Shows
Empowered Learning PodcastLead with Love: A Conversation with Phil Routly on Life and LeadershipPhil Routly
Summary:
In this episode, Andy and Phil discuss the format for their upcoming conversation on leadership and learning, with Phil sharing insights into his upbringing and career path. The conversation then shifts to a discussion about their children's accomplishments and their own diverse career journeys.
Phil and Andy then delve into a candid discussion about the enduring effects of individuals' decisions on team dynamics, drawing parallels from their personal experiences in sports. They also discuss the prevalent problem of selfishness and the absence of mentorship in various spheres, including education and...
2024-07-0556 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil"Muddy Waters, Clean Heart: The Challenge to Live Spotless" (1 Timothy 6:14a)So, I've got to start with "What is this command?"
Let's go back a few verses…
But you, man of God, flee from all this temptation, and pursue righteousness. In a nutshell, that's it - quit chasing that, and chase this.
And I, Paul, your mentor and teacher, charge you, Timothy, my mentee and student, in the sight of the Creator and the King of Kings, keep this command without spot or blame.
Two specifics - without spot, and wi...
2024-03-1004 minFIVE Minutes with PhilThe Path to Abundant Living (part 1) (1 Timothy 6:6,8a)6 But godliness with contentment is great gain… 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Godliness with contentment is great gain. What about godliness without contentment? For that matter, what is contentment?
These are the running shoes worn by basketball star Steph Curry. They are manufactured by Under Armour, bear his initials, and sell for about $200 US. And he has written a portion of Phil. 4:13 in Sharpie: "I can do all things."
Once again, context is king. Since Paul is addressing contentment here in 1 Timothy, and he teaches mo...
2023-12-0305 minFIVE Minutes with PhilShould a Christian Use Medication? 1 Timothy 5:2323 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
Now, this seems to come out of nowhere! Unless you put it in the context of someone in leadership, who has stomach troubles, ulcers, or other worry-induced ailments. In Timothy's case, Paul refers to his "frequent illnesses." Apparently, Paul was around him enough to know that for Timothy, this was not just an occasional thing.
And maybe there was pressure for abstinence from alcohol - like a Nazarite vow - that was...
2023-10-2904 minFIVE Minutes with PhilHow Pure is Pure? 1 Timothy 5:22b22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
Context is king. A text without a context is a pretext.
So when Paul says "Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure," he has to be writing about leaders, and the possibility that you, Timothy, could share in their sin if you do not hold them accountable.
"But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before...
2023-10-2204 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilTrain yourself to be Godly - 1 Timothy 4:76 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put ou...
2023-06-0505 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilIt's All Good Because God Created EverythingFor everything God created is good.
It seems to be that there are exceptions to this.
Like mosquitoes. And flies. Hornets and wasps. Poison ivy. Skunks. Need I say more?
Everything?
And yet, we know that these things all serve a purpose in God's eco-system. They are probably things we never would have thought of, or if we had, would have rejected the idea.
Skunks are beneficial critters. They are omnivorous and eat a variety of garden pests, including mice, voles, beetles, various larvae, wasps and crickets. Skunks are...
2023-02-1305 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilAbstain From Certain Foods. Don't Do It!aul then gives us a second examples of the kind of teaching these hypocritical liars are guilty of, so we're looking at them one at a time. Last week, it was forbidding people from marrying. Here, they're ordering people to abstain from certain foods.
Food! Glorious Food!
In our world, food choices go round and round. Not too many years ago, eggs were to be avoided at all cost, or you will get high cholesterol. Then, avoid egg yolks - egg whites are okay. Now, they are considered a super-food - except that these day...
2023-02-0607 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilShould People to Marry? 1 Timothy 4:34 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
...
2023-01-3007 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilLiars Lie ( 1 Tim. 4:2)4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
...
2023-01-2307 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilWhat The Spirit Says... (1 Tim. 4:1b)So, 1 Timothy 4:1, what is it that the Spirit clearly says? "That in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."
We know that is true, because the Scripture says it, but is there other evidence elsewhere in Scripture that some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits?
Well, we know that in Luke 22, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned...
2023-01-1505 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilThe Spirit Says What? 1 Timothy 4:1aWelcome to a new era in FIVE Minutes with Phil.
I'm Phil Routly, president and head coach of Soul Impact.
Since 2021, I've been writing, recording and producing weekly posts and podcasts which appeared on my website, philroutly.com, and on Spotify. Beginning this week, they are on my Youtube channel, @soulimpact. I'd really appreciate it if you would subscribe! So as of today, you can watch it, listen to it, or read it. Pretty cool.
When FIVE Minutes with Phil began, there were three tracks. Grampa Talks was mostly my comments on stuff...
2023-01-0806 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilAre You Ready For 2023?Ready of not, here it comes! As we are getting ready to enter 2023, I've been reminded how important it is for us to have a kind of map in our heads of where we have been, where we are, where we are heading, and what we expect that journey to look like. I'm writing "The Seven C's of a Disciple," and the first C is Clarity, so it only makes sense that we do all we can to be really clear of three things:
Where I am: My Reality
Where I want to be: My Vision
How I...
