Apr 22, 2022
Dr. Michael Andrews is an electrical engineer turned minister and teacher! He’s also the author of The Influential Christian: Learning to Lead from the Heart. This episode feels like the perfect place to pick up just after Easter but is also a timeless message for anyone who is trying to press into what it means to live a life on purpose for Christ.
What does it really mean to be an “influencer?” This is literally a job description these days. And as Mike points out this can take the form of marketing but is also something that is happening on a heart level constantly as we live as human beings. We are constantly being influenced by something or someone, and in turn, we are always influencing others. What is leading that? Are we being manipulative or do we genuinely want to point others to Christ and experience deep, eternal life change?
Mike shares with us how empathy is the key to connecting with people and calling them into a deeper relationship with Christ, and how it must be at the root of the influence we hold in all the various parts of our life. You can have all the best tools and resources at your disposable, but if you don’t care for your heart and work through how you connect with others, it won’t create a lasting impart. This carries into the workplace, how we parent, and so much more.
Empathy is a cultivated characteristic because we are by nature we are more self-centered. So as we embrace the call to be disciples, to be Jesus’ witnesses from where we live until the ends of the earth, we must press into how we engage others. We have to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and strength before we can love our neighbor. Mike is going to guide us through some intentional examination here, suggest practical application steps to for growth, and so much more all in this episode and I cannot wait for you to hear it.
Today’s episode sponsor: Tony Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty
Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes
Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes
Connecting with Dr. Mike Andrews:
References:
What does it mean to be left-brained?
God is the God of the oppressed, the widow, the outlier
The history of Samaritans and the Jewish people
A particular episode where we talked about the Samaritan/Jewish history at length
Apologetics (we talk about these a lot in these episodes: 114 and 115)
We’ve actually talked about neuroplasticity on the podcast before, with Dr. Tiffany Tajiri
Scripture References:
Matthew 9:36, Ephesians 4:32, 1 Peter 3:8- Empathy is a picture of God’s character
Luke 10:27- We are called to love God first, then we are able to love our neighbor
John 15- we have to be grafted into the Vine
Luke 10:25-37- The Good Samaritan parable
Matthew 28:16-20- The Great Commission
Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23- Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us
Matthew 5:14-16- Because we are in Christ, we can show Christ to others
Ephesians 4:15- Speaking the truth in love
John 8:31-32- Knowing the truth (and it will set you free)
Romans 12:2- Being transformed by the renewal of your mind
John 4- (And Luke 10, see above)Jesus tells stories AND has encounters with Samaritans of great import and impact
Rahab, Ruth, King Nebuchadnezzar (for better or for worse) Cyrus the Great, Hagar- Gentiles that change everything in the Old Testament
Acts 1:8-Be a witness in Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the Earth
Isaiah 43:19- Streams in the desert and rivers in the wasteland
John 10:10,Luke 22:31,1 Peter 5:8- The enemy wants to steal, kill and destroy
Ephesians 6:10-18- The Armor of God
Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories
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*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com