Jun 2, 2018
What You'll Hear:
- David grew up in South Africa in the early '70's. He became a believer around 6 years old. He didn't really grow up Jewish, he only embraced that later. To have Jewish identity, you need community and Jewish identity is not generally recognized in the church, though that has changed in recent years
- Many Jews when they become believers, within a generation or two, they don't even know they're Jewish
- In the early 2000's and when he had children, it became important to David to reclaim his Jewish identity in the home
- He was isolated from much of the impact of apartheid due to segregation and the laws weren't as strict as in previous years. They didn't support Apartheid but it was a system they lived in
- It hit David what Apartheid was about when a young boy told him he wasn't allowed on the beach
- All white males had to serve in the military in South Africa, so David served in the Navy from 1990-1992 and the reserves after that. He went to interesting places like Antarctica
- The future for South Africa did not look bright and so David went to London in 1994 since he was also a British citizen, and then to Boston in 2001
- In 2015, after many entrepreneurial experiences, he decided to do something for the Lord. He ended up at Moody Bible Institute because it had a great Jewish studies program and didn't have any tuition
- He's currently a full-time student and a start-up consultant to support his family
- When you're making a career change, you have to count the cost in time, resources, and risk. If you have a family they'll be involved in the change as well
- Are you willing to deal with failure?
- If you don't have a family and are single, focus on your career. Develop your business before your house
- It's important to have a good attitude about your work as well as in all things. It starts with the heart
- I don't make a distinction between work and ministry. What we do in life is all ministry and work is a part of that.
- Work life balance means not neglecting one for the other. The biggest part of that is having a wife that supports me in what I do. She supports me spiritually and with the things that need to be done at home.
- Work life balance means prioritizing God first, then family, then everything else after that. It's not about equal treatment, it's about having our priorities right.
- Favorite scripture Proverbs 3:6-7 "In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil." This was given to me at my dedication. There's a lot of good advice in those verses. Put God first. Don't be conceited, be teachable, and fear the Lord.
- Our primary purpose is to worship and obey God.
- To contact David, dbarker72@gmail.com