For more than a decade I have had a deep desire to create environments that inspire, equip, and empower people to reach their God-given potential. A strong part of this vision was connected to teaching business and entrepreneurship in ways that empower people to maximize their financial potential. That's why I'm super excited to announce a new opportunity that I have to lead an emerging business incubator in South Atlanta called Metro Merge. 

Launched on MLK Day 2009, Metro Merge is apart of a collective of community development non-profit organizations under FCS Urban Ministries (Focused Community Strategies).  FCS was founded by Bob Lupton in 1976 with the mission “to create healthy places in the city where families flourish and God’s shalom is present.” Metro Merge adds its part to this mission by serving as a catalyst to help opportunity and potential emerge in Historic South Atlanta through promoting sustainable enterprises and economic development solutions. 

Working in partnership with Kingdom Business University, we are developing a full service business incubator and business programming that emphasizes transformational leadership, financial literacy, technological literacy, and social community impact. Learn more at www.metromerge.org.

Here is the official press release...

Fight Poverty. Grow Businesses. Create Jobs.
Metro Merge is a division of FCS Urban Ministries, a non-profit with a 30+ year track record. We’re one of multiple initiatives that all work together with a wholistic emphasis.

We rely on ongoing donations to sustain our not-for-profit mission. And we’re working to build a sustainable model to reduce our need for fundraising. Please consider co-investing with us as we join God’s restorative work in the city. Click here to learn more about donating to Metro Merge.

Everything that God planned for us to do in the earth, He desires for us to be successful in doing it. That's why the Bible includes the blueprint for success for every single person, no matter what their individual purpose. This includes entrepreneurs and other businesspeople. Following what God said in Joshua 1:8, here are 7 principles that you can apply to your business that will guarantee success in God's eyes even if you don't look successful from society's perspective. As an aside, the only reason these principles would be considered "secrets" to you is if you don't read your Bible...
1) Prayer - Everything significant that happens in the Kingdom of God is preceded by prayer and sustained by prayer. Further, your business is an answer to someone's prayer. So pray and get God's wisdom on what you should do and how you should do it.

• "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." - 1 Corinthians 9-11
  
•  "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." - Jeremiah 33:3
  

2) Purpose - I agree with my friend Antonina Greer who says God has a purpose for your business to bring glory to Him and transformation to those you serve.

• "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
  
• "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10

3) Passion - God wants to His passion to work through you through the work that you do. He wants to demonstrate His intense love for humanity by way of your talents and creativity. His commitment to the people you serve is not half-hearted so yours should be either.

• "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." - Jeremiah 20:9
  
• "Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" - 1 Corinthians 9:16
  

[RELATED: Dream B.I.G.: How to Pursue a Bold, Innovative, God-Inspired Life!]

4) Patience and Perseverance - The best of entrepreneurs realize that great businesses are not grown overnight. Commit to press through the mundane to get to the magnificent!

•  "In your patience possess ye your souls." - Luke 21:19
  
• "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.." - James 1:2-4
  

5) Practice - Perfect practice makes perfect. God is not asking you for perfection, but He is asking for your diligence. Your diligence will lead to your long-term success.

•    "Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Proverbs 22:29
  
•    "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." - Colossians 3:23

6) Profits - God is excited when His children prosper. He's not a deadbeat or evil IRS agent waiting for His cut. He gets excited when you flourish financially. He just wants to help you steward it properly so it can be sustained.

•  Proverbs 8:17-21
  
• "Prosper and be in good health even as your soul prospers…" - 3 John 1:2

[RELATED: My Father's Business: Biblical Strategic for the Entrepreneurial Economy]

7) Praise - Without God we can do nothing. With Him nothing is impossible. Give the proper credit to whom it is due. Gratitude creates an atmosphere that attracts blessings.

• "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together." - Psalm 34:1-3
  
• "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thes 5:18
  

Bonus:
8) Partnerships - Without God we can do nothing. With Him nothing is impossible. Give the proper credit to whom it is due. Gratitude creates an atmosphere that attracts blessings.

• "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
  
• "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." - Matthew 18:20

I included an interview that I did with Larry Robinson, host of GospelInterviews.com, that provides some more insights to this topic. Enjoy and leave your comments below....

My guest this Thursday on Passion in Action TV is author, motivator, and cancer conqueror Eddie Connor. Eddie Connor was born in Southfield, Michigan but grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. The British Education that Eddie received, during his formative years in Jamaica, can be attributed to his thirst for knowledge. As a product of a divorced family, Eddie realizes that he was not born with a "silver spoon" in his mouth, but was raised by a strong mother, who instilled in him life long values and the importance of governing himself as a positive individual.

Eddie has garnered prestigious honors for his community activism and role model leadership, such as the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award, Eastern Michigan University President For a Day, and the NAACP Male Student of the Year.

