The Vision Group Ltd

DAVID BARTON IS TODAY’S #1 GOOGLE TREND AFTER TALKING ABOUT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ON ‘THE DAILY SHOW’

Mike Stickler — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:51:13 +0000

David Barton was on the John Dailey show and goes viral. Watch the first part of the interview, below:

The Daily Show Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

In part three, they delve into the controversial themes surrounding the contraceptive mandate:

The Daily Show Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

How One Man’s Generous Life Made A Difference to Me.

Mike Stickler — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:28:02 +0000

April 22, 2012 – I spent a good part of the day yesterday praying and mourning the loss Chuck Colson to the world. I read the numerous comments by both Christian and secular pundits, as they made comments on Chuck’s life, failures and accomplishments, and the spin of what people thought he was all about. It’s clear most had never met the man. It’s been said that you’re lucky if you have five good friends in your life. I imagine that it’s even truer if you have that many who have made a significant impact on your life. For me Chuck Colson is one of those people. In the summer of 1974, I was on a multi-week backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada Range with my best friend. We had been out in one of the more remote areas climbing peaks and fishing lakes and streams. We had no contact with anyone as we crisscrossed the range. Finally, as we were still two nights from the trailhead and our car, we ran into a lone hiker heading into the mountains. As often backpackers do, we stopped and visited along the trail, discussing trail conditions, bear reports and fishing stories. But this report was slightly more relevant as our fellow hiker said; “I guess you haven’t heard – President Nixon has resigned.” I remember along the trail for the remainder of the day thinking what this would mean to the country and what my Social Studies teacher kept trying to get into our young heads: the Watergate Scandal was history in the making and it would change our lives. She was right. But it was years in the future for me personally, yet I never saw it coming. Later that year I joined my church youth group at a camp in the mountains just outside of Santa Barbara, California. For the first time I heard the Gospel and it made sense. That evening, upon the invitation of the leader, I accepted Jesus’ payment for my sins and became “Born Again.” Life went on and for a time I was fervent for the Lord. But then came college. Entering my college years, I became more and more distracted by the world system, learning new subjects in science and philosophy I grew more and more distant from the Lord. I married and began my family, started a business and – though never denying the Lord nor my salvation experience – my heart grew cold and distant to His Saving Grace. Finally, came the turning point. The Lord had enough of my disobedience and through His Great Mercy, gave me a time-out of sorts. Through a series of God ordained circumstances and my operating under my own strength, I found myself in the reception center – the inmates call it the “Fish Tank” – of the Nevada Prison System, beginning two ten-year sentences. I was lost, I was afraid, I was in great despair and deeply wondering if I would ever get back the life I begun to build. Totally confused, I was looking for answers. The Fish Tank is a deplorable place – you are locked up 24 hours a day with the worst humanity has to offer, in terrible conditions and no privileges like a television, or access to the outside world. For 30 days to 6 months you just sit in your cell sleep or stare at the ceiling. The only choice for reading material we could get was pornography, the Bible and Chuck Colson’s book – Born Again. So, while I languished in my cell I began to read – reading the Bible eight times and Born Again twice. I began to pray, being alone with my thoughts continuously, on how I got into this situation and on what the remaining years of my life would be. I found common ground in Chuck’s story of a guy who had it all and his pride was his undoing. I found solace in his story that he was meant for a bigger purpose and that God had bigger plans for him. It was his book Born Again that became the springboard to a life that could make a difference. It started the day I was reclassified to my permanent housing in prison and left the Fish Tank. I spent three years in prison and another 4 on parole. The Lord really, did begin to restore me from the day I walked out of that dark place and it became more and more abundant as I learned to walk as a new creation. Once free, I would set my sights on serving the poor and disenfranchised. Inside the walls, I served my Lord as an inmate chaplain and coordinated the Prison Fellowship Ministries Angel Tree applications every year. Upon my release, I started the first Christian aftercare facility for men in Northern Nevada, called the Freedom House, followed by another for women called the Faith House, coordinating with churches across the state to provide Christmas gifts to children of incarcerated parents through the Angel Tree Program. Over the years, my wife and I also used our business to directly provide over 3000 kids gifts, cards, camping trips and as mentors for Angel Tree Kids. It has been the most rewarding experience in my life. We went on and pastored for nearly 13 years, loving and encouraging those affected by the consequences of crime. All the while we stayed connected to Prison Fellowship Ministries’ regional leadership and their training. One year I was invited to participate with the staff of PFM at their annual retreat. I got to meet Chuck in person and thank him for his dedication to serving guys like me and, subsequently, their families. It was one of the most memorable experiences in my life. Then, just two days later at the closing meeting of the retreat, myself and all the other ex-offenders were invited to come to the stage, just us, and lay hands on Chuck and again re-commission him to the ministry to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families. It still brings tears to my eyes to share such an honor. Who was I to commission a man like him? You would think that would be the conclusion of Chuck’s influence of my life. But it wasn’t. Over 20 years after reading Born Again in that lonely cell and quite frankly reading most of all the other books authored by Chuck, I just happened to come across one I hadn’t remembered reading that sat on my bookshelf, a book given to me by one of the staff of PFM, How Now Shall We Live, co-authored by Chuck and Nancy Pearcy. This treatise on the Christian life was again a pivotal piece that changed the direction of my life and view of my walk of Christianity. It rocked my thinking completely. I read it again and again because I knew there was just too much to take in at one reading. This book became a catalyst for a new way of thinking about the completeness of Christ’s work on the Cross for the world. I wanted more and sent my application to the fledgling Centurions Program and was accepted! And in that year of study got to reconnect with Chuck again along with many new friends and faculty of Centurions. We stayed in touch and Chuck graciously took the time to be interviewed for our magazine, Generous Church. Just last month, I invited Chuck to speak at our conference Raise Your Vision. Though willing, he felt he had too much going on, including the Wilbur Force Forum that would be just a few days after our event. It was there that he succumbed to the health event that led to his death and into presence of the Lord. Now, I am not delusional and realize I was not that close to Chuck from his point of view. He – like so many other world-class leaders – have many relationships. I am not one of those guys that want to be recognized as his inter court, especially when I wasn’t. But nevertheless, Chuck Colson, just being the man God called him to be, helped lead this man from total despair to a man of influence and leadership, to make a difference in the lives around him. There is so much I could say about how this one man-made a difference in my life. But I think it has already been said in a song I have listen to 100’s of times. This is a song that Steven Curtis Chapman released called Heaven in the Real World. In the intro you hear Chuck’s voiceover saying: “Where is the hope? I meet millions of people that tell me that they feel demoralized by the decay around us. Where is the hope? The hope that each of us has is not in who governs us, or what laws are pass, or what great things we do as a nation. Our hope is in the power of God working through the hearts of people. That’s where our hope is in this country. And that’s where our hope is in life.” These words are a true statement, a truth that dwells in me because of the man Jesus Christ and in part because of men like Chuck Colson. Thank You, Chuck, for a life well served. I look forward to a future time together (in 30-40 more years).

