Invisible Yet Influential

...Influential!

Invisible yet ...

Dr. William R. Wilkie

Invisible yet...

Copyright © 2009 Copies cannot be made & sold without permission 471 W. Long Lake Drive Harrison, Michigan 48625 (989) 539-1928 wwilkie at netscope.com All rights reserved under International Copyright Conventions. No portion of this book may be reproduced mechanically, electronically or by other means without permission of the publisher.

Acknowledgement to Contributors

Thanks to Carol Davis and others who have encouraged us regarding our somewhat unusual perspectives on professionals in the workplace. Professionals need to become integral by eliminating the idea of the “sacred and secular.” All work can be holy and significant! Our extended families believe that God is on the move as it relates to the career and professionals recognizing that their work is holy. We have ample anecdotal information to see patterns that often last a lifetime. God is on the move. To give life to Oswald Chamber’s prayer, “May God be as original with you as he as been with me,” we would encourage you to submit ACTION ITEMS that would be included in a collection on our web site at www.movments.mappingafuture.com. Thank you!

Cover designed by John Tiechman.

...Influential!

Feel free to SHARE this e-monograph with anyone who you think might benefit from it or quote it in the public media.

Preface

Man tends to respond to symptoms! Invisible yet...

God wants to deal with causes/origins! Where will you invest your time? The “tower of Babel” story in Genesis 11 teaches us that “...nothing they plan to do is impossible for...” (NIV) anyone who can get a group of people • to have a common definition of terms (language) and • share a vision. If this principle is valid for both the Christian and non-Christian, then success with a new program does not necessarily make it a “movement of God.” What are the criteria that we should be using to determine whether a new idea is actually a movement of God?

Table of Contents 1

Causality & Origins…

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University InstituteLab 1.0…

5

#1 Ordinary Believers…

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#2 Causality

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#3 Neglected Truth

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#4 New Institutions

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#5 Blessing to the Nations

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#6 Invisibility & Influence

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...Influential!

Christianity transforms...

Christianity transforms...

Invisible yet... 1

Hart, in a complex but heartening analysis of “Violent, sudden and calamitous revolutions are Christianity’s first 500 years, lays claim to the fact that “...a movement need not be large, but the ones that accomplish the least. While they only sufficiently substantial to attract attention, may succeed at radically reordering societies, to inspire confidence in its members or dismay they usually cannot transform cultures. They in it enemies.” may excel at destroying the past, but they are generally impotent to create a future. The We, in post-modern America, seem to have lost revolutions that genuinely alter human reality at the deepest levels--the only real revolutions, sight of the counter-intuitive claims of Christ in that is to say--are those that first convert minds a elitist, hierarchical and brutal pagan society. David Hart suggests there were three changes: and wills, that reshape the imagination and reorient desire, that overthrow tyrannies with 1. Man made in the image of God (dignity), the soul. Christianity, in its first three centuries, was a revolution of the latter sort: gradual, 2. Men could have the divine live in them and subtle, exceedingly small and somewhat incho- 3. Charity as the key manifestation of God in us. ate at first, slowly introducing its vision of divine, cosmic, and human reality into the culture These new values lived out over the centuries around it, often by deeds rather than words, and laid the foundation for Christianity to literally simply enduring from one century to the next.” transform the Roman Empire in ways that even Davis Hart the Apostle Paul could not anticipate. “Atheist Delusions,” page 183 What counter-intuitive thinking could create a movement of God over the next 3-5 centuries?

...Influential! California 1656 A.D. What does your world-view look like?

2

Causality / Origins

Invisible yet... 3

In 2001, Ralph Winter began to seriously examine Satanic evil. From his perspective, evil is both an affront to God and a hindrance to the spread of his fame and glory. As Winter observed major global problems that are dragging down the human race, he was both challenged and frustrated. Challenged—as he began to develop theories about how Satan’s work is distorting creation right under believers’ noses. Yet frustrated—it was hard to find Christians who cared enough to give their lives and careers to combat them. He was convinced that committed believers should be fighting evil at any and all levels.

