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The Ripple Effect – Believe in it

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rippleMy Daughter’s Perspective

 

Have you ever thought about how everything you do and everything you say influences someone’s life? Whether big or small, everything you do impacts the flow of this world. The dropping of a pebble in water sends out ripples of change to the surface. One seed can fill a garden (lamb’s ears just take over wherever they please – but they are oh so soft!). A simple smile can cause a 360 shift in someone’s day. Every action. Every word. You are an influencer. And you get to decide the height, length, width, and depth of that influence.

This is something I’ve been reflecting on for the last little while.

When you consider some celebrities, there are some who use their fame to bring awareness to amazing causes, and push people to create a change in the world. There are others who float in a pool of money and bathe in the light of flashing cameras. The former have fully leaned in and embraced their role in influencing, and the latter are just too self-centered to notice anything else going on in the world. (That may be harsh, but from my perspective it’s the truth). This doesn’t just apply to celebrities. Brad Pitt doesn’t live in our neighbourhoods; Sandra Bullock doesn’t work in our workplaces; Ryan Gosling doesn’t attend our schools; and Keira Knightley doesn’t go to our churches. You and I are the ones living in our neighbourhoods, working in our workplaces, attending our schools, and going to our churches. We all have a role to play right where we are.

I have a confession for you. I don’t always think pretty thoughts about people. Let me get vulnerable and give you an example. I’m a leader in the youth ministry in our church, and by no means do I think I’m a perfect leader – I would argue that I have the best small group, but that’s beside the point! One of my biggest pet peeves is when a youth leader doesn’t give their all to their small group, even if it’s just for the two hour commitment in the week (though if you ask me this isn’t really enough). Maybe this causes my muscles to tense because I didn’t have committed leaders when I was in youth and I eventually left when I was in grade ten. If I grew up in a different family or had different friends surrounding me, I fear where I would be now. I hear too many stories of youth leaving the church, and in my mind the solution is so simple – they need to be known, and only other people can make that happen. So if any youth leaders are reading this, please understand that you can make or break a youth’s faith journey.

I’m greatly impacted by personal testimonies, particularly the ones where it took one person to change the course of that person’s life. Those stories are what I hold onto when I start to lose hope for specific people – no one is too far gone for God, and He will often use us to show His love. You may often not know the impact you have had on someone’s life, but you must believe that you can be the stone in someone’s life that can change the trajectory of their life flow. Don’t miss out on that opportunity. After all, this is what God calls us to do, and the example Jesus set for us.

So remember (and this is a reminder for me also) you have influence in everything you do. Live intentionally, and be prepared to step beyond yourself for the greater Kingdom.

It is true – you will reap what you sow

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acorn_to_oak“Movements are always sustained by the third generation. Visionary leaders can easily inspire a group of people to follow them. Sometimes those followers will take up the message and inspire others, but sometimes they don’t. And if they don’t, that new, revolutionary idea will die. It takes “grandchildren” for a movement to gain legs.” From the book A Multi-Site Church Roadtrip by Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, Warren Bird.

I have been a pastor at North Park Community Church in London, Canada for the past 12+ years. During that time, beyond my work assigned to me as a pastor, I have come alongside about 16 guys over these years in a very intentional way. This has involved meeting with just two guys on a weekly basis for about two years. During this time we studied the bible, prayed, reflected on life, served together and in many ways became friends – the goal was that they would become active disciples of Jesus. It was also always my desire that these guys would not simply stop when I finished formally connecting with them but that they would in turn build into others guys as I had with them.

Now that I am more than 12 years into this experience in the same location, I have a unique opportunity to look back to truly see if what I have been doing is working – is the theory that I espoused to and worked hard at living out being shown to work itself out?

As the challenging quote above eludes to, it’s not simply that the guys I built into take on the work of discipling others, it must be demonstrated that the guys they built into also take up the cause and do the work.

It is with joy that I can honestly say that the 3rd and now the 4th generation are actually doing the work. That there are guys who really don’t know that I was the one who began something 12 years ago who have benefitted from its impact. That there are guys who believe that this is what they must do, that this is a calling that Jesus gave. That Matthew 28:18-20, as hard as it is to live out, is being lived out. That guys are coming alongside other guys, as Jesus came alongside a few men, and taking a few years to simply share what they know about reading the bible for life impact, and praying beyond themselves, and serving together for the betterment of our city and our local church.

Now I also want to be a realist, not all of the guys that I have come alongside are going strong. And not all of the guys that others have come alongside are engaging in this work either. We aren’t batting 1000, not even close. Yet the impact is growing. Men are stepping up to engage in the week in and week out work of meeting a couple other guys and showing them what it means to be a disciple. There is a movement happening as defined by the quote above. The 3rd generation is taking hold of the baton and moving it forward. And for this I am excited.

Our church’s mission statement says that we will “inspire, support and mobilize”. How often do we want to continually be inspired, yet who wants to do the hard work of support that ultimately sees others mobilized as well. Let’s not sugar coat life-on-life discipleship – it is hard work. And yet, as one who is now looking back on 12+ years of work, I can honestly say that a movement has started. That he who began a good work is carrying it on to completion. That faithfulness to the cause is resulting in good fruit. That I’m actually sowing what I have been reaping – it is true what Jesus spoke of.

I don’t know how large this movement will grow to. I don’t know how much of a difference it will make and how much it will influence others to also take up the cause. And yet, it doesn’t matter. My call is to make disciples and to do what I can to motivate those I build into to also disciple others. What they do with it will be between them and God. I am simply called to faithfulness to what I believe Jesus instructed me to do. I am but a mustard seed. God can cause it to grow to whatever extent he will choose. I declare this day that I will continue to be faithful and will look forward with anticipation knowing that a movement, no matter how small, has begun.

For the kingdom.