About Empower Good

Resources for Christian leaders
Definition: A Christian leader is someone who uses his / her influence to bring good into the lives of others. Christians lead in family, education, business, government, ministry, media and the arts.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. - Luke 12:32 KJV

FAQs

Suppose it's all true

Suppose we really can change our world. Suppose the unstoppable power of God can find a way to express itself through ordinary people just like you and me. Suppose deep inside we really do have what it takes. Suppose it's all true. What if God plants tomorrow inside your dreams today. What if God wants to change an entire generation through us. Can you believe it?

Believe it. This is how God works. Let's do it together. This is Empower Good, people with the dreams that will change our world.

Empower Good is a Christian community committed to changing our world by birthing one million God-given dreams by August 1, 2014.

Let me break that down. We empower. We're constantly looking for ways to connect people and resources to extend your influence. You can read about some of our plans here. We empower good. We are looking for ways to bring good into our world, as the God of the Bible would define good. We are Christian. Not that people of other faiths are unwelcome, but our perspective is Christian. We believe the presence of Jesus transforms people and cultures. We adhere to the teachings of the Bible. We are a Christian community. Our focus will be on connecting people locally and globally to move the plan of God forward. We are committed to changing our world. As long as hurt and oppression, poverty and disease, injustice and abuse, corruption and deceit are facts of life here on planet earth, there will be plenty of room for change. We, with God's power and direction, will make those changes. We will birth dreams. We believe that God's plan for tomorrow is etched in the desires of His children today. We will look for ways to purify those desires and cultivate those dreams. One million dreams: Yes, we aim high, but then to do any less would dishonor the God we serve.

If you want your life to count, if you want to make a difference, welcome!

You can be a part of this historic movement by registering your dream, subscribing to Empower Good One-Sentence Coaching (one question per day in your inbox), purchasing a membership, and helping us spread the word.

Dwight Clough
Founder, Empower Good

FAQs - a big thank you to those of you who submitted questions!
Submit a question here

How can one person make a difference?
History is full of examples of one person making a huge difference - from Joan of Arc to Helen Keller, from Martin Luther to Martin Luther King Jr. Ordinary people make an extraordinary difference because they decide they want their lives to count, because they're not afraid to tackle something bigger than they are, knowing that God stands beside them.

Does Empower Good require a fundamental change in me?
No, Empower Good doesn't require anything. But growth requires fundamental change in all of us. Transformation is not just a moment, it is also a lifestyle. To really make a difference, we all must grow. It's part of the package. Let me give you an example. I always thought I was a great parent ... until I had children. Now that I have four children, I realize that I need to grow and change almost every day to keep up with the demands of being a good father. If we want to go out and end human trafficking in Southeast Asia, or give every homeless family in our county safe shelter, or start a business that will help starving people in Sudan, believe me we will need to change. We will need to grow. But that change and growth is part of the fun of the whole adventure of changing your world. Put another way, your world inside changes first, then the world outside changes easily.

Does Empower Good work the same for everyone?
Certainly not! Everybody is in a different place. While we all want to bring good into our world, we will do that in radically different ways. That's why this is not a "one size fits all" program. Rather this is a growing community and collection of resources. Our goal is to connect you with the people and resources that will help you change your world. That will look a little different for each person. Having said that, in the fall of 2009 we release a 12-week Empower Good curriculum for a weekly class or small group. I encourage you to check it out and consider taking it (or leading a group in your area), because it affords you the opportunity to make connections with people on a local level who can help you make a bigger difference.

How long will it take before I see a result?
In the 12-week course, we show you ways to use your circle of influence to make a difference right now - today, this week. Beyond that, it really depends on you and your dream. Some dreams take weeks, months or even longer to realize. Our mission is to save you from time-consuming detours and costly dead ends that derail your progress.

Can you guarantee success if I follow Empower Good to the best of my ability?
Empower Good is a tool, just like a hammer is a tool. You can drive a nail with a screwdriver, if you really want to, but it works better with a hammer. You can connect, collaborate, find help and find answers without Empower Good, just like you can drive a nail without a hammer, if you really want to. We just aim to make it easier. And here's a freebie: How are you defining success? What will it take for you to succeed? It's very important that you come to some clarity on this early on, because it will impact everything you do.

Do I need to be a Christian for Empower Good to work for me?
No. Keep in mind, however, that we're going to approach everything from a Christian perspective. It will determine how we define "good," how we determine success, and what processes we encourage or discourage for everything we do. If you can live with that, so can we. We would just prefer that you not use Empower Good resources to promote something anti-Christian. And, of course, we're going to encourage you to explore Christianity for yourself - 33% of the human race has said yes to Christianity - maybe there's something to it.

