Stewardship and Generosity

Don’t Be Afraid of the Crazy Things God Asks (Brian Jones – 2/7/20 – NCS New Canaan)

February 7, 2020 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment

Brian Jones shares, with great vulnerability, the incredible life journey he and his family have been on by listening to God’s stirring and then having the courage to take a leap of faith and say “YES”. He tells how this journey has taken him: from thinking he would go to seminary and pursue being a pastor to a highly successful career in finance; from a finance career on Wall Street to a stint as the executive director of a church in Dallas; and from having a few children to having five and then adopting a sixth–and then moving back to a Manhattan apartment (with five children still home).

Jones also shares some of the lessons he has learned along the journey, including about marriage, raising children and being a good steward of God’s gifts. He urges us, at those times when you “can’t say no” but you “could say no” to God’s stirring, to be bold and willing to take major risks. Jones explains that, in his experience, it is not about God asking for a 20-year or 10-year or 5-year plan–it is about following Him and being faithful in the next “yes”.

My Journey to the “Why” of Work: Understanding the Intersection of Faith and Work (Paul Michalski – 1/24/20 – NCS New Canaan)

January 24, 2020 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment

Paul Michalski shares the seven stages of his 50-year journey in understanding the intersection of faith and work–understanding the “Why” of work. From Stage 1 of “Shallow Faith Plus Dreams” (knowing at 8 years old that he wanted to be a lawyer and being unable at 13 to reconcile the prophetic utterance by a Catholic bishop that he would “be a priest one day”) to Stage 7 of “Living My Why” through a new venture called Integrous that provides integrity advice and legal counsel to leaders serious about faith/work integration. In between, he describes stages called “Living My Dream”, “Hit by a Sledge Hammer”, “Clueless”, “Into the Wilderness” and “Bringing Faith and Work Together”.

Paul explains how it took a crisis in his marriage 2003 to awaken his faith and an Abrahamic moment in 2009 to begin a 10-year wilderness journey that including exploring identity and the intersection of faith and work.

Paul describes how he came to his personal mission (“to redeem work through the impartation of wisdom, spotlighting God’s truth and connecting its meaning to organizational cultures and practices”) and how that led to the mission of Integrous and development of the concept of “Integriosity”^®. He also explains what he believes to be the three divine purposes of work and business (Humanize People, Beautify the World and Glorify God), the four steps in the process of Integriosity (Renew, Re-Imagine, Re-Align and Restore) and the four key “mind shifts” necessary for true faith/work integration.

Paul ends by sharing 18 lessons he has learned along the journey.

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Click the link below for a PDF of Paul’s slide presentation

http://assets.newcanaansociety.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2020/01/24123605/My-Journey-to-the-Why-of-Work-NCS-New-Canaan-1-24-20pdf.pdf

Click the link below for a PDF of the chapter “God and Marriage” from the book Miracles by Eric Metaxas.

http://assets.newcanaansociety.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2018/04/22175510/GOD-AND-MARRIAGE.pdf

Stewarding Hardship: “Shut Up and Listen” (Mark Herzlich – 1/10/20 – NCS New Canaan)

January 10, 2020 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment

We all go through hardship–but how do we steward the “gift” of that hardship to bless other lives? After a touching introduction by Rob Brinkman (with an amazing story of how God used Mark Herzlich in Rob’s life, unbeknownst to Mark), Mark recounts with tremendous humility and transparency (and a wonderful dose of NCS humor) the journey that took him from hearing he would never play football again to winning a Super Bowl ring. Herzlich also shares how he first met his wife, and the extraordinary way she helped him realize his true manhood, which wasn’t on a football field.

Mark also explains how he and his wife made a conscious choice to use the platform God has given them–“Super Bowl Champion”–to make a difference in marriages, in how men treat women and in how people face challenges. In partnership with his wife, Mark Herzlich is stewarding well the gifts of extraordinary blessing and extraordinary hardship that God has allowed in their lives. It is a story worth hearing–so be like Job (and Mark) and “shut up and listen”. Job 40:5 (MSG).

Add Virtue Above All (Joseph Holland – 10/25/19 – NCS New Canaan)

October 25, 2019 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment

Drawing from his own experiences as well as his knowledge of American history, Joseph Holland shares 3 of the 12 virtues highlighted in his upcoming book “Vigorous Virtues”. Holland explains what he calls “The Three C’s”–Courage, Compassion and Civility. Joe posits that the deterioration of public and political discourse in America reflects a loss of foundational values. He points out that 2 Peter 1:5 instructs Christians to add “virtue” to their faith before anything else.

Holland describes how Courage requires us to be “pugnacious” and “prayerful”. He then explores Compassion and urges that it come with guidance (help people grow beyond the need for the assistance) and caring. Finally, Holland discusses “Civility”, which he believes is the most important virtue in light of the diminishing civility in America. He describes Civility as a process of “letting go” of cultural and sociological baggage and “leaning in”–taking action toward reconciliation and forgiveness.

Holland’s talk is an important one for this chapter of American history.

Christianity Matters (David Maloof – 11/16/18 – NCS New Canaan)

November 16, 2018 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment

After describing the fascinating way that he came to be a part of the New Canaan Society, international transportation attorney David Maloof shares the journey that led to writing the book Christianity Matters: How Over Two Millennia the Meek and the Merciful Revolutionized Civilization — and Why It Needs to Happen Again.

While acknowledging that many injustices were committed in the name of Christianity, Maloof talks about the significant ways that the world has benefitted from the efforts of Christians living out the Beatitudes. He explains that they are things we often take for granted today, such as hospitals and the Red Cross, animal rights and the ASPCA, the YMCA, formal education for the masses, democracy, care for the poor, protection of religious freedom, the abolition of slavery, and the Civil Rights movement. He also shares why the morality and ideals of Christianity are desperately needed in the world today.

Maloof ends his talk by addressing various audience questions.

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