2022-12-3107 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilAdvent 2022 - PeacePeace doesn't come naturally to us. It did in the garden, but when Adam and Eve decided to ignore the words of God, they set the pattern - and the destination - for all of us. Since then, the moments of peace have been rare.
Jesus came to bring a peace which is impossible without him. It's impossible because it's a standard we are incapable of attaining on our own, based upon having a peaceful relationship with the One who created us. If we are at war with Him, we will never experience peace.
The...
2022-12-2304 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilAdvent III 2022 - JoyJoy is a word that is splashed all over the story of the first Christmas. And beyond.
It begins with the angel Gabriel telling Zechariah that his son, who will be John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus the Messiah, "will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth" (Luke 1:14).
When the pregnant Mary visits Zechariah's wife, the baby in Elizabeth's womb "leaped for joy" (1:44) at the presence of the unborn-Messiah.
In Mary's Magnificat, she declares "my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour" (1:46).
2022-12-1604 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilAdvent 2022 - LoveI remember falling in love.
We were young - still in high school - and we lived about a hundred miles apart. We saw each other as often as possible (once or twice a month) and made weekly long-distance phone calls on Sunday nights, late in the evening when the rates went down.
I was willing to make any sacrifice necessary to spend time with her, but the options weren't there in those days. Eventually, I bought my own car, started making the drive whenever possible, and we rearranged our plans to get married when...
2022-12-0905 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilAdvent I, 2022 - HopeIt was a very dark world. Extremely dark.
The descendants of Abraham had rebelled against God, and they had gone into captivity as a result. And then He had restored them to Jerusalem, but once again, they had neglected Him and pursued the pleasures of the world and the religions of their neighbours. So, God stopped talking to them. For four hundred long years, he remained silent.
Then, along came the Romans in 63 BC. Their ruthlessness was only matched by their desire to avoid conflict in the cultures that they conquered. So they had an...
2022-12-0204 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:8-10 Qualifications for DeaconsDeacons are to be
worthy of respect
Sincere
not indulging in much wine
not pursuing dishonest gain.
keep hold of the deep truths of the faith
with a clear conscience.
They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
This list seems to summarize the qualifications of elders earlier in the chapter, but as I previously indicated, without the "able to teach" requirement. I would be very reluctant to say "So it's okay if they have more than one wife, or if they're promiscuous, or have anger issues."
2022-11-2506 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:2 Qualifications for Elders 7 Able to TeachAble to Teach
So that leaves only one - number 7 - and the one that distinguishes the qualifications of Elders or Overseers from Deacons, in what follows.
I don't think it matters what precise structure a church uses, whether it's a Deacon's Board, an Elder's Board, a Ministry Board, or something else. In fact, I don't see anything here that says "People with these qualifications are to meet monthly for 4 hours to discuss when it's time to fix a leaky roof." I was once involved with a leadership board that took 4 months to decide what...
2022-11-1805 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:7 Qualifications for Elders 6From 1 Timothy 3, here's the list of qualifications for Overseers - for those who should be leading the church
Above reproach
Faithful to his wife
Temperate
Self-controlled
Respectable
Hospitable
Able to teach (which we'll come back to next time)
Not given to drunkenness
Not violent but gentle
Not quarrelsome
Not a lover of money.
He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
He mus...
2022-11-1107 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:6 Qualifications for Elders 5One thing I have noticed, especially in smaller churches, is that the need for leaders is so great that often anyone who can fog a mirror is qualified. That can be a very serious mistake. I have seen the results on church boards and councils where the only qualification was willingness to serve. Even though the intent might be good, the long-term result won't be.
And I think that is why Paul is laying out these qualification. Leaders are expected to have a track record in which they have demonstrated not only their faithfulness but their behaviour...
2022-11-0406 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:5 Qualifications for Elders 4(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?
I'm reminded of the parable of the Talents, as told by Jesus in Matthew 25.
The Kingdom of God is like a man going on a journey, but before he goes, he entrusts his property to three of his employees, each according to his ability. To one, he gives $1,000,000 (a talent is about 20 years salary @ $50K = $1M), to the next $2,000,000, and to the third $5,000,000. Over time, the value of the last two doubled, while the first did...
2022-10-2805 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:4 Qualifications for Elders 3bNow, how about "His children will obey him."
I remember a conversation with single twenty-something woman about the meaning of children. We disagreed on when a child is no longer a child. By that I mean, at what point in life is a child free to make their own life decisions. Parents and their adult children will disagree on many things throughout their lives. Are the adult children still required to obey mom and dad?
2022-10-2105 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:4 Qualifications for Elders 3aHe must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?). There's a lot here, so let's break it down a little.
He must manage his own family well.
His children obey him.
He is worthy of full respect.