Normally, we think of this kind of warfare in mainly “spiritual” terms, dealing with sin in people’s lives. And, we deal with those in mainly spiritual ways by praying, teaching or giving counsel. Winter would say we should go beyond all that. If something is attacking people’s view of God’s goodness and glory, we should counter-attack by figuring out what is happening at, for example, the biological level (or the macro level for poverty). We need to find a way to correct it. We shouldn’t stand by and suggest that if God wanted to, he would take care of it. See page 15 below or www.ralphwinter.org

Futures LAB 3.5 Below are four tools for lay professionals.

Social Change:

The pattern is central, providing the pattern for transcendental transformation regardless of the professional arena of international service. A 1st century model is examined for its 21st century relevance. Three central, integrated phases, give an entry/exit strategy for holistic global involvement.

The pathway is inter-relational, laying out the pathway for intercultural discussions for solving life problems. You will learn how to coach others cross-culturally. Through exploration of a moral/spiritual educational model, you gain mentoring competencies to assist those in the global world capable of worldview and lifestyle change.

...Influential!

The Profile:

The tool is analytical, examining the life place that will influence all dimensions of 21st century experience—rural towns and urban cities. Exposure to GRID 8, an ethnographic instrument, provides a transferable analytical tool for each locale. You will especially explore why some cultures are progress-prone and others are progress-resistant.

Dynamic Mentoring:

Life-View to Life-Voice:

The precepts are integral, comparing the perspectives of the planet’s 5 basic worldviews. The 7 Questions of humanity— asked by all peoples, across all times, in all cultures—are explored in the light of the 7 Answers of God, from a Judeo-Christian perspective.

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Invisible yet...

5

Criteria for “Is this a potential movement of God?” 1. Is it initiated and sustained by ordinary believers to meet an UNPERCEIVED NEED?

3. At the core is there a BIBLICAL NEGLECTED TRUTH? 4. Does it CREATE NEW SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS that meet an emerging need? 5. Is it a BLESSING to both individuals and communities?

...Influential!

2. Does it address underlying CAUSES as well as symptoms?

By definition, a real movement of God is dangerous to the “ESTABLISHMENT.” The foundation must be solid before it becomes visible or it will be destroyed. 6. Can it be kept INVISIBLE for 5, 10 or even 20 years? Then you have an opportunity to turn your world right-side-up! However, you may also have to move from success to significance and on to “insignificance.” You can access PDF files for each factor at www.movments.mappingafuture.com .

6

Networking Contacts

Project Ideas

Invisible yet...

Career Options

WWW Sites

Books

Articles

Essay Themes

Notes

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EMPOWERING TEENS

© 1992 4rd Edition 2008 www.next-generation-series.com

Ordinary Believers & Unperceived Needs Significance Factor #1

As we have been thinking through the differences between SUCCESS FACTORS AND SIGNIFICANCE FACTORS, we found ourselves asking, “Why not just meet perceived needs? It is much easier.”

...Influential!

“Is it initiated and sustained by ordinary believers to meet an unperceived need?”

When dealing with causes as contrasted with symptoms, the need is often unseen and unperceived. The constituents are focused on the immediate perceived need. However, just like a doctor who gives you medication for both the pain and the cause, so we must meet both the perceived and especially the unperceived needs. If not, then we as Christians are remiss and even irresponsible. Below are a few snippets from Thom Wolf’s speech on GlobalSHIFT: New History Vectors at University of Mary Hardin Baylor with President Bush, Senior and Ken Blanchard in 2006. It lays out the case for the shift from the ordained to the ordinary in the 21st century. The full speech is at www.universityinstitute.in

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From the Ordained to the Ordinary by Tom Wolf

Invisible yet... 9

Few live their lives at a turning point of history. This generation, however, is a turning point generation. The historystream (the westward flow) and the historyshift (the turning point) have created the new environment (for historyservants). The historyshift from modern/postmodern world to the global world, has buried one period of history and birthed another. The historyshift is from the ordained, to the ordinary. Consider this by illustration: the time of modern missions—1790s-1990s—from William Carey to Mother Teressa, was the period of the ordained. That is, the basic mode of delivery for the good news was the ordained. That period of history—the period of the ordained—is over.

