5 posts tagged “influence”
- How are we doing at raising up Parents who can effectively transfer faith into the life of their family and children? *We think in an hour like this that we need to ramp up youth and young adults ministry and in part we must but the shrinking of the church is by in large more a testament against strong parenting than it is in weak youth.
- Happy or sad about the new presidency they (Obama) ran one of the greatest "campaigns" in American History, if not the greatest. Many books will be written on the power of their story and the movement and energy they have created. They (he) was, is a great story teller. They painted vivid pictures and provided substantial inspiration and hope for change in the minds of millions. They addressed certain looming and haunting realities felt by much of America and then persisted to convince the American people (especially the youth) that they (he) was the answer. They solicited and inspired faith. They called upon and challenged effectively with a language and attitude that inspired. We (christians) need to learn more about influence. It's not enough to say things we must say them right and work to gain permission to speak into people's lives. Personal influence is based on permission.
- The population numbers are insane. I have attached another graphic here (from Gen-We.com) to illustrate, but 90 some million young people in it is massive and rivals the boomers by close to 20 million. The near unanimity in this generation politically and the trend toward a filibuster government situation (that appears to be with us for some time) is striking. Your policies, or not, the chorus of agreement could be wild in American politics some day soon. We could feasibly go from discussing the negative torn nature of our nation, to a more fearful (depending on how you see it) agreement. Either way if the church does not learn to engage this generation with the right conversation it will continue to become more isolated in America culture and even become stigmatized as a social evil. If we adjust and win the "vote" of the millenials we could see a massive resurgence of Christianity and a radical "volunteerism" (spirit of Christ) hit the Church and America. This generation is about GOOD but it does not entirely see it's need for the church to accomplish it. Whatever way it goes, with these numbers and this higher level of agreement it will be a more massive and impacting shift.
- What needs to be transferred to this generation from the older that might be critical to their future. Right now is the time for any influence and platforms that older generations have to use them. We are seeing the passing of what is called "the greatest generation" and what is going with them? What can our boomer parents impart? If the older generation fails to transfer any of the wisdom it has soon it may be to late and then the millenials will be left in charge with a whole lot of hope and confidence in their ability to lead with very few historical anchors to ground them. With out a healthy bridge of values and anchor of history especially those from the Greater Generation we are not going to lead as we ought to. Of course there are some new values that did not exist or needed revived and we are seeing this with Gen-We but overall we need the voice of Father's and unfortunately many millenials only have "very nice" parents or none at all. Where are the honored voices however even among the "nice" parents?
We could go on and on adding to this list of strategies, but the point is that the world has reduced influence down to working principles they employ daily to shape, bend and direct things "their" way. Paul wrote "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." - 1 Corinthians 9:22 What is he saying? I am working to influence!
My two year old daughter is following me around continuously asking this question whenever I am in the house. When I get up to use the bathroom "What you doing Daddy?" she will yell in a very girly two year oldish way. When I put a sweater on, when I use the phone, open the computer, rock in the chair etc... "What you doing daddy?"
"Epidemics are a function of the people who transmit infectious agents, the infectious agent itself, and the environment in which the infectious agent is operating. And when an epidemic tips, when it is jolted out of equilibrium, it tips because something has happened, some change has occurred in one (or two or three) of those areas. These three agents of change I call the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context.", [Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point]
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In as much as God may not be math as my last post suggested he also does not expect us to be blubbering idiots in regard to our mission. He wants us to take reasonable practical approaches and steps to better reach and affect change in people groups.
This book equips a person to understand the vital components of influence and to take a more strategic approach to the spread of ideas. Hope is not a strategy! It is easy to by virtue of our natural selves become sloppy in our mission to affect change in people and in our communities. I wonder what would happen if we worked at this thing called influence... This book changed my perspective on how things work in the area of spreading ideas, fads and phenomena.
We need to more willingly and regularly consider our own approach, communication (language), packaging and perspective in regard to reaching people and asking them to enter into a lifestyle of faith.
LEGISLATING MORALITY NOT QUANTITATIVELY EFFECTING COMMUNITIES
This is such a huge issue. To draw a picture. What if I as a person took the approach of being very concerned about what everyone was choosing to do and told them they were wrong for doing it. I then even tried to arrange things in their life to keep them from behaving a certain way and telling them they were bad for thinking like that. Simultaneously I did nothing to help them and offered no visible aid to some of their most pressing needs. I just shook my head at them and wondered at their lack of moral prowess.
I am not suggesting that we should stop being politically involved nor am I suggesting that we should stop being concerned about moral legislation. I am saying however that communities are in many cases not being visibly affected by churches and this undermines what we claim to be and what we claim about Christ. When I say visibly I mean in a measurable way. People can look, document and say "Here is where the local church helped the community last year!" "Salvations" are not necessarily measurable as this term is obscure to people in the world. We need significant changes and services provided in the community. We can say "We did this and this and this..." and society is better because of the churches presence. With statistics of divorce, pornography, bankruptcy, debt etc... being almost mirrored in the church our current voice of moral authority is also tainted and undermined. We have to get back to serving in obvious ways to rebuild a platform and image of authentic concern before it utterly collapses.
This book posted and others like it as hideous as much of their conjecture is can be used as a warning to the church. The more and more people are fed up with the church's use of power and its incredible lack of proof (fruit) supporting its claims of Christ and God the more issues we are going to have when it comes to influencing people.
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