2022-10-1406 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:2-3 Qualifications for Elders 2Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to … be able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
2022-10-0705 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:2-3 Qualifications for Elders 1If you didn't read or listen to the introduction to 1 Timothy Chapter 3, I'd suggest you go there first. Here's the LINK.
Paul give us a list of qualifications for those who aspire for a leadership role in their local church. Here's the list for those who serve as pastors, overseers, or elders. Then we'll break it down:
The leaders with the most responsibility are to be:
Above reproach
Faithful to his wife
Temperate
Self-controlled
Respectable
Hospitable
On today's "Timothy My Son," we're going to look at the first six. Most of these will...
2022-09-3007 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 3:1-2 Qualifications for Elders - IntroductionOne of the most challenging aspects of having a healthy, growing church is having healthy, growing leaders. If you believe as I do, that everything rises and falls on leadership, it's not hard to see why Paul approached this subject with his mentee, Timothy. These first 7 verses of the third chapter set the bar pretty high. But then again, it is for those who lead in the body of Christ.
2022-09-2304 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:15 Women: Saved through Childbearing11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
Okay - here we go again! Paul, what on earth are you talking about?
Women Will Be Saved Through Childbearing
Women will be sa...
2022-09-1605 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil9/11It's one of those days I will never forget.
Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, began with our weekly 5:30 AM elders meeting at the church I was pastoring in Calgary. When our meeting finished, I continued to work in my office, and I received a phone call from one of the elders: Turn on the TV in your office. An airplane has crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City.
2022-09-1107 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilFIVE Minutes and Soul IMPACT are ChangingThere's a lot going on these days!
Listen in today to find out more.
2022-09-1003 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilQueen Elizabeth: April 21, 1926 - Sept. 8, 2022The only monarch I have ever has known has passed away at the age of 96. From all accounts, Queen Elizabeth II was a woman of faith who prayed often that the Lord Jesus would guide her in all her responsibilities, and give her strength. What I know for sure is that the Lord doesn't make mistakes when it comes to eternity, and I trust him.
2022-09-0906 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:13-14 Women: First Adam, and then Eve (Part 3)With the Fall, to Eve, God said, "I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you" (Genesis 3:16).
To Adam, God said, "No more hunting and gathering! You're going to have to work to provide food for your family! There will be thistles and thorns. By the sweat of your brow you will have to work just to stay alive! And then, you will die."
And the world changed.
2022-09-0804 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:13-14 Women: First Adam, and then Eve (part 2)So man became a living being, but just as God is never alone, He knew that man should not be alone. And as good a friend as an animal can be, it wasn't good enough for mankind. So, as he had throughout the animal kingdom, God created a female to go with the male, to be not only his partner and helper, but to complete him, to be united with him, as the two would become one flesh.
2022-09-0405 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilClarity, Consistency, ConfidenceToday's FIVE Minutes with Phil is different. It's a call to action to take your life and/or ministry to a higher level in these challenging days.
2022-09-0209 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil13. Got Ideas? Get StaminaLeadership can be exhausting. It will take every ounce of strength you have, and more. It will take every morsel of brain power and wisdom and love. And it can leave you sapped, gasping for air, needing a transfusion, hot coffe, and wondering if you will survive the night.
In my experience, many in leadership will give all they've got and more, and those who are cheering on from the sidelines will encourage them to keep going. Most leaders, when asked how things are going, will respond "Busy! Busy!" as if that's a badge of honour!
2022-08-2905 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:13-14 Women: First Adam, and then EveBombshell.
Paul's reason for women not being in authority over men, and not teach men in the church has three components:
Adam was formed first, and then Eve.
It was Eve who was deceived, and brought sin into the world.
Women's salvation is in being a mother.
Wow. I think I'd better unpack each of those, and see where it takes us.
2022-08-2605 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHow To Win: You Need a GameplanIn case you didn't know, I love sports. I always have, and I expect I always will. Every sport is different - baseball, hockey, basketball, soccer, football - they are all played differently, and they all illustrate life in different ways.
Speaking of a Gameplan…
Today, I'm going to focus on how the gameplan works in football, because I think it best shows what a gameplan is all about.
2022-08-2405 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGot Ideas? 12. Get ResourcesDo you have an idea that's grabbed your heart, and you just know you have to accomplish it? Welcome to FIVE Minutes with Phil, where I'm laying out the steps, principles and ingredients for achieving that dream.
Today, I'm going to talk about what it's going to cost.
2022-08-2204 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHow to Grow ExponentiallyAlbert Einstein, arguably one of the most intelligent persons to ever live, said “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it … he who doesn't … pays it.”
$10,000 today?
I remember being asked which I would prefer as a gift: $10,000, or 1 penny, doubling each day for 30 days.
At the end of 30 days, $10,000 is still $10,000, while what began as $0.01 has become $10,737,418.24. That's right - almost 11 million dollars!
And that's why compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world!
On the other hand, if you have a c...
2022-08-1905 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGot Ideas? 11. Get a TeamIf you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, travel with others.