The characteristic of the age of the ordained was: a person who felt called to dedicate their life to God and his purposes in the world would abandon their past and enter full-time religious work, the ministry of the ordained. That time period of history has T tterminated. A turning point has ooccurred. We are already into aand more deeply entering into a new period of history: the eera of the ordinary. IIn other words: if someone today wants to love God and serve humanity, that person must not abandon their past, but embrace their past. That is, at entry-point of the 21st century, there is a reconnect to the entry-point of the 1st century:

space was their worshipspace, the place where they prayed to God and helped those around them. For those of the 1st century, their market place was their ministry place. They did not wait for an ordained person to show up. In their thinking, they themselves were the ordinary person God has raised up to be his hands of Those 1st century historyservants saw their blessing to those around them—and the agents career as the context of their character develop- of change for the transformation of the culture. ment. They recognized their life station for what it can be—the matrix for life investment and a The fractal lifestyle pattern of earliest Chriscontribution to humanity. It was a life-situation tianity can be seen in what I reference as the base for a pro-active, entrepreneurial attitude, Four O’s: (1) they offered their lives personally, rooted in the mindset demonstrated by Jesus. (2) they opened their homes generously, (3) they And the Jesus that those early followers knew operated their businesses with integrity and (4) was the One alive by his resurrection and with they were one with God spiritually. them for active encouragement to do right and They offered their lives. Having received life help others. itself from the living resurrected Jesus, the earliest followers offered themselves as living In the mode of the ordinary, their work place sacrifices. was not some vampire against their vocation, but the vehicle of their vocation. Their workThis was accomplished through deep personal

...Influential!

Each person should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him…although if you can gain‛ a better situation, take it. (I Corinthians 7.17-24) This was the unusual view of the world that turned the 1st century A.D. upside down.

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Invisible yet... 11

In the J-zone (the Jesus-zone), integrity flushed out corruption, honesty replaced deception, and reliability became the currency that Christians traded in. Work by employees became marked by excellence and wages judged as fair became the norm by employers convinced that they themselves had an Employer they answered to They opened their homes. It is a well-document- on the Day of the final audit. ed fact that the homes of the earliest generation Finally, they were one with God their Father. Christians became conversation hotspots. The intercessory prayer of Jesus seemed almost instantaneously answered at the new moveWith conversion, every home became a viral ment seemed to carved out fresh lifestyles of social transformation recruitment center, for wit, purity and compassion, and justice. It was every home became a missionary base. They as though they had a force shield about them opened their homes to the new song, the new protecting them from the corrupt, tempting, and worship and the new adoration point of their taunting culture that surrounded them, while lives, so that every home space became a transforming them within that culture. sanctuary space. worldview transformation by the renewing of their minds and the recalibrating of the walk of their moral and behavioral lifestyles. Thus they daily proved out what was good, pleasing and acceptable as every life aspect came under the scrutiny of the living Jesus.

Also, they operated their businesses in a new way. Turning to the God of truth turned them into people of truth, and that alone impacted economic activity.

They were in their societies, but they seemed, strangely, almost not of their societies (see John 17). Their personal, intimate and daily oneness with Jesus, who had rescued them from

themselves, was a strange attractor to others, drawing others in flowing numbers to join the new movement of fresh living.

• • •

Discipling individuals: transforming attitudes and behavior. Discipling institutions: re-purposing values, practices and policies. Discipling nations: creating new institutions with appropriate values, practices, policies and structures when the old institutions no longer work.

Ordinary persons—the providential vector points for making this all-too-often forlorn and fractured planet, a more spiritually-flourishing and friend-engendering place: historyservants, in the westward flow of the providential historystream, at this awesome turning point of the generational historyshift.