Free Staffing Book – Come and get it!

Mike Stickler — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:28:54 +0000

Open publication – Free publishing – More Ben Stroup

Experts Academy Scholarships

Mike Stickler — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:29:51 +0000

Oh my! We have just been given a great blessing to benefit you. That’s right: You!

We just had a couple of supporters come alongside of the Vision 2020 Initiative making a commitment to underwrite – by way of partial scholarships – for 30 effective and cutting edge ministries for our ground breaking Experts Academy.

I knew this was in the works and made contact with several of you. But if we haven’t spoken yet, now is the time to schedule an interview to be one of the thirty.

By clicking the following link, I am giving you access to my schedule to Contact Me to make your RSVP so we can speak about the academy.

Would your like to know more about Vision2020?
Join Me for the Conversation.

Join me for the Conversation

7 Hottest Social Media Trends

Mike Stickler — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 14:56:34 +0000

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Social Media Engagement

admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:37:10 +0000

How can a ministry best utilize the social media experience? For this session, we have brought the mavens of the Christian social media world together to discuss this growing area of ministry. They will answer top questions on topics such as:

 How you can increase your ministry impact and reach using this format.  
Can you actually raise money through social media?  
Will I actually get more attenders or supporters with the time invested?

This session is geared toward every leader in ministry.

Trevor Lund

Presenter

Preview the session below.

Want to view the full session? And more?

Become a Platinum Vision2020 Member today! Enjoy full benefits for only $57/year.

Or for only $9.99, test drive a 30-day Platinum Membership HERE. Watch the full 2-hour Social Media Engagement and much more.

Grant Writing Leadership

admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:43:54 +0000

Board members and CEO’s often completely misunderstand the grant proposal process. If you want to pursue grants, participation in this session will be important for your entire leadership. Your leadership will learn the global view of the grant process along with common misconceptions. Collectively, you will be challenged to begin the process of recruiting funders for your organization. This session will help take the pressure off the grant writing professional and create a team effort to your grant approach.

Preview the session’s two presenters segments below.

Presenter

Michael Williams

Presenter

Mike Stickler

Want to view the full session? And more?

Become a Platinum Vision 2020 Member today! Enjoy full benefits for only $57/year.

Or if you want another option, for only $9.99, test drive a 30-day Platinum Membership HERE. Watch the full 2-hour Grant Writing Leadership and much more.

They Have Asked You to Join the Board. Now What?

admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:28:02 +0000

In a recent Barna study, less than 4% of born-again Christians correctly answered 6 basic questions in regard to the tenants of Christianity. This study is reflective of the large number of Christians leaving the church and not returning, especially the Mosaics. Church pastors acknowledge the problem but don’t always acknowledge it could be happening in their church. In this session, some of today’s great observers of ministry gather together to discuss these alarming trends and offer positive solutions for church leadership.

Preview the session’s two presenters below.

Presenter

Joe Parker

Presenter

Michael Williams

Discipleship and Worldview Issues Affecting the Church

admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:11:49 +0000

Preview the session’s two presenters below.

Presenter

T.M. Moore

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Rob Boyland

Strategic Funding Plans

admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:00:02 +0000

Ministry is not business. It’s an organism that uses business practices from time to time. Often, the marketplace leader experiences a level of frustration as they attempt to connect with their ministry leadership and establish organizational effectiveness in the ministry they love. This session will change your paradigm on how effective ministry moves forward and will give you an opportunity to serve with effectiveness.

Shannon Barnes

Presenter

Preview the session below.