THOUGHT PROVOKING - INSPIRATIONAL

Jesus changed the whole world with 12 (only 11 of whom panned out) disciples. Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point is a study of how human organizations change. How does a system reach the "tipping point" whereby an organizational culture is transformed? Gladwell documents that it takes no more than six children in a school to begin wearing a certain brand of sport shoe to reach the tipping point whereby in just a few days a hundred children will begin wearing the same brand of shoe.


"I believe Gladwell is right. In all of the churches I have served as pastor, only 6 percent of the members gave nearly two-thirds of all the financial gifts of the church. I've served some wonderful churches, but I've never served a church that wasn't being led by 6 percent of the members. Only 6 percent of the congregation are people to whom God has given the passion and the position to lead the whole church.

"There is a word of grace here for church leaders. If you want to give the church a brighter future, you only have to convince 6 percent of the people in the church. As a bishop, if I want to reverse the decline of my conference, I only have to identify a mere 6 percent who know how to make that turn around happen.

"Christianity tends to be a minority movement. Jesus occasionally attracted multitudes, but His transformative work tended to be through a small group of disciples. Thanks be to God we don't have to wait to follow the Spirit until 99 percent of everyone thinks this direction is a good idea.

God can work through something as seemingly small and insignificant as a mustard seed to grow the Kingdom."

…..Will Willmon (Preaching Now) by way of Chaplain Notes (ChapnotesMail@aol.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)