...Influential!

Thus, all those in the 1st century who saw themselves as God’s people, in all the life domains—technological, political, economic, social, educational, cultural—engaged in doing good deeds and sowing good seeds, creating good will and sharing good news. It was the generation that French intellectual Alain Peyrefitte says was a burst of spiritual and social transformation, unparalleled on the stage of world history. Indeed, 1st century ordinary persons accessed God’s creativity and “..discipled the nations...” by

And that is what the 21st has become: the place for the ordinary person—the technician, the political leader, the business person, the social activist, the teacher, the artist—to be the providential vector point of God.

Tom Wolf, D.Lit., is International President and Professor of Global Studies of UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE, New Delhi As well as providing for-credit education for USA universities, UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE convenes, connects and collaborates in educational experiences around the core question of the 21st century’s global conversation: what is the best way to live life on this planet? This is an excerpt of a speech given in 2006 at the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor. See www.universityinstitute.in for a complete copy.

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Causality

Invisible yet... 13

Significance Factor #2 “Does it address underlying causes as well as symptoms?”

a symptom or a cause? I am sure of one thing. God has sufficient resources to fight poverty. However, I think that he is interested in fighting the cause of poverty not just raising more money to deal with the symptoms of poverty.

Ralph Winter recently published the statement Causality is a key factor in movements of God. below on page 11. Ralph Winter, an externally focused person over the last half of the 20th Causality has been a subject of conversation century, was a controversial figure. As a since Aristotle; however, it does not seem to CALIFORNIA TECH INSTITUTE graduate, he have shaped the church’s current behavior or had many innovative ideas about how to do discussion in a world of limited resources. Even WORLD VISION moved beyond “world MISSIONS. Most took decades to be accepted. relief” to economic & social development He died recently but over the last eight years because they saw the need to go beyond symptoms (orphans) to the underlying causes. became focused on the ORIGINS of EVIL and DISEASE. He appeared frustrated in his attempts to challenge young professionals to As we examine and decide on new projects, engage. He is dealing with CAUSALITY BUT ask yourself the following question. “Does AT THE MICRO LEVEL (disease). this project address a symptom or a cause?” For example, the need for money to fight poverty is important. Is the need for money

Significant Questions • Does the 21st century need “Kingdom Professionals” who are experts in a field and dealing with causes not just symptoms?

1. original sin (selfishness) and/or 2. a viable economy that provides jobs to sustain a family? Or maybe it is both.

• Can the nations again see the power of God to restore if we fight evil at its origins? • Can lay professionals really restore the “GLORIFYING OF GOD’S NAME” to its proper place?

...Influential!

We must also, as Winter actually did in the past, deal with CAUSALITY at the MACRO level, e.g., poverty. What is the underlying cause of poverty that we should declare war against:

• Would it produce movements of God that are sustainable for 50+ years? • What should be the key elements of a domestic and international program that builds relationships with GATEKEEPERS of the nations? • What might a CAUSALITY LAB look like?

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“Let’s be Realistic” Ralph D. Winter

Invisible yet...

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 1 John 3:8

Many honest souls, both on the mission field and also in our secularized world, are not dramatically impressed by a God that cannot be bothered to conquer and exterminate the evil bugs that cause disease, but can mainly only offer a ticket to heaven. Declaring war on disease may be the only way to restore the full power of true evangelism. Why? It may readily be that young people on the mission field (and here at home) will grow up and ask the embarrassing question, “Why don’t Christians have a theology for attacking the very roots of disease?” Why merely give intravenous liquids to babies dying from dysentery without dealing with a contaminated water supply? Why deal with water contamination and not concern ourselves with eradicating the pathogens that constitute the contamination?

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Why, NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT TO DO are we not doing it, in the Name of Christ?