If you have something truly worthy of investing your blood, sweat and tears, do not attempt to make it alone. Find the right people, and travel with them.
I have to wonder how many people have crashed and burned simply because they insisted on trying to do it themselves.
2022-08-1704 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:12 Women: Remain QuietPaul writes, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet."
So many questions, so little time. I hardly know where to begin.
So let's begin with the first word: I. Is this Paul speaking? I'm comfortable with that. Is it God speaking? To be honest, I'm a whole lot less comfortable with that, but I also know that "All scriptures are God-breathed" (2 Tim. 3:16) so every word needs to be taken seriously.
2022-08-1507 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:11 Women: LearnAre you ready for some contentiousness? I think we'll find it.
A few years back, I had a conversation with someone who said, "You can't believe anything that Paul says in the Bible. After all, he hated women."
Ummm, I don't believe that at all. First, I don't believe Paul hated women, and second, we misunderstand some of Paul's writings because we don't understand the context in which they were written. However, I'll admit it, sometimes it's just hard to reconcile. Some of that is here.
2022-08-1206 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGot Ideas? 10. Get To It!Sooner or later, if you have an idea and a plan, it turns into work. So get to it!
No more getting ready to get ready. No more starting to start. You decided that this was something you had to do - something you have to do - so, no more dilly-dallying.
Get to it!
And let's face it - for most of us, that's hard.
2022-08-1003 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHappy Birthday, Big Sister!Happy Birthday to my big sister, Marion Weller! Today she turns #@%$&* years old!
By the time I was born, Marion was almost a teenager. She graduated from high school about the same time as I began kindergarten. She got married and had her family and bought their first house by the time I was in grade 6.
What I'm really saying is that we had very little in common until Elsie and I got married and started having kids. So, it wasn't until I was into my twenties that I really got to know her.
2022-08-0805 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil"The Days are Long, but the Years are Short" by Jace RoutlyOne of my grandsons, Jace, experienced a couple of truly momentous events in his life last week. He is 21 years old, lives in Duluth, Georgia, and has two semesters left until he graduates from Georgia Tech with a degree in computer science. I have no doubt he has an incredible future set out before him. I thank the Lord every day for him! I asked Jace to write today's "FIVE Minutes with Phil" so he could share his journey. Enjoy!
2022-08-0504 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGot Ideas? 9. Get JOY!There are enough things in life that turn out to be drudgery. I know there are people who truly enjoy washing the dishes, but I've never understood why. Maybe that's why the dish detergent "Joy" was given its name. As you stand at the sink, with suds up to your embows, do you have "Dawn" or "Joy?"
Joy is like taking happiness to a deeper level. It's the difference between a chuckle and a belly laugh. The difference between a good burger and a juicy, mouth-watering, "Mmmm-mmm-mmm" inducing, eyes closed, experience. Joy comes from the heart and...
2022-08-0304 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilWomen: Dress Modestly and Do Good DeedMen - here is my desire - be holy. Get your anger under control, get your ego out of the way, and put your trust in God.
Women - here is my desire - be modest, decent, and proper - certainly while at church, worshipping, but outside of church as well.
And as I said in my last "Timothy, My Son" post, men should be included in this, too. Modesty, decency and properness aren't just for the women!
2022-08-0105 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilSo you popped the questionThis past weekend, we entered the next phase of our lives: one of our grandsons asked his girlfriend to marry him. We have 21 year old grandsons in Duluth, GA. One (Bren) wrote a post for me a couple of months ago before heading to law school this fall, and his twin brother (Jace) will graduate from Georgia Tech in less than a year, and it was Jace who asked Hannah to be his wife.
2022-07-2905 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGot Ideas? 8. Got PLANS? Be NIMBLE!In 1950 Dwight Eisenhower wrote a letter to a U.S. diplomat in which he said, "Peace-time plans are of no particular value, but peace-time planning is indispensable." He didn't claim it was original with him, but it is a quote worthy of remembering.
It is so easy to spend your life getting ready to get ready! I know this is something I am prone to do.
I love the planning process - as I've written about, from clarifying core values, mission, vision, purpose, through goals and priorities. And I know it's essential to create a...
2022-07-2705 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilMasculine and Feminine: What's The Difference?Isn't it strange that asking the question, "Are men and women equal?" has become a politically charged conversation? I'm not interested in getting political here, but I want you to know that in the eyes of God, all are loved, all are valuable, and all are welcome.
So in 1 Timothy 2, when Paul first write to men, and then to women, what's going on?
Read my latest post at FIVE Minutes with Phil Routly, and I'll give you my perspective.
2022-07-2504 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil7. Get Priorities: How To Decide What to Do NextSo you've got this idea. It could be a life saver, for you, your ministry, your organization, or your community.
You know why you want to do it - in fact, you believe you were called to do it. You know what life would look like when - not if - you succeed. You're going to do this. It's going to work, and it's going to make a difference.
You even have a "To-Do" list of goals that need to be achieved to get to your big goal. And each goal has some mini-goals, and...
