Additional Transformative Statements
Written by Dale Ebel
[Luke 14:23 AMP] “Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled [with guests].'”
Did you know that two years after a person becomes a Christian, they no longer have any non-Christian friends, and in many cases they simply do not associate with people outside of Jesus Christ? The truth is, my friends, that in large part we are talking to ourselves! This is one reason why we cannot continue to depend on the an attractional type of ministries, which is essentially just inviting people who are outside of faith in Christ to church or to Christian events. We must be intentional with personal, hands-on encounters with not-yet-Christians. Seventy percent of my interaction with non-Christian people happens through substantive, bite-sized encounters that I have on a daily basis. The vast majority of people will never come to church or hear a long sermon. However, we can encounter them where they are, and that is precisely what the Apostle Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ did consistently throughout their lives. Acts 17:21; Matthew 4:23.
The more you know, the more you see!
This little phrase has been pivotal for me, because the more I understand the Word of God and the realities of how life works, the more I am able to interface with people of all Faiths, all social and economic statuses, and all intellectual capacities.
Here are 27 more of my well-used transformative statements. I encourage you to think about the phrases that you use on a regular basis when connecting with people. I have discovered that all people, whether professing Christians or people on the margins, appreciate substantive comments and interactions. They respond to me with positive, encouraging, and uplifting remarks. As one Muslim woman said to me and asked me: “Thank you! You are so positive! Are you Jewish, or are you a Christian?” How fun is this! An older military gentleman and I had a 30-minute uplifting interaction when I was walking; while he sat in his parked car. Pretty providentially unplanned, I would say. We talked about the Bible and how its truths relate to the present world. He said, “Thank you, I have never talked to a pastor like you!” 🙏🏼😀
Below are 27 of my transformative comments. Consider incorporating these into your routines with other people and adapt them to fit your personality and approach.
PLEASE ALSO WRITE OUT YOUR OWN 👊
1. Duty is ours; results are God’s. — John Quincy Adams; Luke 17:10
Yesterday, September 2, 2026, I was working out to help negate my neuropathy, and the owner of the workout facility and I were talking. He complimented me on how he had noticed I have been consistent and regular in working out. I told him I was still doing the exercises that he gave me two years prior. He said, “Thank you. Consistency is the name of the game, isn’t it?” I proceeded to simply say, “Yes, and in fact it is intriguing that Jesus Christ addresses the very issue of consistency.” I then took four to five minutes to explain to him how Christ was asked by the disciples how they might increase their faith. The bottom line was that He tells them that a servant does his job and does not expect to be complimented or remunerated; he simply does his duty. Then I quoted John Quincy Adams: “Duty is ours, results are God’s.” The owner stood in front of me, bowed his head, lifted his hands to his face in a prayer posture, and said, with enthusiasm and a smile on his face, “John Quincy Adams was exactly right!!” Friends, I do not know where this all fits in the equation of evangelism, pre-evangelism, or bringing people to Christ, but it happened when I was least expecting it, in the workout facility in West Linn, Oregon, on September 2, 2026. This is rather simple, but it is redemptive to me!
2. Life is a test, life is a trial, and life is a temporary assignment. — Rick Warren
3. Grace (unmerited favor) is a two-way street. It is given to you so that you might give it to others. 1 Corinthians 15:10
4. The whole counsel of God is the Book of the Covenants (OT) and the Renewed Covenant (NT). Acts 20:27
5. Chaos never produces complexity. Job 38:25–33 NLT
6. If you believe in evolution and things are going uphill, simply look in the mirror every three months. 😀 Romans 8:21 NLT
7. Financially live within your means. Deuteronomy 15:6; Proverbs 22:7
8. All of us are managers, and we only manage two assets — our affluence and our influence. Parables on being a good steward. Influence: the value of a good name — Proverbs 22:1; Ecclesiastes 7:1. Affluence: Matthew 25:21; Luke 16:9
9. Generally, people do what we inspect more than what we expect. Luke 19:15
10. The number one sin of evangelical pastors is cowardice. 1 Timothy 1:18 and 2 Timothy 2:3
11. Because we have so privatized our Faith, we have marginalized ourselves and therefore have lost our voice in the public square. Matthew 5:14
12. The Kingdom of God is broader than our salvation. It is the further dimension of our salvation that extends Christ and His Kingdom principles to all arenas of life. Romans 15:17–22
13. The Hebraic paradigm says act correctly and you will think correctly. 1 Peter 1:22
14. Find people worthy of emulation; they are there. 1 Corinthians 12:1
15. A Biblical Total-Truth Worldview is not myopic, for it views EVERY aspect of life through the lens of Scripture. It has a macro (large, all-encompassing) view. Deuteronomy 4:5–8
16. The Hebraic (Hebrew) view of life focuses on the concrete and does not have room for compartmentalization or speculation. 2 Thessalonians 3:4
17. Don’t be so picky when sharing your faith. Acts 17:17
18. Ask more open-ended questions to people. Their answers will give you a window into their heart, their soul, their spirit, their motives, and their priorities. Luke 22:41
19. Truth is discerning between what is right and what is almost right. 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22