Satan triumphs when there is a lack of awareness of his presence, of his deeds. His greatest achievement, according to my pastor, “is to cover his tracks.” He has apparently done that so successfully that, to my knowledge, no pastor, no TV evangelist, no theologian has ever spoken of the need for believers declaring a global war against Satanically devised disease pathogens. Missionaries have been outstanding in the conquest of leprosy—partly because the Bible happens to mention it by name. But what about malaria, which is ten thousand times worse?

...Influential!

Oh God, when will we be as involved in glorifying Your Name as we are in attracting people to eternal life? How can we go on believing that all the pestilence and disease and suffering in the world “is exactly the way God wants it to be,” as some have told me. Is Your reputation at risk as long as Your people pay relatively little attention to “destroying the works of the devil” (I Jn 3:8)? Can we launch an even more powerful form of evangelism if we actively identify with Your concern for banishing diabolic pathogens?

I can’t, you can’t, no one can solve such problems overnight, or perhaps even before the return of Christ. But what if, in the meantime, God’s reputation is at stake in the absence of our publicly declaring His concern and identifying with that concern to conquer and actually eradicate evil parasites and bacteria and viruses in His Name?

Copyright © 2007 Roberta Winter Institute [email protected]

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Neglected Truth

Invisible yet...

Significance Factor #3 “At its core, is it a Biblical neglected truth?” Often sustainable movements of God lasting 50+ years or even centuries have at their core an obvious neglected truth when first articulated by someone. For example, when you combine two neglected truths from Martin Luther, you have a very powerful movement lasting centuries. 1. Priesthood of every believer— “Every believer can talk to God without an intercessory priest.” 2. Biblical Work Ethic—“Work to the glory of God whether you are a priest or a cobbler.”

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What difference did these two neglected truths make to the economic development of Western Civilization (Europe and America) in addition to the spiritual development? Do you think Luther understood the long term impact of the Biblical Work Ethic? Several years ago, I listened to a PBS interview with a prominent economist who had analyzed the difference in the standard of living between Europe & American compared to Asia & Africa in the late 20th century. His conclusion was that Martin Luther’s work ethic had increased the productivity of average workers three tenth’s of one percent per year. That is a very small amount per year except when you compound it over 400+ years. The Biblical Work Ethic, a neglected truth for over 1000 previous years, made a profound difference that affected the prosperity within as well as outside the Church in the 20th century.

For example, in my interactions with young people, I wonder at times whether the Biblical Work Ethic has not become again a neglected truth that is impacting on the prosperity of America. Time Magazine in mid 2008 ran an interview with the President of the Rockefeller Foundation. www.rockfound.org They had just completed polling of 18-29 year olds and discovered that a majority thought that they would NEVER have a better standard of living than their parents. This was the first time in 50 years that this attitude dominated this age group in polling.

Rockefeller’s leadership and other observers had already concluded that the American Dream or “SOCIAL CONTRACT WITH AMERICAN” WAS DEAD. 1. Owning a home 2. Good job for a lifetime 3. Benefits 4. Retirement The Rockefeller Foundation had committed in 2008 $70,000,000 to fund a series of experiments with various organizations who were trying to write a new 21st century “CONTRACT WITH AMERICA.” $70,000,000 is a lot of money to give the emerging generations the motivation to engage. What might an OLD NEGLECTED TRUTH for the 21st century look like? See the next page for an Christian alternative.

...Influential!

I am looking for other examples of Biblical neglected truths that have had a profound influence. Do you have any examples of emerging NEGLECTED TRUTHS that might become a sustainable movement.

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Should the American church articulate a

Invisible yet...

COVENANT WITH AMERICA or even better a COVENANT WITH THE NATIONS? God’s covenant with the nations started with Abraham in Genesis 12, “...your heirs will be a blessing.” That is us. So what might a COVENANT WITH THE NATIONS include if we articulated it every week or month to the emerging generations.

Significance Factor #4 “Does it create new social institutions to meet emerging needs?” In Matthew 28:20, what is the unit that we are to disciple? The NASB says, “…make disciples of all nations…baptizing them…and teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.”

