Episode 811 Impact the World - Interview with Brian Steele – Part 4
[00:00:00] Scott Maderer: [00:00:00] Thanks for joining us on episode 811 of the inspired stewardship podcast.
[00:00:07] Brian Steele: [00:00:07] I'm Brian Steele, author of the kingdom field guide, and I challenge you to invest in yourself, invest in others, develop your influence and impact the world. How by using your time, your talent and your treasure to live out your calling.
[00:00:24] Discovering how to seek first God's kingdom is key. And one way to be inspired to do that is to listen to this, the inspired stewardship podcast with my friend, Scott Mader.
[00:00:42] Scott Maderer: [00:00:42] I
[00:00:42] Brian Steele: [00:00:42] want you to see your teeth first and then mirror. And in reality, those teeth actually don't belong to you. They are, they belong to Jesus. There actually is, but they've been entrusted to you. So when you're taking care of your mouth and your teeth, when you're brushing your [00:01:00] teeth, I want you to think about how that is a stewardship.
[00:01:05] Scott Maderer: [00:01:05] Welcome and thank you for joining us on the inspired stewardship podcasts. 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 in the inspired stewardship podcast, who will learn to invest in yourself, invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the world.
[00:01:38] Today's interview with Brian Steele. I asked Brian to share how to move past the trap of inaction and move into action. I also asked Brian to talk with you about measuring your impact with the kingdom mindset and Brian shares with you, what he hopes for his impact to become. One reason I like to bring you great interviews.
[00:01:59] Like the one you're going [00:02:00] to hear today is because of the power in learning from others. Another great way to learn from others is through reading books. But if you're like most people today, you find it hard to find the time to sit down and read. And that's why today's podcast is brought to you by audible.
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[00:02:45] Brian C steel is a pastor speaker and Arthur. His work has focused on discipleship, leadership development, and small groups. After spending eight years studying in Jesus's parable of the hidden treasure, he loves helping people to find God's [00:03:00] kingdom, right beneath their feet. His teaching venues have ranged from thousands of people in mega church sermons to conferences, retreats, workshops, and one-on-one coaching.
[00:03:09] He is also a professional geologist. And is in well partial recovery from a birdwatching addiction. He delights in exploring the Alpine wilderness of the Pacific crest trail with his wife, Katie and his dog banner.
[00:03:28] Welcome to the show, Brian,
[00:03:30] Brian Steele: [00:03:30] thank you, Scott. Looking forward to this conversation.
[00:03:37] Scott Maderer: [00:03:37] So this week as we talk a little bit about impacting the world, We've talked earlier in a couple of other episodes a few weeks ago about this trap of inaction and how one of the things that can really hold us back from finding the kingdom and really believing that it's really real is the trap of inaction.
[00:03:59] What are [00:04:00] some practical ways that we can actually put into our daily life? Not just on Sunday to begin to, use this kingdom. Mindset to impact the
[00:04:12] Brian Steele: [00:04:12] world. Yeah I think part of that is embodying our faith and finding ways of connecting our faith to the actions in the world. Scott, you mentioned a couple episodes ago, the way that you use your breathing, I want to offer another suggestion.
[00:04:29] I'm going to ask people as an application when they brush their teeth. I want you to look at your teeth first in the mirror. And in reality, those teeth actually don't belong to you. They are, they belong to Jesus. There actually is, but they've been entrusted to you. So when you're taking care of your mouth and your teeth, when you're brushing your teeth, I want you to think about how that is a stewardship that you are [00:05:00] are interested with.
[00:05:02] And went every single time you brush your teeth, tell yourself that you are acting on behalf of the King and that these teeth belong to him. And then, so you, and actually do that for a week or a couple of weeks. And again, it's having to connect the faith that's in your mind and in your heart with the actions that are in your body and making those bridges between what you believe in what you do in the world.
[00:05:30] And then as you go through your day, it's finding other ways to embody your faith. So what might be. Every time you hit send on an email, have have some sort of reminder that you are sending this email in the name of King Jesus. So read that email through that lens and say, is this honoring, is this loving?
[00:05:59] Is this a good [00:06:00] stewardship? Is this truthful? Is this email because I'm an ambassador of Christ. The King is this email something that will reflect well on the name of my King and then hit send. So you're connecting that action of hitting the send button with the reality that you are an ambassador of Christ.
[00:06:26] Or you could do that then in with every meeting that you have that before you go into that meeting and let's say, let, actually let's narrow it down even further. Scott let's use conflict, each conflict that you enter into, you're going to have a hard conversation or it's going to be tough before you have that conversation.
[00:06:49] Say something like. A quick prayer of Jesus. I am your hands and your feet in this conversation. Would you help me [00:07:00] speak the truth and love in the name so that in your name so that your kingdom comes just a little bit more as I engage in this conflict. And so what you're doing is you are claiming areas of your life and your physical actions.
[00:07:19] For the rule of the King. Jesus. Amen. And you have to do that in every areas of your life. And the more that you do that, the more it's going to become reflective and instinctual. I would actually, even, one of the practices I do, this is a little bit weird, but I'll just say it anyways, before I get up in the morning and before my feet hit the ground, actually wiggle my toes and to say something like Jesus today, I want your kingdom come a little bit more in my life.
[00:07:51] Every step that I take with these feet, would it be a step. That's in alignment with your will. So [00:08:00] your kingdom comes as I walk through my day, I'm connecting my body to my faith so that my life is integrated. It's not my faith. Isn't just something that occupies the little teeny area of my brain and my heart, but is actually fully being embodied in everything that I do, Scott.