20. We shape our buildings, and then they shape us. — Winston Churchill; Deuteronomy 26:2
21. God created us the sex (gender) we are, and not we ourselves. — Psalm 100:3. NOT WE OURSELVES.
22. When you take risks for Christ, you thrive. 2 Corinthians 1
23. Starve dysfunction. Proverbs 17:10; 17:12
24. If you are risk averse, you die. Equilibrium breeds death. Jeremiah 48:11–13
25. Overeating is an acceptable American social habit. Proverbs 23:2
26. Social and excessive drinking of alcohol is a hidden destroyer of families. Proverbs 20:1
27. Entrepreneurial capitalism.
I am reserving this last important transformative statement because, to my pleasant surprise, I have had numerous opportunities to interact with my left-leaning friends and relatives about how capitalism is the only wealth-producing form of government. This has been extremely rewarding and fun for me, because every socialist, leftist, or moderate liberal I encounter is benefiting from capitalism and yet they blindly bite the hand that feeds them. They practice capitalism in their own economic practices, yet they criticize and demean it as long as it does not touch their own wealth, comfort, or family. I attempt to open the window for them to see this. I have made some headway, as indicated by their polite comments like: “Thank you, Dale, I never thought of it that way,” and “It is true that I live to make and save my profits for my family. This makes sense, for this is how businesses can only operate and succeed.”
The Five Points of Entrepreneurial Capitalism. I have memorized these and have explained them spur-of-the-moment on numerous occasions. You also can do this if you are so inclined. 😀
In the Scripture, the economic system which we call the free-market system encourages citizens to benefit from their own individual work (1 Kings 4:25; 1 Timothy 5:18). Individually they are due their profits and are rewarded according to excellent performance, or are penalized for substandard performance (Luke 19:24–26).
Many times I take the opportunity to preface my comments about entrepreneurial capitalism with a few thoughts that I reference below.
Think about the iPhone.
Steve Jobs, in a sense, built the iPhone in recognition of what people wanted even before they knew they wanted it. Putting himself in the place of his potential customers, Jobs realized that they didn’t like the existing keyboard and stylus that dominated the BlackBerry, Motorola, and Palm smartphones of the day. Why not have everything work off a touch screen, using nature’s own stylus — the finger — to navigate the device? Wouldn’t it be great to move effortlessly from phone calls to music to web surfing? And, no less important, a device with no instruction manual — you just look at it, and you can see how to use it!
We are living in a technologically revolutionary period. In this era, all types of entrepreneurs are creating innovations that are unprecedented. And the truth is that the consumer is benefited and receives them with enthusiasm, not only in America but worldwide. These are all wonderfully unprecedented times, but the reality is that it has also produced inequalities, because rightfully much of the profit goes to the entrepreneurs who are willing to take the risks, work intelligently, and live on the edge, discovering and reinventing new products that we the consumers can hardly live without. Think about it — the cell phone, GPS, electric cars that drive on their own, the huge advantages of artificial intelligence, and new medical discoveries.
If envy creeps in because of the inequalities, anyone is free to start their own enterprising adventure. Don’t be envious — emulate!
This is the moral justification of those making profits, and of capitalism, as they represent the wishes — and the welfare — of the delighted consumers. This is democracy; this is the free-market system in action, whether left-leaning people admit it or not.
Christ never disparages profit, but He does disparage the misuse of profit for immoral ends.
Entrepreneurial Capitalism Explained
- It starts with an idea that will provide a benefit to the customer and to the person originating the idea. Usually most other people do not see a new way of doing something or envision new combinations.
- A financial investment usually involving a loan.
- It includes taking all the risk. The entrepreneur gets paid only after the profit is calculated — that is to say, after everyone else is paid — and if the venture fails, he does not get paid at all.
- Marketing the business. Creating an organizational structure to expand the idea.
- Operating the venture to be successful. If it is successful both economically and relationally, the staff are valued and rewarded. There must be a win-win.
Some of the sources and concepts that have shaped my thinking on this subject are: The Founders Bible, “Socialism versus the Free Market System,” pages 1934–1944; The United States of Socialism by Dinesh D’Souza, chapter 5, pages 173–218; and, of course, my own study of the Word of God and the variety of books I have read and am reading.
OK gang, please let me know if you choose to use any of my transformative statements or create your own. I would thoroughly enjoy your assessment of the interactions that you have with people on the edges. Remember friends, we cannot continue to only talk to ourselves. Become more incarnational, like the Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul.
Advancing His purposes with you,
Dale