Because we also think in terms of organizations, institutions, communities and on occasion even nations, why did Christ use the term NATIONS 1. You will have purpose and a global adventure rather than “INDIVIDUALS.” True, some as you “bless the nations.” people interpret it as “people groups.” But that 2. God will provide all the resources necessary is still more like a community or nation than it to accomplish HIS mission. is an individual. So why would Christ use 3. God will meet your daily needs. nation not individual? 4. It may not include a home, job or retirement but it will... Examples of the outputs from our covenant are

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New Institutions

But what does this mean when he commands us to”…disciple, baptize and teach them to observe all that I commanded you.” If we go back to the “Original Commission” in Genesis chapter 1:28 to “…multiply, fill, subdue and have dominion,” does it shed new meaning on why Christ used the term NATION. Our description is, “Leave God’s world a lot better than you found it.” When you read Genesis 12 and the covenant that leads to Abraham’s heirs “being a blessing to the NATIONS,” it also gives new meaning to “teach them to observe…”

Historically, when Christianity is “on the move,” we have eventually concluded that discipling existing institutions is necessary but not sufficient. Then the Followers of Christ have looked to the most logical alternative, create new institutions, e.g., health care systems in the early church because of IMAGE DEO and public education in the U.S.A so people could read their Bible. Our discipling model includes: • Discipling individuals: transforming attitudes and behavior. • Discipling institutions: re-purposing values, practices and policies. • Discipling nations: creating new institutions with appropriate values, practices, policies and structures when the old institutions no longer work. When God is on the move, it usually leads to new institutions to meet unperceived needs.

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God is not just a God of individual sychology. When you read the OT, it is much more about NATIONS than just individuals. In fact, the nation often suffers because of the actions of individual decision makers. Our God is a God of “Nations Psychology” as well.

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Blessing to the Nations

Invisible yet...

Significance Factor #5 “Is it a blessing to individuals and the community?” God, the Father, covenants with Abraham in Genesis 12, “…that his heirs will be a blessing to the nations.” Are we the spiritual heirs of Abraham? What does it mean? Is it only a spiritual blessing?

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The nature of the blessing in Genesis 12 is not fully explained. However, taken in the context of the earlier command in Genesis 1:28 “… to multiply, fill, subdue (replenish in the King James) and rule,” you might conclude that it

includes a covenant type relationship with God paralleling Abraham’s relationship with God. It included more than just the spiritual. The material needs of Abraham were addressed as well. Is blessing fundamentally an extension of Genesis 1:28 and our responsibility to nurture, care for and leave this world a better place than we found it? But practically how do we bless the nations? • Evangelize and Plant Churches? • World Relief? • Micro and Macro Causalities? William Carey in the 1800’s, the father of modern missions, took the steam engine and printing press to India. He also created educational institutions and translated the Bible into various Indian dialects.

Timothy Richard, a contemporary of Hudson Taylor in China, worked with the Chinese “gatekeepers” on major famine disasters that occurred periodically in China. He was instrumental in prevention as well as minimizing the effects of periodic famines. Some observers believe that Timothy Richard’s contribution led Chinese leaders to continue issuing visas to foreign missionaries like Hudson Taylor in the 1800’s.

Who are the lay professionals in the 21st century that can relate to the “gatekeepers” in various nations? What are the disciplines or areas of expertise that could be a blessing and also give professionals access? Should the American church encourage the next generation to pursue specific careers?

...Influential!

After decades of effort, William Carey actually helped initiate a new law that protected the rights of Indian widows. Previously, they were burned with their deceased husbands.

Can ordinary lay professionals become the Timothy Richard of the 21st century because they possess the mindsets and skillsets required to interact with national “gatekeepers?” What are those required mindsets? What are those required skillsets?

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Invisibility & Influence

Invisible yet...