As an Author, Educator, Evangelist, Motivational Speaker, Poet, Radio and TV Host, Eddie Connor shares his story of overcoming cancer in his three books, "Purposefully Prepared to Persevere", "Collections of Reflections: Symphonies of Strength, Volumes 1-3", and "E.CON the ICON: from Pop Culture to President Barack Obama".

From Cancer to Conqueror to more than Conqueror, God has truly given Eddie Connor a voice to reach individuals of all ages and backgrounds in this day and time. A young man of passion, determination, and intellectual fortitude, desires to impact minds in perilous times, by enhancing the lives of others and expressing the power to persevere, which will ultimately propel individuals beyond all obstacles.

To hear more of Eddie's story of conquering cancer and more, join us Thursday at 7 pm ET. Watch online on your computer or mobile device at www.passioninaction.tv.

Today I have the unenviable task of sharing some hard truths with you. You're not good enough to be successful. You're not smart enough. You're not talented enough. You're not educated enough. You don't have enough money. You don't have the right network. You don't have enough good ideas. You're not experienced enough. You're not creative enough. I could go on, but hopefully you get the point. You don't have all that it takes to be successful in your business or life... if you only consider what you bring to the table.

"When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags." ~ Isaiah 64:6

In our society we spend a lot of time building people up by telling them how great they are, but we often exclude the most significant part of the equation. You see all of the above statements are true when God is left out of the mix. It doesn't matter what you accomplish in your business or how much money you make or how many people you impress if God has not been greatly impressed upon your heart. If He's not the central focus of your life, all your works will be burned up like hay or stubble (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Furthermore, you will work a whole lot harder and your path will be much more difficult when you try to go it alone and not leverage the most incredible strategic advantage that anyone could have.

"I am what I am by God’s grace..." ~ 1 Corinthians 15:10

God's goal is to equip and empower you with supernatural wisdom, strength, creativity, favor, and everything else you need to get amazing results and change lives through the work He's anointed and appointed you to do. He wants to show up for you in miraculous ways, especially in those situations when you know you don't have the right degree, the right friends, enough money, or experience to get the job done. He gets the greatest glory when His strength is on display through your weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). These light-shining moments when people look at what you accomplished and are simply in awe at what God did through you (Matthew 5:16). He wants to make these moments normal in your life.

RELATED: The Entrepreneurial Mind of Christ: Applying Kingdom Strategies that Build Business Success

On the other hand, the enemy tries to deceive us by trying to make us believe half truths. Remember, those statements listed above are only true when we leave God out of the mix. Unfortunately, sometimes we swallow the deception, thinking that we're being humble, but in reality oftentimes we're trying to mask self-condemnation. 

Humility is not denying the greatness for which God created you. Humility is recognizing that without Him you have no greatness.

God does not want to disregard or discount your past accomplishments. He just wants you to submit them to Him so He can show you how to use them in ways you never would have thought of, so you can achieve successes you never could have imagined. So while it's true the you're not good enough without Him, it's even more true that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!

Leave your comments below...

I'm really looking forward to attending this Partners Worldwide conference tomorrow at LAUNCH, a community-based business incubator that's having a major impact on lives in the Chattanooga area through entrepreneurship and business training. Our team at Kingdom Business University is in the process of creating something similar at Metro Merge in South Atlanta. This will definitely be a time of great learning, networking, and fun as we strategize and collaborate on how to manifest our victory over this defeated foe.

This week on Passion In Action TV I will interview Ronald L. Godbee, pastor of The River Church in Durham, NC. "Many are called, but few are chosen," certainly personifies this humble vessel of God.  The powerful ministry gift that rests on his life is evident whenever you’re in a worship experience with him.  Pastor Godbee has a passion for praise and worship with a ministry style that saturates the soul.  His operation in the five-fold ministry gifts will cause lives to be radically changed, transformed and renewed. 
During his time of humble service and ministry, Pastor Godbee was appointed by his spiritual father, Presiding Prelate Bishop Edgar Vann, II to serve as General Overseer on the Executive Council of the Kingdom Alliance Covenant Fellowship. His ministry moments have been highlighted in many forms of Christian media.  He is noted for his revelatory wisdom and knowledge that he willingly shares in sermons and mentoring relationships with people from all walks of life.  
He has been a regular host on many Christian talk shows which include co-hosting with Bishop Greg Davis on “Rejoice in the Word,” as well as hosting his own radio show, compassionately called, “The Flow.”  Pastor Godbee’s gentle, yet boldly anointed voice is heard all over the airwaves glorifying God and edifying the body of Christ as he addresses the topics that many modern-day theologians scarcely mention.  
In his position as the Campus Pastor of The River Church in Durham, North Carolina, Pastor Godbee is challenging the men and women of God to build lives, loyalty, and a legacy.

Watch the live stream to learn more about this dynamic man of God and his ministry this Thursday, June 6th at 7pm ET only on www.passioninaction.tv.