Unique Platform

Louisiana mud, hunting and camouflage may not seem like a likely platform for Christ.

Facial hair or not, the men and women of the fan-favorite, A&E reality TV series Duck Dynasty share their faith in Christ every week for the millions tuning in to witness their southern antics.

The TwoTen team was encouraged by Paul’s message to the Ephesians when he said; “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). Who else could have planned for the Robertson family to spread the gospel with dirt under their nails and shotguns in hand but God alone?

Speaking of family, Dr. James Gills, founder of the St. Luke’s Cataract & Laser Institute, began writing books about the Christian lifestyle to inspire his own children. In this fourth issue of TwoTen, we read about the modern-day Renaissance man’s ability to maintain Iron Man status, a growing business and a philanthropic schedule all while fostering a family built on the rock of Christ. New York Times best-selling author Jon Acuff even shares his formula for launching an average life into awesomeness through his book START.

TwoTen gets a look into the unique platform of Army Chaplain Jason Hohnberger as he represents his country and our God at Arlington National Cemetery by honoring fallen soldiers. Military spy turned real estate investor, Ed Kobel, allows his faith to seep out after he and his wife balanced on the brink of bankruptcy.

Jon Gordon, an author and motivational speaker, met with TwoTen in an interview that offered insight into the methods he uses to inspire positivity in the workplace, while Tom Wolf sorted through the psychology of communicating in sales, whether for a product or for Christianity.

We heard from Terence Chatmon regarding his position as president and CEO of Fellowship of Companies for Christ International. The organization leverages collaboration over competition in bringing together Christian companies to equip leaders of this generation and beyond.

Unlikely though it may seem, Dr. Paul White explains why all employee recognition is not necessarily good employee recognition. With the help of research, he shows that it means close to nothing if it is missing one vital component: authenticity.

Author of Work, Love, Pray, Diane Paddison shares her own unlikely platform as a mentor to South Sudanese, Olympic athlete Lopez Lomong.

Ken Blanchard, co-author of the New York Times best-seller Lead Your Family Like Jesus, brings us back to perhaps the most poignant discipleship opportunity for all of us, the one that starts at home.

We thank Dave Ramsey for coming back to answer several readers’ business concerns, as well as Bonnie Wurzbacher, Chris Hogan, Os Hillman and Jordan Raynor for their continued input on Christian leadership and technological advances in the workplace.

In the Quarterly Review of Issue 4, we provide commentary on one of Jon Gordon’s books The Positive Dog, Work Matters by Tom Nelson, Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller as well as Darrayl and Derrick Miles’ Superhuman Performance.

John Faulkner and Richard Hayes