0

A Biz Plan to Follow the Lamb

(intro Video)

Higher Purpose – Victor Frankl noticed that many of the individuals who survived the horrors of the concentration camp had someone or something for which they were living.

Being human always points, and is directed, to something or someone, other than oneself—be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter. The more one forgets himself—by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love—the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself (Victor Frankl). Now imagine our higher purpose is from Father God!

Keeping in step with Father’s purpose in life and business is a dynamic process. Translation – it’s not predictable and it doesn’t lend itself to our recipes, theologies, or stale prophecies. That’s why Jesus put a premium on Follow Me, 20 times in 12 conversations (listed in the Cutting Room Floor at the end).

Following Jesus is a sonship skill set that requires spiritual and intellectual agility.

• • A willingness to defer your personal desires and dreams, Father has something better
  • A surrender of personal ambition to make Room for what Father can add
  • An ability and theology to Resurrect From Loss, Something Jesus redeems for us!

Two Ecclesia’s – We all “learn” by watching others: hearing what they say, watching what they do, and doing it ourselves with them watching us. That is practical mentoring, Follow me as I follow Christ.

Sons and daughters need two Ecclesia’s to make it through the maze of Following the Lamb wherever. One occupying our seat in Father’s Council (to hear) and one in the Business culture where we work (to do). Sons learn by hearing and Doing; 1) hearing the Nine Conversations in the Council, and 2) Working on that shared purpose on Earth that lands in Reformation. It takes both!

Work or Toil

• • Think of purpose originating with God. Aligning with Father’s work nourishes our hearts and gives us life. Co-laboring with Father activates our creativity and initiative. It’s fun!
  • Working on a purpose originating in our self-interest is toil that tires; dead works that don’t originate in Father’s heart exhaust and frustrate us because it doesn’t lead us anywhere.

Lu 5:5 – Master, we’ve worked hard (Toiled) all night and haven’t caught anything.
But because you say so, I will let down the nets. (Following Jesus Living Words)

0

The Language of Exhaustion

Scripture uses two words for work. Toil (Heb etseb, Gk kopiao) means hurt, pain, fatigue—

• • Adam and Eve Gen 3:16 – in sorrow (toil) you will bring forth children
  • Peter Luke 5:5 – Master, we’ve worked hard (toil) all night and caught nothing.
  • Jesus Mt 11:28 – Come to me, all who labor (toil) and are heavy laden.

But Jesus called another kind of work. Co-laboring with Father is Soul Food, not exhaustion.

• • Jn 4:34 – My food is to do the will of him who sent me
  • Jn 14:12 – whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works…
  • Prov 10:22 – The blessing of the LORD brings wealth without painful toil.
  • Ps 127:1-2 – Unless the LORD builds… In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling.

The Holy Spirit: John, I’m giving you the ability to produce wealth (Value, Deut 8:18). My work is rooted in indefatigable purpose. Sons converting Living Words from Heaven to Living Works on Earth is energizing and exciting. Your dead works exhaust. Father’s work is Life and life more abundantly!

o

Two Cultures, Two Leaders

Managers track performance in servants. They measure KPIs, optimize systems, ask “How much?” and “How fast?” Necessary, but it builds a culture of control… that servants need and want!

Leaders father purpose in sons. They pull people into calling, honor dreams, release creativity. They ask, “What is Father saying?” and “What do you carry?” Leaders inspire co-laboring from the heart.

Culture happens when people engage for their reasons, not just yours. When they feel Seen, Treasured, Chosen, Loved, and Known as Father’s handiwork (Eph 2:10). When they’re invited to contribute to work prepared in advance—their calling. When they are celebrated for their anointing and exploits.

o

Culture Isn’t a Recipe—It’s a Person

Counsel: “Kingdom Business Culture isn’t a recipe you follow—it’s a Person.”

Following the Lamb into the Council feels out-of-control at first. It requires agility, a willingness to put personal desires second, surrender personal ambition to Father’s Kingdom, and develop a theology for failing—because following means trading your expectations for something better.

Psalm 23 – The LORD is my shepherd… He leads, He refreshes, He guides me for His name’s sake.
Not for my five-year plan. For His name’s sake.

The paradox: Following feels like a high-wire act… until it doesn’t. It’s a skill set that develops through practice, daily Council conversations of hearing Living Words in Heaven and converting them to Greater Works on Earth.

0

Your Business Needs Two Wings

A Business Plan – In a perfect world, my business plan would be built around Father’s purpose and deliver a product or service aligned with my role in Father’s Reformation of People, Businesses, Cities and Nations. That requires intentional focus, but it’s not out of reach. John’s example Business Purpose & Aspirations lands in a 1 page Business Plan. It’s model for any business (or life) that we can help you implement. It’s a brochure that can market your prophetic purpose to engage staff and clients.

A Culture Plan – Next, the culture in our staff would invite people into their own sonship

1).  Our Business culture invites people to remove the mask and be themselves, authentic:

• • To Feel Seen, Treasured, Chosen, Loved, and Known as Father’s Handiwork, Eph 2:10
  • Invited to contribute (to their work prepared in advance, Their Calling at work)
    Ps 139:14 – Fearfully and wonderfully made

2).  Discipleship is intentionally pulling sons into their purpose (Flourishing)

• • You will experience getting on the same page with Father (Righteousness, Mt 6:33)
  • Put Father’s Kingdom and His righteousness first, His Purpose
    • So your heart is released to create from their own identity and Purpose
    • So Father is released to add all these things that He knows we need

3).  So others can engage, team with you in an Ecclesia built on shared purpose

John’s example Business 7-Spirit Profile lands in a 1 page Culture Plan. This too, is a model tailored to your business as a whole or to a staff member as an individual that we can help you implement.

• • Imagine regular checks on the progress of your business plan with cash flow.
  • Now imagine regular checks on your business culture by measuring the FLOW.
    (The flow of things Father is adding to your business!, Mt 6:33)

When you get both wings on the airplane of your business, Here’s what it looks like. Imagine a Business Culture so attractive there are 100 applicants for every opening! Kingdom is good for Business.

o

This blog was inspired by two Council sessions you may enjoy:

• 2026-02-06 Council – Following Life
• 2026-02-10 Council – Following Jesus Culture

 

Take the Next Step:

Progression to Sonship – Your Kingdom purpose and redemptive stories form the basis for your personal identity, purpose, value creation, and your business offer. Becoming your authentic self is the Father’s non-religious key to flow and fruit in business and life. We offer practical and prophetic coaching to help you get there, flowing with your Father (co-laboring) instead of fighting circumstances and resistance alone.

• Read the book and chat with John aboutKingdom Business Coaching.

 

Cutting Room Floor

Jesus said “Follow me” 21 times, in 12 different conversations.

1. Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17 “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”
2. Matthew 8:22, Luke 9:59– To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” …”Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
3. Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27– After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.”
4. Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23 – “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
5. Matthew 19:21, Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22 – Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
6. Luke 14:27 – Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
7. John 1:43 – The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
8. John 10:27 – My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
9. John 12:26 – If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
10. John 13:36 – Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”
11. John 14:2-3 – In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
12. John 21:19 – (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
13. John 21:22 – Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

Heb 5:11 – Concerning him (Jesus) we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain,
since you have become poor listeners. (dull of hearing)
12)   For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again
for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God,
and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13)   For everyone who partakes only of milk
is unacquainted with the word of righteousness (Living Words), for he is an infant.
14)    But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice
have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.