip on either of the gentlemen who are running, but I just, I think it's sad that they would find themselves where they are the best.

[00:33:15] That we have to offer for some of the most important positions that we have, in the world, and I don't want to I don't want to be there. So as I think about the future, I think about how can I be that 80 year old who is involved and engaged, but fulfilling the role that is best suited for an 80 year old, and for the organization for, in my case, the church and family.

[00:33:39] Scott Maderer: And I think, to, to your point and just making the analogy of, I have seen businesses, family businesses as an example, where the founder is held onto it. Way too long. And because of that, it's killed the business, and because they didn't lift up the next generation into leadership, they held on to everything, and I've seen it happen in churches as [00:34:00] well, the very powerful, charismatic, senior pastor that holds on and holds on and holds on and then does move on,

[00:34:08] Pastor Troy Gramling: in the book, we, in the Bible, Moses did a great job.

[00:34:10] Absolutely. But then Joshua, I don't know what he didn't do. I just know after him, you have the judges, which was a mess,

[00:34:17] Scott Maderer: absolutely. You can find out more about Pastor Troy over on his website at TroyGrambling. com. Of course, I'll have a link to that over in the show notes as well. Pastor Troy, anything else you'd like to share with the listener?

[00:34:33] Pastor Troy Gramling: No, I'd just like to again to remind them to pursue their destiny and their dream. My goal is to partner with folks, so I'd love, pick up the book, check out all of my handles, Troy Grambling, just like you said, whether it's on any of the social platforms and keep running after their destiny and their purpose.

[00:34:51] Scott Maderer: Absolutely.

[00:34:53] Thanks so much for listening to the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. As a subscriber and listener, we [00:35:00] challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen, but act on what you've heard and find a way to live your calling. If you enjoyed this episode please do us a favor. Go over to inspiredstewardship.

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