[00:08:21] And that's how we get beyond the trap of inaction.
[00:08:25] Scott Maderer: [00:08:25] So flipping that around though. I think a lot of times when we're looking at impact, when I talk to people about impacting the world and what does that look like for you? I think it's really easy to start trying to measure it in practical ways and worldly ways, whatever phrasing you want to use it.
[00:08:44] So how can we measure our impact in a kingdom centered way instead of a worldly way?
[00:08:51] Brian Steele: [00:08:51] Wow. That is a great, that's such a great question, Scott. It might be the question. [00:09:00] And when Jesus says in Matthew, he says, again, it's Matthew six 33 seek first the kingdom God's kingdom and his righteousness.
[00:09:14] What he's meaning is make it your greatest desire. That the world is changed and when it gets changed, his kingdom comes just a little bit more. And I think on a very practical level, what that means is his conduct your life in a way that is loving, that carries God's love. So God's kingdom is real.
[00:09:42] And it's a really real kingdom and real kingdoms have real laws. The law of God's kingdom, Scott is love that is the law of the kingdom. And so if we're going to be making an impact in the world [00:10:00] for the sake of the kingdom, it will be in alignment with that love. The law of love. So James and James too, I think it's James two eight.
[00:10:08] He says the Royal law of love is this to love your neighbor as yourself. When Jesus was asked to sum up all of the law of the prophets, he says, all the law on profits is summed up by this loves the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. That is the law of the kingdom of love.
[00:10:27] So if the world is going to be impacted in the name, And for the sake of Christ the King, then we will be conducting ourselves in love, which means it's that set of actions that brings goodness to others and humility, considering them before yourself, in sacrifice in seeking their good before your own in living the way that [00:11:00] Jesus lived.
[00:11:01] In serving the way that he served and being generous with your resources and being generous with your time in directing your talents towards the goodness of others and not just building up your own little kingdom. And I think the world is impacted when we live in alignment with the law of God's kingdom, which is love.
[00:11:33] Scott Maderer: [00:11:33] so now, Brian, we're going to ask one of the easy questions of the last few weeks. I say that because everyone always says, this is not the easy question. If you could look, if you could go into the far future, a hundred, 150 years and look back on your life, what impact do you hope that you've had in the world?
[00:11:55]I told you it was the easy one. Yeah, [00:12:00] I would. I would
[00:12:00] Brian Steele: [00:12:00] like to think that I would be known as somebody who was a sower of the seed. If we're going to the parable of the sower and the seed and Matthew 13, Jesus said that the seed is the word of the kingdom and some of the seed falls on Rocky ground.
[00:12:17] And some of them own this thorns and some gets plucked up by the birds, but some of the seed finds good soil. And I would hope that in my life allowed the word of the kingdom to find good soil in people's lives. And as a result, Jesus says in that parable, the seed brings a hundred fold, 60 fold, 30 fold.
[00:12:41] It's like this ridiculous yield, this tiny little seed. And I would love if my life meant that this little teeny seed, this idea that God's kingdom is real. If that took root in people's lives. And then produced flourishing because they [00:13:00] went and sought God's kingdom. First. I would be thrilled if that was my legacy.
[00:13:06]
[00:13:06] Scott Maderer: [00:13:06] So what's coming next for you, as you continue to live out your call and impact the world. You mentioned that this may be the first of a series of books, but what else has come?
[00:13:15] Brian Steele: [00:13:15] Yeah I would I'm having conversations with people about what does it mean to have God's kingdom come say in and through their business or inner through their ministry.
[00:13:26] And those are coaching type conversations. Coming out in in a couple months, I'm going to have a series of videos called five minute field trips. That's going to be just, here's a short video for how to seek God's kingdom first in your life, these practical steps. So I'll be producing a suit set of videos and.
[00:13:49]I am, there's not a lot of conferences and retreats going on right now because of our COVID restrictions, but I love any kind of opportunity to speak about God's kingdom [00:14:00] and in growing leadership and training. And so I'm growing that part of of how I'm serving as well.
[00:14:11] Scott Maderer: [00:14:11] you can find out more about the book over@kingdomfieldguides.com. And you can connect with Brian on LinkedIn, under Brian C steel that's S T E L E. Of course. I'll have links to all of this over in the show notes as well. Brian, anything else you'd like to share with the listener today?
[00:14:33] Brian Steele: [00:14:33] Yeah, I would just say it is the it's the adventure of a lifetime.
[00:14:38] That when you stub your toe on the hidden treasure, it's worth taking a long time to ponder and to understand the value of what you've found. And in this life, there is a life of flourishing as you seek God's kingdom first. And I just strongly recommend in, [00:15:00] in. Getting the kingdom field guide and actually doing the field trips because the temptation is just to read it like a book and set it on a shelf.
[00:15:07]But my hope is that the field guide gets shoved in your backpack and gets muddy and dirty that you, with your friends or your family or small group, you go have these immersive experiences together. Cause that's the best way. And maybe even the only way of learning about God's kingdom and having it.
[00:15:25] Come fully in your life. So that's my strong encouragement to people. Scott.
[00:15:31] Scott Maderer: [00:15:31] Awesome. Thanks so much for being on the show today.
[00:15:34] Brian Steele: [00:15:34] I have loved it. Thank you.
[00:15:42] Scott Maderer: [00:15:42] thanks so much for listening to the inspired stewardship podcast as a subscriber and listener, we 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 enjoy this episode. [00:16:00] Please do us a favor. Go over to inspired stewardship.com/itunes rate.
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