Implementation Factor #6 “Can you keep it invisible for 5, 10, or even 15 years?” “By definition, a real movement of God is dangerous to the “ESTABLISHMENT.” The foundation must be solid before it becomes visible or it will be destroyed.” Halberstam in his book, “THE BEST & THE BRIGHTEST,” on the J.F. Kennedy years illustrates the following principle, “There is an inverse relationship between visibility and influence.”

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Don’t confuse the issue of power and influence. Halbertam was talking about influence not power or control. My first reaction thirty plus years ago was “Well, I am not sure that I agree.”

Halberstam gave an illustration of a New York Banker who was offered the Secretary of State’s job and turned it down. The Kennedy staff was perplexed. However, the banker indicated that he would take the Under-Secretary of State’s position. He then went out and hired the best P.R. person in Washington, D.C. In their first meeting the banker told the P.R. expert that his job was to keep the banker invisible. He wanted to attend as few rubber ducky dinners as possible so that he would have more time to influence the policy making process of the U.S. Government. John Templeton of the Templeton Foundation had a complementary principle regarding implementation. When you are ready to take a new idea public, go to the small towns and medium sized cities first to get articles printed and achieve greater public acceptance. Then, when it eventually hits the national publications, people in the hinterland will already identify with it.

1. A hypothesis: Legislative leadership could dominate the 21st century. 2. The solution is not to be more like a business.

• Christ appeared less interested in visibility and more interested in God’s timing. • You might ask your staff about your leadership style for being “GREAT.” • Talk with your staff about a Biblical view of visibility, influence, control, power, etc.

Humanly speaking, we want to move “Whether you prevail or fail from success to significance. depends more upon what you do to yourself Spiritually, when God has set in motion a new than what the world does to you.” Jim Collins movement, is it often about our being invisible and even insignificant rather than significant? We need to be constantly aware of the dangers associated with the wholesale transfer of secular I don’t know about you but I did not really business strategies to a Christian non-profit commit to being insignificant when I gave my environment. The early history of Young Life life to the Lordship of Christ. That transition might also prove an interesting case study on has been difficult & painful! What about you? this subject.

...Influential!

Jim Collins, author of “Good to Great & the Social Sectors” also contrasts leadership styles on this issue in short two minute audio statements at www.jimcollins.com

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Sear the Conscience or Shape the Behavior The history is foundational and vision-

Invisible yet... 25

ing God’s providential plan for the nations is essential. Ordinary men and women were charged in GlobalSHIFT 1.0 to “multiple, fill, rule and subdue…” In GlobalSHIFT 2.0 Noah and his family repopulated the world. In GlobalSHIFT 3.0 ordinary believers transformed the Roman world over a 300+ year period from the bottom up. In GlobalSHIFT 4.0 Christians recreated a Western Civilization. In GlobalSHIFT 5.0 ordinary and even young professionals could create God’s future in the NATIONS because of their willingness to be scattered throughout the earth. The Logos of global history will transform their view of international service. Study of covenant, culture, and committed communities provides stepping stones for any and all future professionals.

David Hart in “Atheist Delusions” implied that by searing the conscience of ordinary people incrementally, as contrasted with laws to shape the behavior, produced over decades and even centuries profound world-views expressed in word and deed. It ran counter to the pagan society and was eventually embraced by elite and poor alike over the centuries. This searing of the conscience in a pagan society focused on 1. Man made in the image of God (dignity), 2. Men could have the divine live in them and 3. Charity, the key manifestation of God in us. Could there have also been a fourth? 4. Integrated view of their “life-place.”

Their work-place was their worship-place and they did not separate the world into the sacred GlobalSHIFT 5.0 is emerging fast if not here! and secular.

Profound Unbelief & the Global Conversation

Misconceptions of Christianity core values, its historic contribution and current influence are prevalent. More importantly, “what would a secularized society look like without the constraining influence of a Christian minority? But who is to blame for the lack of “profound unbelief” in our society? We can look many places but the reality is that we have created several generations of believers who also exhibit “UNPROFOUND BELIEF.”

