230: Empowering Leaders: The Open Gates Journey with LEMON Leadership

What have you inherited, and what are you leaving behind? In this episode, Brett explores how God restores desolate inheritances and reawakens legacy across generations. Many people feel like they are starting from nothing, but God promises to reassign what has been lost. Drawing from Isaiah’s promise, “I will keep you and make you a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances,” Brett invites listeners to believe again for restoration within their households. This conversation calls us to honor what we have received, steward it wisely, and release blessing to generations yet to come. Follow along with the book here: https://a.co/d/5EawCWe Connect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.

Where does restoration begin? In this episode, Brett explores the first step of restoration: acquiring and stewarding capital. This is not only about money, but about recognizing all forms of capital and the resources already in our hands. To do this, we must jettison the wilderness mentality, the mindset shaped by scarcity and survival, and learn to live with the abundance of the Promised Land. Babylonian and Egyptian economics have no place in the Kingdom. Restoration requires a renewed way of seeing and stewarding what God entrusts to us. This conversation invites us to shift from fear to faith, from lack to stewardship, and from wandering to building. Follow along with the book here: https://a.co/d/5EawCWe Connect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.

What happens to our faith when waiting turns weary? In this episode, Brett explores how followers of Jesus often cope during the long delay, and how some of those responses, while understandable, can quietly corrode faith. He identifies six “rotten responses” that surface when hope feels deferred. Each of these reactions reveals our struggle to stay anchored in trust when God seems silent. Yet Brett invites us to a more fruitful posture. This conversation calls us out of striving and back into surrender, where faith finds its strength again in the waiting. Follow along with the book here: https://a.co/d/5EawCWe Connect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.

What do you do when God delays? In this episode, Brett explores the tension of the in-between, the space between what God has spoken and when it finally comes to pass. In a world that expects everything instantly, even small delays can test our patience. But what happens when the waiting stretches into years, when careers stall, dreams fade, and hopes for family or calling remain deferred? This is where delay can become dangerous. The long wait can birth a crisis of faith or a quiet theology of failure. Yet Brett reminds us that delay is not denial. It is often the University of the Desert, where God shapes character and refines trust. From Jesus’ delay with Lazarus to the trials of those who have endured unbroken seasons of apparent failure, this conversation reframes waiting as holy ground. It is the place where faith matures and God’s glory is revealed in His timing, not ours. Follow along with the book here: https://a.co/d/5EawCWe Connect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.

What if the Kingdom dreamers are not the “white picket fence people,” but those whose souls have been salted by difficulty and marinated in pain? In this episode, Brett speaks to the ones who have carried God-given dreams through deep delays — the weary yet faithful, still believing in promises seen only “from a distance.” He cautions against mistaking the journey for a shortcut to success, reminding us instead that endurance is the language of faith. Set in an age of polarization and the orphanization of generations, this conversation revisits Hebrews 11 — the hall of those who worshiped, walked, worked, and waited with God through the unseen. From Abel to Moses, their stories remind us that faith is not fast, but formative. Follow along with the book here: https://a.co/d/5EawCWeConnect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.

What if restoration comes to the plodders — those who keep walking in hope even when it feels reckless? In this opening episode, Brett offers an encouragement to the quiet faithful ones who have carried hope through seasons of delay and disappointment, and prays for the generations to come. Against the backdrop of polarization and the growing orphanization of our culture, he reflects on the urgent need for restoration in our time. This conversation sets the tone for a journey into how God restores. It includes an invitation for the next generation to find their place in His story of renewal. If you'd like to follow along with the book, you can purchase a copy here: https://a.co/d/5EawCWe Connect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.

What if the real measure of success isn’t production, but purpose? In this episode, Brett is joined by Garrett Maroon, a real estate professional who has been repurposed to see business as a calling rather than just a career. From his Lebanese heritage to a career shift that led to founding the Faithful Agent Community and the 2:10 Collective, Garrett shares how he moved from chasing numbers to pursuing Kingdom impact. Together, they explore how Christian professionals can rediscover God’s design for work by breaking free from comparison, reclaiming the value of homeownership, and building networks that prize faithfulness over profitability. This conversation is an invitation to repurpose how you see success and to build a business that honors God, serves people, and advances His purposes in the marketplace. Garrett Maroon is a husband, father of five, and founder of The Faithful Agent nonprofit. As a 100% referral-based top producer, he is passionate about helping Christian real estate agents build businesses that honor their faith, strengthen their families, and create lasting impact. Through honest conversations, biblical insight, and practical strategies, he equips agents to pursue purpose beyond profit and thrive in every area of life. Connect with Garrett here (thefaithfulagent.buzzsprout.com & 210collective.com) to learn more about the Faithful Agent Community and 2:10 Collective. Download the 20 Property Principles PDF here: https://www.brettjohnson.biz/resources  Connect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.

Brett Johnson received a call from a company that had purchased hundreds of LEMON Leadership books. Curious as to why they had done this, Brett set up a conversation with CEO Bill Evans, COO Jeffrey Adams, and Project Manager Ben Blaha to explore how they have leveraged diverse leadership styles to foster a thriving corporate culture, enhance team cohesion, and drive business growth. The conversation delves into the group's mission to uplift small-town communities and the role of LEMON Leadership in aligning individual strengths with organizational needs. Learn how tailored applications, group discussions, and cross-functional understanding have enabled Open Gates Group to optimize their operations, from organic dairy production to new business ventures. Link to Bill's book: https://www.amazon.com/Open-Gates-Helping-Ministers-Resources/dp/B0FD2BSY74 Connect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.

Cassie Carstens had a profound encounter with God in a hut in Africa as he listened to gut-wrenching stories of atrocities barely mentionable. “Why?” was his cry. From the insights and heart-deepening, The World Needs a Father was born. In this episode, Brett and Cassie unpack the unusual challenges of current generations. Connect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.

What if one of the greatest battlegrounds shaping society isn’t only cultural or political, but the historical battle for the polarization of family? In this episode, Brett is joined by Dr. Charlie Self to trace the historical and philosophical shifts that have shaped how we view family. From Enlightenment thinkers who championed its importance, to Marxist critiques that dismissed it as a capitalist construct, they unpack how ideas have influenced, and in some cases undermined, this essential foundation of human life. Together, they wrestle with the decline of traditional family norms, the pressures facing modern households, and the polarizing effects of technology and societal change. Through Dr. Self’s rich historical insight, the conversation points toward a vision of restoration: how the church and communities today can strengthen, support, and empower families to flourish once again. For some extra information, you can check out the blog: https://www.brettjohnson.biz/blog/go-big-and-come-home Connect with Brett Johnson on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit brettjohnson.biz for articles, devotionals, and more.