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Influence – Every Person Can Create Change

Devotion: 

God made the heavens and the earth and thought it was good (Gen 1:31). People are made in the image of God and when they put their minds to work, share ideas and turn dreams into a reality working with others, it is incredible what can and has been achieved.

In the story of the Tower of Babel, the Lord comes down and says ‘the people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!’ (Genesis 11:5-6). The people He loved and created, when they set their mind to it, can build and create the seemingly impossible.

People achieve the impossible when their God-given gift influences others. Our unique talent was never meant to be a secret power that we keep to ourselves. Influence is taking what we have and making it a gift to others for the improvement of the world that we share.

Jesus wants His church to be a lamp on a stand, a city on a hill bringing light into darkness, to add flavour (Matthew 5:13-15 MSG) to the world we live in.

As Alan Scott writes in his book Scattered Servants: 

The church you see is not peripheral to the culture; it’s essential for the culture. You are a city on a hill. You are the light of the world. Raised up in the city; raised up for the city. The city doesn’t make sense without the church, and the church doesn’t make sense without the city. We are made visible to show forth a model of cultural renewal.

The Early Church had great influence. Some were inspired and decided to join this new community. The religious leaders were angry and encouraged them to keep quiet while others were offended and sought to destroy this embryonic movement.

Whether they brought inspiration, offence, or anger, they were definitely influential.

The local church should be influential. We can have great moments of Encounter, we can Gather regularly and help people Grow in their Christian faith. But if there is no Influence and no one is inspired, offended or uncomfortable about what we are doing, we may have just created a club for our members. 

The great commission that Jesus gave His followers was to go and make disciples of all nations, not to find a handful and then stop. 

The church is designed to be influential.

We carry something more than a club, charity or a community; we carry the very Spirit of God and it should be vibrant and infectious. Our churches should be the talk of the neighbourhood. Not because the coffee tastes better, but because we are making a difference to the very community we serve. An understanding that our neighbourhood is better because the church is there.