2022-07-2206 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilMan On The MoonThere are dates that will stick in my mind for as long as I am alive.
November 22, 1963 is one of them, as President Kennedy was assassinated that Friday in Dallas, Texas. I was 11.
September 11, 2001 is another, as first one plane hits one of the World Trade Centre twin towers, and then a second hit the other. A third crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth was taken down in Pennsylvania. The world changed that day.
Another is July 20, 1969. I was on vacation near Kennebunkport, Maine with my family, staying in a motel, and...
2022-07-2008 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHow To Have Your Prayers AnsweredPaul writes, "Therefore" - what's the "Therefore" there for? That's always an important question to ask when you're reading the Bible.
In the previous verse in 1 Timothy 2, Paul says, here are four things that I am:
A herald
An apostle
A true teacher
A faithful teacher
I am therefore giving you these instruction - first, to the men: "I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing." He addresses the men first - men everywhere. Then he will address women with the cultural issues, and then those men who God is cal...
2022-07-1807 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilMelting Pot, Stew Pot or Salad Bowl?Most families these days represent a cross section of culture. I was born and raised in Ontario, while my wife, Elsie, was born in Nova Scotia. We brought different things to our marriage.
When our kids grew up, our eldest married an American girl who was born in Germany, and has a Vietnamese-inspired name. She grew up mostly in Alaska and Kent, Washington. Their boys have grown up in the Atlanta area, in the US south. Two of their boys are adopted from Ethiopia.
Our next son married a girl who grew up in Tillamook...
2022-07-1505 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHow SMART Are Your Goals?I'm sure you know this - the best way to accomplish anything is to be SMART about it.
Of course, I'm talking about Goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based Goals.
If your Big Idea is worth striving for, be SMART. Or, really Any Idea!
Enjoy today's post. It may even make you SMARTer!
2022-07-1305 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:7b Including the GentilesY'all Come!
In our world, where there is a tendency to focus on external differences, it's good to know that the Lord looks on the heart. He is far more interested in WHO you are than in WHAT you are. The welcome, "Y'all Come!" was never more appropriate! And it's a much needed attitude for all to bring.
2022-07-1105 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilKnow Your Why And You'l Know Your WayHow would you described yourself?
The Apostle Paul knew who he was, what he was to do, and how he was to do it.
And that kept him on the track the Lord had laid out for him.
If you're ever tempted to give up, remember that Paul remained faithful.
"Go thou and do likewise."
2022-07-0807 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilYour Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It...If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up some place else.
Yogi Berra said, "When you come to the fork in the road, take it." Apparently, if you were driving to his house, there was a fork in the road. Whether you went left or right didn't matter - both would take you to his place.
Life is rarely like that. There are choices we make that will make a difference.
That's especially true with the big stuff - including your mission.
2022-07-0605 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGod Bless the USAHi, and welcome to FIVE Minutes with Phil Routly, as I say Happy 246th Birthday to the Good Ole USA!
You came into existence because you didn't believe you were being treated fairly by King George and the powers of the British Empire. You had no autonomy, but were forced to pay taxes to the Crown. So you rebelled.
It seems to me that fairness has always played a central role in the philosophy of the United States of America. Not that you always got it right, and seldom got it right the first time...
2022-07-0406 min
2022-07-0105 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGet Your "WHY" Right!"What are you doing here?"
That questions doesn't usually have anything to do with what you're doing. It's usually a "Why" question: "Why are YOU here?"
It's another way of asking, "Do you belong here?" And the answer is "Yes! Absolutely, I belong here!" I was created with a purpose, and I'm here to fulfill it!
So what do you do if you don't know why you're here? Shouldn't you know?
Check out my latest post, which is part of my "Got Ideas?" series. Or listen to it on my podcast...
2022-06-2903 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:6c At the Proper TimeGod's timing is always perfect, but it seems it's seldom our perfect timing. We tend to want things now, on a certain date, or perhaps never. But we usually have a personal agenda. I remember a newly engaged couple praying for Jesus to return - but not until after their wedding! We have plans, and we'd appreciate it if God used our timetable. But for some reason, he rarely does. Maybe he knows something we don't.
2022-06-2705 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilSchool's Out!I can't say I loved school when I was a kid. I actually saw it as a necessary evil. In lots of ways, once I got rolling, I found it rather easy most of the time, and I did well, but until I graduated, I can't say that I loved it. I think that's the reason I decided to become a teacher. I had some really good teachers - Miss Stenton and Mr. Dolan come to mind - but enough not-so-good ones who didn't make education lovable that I wanted to make school much better for the kids.
2022-06-2404 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHow The Power of Passion Drives Your ForwardWhat is really important to you? No, not just important but REALLY important? The kind of thing that you would drive through fire for? That's the kind of passion I'm talking about in today's FIVE Minutes.
