You’ve been appointed – chosen – have you heard?

Chosen… for a purpose.

Great things are usually the result of important things done – over a long period of time – that mature into magnificence. Three years of day-after-day work in the neighborhoods of Judea and the rural areas of Galilee had led to a Passover Feast in a borrowed banquet hall in Jerusalem. Jesus capped it with this: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last…” (John 15:16). Chosen… for a purpose: “…go and bear fruit.”

In God-talk, fruit represents people brought into his family, here and now, so that he can one day bring them into his Heaven, there and then. The Apostles were not the “end of the line;” his investment in them would result in a historic impact on people who would one day populate Heaven. We’re here – all of today’s followers of Jesus – with a spiritual lineage that traces back to the Twelve.

You’re saying, “Wait, Bob; that ‘Upper Room’ scene is part of the Easter story!” Big picture: Christmas was the opening act in the drama; the Upper Room sets the stage for the sequel: what comes next – the expansion of God’s redemptive solution to mankind’s hopeless condition. That’s the epic in which the Apostles and we have been appointed by God to play our parts. Chosen… for a purpose.

Jesus left carpentry when he was 30 to spend the rest of his life helping 12 business leaders find their calling. I left the construction industry when I was 31 to spend the rest of my life helping business leaders find their calling. This ministry structure is 33 years old; we launched The Master’s Program 21 years ago to help leaders find and fulfill their Kingdom Calling. Everything we do is directed toward that outcome: that they – you! – would realize that God has appointed you to go and bear fruit that would last. We help 3rd Soil people become 4th Soil producers, and show those 4th Soil producers how to go from 30x to 60x, and – ultimately – 100x returns.

You know us; every week, I share perspectives about life and leadership, offered from a biblical Point of View. You know about our principal focus, in The Master’s Program: we help Christian leaders explore, expose and exploit their Kingdom Calling. For 20 years, we’ve been sending TMP grads into a 100x high-impact future, to change their world and build God’s Kingdom.

It’s December, and you’re on lots of lists. Great ministries look for generous people like you who can partner with them as you – and, they – head into the year-end. Cheri and I are on those lists as well; like you, we give generously to ministries that are producing Kingdom fruit.

Most ministries raise money all year long; we don’t. We serve leaders – like you! – all year, but we focus our fundraising to December, when most of our friends do most of their giving. We expend reserves for 11 months, and restore them in the 12th. This month, it will take $350,000 to restore our reserves and end 2017 at breakeven, ready to keep our ministry efforts uninterrupted into 2018.

Peter Drucker made this observation about Bob Buford, almost 20 years ago: “Your fruit grows on other people’s trees.” He was right. Bob echoed that to me, early in TMP’s run: our fruit grows on other people’s trees. Jesus’ fruit grew on the Apostles’ trees. Our fruit grows on your tree.

Here’s my encouragement to you, as you prepare to finish this year with generosity: 1) give to the point of sacrifice (that’s God’s counsel, echoed by me); and, 2) include The Master’s Program among your Kingdom investments. God has appointed you to participate in bearing fruit!

Make a year-end Kingdom investment with us: you’ll see results here… and, you’ll see rewards, there. How would you like to own a share of the harvest of 2000 TMP Graduates? Click here to see options (online credit card, mail a check, make a stock gift).

Chosen… for a purpose. You were chosen. We were chosen… to help you produce fruit.

Bob Shank