Is there hope of success for someone who is not confident or aggressive?
Absolutely! Read Exodus 3 and 4. Moses wasn't exactly dripping with confidence when God called him to take on the most powerful nation on earth at the time. God takes us from where we are and moves us to where we need to be.

What's preventing me from realizing my goals, dreams and visions when others have (seemingly) figured it out without the benefit of prayer, etc.?
Excellent question. Put another way: Why do good people seem to go nowhere, while not-so-good people have "all the luck"? Let me encourage you with a couple of things. First of all, your life is in God's hands. He began a good work in you, and He has no intention of giving up. If God is for you, who can be against you? Do you see what this means? It means you are already a success if you've said "yes" to Jesus. It is from this position of strength that you go out to conquer your "promised land." Understand also that you are setting out to accomplish eternal good. You're not going to do that without opposition. Other people might have money and fame, fancy clothes, fancy cars, fancy houses, but you are setting out to change your world. You have a much bigger job to do. You can do it. You will do it if you really want to. But, to quote Rick Warren, when God builds a mushroom he takes a day. When He builds an oak, He takes 100 years. You will bear fruit in your season (Psalm 1) if you remain connected to the Vine (John 15). Don't give up.

How does EmpowerGood.com provide feedback?
Empower Good allows you to connect with people who will support you as you achieve your God-given dreams. The community that you create for yourself within the larger Empower Good community - that's the community that will provide feedback. While we may post some assessments along with our other resources, accountability, for most people, is best provided in local face-to-face relationships. On the other hand, we solicit feedback from you about Empower Good here.

I think Dwight Clough is in this just to get rich. How do I come to terms with that?
I'm smiling because I know who sent this question, and I can hear him laughing as he asks this. First of all, money is a power to make a difference. It's not the only power. It's not always the best power. But it is a power. I pray for all of you that you have plenty of this power, in keeping with your character, so you are not limited in any way in bringing good into your world. As for me, I know what it is to be comfortable, and I know what it is to be dirt poor - literally hungry, homeless and bankrupt. I know what it is to be content. I know what it is to see limitless possibilities standing right before us. From that perspective, I do want Empower Good to be financially successful so I can bring good to my family, my church, my community and my world.

What are your beliefs? Where's your doctrinal statement?
Although I would agree with 95% of anything written in any evangelical doctrinal statement, and I would agree with much of what's written in Catholic or Orthodox statements of creed, here's how I would express my beliefs:

Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the one Person you can't afford to ignore. Without Him, you're sunk. You can't get to the Father. You can't do anything. And you don't have life. In fact, eternal life is knowing Jesus and the Father. Most of the benefits you want from God come through Jesus: forgiveness, peace with God, reconciliation, eternal life, restoration, wholeness and healing.

Without faith, you can't please God. That faith needs to be connected to Jesus, and fixed in truth. God speaks. He tells the truth. The Bible, as originally written, is reliable, accurate truth. Where the Bible is clear, we can be clear. God goes a step beyond and invites us to experience Him through His Spirit.

We need each other. We benefit each other as God works in and through each of us. Someday Christ will return. Someday you and I will stand before God. It's stupid not to get prepared.

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What others are saying ...
Joe Steinke

Pastor Joe & Angie Steinke
For the last decade, I have devoted my life to dream incubation within the context of Christian discipleship. Dwight Clough's Empower Good promises to bring together the best of what God is doing worldwide in the area of dream incubation. Dwight is collaborative, not competitive, and his vision will give every local community a greater voice.
-- Joe Steinke, Pastor, international leader in the 24/7 Prayer Movement, and Empower Good Board of Advisers member

Rev. Steve & Jenni Freitag
Christian author Dwight Clough has served on the board for our ministry. He is a visionary, an expert in creating systems, an excellent writer, a deeply committed Christian and a dear friend.
-- Steve Freitag, Director, CrossCounsel, a ministry of emotional healing and spiritual transformation

Randy Beck
As a Christian businessman, I understand the value of pursuing your dreams. Do it right. Connect with people of integrity. Dwight Clough's Empower Good is the right place to start.
-- Randy Beck, President of Cross the Line Personal Development Corporation and Karate America Leadership Schools Cottage Grove, Wisconsin

John and Mary Henry
Dwight's vision is to expand and empower your ability to make a difference. He's a strategic thinker, and Empower Good is poised to make a strategic difference.
-- John Henry, Director, Student Mobilization Centre, Youth With a Mission, and Empower Good Board of Advisers member