2022-06-2205 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:6b Calling All WitnessesJohnny Depp and Amber Heard have dominated the news in recent weeks. I have to admit I saw very little of their court case, but I do know that if you only listened to Johnny or Amber, all you would have is a he-said-she-said. You might have your opinions, but a court decision really is impossible until the witnesses spoke. Then you could see the jury begin to lean in Jack Sparrow's direction.
Witnesses are important. Those who witnessed the resurrection are important. And when it comes to your faith, your witness is also important!
2022-06-2005 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilOn Being a DadThere's nobody like good old Dad!
I've read that the active presence of a loving father is one of the most important ingredients in the life of any son or daughter - maybe even the most important.
Today, I celebrate my father, and in fact all the men in my life.
2022-06-1905 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilJohn Wooden basicsJohn Wooden is arguably the best coach in the history of NCAA basketball. There are others who are close, but Wooden's career includes winning 10 championships in 12 years, including a 7-year run. That's incredible!
The best of the best high school basketball stars would end up at UCLA, ready to play for the Bruins. Many would be pretty proud of themselves for being there, and that's understandable. Undoubtedly, they were pretty hot stuff at their high schools.
2022-06-1703 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilA Ransom for AllEvery once in a while, you'll hear stories of people being held for ransom. It happened in Afghanistan last summer, and it's happening in Ukraine today. I thought it would be a simple thing to look up "ransom" on Google and give some examples - but the first page was all about ransomware - an idea that barely existed a few years ago. It's really quite simple - a computer is hacked, and a virus is implanted, which locks the user from accessing their own files. And they get a message which says if you don't pay me this...
2022-06-1506 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHow The Power of Vision Drives You ForwardToday, I'm continuing the "Got Ideas?" series with a look at vision.
The other day, I began with a look at Core Values as the primary foundation for life. Everything else may change, but if they truly are core values, they are what life is built on. It's what Jesus is talking about when he gives us the parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7. You can choose to build wisely on rock, or foolishly on sand, but in the end your choice of foundation will largely determine how long-lasting your impact on this world...
2022-06-1305 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:5 One God and One MediatorThroughout the year, we hear about one star athlete or another who has reached an impasse in negotiating a new contract with their team. Different sports, different seasons, but the principle is the same - when both sides agree to go to arbitration, they put all their facts on the table, along with salary and contract details, and the arbitrator must decide to accept one or the other. He can't split the difference, make another recommendation, or negotiate something different. The two parties have already agreed to accept the ruling of the arbitrator. There will be one winner, and...
2022-06-1104 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHow To Survive and Thrive in Unpredictable TimesI'm thinking that the word of the year for 2022 ought to be "Unpredictable."
As we have come out of Covid, there are still a lot more questions that will have to be answered.
If you're a young mom needing formula for her infant, and you go to Walmart to pick up a can, will you find it? Unpredictable.
If you've placed an order for a new car or truck, when will it be delivered? Unpredictable. Stove, fridge or dishwasher? Unpredictable.
2022-06-0904 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGot IDEAS? 1. Get VALUES!Are you satisfied with where you are, and where you are going?
If you're not, this series of "Got Ideas" posts may just be the key to your hoped-for tomorrow.
If you are, great! But even you could benefit greatly by having greater confidence.
If you close your eyes, and imagine a possible future, that's vision. But if you want it to come to be, it's going to be built on your core values. The are the primary and essential building block for what could be. Here's what I mean by that.
2022-06-0703 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:3-4 Prayer: 4. That Pleases GodWelcome to FIVE Minutes with Phil Routly, and my look at Paul's first letter to Timothy 2:3 which reads, "This is good, and pleases God our Saviour."
What is the "this" that is good? Well, it has to be the peaceful and quiet lives that are lived in godliness in holiness. Just as in creation, God looks on what He brings to be, and says, "It is good." So, let's do what is good - what pleases God our Saviour.
Why does God see this as good? What is it that pleases Him?
He...
2022-06-0505 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilIt's Elsie's Birthday!Hi, and welcome to a special edition of FIVE Minutes with Phil Routly.
Today, I celebrate my sweetheart.
On this date, Elsie Jean Gray was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, the youngest of four children (three girls and a boy) to Victor and Dorothy Gray. The family moved to Kingston, Ontario when Elsie was only 2, but she spent most of her childhood summers with family in the Maritimes. It will always be her home.
2022-06-0306 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGot Ideas? Overview - Part 2Today, I'm continuing a series of posts and podcasts that I'm calling "Got Ideas?" Last time, I gave a brief overview on Got Values? Vision? Passion? And Purpose? Today, I continue with the next 8.
2022-06-0105 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilGot Ideas? Overview - Part 1Today, I'm beginning a series of posts and podcasts that I'm calling "Got Ideas?"
In 1995, my son, Dave, was studying at Trinity Western University. As part of his education to become a counsellor, he enrolled in an Irish Studies program which focused on conflict resolution - rather appropriate for the nation that had been at war for so long within itself and the United Kingdom. His studies included a trip to Ireland for 6 weeks, but it began with a few days in London, where he was able to visit the Eagle and Child pub in Oxford. It's...