Cleary, these people, both young and old, can articulate the Biblical Gospel well enough. However, they often fall short in providing the thoughtful unbeliever, agnostic or atheist with an accurate explanation of Christianity, a few core values and its history that have shaped several nations and societies over the centuries. We must engage our world in their “Global Conversation” and answer their question,

...Influential!

While we may not live in a “pagan” society, it is certainly an ever changing society where the nominal and relative dominate. Atheism is also on the rise. Christians encounter unbelief in the classroom, the workplace and at the playscape. David Hart laments the fact that most of these encounters should be with “PROFOUND UNBELIEF.” But sadly, we agree, they are not.

“How might I best live life on planet earth?” with “PROFOUND BELIEF” and on neutral not adversarial platforms for discussion. Imagine itinerant expert professionals, in the spirit of the Apostle Paul and Timothy Richard in China, engaging the gatekeepers, planting churches in 120 days and then leaving because they can articulate “PROFOUND BELIEF!”

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Campaign or Movement Campaigns are valuable contributors to the

Invisible yet...

on-going shaping of every society. However, most campaigns are short lived. They may last a few weeks, months or even years. Few campaigns survive multiple decades. Cross Section Ventures, www.crosssection.com, is a very sophisticated and competent creator and manager of campaigns. Recent successes include 40 Days of Purpose and The Polar Express.

Movements, on the other hand, overcome the perils associated with short-lived visions driven by a charismatic personality. Movements resonate with people because of there content. They produce 40% per decade growth over 50, 100 and even centuries according to Rodney Stark.

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“The Rise of Christianity” As scholar Rodney Stark analyzed the growth of the early Christian church for his book “The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries,” he had to make estimates of church membership over the decades and centuries. All population figures for the Roman Empire are estimates, but they are checked against reality and have to make sense. Within the framework of the Empire, we can start forming estimates of the percentage of the population that was Christian. Stark estimates that if by A.D. 40 there were a thousand Christians in the world, then a growth rate of 40 percent per decade would lead to Christians being a majority of the Roman Empire by A.D. 350 — about 33 million out of 60 million.

Leader or 1st Follower Leaders also make valuable contributions.

Invisible yet influential... David Halberstam in his book entitled “The Best and the Brightest” contents “...that there is an inverse relationship between visibility and influence.” In other words, the more visible you allow yourself to become, the less influencial you will actually be over time.

an advantage. They have no ownership or vested interest in the original idea. Their talent and reward lies in identifying ideas put forth by “NUTS or FOOLS.” Derek Sivers, in a recent two and one half minute humorous www.ted.com video on “How to Create a Movement,” outlined four principles. It is a wonderful teaching tool. 1. The leader is a NUT 2. People follow the 1st Followers 3. Leaders need to nurture their 1st Followers 4. Leadership is over glorified in America Was Christ a leader or a 1st Follower when he stated in John, “I only do or say what the Father asks me do or say? Is it the leader of a campaign or the 1st Followers of someone else’s idea that create a sustainable movement?

...Influential!

However, most leaders choose to be visible and in control. Control usually limits the length of their impact. Most leaders are not well known within a decade or even a few years after they leave their position. Having a title does not necessarily make you a leader. Many people in key positions are great managers but not necessarily great leaders. Jim Collins concludes that most corporate executives are mediocre...so why should we follow them.

1st Followers on the other hand begin with

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From 1976-82, he entered the automotive industry world as Executive Vice President of Multifastener. After serving as President A of Rockmont College in the early 1980’s, he owned an executive rrecruiting boutique in Grand Rapids, Michigan

If you are a “lay professional” who senses that to be an influential 1st Follower...one who helps shape a sustainable movement..., I must also be invisible if not insignificant, please contact us at wwilkie at netscope dot com or 989.539.1928

...Influential!

Invisible yet...

Bill Wilkie, a faculty member & Special Assistant to the President at Michigan State University, joined the W. K. Kellogg Foundation staff from 1973-75.