Last year Church of the Highlands (COTH) partnered with John Maxwell to present a very unique conference. I had the privileged of attending the event held at the COTH Grants Mill campus and was pleasantly surprised to witness how mainstream business oriented the occasion turned out to be. The pamphlets and other visual media was adorned with very popular business brands that supported the event. I was enthralled with joy to participate in what felt more like a business meeting and a clear message that many of Birmingham's mainstream business elite have a passion for Christian leadership.
I felt the Spirit telling me that in spite of the already well established greatness God has and is giving to Highlands (i.e dream center, top ten largest church in America, dynamic prison ministry, ARC, etc etc etc) that he yet again was allowing the COTH to birth yet another great significant ministry to the world. I felt the Spirit saying Highlands was called to also somehow play a very instrumental role in the support and equipping of the business industry in Birmingham and Alabama at large.
I did not think much of the word God gave me at the John Maxwell 2015 event however the Lord spoke to me two additional times with the same message regarding the possibility of the influence God would give COTH in the business and government community in the state of Alabama. Either during that same time or a bit later Church of the Highlands purchased a mix use business building loaded with event and office space we now call the Grandview Campus. It is located in a very prominent business district in an area of Birmingham called HWY 280. Upon hearing this news God reminded me of the possibilities of what he might be calling COTH to become.
My wife and I were already on a ministry team at Highlands called Legacy. Sometime after or before the Grandview campus was announced a gentleman from Baton Rouge, LA a Mr. Lee Domingue was established as the Legacy Pastor. Which meant by default he was now my direct pastor within the family of Highlands. Therefore I did some research on him to get a better understanding of his purpose and was shocked to see his experience was more in line as a successful business entrepreneur who was now serving as a pastor. I found this very intriguing and once again God spoke to me about the potential of what he was establishing in Birmingham through the Highlands brand.
My research on Pastor Lee led me to read his book
Pearls of the King God's Game Plan for Life.
The main purpose of the journal entry is to list out the 'pearls' that I felt really spoke to me and are attributes I am committed to living on a daily basis:
- a king is referred to as a business man or woman who is not in full time ministry. A true king is one with a mission to create wealth for the purpose of establishing God's covenant in the earth pg 7
- to supply the finances needed to not only bring the message of Christ to all of humanity, but also be the catalyst for ushering in the second coming of Jesus! pg 8
- know how to operate in the call as a king and enlarge your vision to fulfill your mission as a financial conduit in the body of Christ. Your heart is what qualifies you, not a particular amount of money pg 9
- God is far more concerned with Him dwelling 'in us' than he is about rules... pg 16
- when God give us a word, a vision, or a strategy, we must use great discretion with whom we share those precious pearls pg 39
- "Sandlot League" vs the "Pharaoh League" many year ago I heard pastor Wellington Boone explain you have to take low roads to new heights. Sacrifices must be made to fulfill dreams pg 41
- every king must learn to forgive those who have caused you pain or judged us harshly... how we respond will not only our determine our level of success, but more importantly, our level of influence for Christ in the world. pg 42 - 45
- dreams power destiny, you can't have one without the other pg 60
- intimacy with God should be the #1 disciple of every king... we need to let certain things go... to keep a fresh relationship with our Father pg 74 - 79
- Bucky is dead... the day will forever be burned into my heart because it serves as the as a reminder of how important it is for every believer to chose to live a life of holiness; to walk out each day with the purity and innocence that can only come from God's presence alive within us pg 87
- have sufficiency for me and abundance for every good work/the kingdom pg 97-99, 101
- a sign you are headed in the right direction on your God-given path is when you come to the end of yourself and you can no longer "make it happen" in your own strength. pg 104
- the Holy Spirit is the most untapped, unlimited resource available from God pg 110
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV)
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. pg 121
- your spouse is your greatest asset. Treat her like your #1 client! pg 123
- the stealth and sleeper cell kings in the church are aching to be called out and invited to engage in the conquest of the God given dream of church pastors pg 160
- covenant kings must be tested. He must be able to be trusted, he must be full of humility, and he must be one who freely gives with no manipulation attached. He must have a health marriage and family along with strong relationships; the last things you need is an insecure high maintenance - low impact person looking for you to full his needs in friendship pg 162
- the only achievements that truly matter are for those that are accomplished for the purpose of establishing God's Kingdom throughout the earth. pg 166
- Jesus did not say the gates of Hell shall not prevail against your business, or your vision, or your family. He said the gates of Hell shall not prevail against His Church! pg 167
- people immediately give honor and prestige to any person who has gained wealth, but the king must never allow this to become part to his identity pg 168
- the covenant relationship of a king and a priest is a marriage of destinies that are depend upon each other pg 170
Amen praise God these are some of the many pearls listed in Lee's book that I shall ever make a part of my destiny.
Martin A. Briggs
Manager
KM Briggs