2022-05-3005 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:2 Prayer 3. For PeacePaul writes, Pray for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Because the rulers have the authority, they can make life pretty difficult for the people.
The people can be forced to do things that are contrary to who they are. Today, people can be conscripted into the military, required to abide by local ordinances, and obligated to pay taxes for services they do not agree with. Not long ago, those of us living in British Columbia were required to we...
2022-05-2804 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilThe Up And Coming Lawyer In The Family!A couple of weeks ago, one of my grandsons graduated from Georgia State University, and will be heading to Quinnipiac Law School in the fall. So, I asked him to tell us a little about his journey.
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Hello, my name is Bren Routly; I am Phil's grandson.
When I was little, I said I wanted to be a superhero. I wanted to help people. As I grew up, I searched for a profession where I thought I could do some good in the world. My first real thought was to be a writer...
2022-05-2605 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilMourningIt happened again.
Unbelievable.
Uvalde, Texas.
Furman, North Carolina.
Buffalo, New York
And that's just in the last two weeks.
Before that we had Parkland, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Sandy Hook, Connecticut; and of course Columbine, Colorado.
What do these all have in common? Guns. The expectation of mental illness. Madness, even. Lots of innocent victims - so many innocent victims.
2022-05-2504 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilFreedomFreedom is the ability to choose from all available alternatives. That might be more than just the ones that are preselected by someone, somewhere, who has the authority to make such decisions.
If I was to go to an all-you-can-eat buffet, I would expect that I could put anything and everything on my plate that I choose. If it's on the buffet, I could take it and eat it. There might be some restrictions, like "if you take it, you eat it, no sharing with someone at your table who isn't purchasing the buffet, and no doggie...
2022-05-2406 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:1b Prayer: 2. For EveryoneIn 1 Timothy 2, Paul writes, "Pray for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."
I think we pray naturally for only a few, mostly family and friends. When something gets our attention, we expand the circle somewhat - to those in our churches or communities during challenging times, such as sickness, Covid-19, emergencies or war. And here Paul reminds us to pray for all people. We know that the New Testament is full of "one another's" - love one another, serve one another, ca...
2022-05-2204 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilOn my Dad's 109th Birthday: I Love BaseballMay 21st would have been my Dad's 109th birthday. Unfortunately, Ronald Frank Routly passed away suddenly in 1974, at the age of 61. I think of him all the time, and remember so many things about what we did together, and what he loved. Above all, he loved God's Word, his family, his church, music, and sports - especially golf, hockey, and baseball. And I think he loved baseball the most. How I wish I could go to a ballgame with him!
2022-05-2005 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilLord, Help Us!This past weekend, Elsie and I travelled to Portland, to spend a few days with our middle son, Chris, and his family. Because of Covid, we had not crossed the border to see them in almost three years. There continue to be signs of Covid all around us - Vaccine Passports at the border, some wearing masks, Multnomah County declaring that with a recent upswing in cases, masks are again being recommended for all indoor gatherings, and using ArriveCAN to get home.
2022-05-1805 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 2:1a Prayer 1. Is UrgedIn 1:18, Paul says "Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command."
In 2:1, he begins by saying, "I urge..."
Why the difference? There's a big difference between commanding and urging. If a police officer commanded you to pull over, it's very different from urging you to pull over. Urging is encouraging - is that the same root? It probably is. Commanding is telling.
2022-05-1606 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 1:20 Handed Over to Satan: AlexanderThere are quite a few people that Paul mentions in his letters who we know very little about. Some of them are good examples of faithfulness. These two are not.
Hymenaeus and Alexander are two Christ-followers who had apparently lost the battle, dropped the faith, seared their consciences, and shipwrecked their lives. In my previous "Timothy My Son" post, I looked at Hymenaeus. Now, let's look at Alexander.
At the end of Paul's second letter to Timothy, Alexander appears in an almost parenthetical statement:
14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of...
2022-05-1404 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilDeveloping the Leader Within You 2.0Everyone is a leader. Whether those you lead are a sports team, a crew at work, a group at church, your family, or yourself, you are a leader.
And to put it really simply, the better you lead, the better the results!
But that's a lot of pressure!
I love these quotes:
"Leadership is influence - nothing more, and nothing less."
"Speed of the leader = speed of the team."
"Not everyone will become a great leader, but everyone can become a better leader."
"You don't...
2022-05-1205 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil100th Episode! What's Next?What an interesting ride this has been!
My intent last November was to publish an episode of FIVE Minutes with Phil Routly every second day. So far, so good! This is my 100th post!
Along the way, I've learned a lot. Some friends have helped in many ways, as I've been learning how to work with WordPress and Anchor (which is Spotify). It's been an adventure, with lots of hiccups along the way, as I decided to "jump and build my wings on the way down."
2022-05-1004 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHappy Mother's Day 2022Where would we be without our mothers? I love mine! Only my wife has had more influence on my life, but Mother's Day is when I like to express my love and celebrate all the women in my life.
