Graduation Season Advice from 50 Years in the Marketplace

This is the season of graduation. Young lives are looking around and thinking, “Where do I go from here?”

It’s a fair question. And after spending 50 years in the marketplace—starting from the bottom, building businesses, hiring people, training leaders, and learning what actually works—I’ve got some advice.

Not theory. Not fluff. Just real talk.

Here it is:

👉 Don’t chase status—chase skill.

Success isn’t about luck. It’s not even always about how smart you are. Success just doesn’t happen. It comes from developing a skill, working hard, and being honest. If you’ve got those three things in place, you’ve already put yourself ahead of the pack.

A marketable skill is the single most important difference between success and failure.

What do I mean by marketable?

Simple: it’s a skill you’re good at and one that someone is willing to pay for.

If those two things line up—what you’re good at and what others need—you’ve got something powerful. But don’t stop there. Get better at it. Learn. Grow. Sharpen your edge.

The better you are, the more value you bring—and the more money you’ll make.

So what if you’re not sure what you’re good at yet?

That’s okay. You don’t need to have it all figured out. But here’s how you start:

✅ Find a problem you can solve

✅ Learn the skill to solve it

✅ Get to work

Every business in the world—every paycheck, every opportunity—exists to solve a problem. So if you want a future, don’t just look for a job. Look for a problem. Then build the skills that solve it better than anyone else.

And here’s something else I want you to hear loud and clear:

Skills and success happen both on the factory floor and in the operating room.

Every job has value. Every calling matters. Whether you’re turning a wrench or holding a scalpel, you can live with purpose and make a difference. So don’t aim for status. Aim for excellence. Aim to be the best at what you do.

Because no matter where you start, developing a skill, working hard, and becoming the best is what gets you where you want to go.

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

Success = a marketable skill + hard work + honesty. That formula still works. It always has.

If you’re ready to build a future in rural real estate, let’s talk. BookJeffBrown.com

The Power of a Positive Attitude (and Why It Wasn’t Enough)

 

I’ve learned a few things in my almost 50 years as a businessman. The most important lessons? They didn’t just make me better at business, they brought me closer to God. One of those was the lesson about attitude.

A positive attitude is a desirable attribute. Everybody wants it. But let’s be real, it can be hard to maintain. It takes daily discipline of the soul (that’s your mind, will, and emotions). And for a while, I had it down. I had the right attitude, I had marketable skills, and I had a strong desire to succeed.

That combination worked. I became one of the best at what I did.

But then life started throwing things at me that attitude and ambition couldn’t fix. I hit a wall. I couldn’t find a way forward. And that’s when I realized: I needed more.

And I found it when I encountered Jesus Christ, the Jesus of the Bible. I didn’t just meet Him. I started following Him.

It didn’t happen overnight. But over time, I stopped relying on my own abilities and turned my entire life over to God. Totally committed. He wanted all of it—and as hard as that was to learn, it was so worth it.

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to hit a wall to find God. You don’t have to come to the end of yourself to have a life-changing encounter with Jesus.

When I gave Him my all, I discovered something amazing, God is better at managing my soul and attitude than I am. He took my natural positive outlook and combined it with something greater: faith. Real faith. Spirit and soul working together.

What I ended up with was a grace-empowered, positive faith, not rooted in people, companies, or governments, but in the promises of God. And that changed everything.

Now, I see and hear things differently. My life is filtered through both spirit and soul, not just my soul. Peace has replaced fear. Joy has replaced sorrow. Hope has pushed out hopelessness. And the infinite has swallowed up the finite.

I’m positive today—not just because of who I am, but because of who I am in Christ.

And that makes all the difference.

Call to Action:

Add God’s grace to your life. Add faith to who you are. Learn how faith works—and your life will be transformed. Learn how by asking a true follower of Jesus.

Don’t Underestimate Sunday School—It Still Works

My Sunday School Rant (for those who care)

Let me just say it—I applaud the 56% of churches in America that still offer Sunday School. Not just in name—but in practice. You’re doing more than preserving a tradition. You’re preserving discipleship.

Because here’s the truth: Sunday School still works. In fact, for many churches, it’s the very reason they grew in the first place.

But somewhere along the way, a shift happened.

Churches grew—great.

More people came—awesome.

But then came the squeeze… not enough space, not enough time between services, not enough volunteers.

So what got cut?

Sunday School.

It’s a classic Catch-22. The thing that helped fuel spiritual growth and church growth became the thing that got sidelined. And in its place?

• Life Groups for adults (which rarely match the consistency or biblical depth of Sunday School)
• Children’s church (which often clumps all kids together, removing age-specific teaching)
• Youth church (great energy, but not a substitute for intentional, age-focused discipleship)

Let me restate the percentage and the source:

56% of U.S. Protestant churches still offer Sunday School or Bible study classes for adults (Lifeway Research).

Or to say it differently: 44% do not.

And most importantly, Sunday School remains the number one discipleship tool for children and youth.

Why?

Because it’s age-specific, intentional, and relational. It’s built around the developmental stages of learning and spiritual growth. It’s not just about keeping kids busy—it’s about teaching them God’s Word in a way they’ll understand and remember.

Replacing that with a single “children’s church” or a general youth service isn’t the same.

It’s easier, yes.

But not better.

Looking over my lifetime of attending church—from being a child in Sunday School myself to serving and leading over the past 40+ years—I’ve come to this conclusion: the church has gotten it wrong. And that includes me. We meant well. We adapted to meet the moment. But in doing so, we lost something vital—intentional discipleship, especially for the next generation.

And I’ll go one step further:

I believe children belong in the main worship service with their parents.

Not every Sunday. Not for every service. But more than we’ve allowed.

I’ve seen the value—the modeling, the questions that follow, the shared experience.

I’m all for nursery care up to about age 2—babies are babies—but after that? We’re missing something powerful when we separate kids from worship.

And don’t get me wrong—Life Groups, small groups, and creative discipleship formats are great.

But let’s be honest: they often lack the reach, the consistency, and the generational impact Sunday School provided—especially for entire families.

Here’s another truth we can’t ignore:

Adult Sunday School has been the most consistently attended discipleship method the church has ever had.

I love Life Groups, but in my experience, their attendance and spiritual depth don’t compare.

And Sunday morning preaching?

It will never provide the discipleship that Sunday School does.

Preaching is powerful. It’s essential. But it’s not designed for discussion, application, or deep personal growth.

Some will say that Sunday School is not well attended or we don’t have the space. If so, then ramp up the curriculum, train your teachers, and make it a priority from the pulpit or if space is an issue get creative, figure it out. Maybe you need a building program for just Sunday School space. 

Let’s face the facts:

• 40–48% of churchgoers say their church either probably doesn’t or definitely doesn’t provide proper discipleship
• 99% of pastors say churches are not doing “very well” at discipling new or young believers
• And maybe the most telling: only 20% of Christian adults are involved in any form of discipleship at all.

That tells the story.

We’ve sacrificed Sunday School on the cross of convenience and crowded calendars.

And the result?

Shallow Christians with less knowledge of the Bible.

So if your church still offers Sunday School before service—keep going.

You’re not just offering a class.

You’re building believers.

You’re raising future leaders.

You’re putting the Great Commission into action every single Sunday morning.

And if your church has moved away from it?

Maybe it’s time to take another look.

Not for nostalgia’s sake.

But for the sake of intentional, biblical discipleship.