I have been given an opportunity to share why being a Certified Kingdom Advisor® has been so meaningful in my life. The challenging part is to share my story in five minutes, so here goes.
These three letters behind my name mean more to me than just another financial planning designation. I will use the CKA as an acronym to tell my story.
Clarify Calling
When I was a teen, I remember feeling God’s call on my life. It was one of those moments in God’s presence where I looked intently at my Mom’s bible at the front of the church. The verses that came into my mind so strongly was when Paul gave several instructions to young Timothy: Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, endure hardship as a good soldier, do the word of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry. At the front of the church there was a large painting of Jesus and the disciples in a boat in a storm, one hand on the shoulder while pointing with the other hand. I felt the Lord’s hand on my shoulder directing me that evening.
My conclusion was to go to Bible College, earn my Bachelor of Theology and become a pastor. There I met the love of my life and we entered the ministry. Life was great until our fourth year when the church we were invited to was in the midst of a church split that caused a great deal of pain – the result was I needed to do something else for income. In the midst of this quarter-life-crisis, I entered the financial industry. I was convinced this was the Lord’s provision, until the right door of ministry would open.
Here’s where the struggle with calling began. I was convinced my calling was in the church setting while my new work was the means of providing funds for me to continue “in ministry.” I worked with other Christian advisors but saw no difference in their practice when compared with non-Christian advisors. In my heart I felt there was more …
During the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, the chart of the stock market mirrored my mental and emotional condition. At this bottom is when I had such deep soul searching and found Kingdom Advisors. I started to work through the KA training and slowly but surely God’s Word started to impact my life. I began to see that my calling was not limited to the position I held and that God had placed me exactly where I ought to be.
Know Purpose
I remember the day in my office when a new prospect came in – He needed life insurance so I had his quote on the screen within 15 minutes. Out of the blue he asked this question: “Are you a person of faith?”
Of course I said yes and he proceeded to share his heart. He had been in leadership in the church but his marriage failed and his world started to spiral out of control – he lost his position in the church, ended up being falsely accused and was even imprisoned for a brief period. I shared with him some of my hurt in the church and we truly ministered to one another. After our 90 minute meeting, when my next appointment was waiting, he stood and looked at my certificates on the wall. He said, “Lorne, you have more of a ministry here in this office behind this desk than you could ever have in a church behind a pulpit.”
The Lord used these words to let me know that I had a significant ministry opportunity as an advisor. I was able to have a conversation that a pastor could not have – I could fulfil my calling here after all. I began to see that the Lord had shifted me into this career, not only for provision but to move me into purpose!
Acknowledge God’s Ownership
The third change in perspective for me was to recognize that God was the owner of my business. This industry causes us to focus so much on assets under management (AUM) and our role as advisors to gather those assets. The biblical perspective, however helped me see God’s part in my business in a way I had not seen before. It was God who brought me into relationship with these clients. I need to figure out why he did this – was it just for business or was there more?
It was like God was saying, just as Isaac was offered to God, I was to surrender ownership of my business to God. I sat in my office at the end of the business day, looking at the cabinet that contained my client files. I said, “Lord, this is your business and you have blessed me with these client relationships. Please help me honour you seek you first in the management of the business, after all it’s Your business, I’m the steward.”
I had changed and my perspective about my role had also changed. In 2014, I was asked if I would consider leaving the business to advance the work of Kingdom Advisors in Canada. The requirement of position was to have a background in financial planning, but also to have a pastor’s heart. I left my practice after 24 years at the prime of my earning potential, took a significant cut in pay, but have never regretted this move. There are multiple Christian advisors who need a new perspective just as I did.
My favorite verse from childhood is Romans 8:28 and even though I questioned at times, God did indeed work everything for my good.
The Louie Giglio quote from 2024 is a great statement about what it means to be a Kingdom advisor.
Lorne Robinson's Blog 