2022-05-0804 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 1:20 Handed Over to Satan: HymanaeusThere are quite a few people that Paul mentions in his letters who we know very little about. Some of there are good examples of faithfulness. These two are not.
Hymenaeus and Alexander are two Christ-followers who had apparently lost the battle, dropped the faith, seared their consciences, and shipwrecked their lives.
2022-05-0705 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilPareto Principle: The 80/20 RulePut simply, the Pareto Principle says that if you list your priorities in the correct order, and complete the top 20%, you will have completed 80% of what you need to do. If they are in the incorrect order, even if you get 80% of the tasks completed, you may only accomplish 20% of your goals.
2022-05-0504 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 1:19 Shipwrecked FaithFight the fight of faith. Keep you conscience clear. That way, you won't shipwreck your life.
Paul knows something about being shipwrecked, because it literally happened to him.
Acts 20 begins with Paul going to Macedonia and then travelling to Greece. This would have been in 56 A.D., when Paul wrote his 2nd letter to the Corinthians and his letter to the church in Rome. In it, he says "I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. I long to see you so th...
2022-05-0303 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHenderson!September 2nd, 1972, was the beginning of 8 hockey games that any Canadian alive at the time will never forget. The first four games were in Canada, and the final four in Moscow. Our expectation was that Canada would win at least 7 of the games - after all, this is our sport!
But were we ever taken to the woodshed! By the end of the fourth game in Vancouver, we had lost 2 games and tied one, and as a nation, we were embarrassed!
2022-05-0104 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 1:18-20d Good ConsciencePaul writes, Timothy, hold on to a good conscience.
I will never forget the before and after of my asking Jesus to come into my heart when I was 7 years of age. I went from being the world's worst sinner (in my own eyes) to being a newly-born infant in Christ. I remember feeling like I had just had the world's best bath! My sins were washed away! My conscience was clear!
The conscience. The dictionary describes it as "an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness...
2022-04-2904 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilHow do you define Significance?There was a song recently written by John Ondransik about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky which asks the question, "Can one man save the world?" Right now, we don't know the answer, but we're praying for the protection of the Ukrainian people, that those who would destroy them would fail, and that peace would prevail.
The lyrics include the line, "In a thousand years, will anyone know your name?" And the answer is most likely no. It is estimated that the world population around the year 1200 AD was about 390 million. I only recognize the names of two people...
2022-04-2705 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 1:18-20c Hold On to FaithPaul could have given Timothy the entire description of the full armour of God he wrote in Ephesians, and I'm certain he wasn't saying, "Timothy, when I wrote that circular letter to the churches, I gave a list of six things - the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Really, the only ones you need are the shield of faith and the breastplate of righteousness (which leads to a good conscience)."
2022-04-2505 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilJohari WindowThe Johari Window is a tool to help better understand relationships. Believe it or not, it was actually created by Joseph Luft (Jo-) and Harrington Ingham (-hari), two psychologists who were born in 1916.
The original idea was to think of a four-pane window in which the horizontal axis has "Known to self" on the left side, and "Not known to self" on the right. The vertical axis has "Known to others" at the top, and "Not known to others" at the bottom. The four quadrants are labeled Arena, Blind Spot, Hidden and Unknown.
2022-04-2305 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 1:18-20b Fight the Battle WellPaul writes, "Timothy, by recalling these things that I have previously commanded you, you will fight the battle well, hold on to a good conscience, and reject what has led others astray."
Fighting the battle well does not fit in to our modern western vocabulary.
2022-04-2105 min
FIVE Minutes with Phil1 Timothy 1:18 Timothy, My SonWelcome to Five Minutes with Phil Routly, where I share my experiences under three headings: Grampa Talks, which is where I discuss events of the day, or ideas that inspire me to write; Soul Impact, which is my coaching and leadership development business, with the goal of helping people be more effective in whatever they are called to be and to do; and Timothy My Son, which is inspired by Paul's first letter to his protégé, Timothy, his spiritual son.
2022-04-0305 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilIt's Our Son Chris' BirthdayIt was Valentine's Day 1976, a Saturday, when Elsie and I, along with our friends Randy and Sheila, stood on the ice, on top of snow banks on Lake Ontario. We were watching a vintage hockey game between the Royal Military College and Queen's University, re-enacting the beginnings of a sport which we love. We drank hot chocolate and ate chilli from paper bowls to keep warm, and when the game was over, we went to a pancake house and enjoyed cheese blintzes with blueberries.
The next morning, Elsie went into labour, and we welcomed Christopher Ronald Routly...
2022-02-1503 min
FIVE Minutes with PhilI'd Like Your HelpOver the last couple of months, I've been publishing my blogs to my website philroutly.com under the title "Five Minutes with Phil Routly." And within it, there have been two tracks - "I've been thinking…" (24 so far - which could be on just about anything I've been thinking about) and "About God's Word," (12 so far) which is currently my take on 1 Timothy.
2022-01-1602 min