Mack Collier, rock stars, and Jesus

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was originally published on thefrontieratgrace.com on August 5, 2011.)

I have been captivated in the last few days by a post on Mack Collier’s blog. In the post, Collier builds off a recent study undertaken by scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The study concludes that people in a group who fervently hold a minority belief will sway the majority if the fervent minority represents 10 percent of the group or higher.

This alone is worthy of our consideration. Yes, the study was strictly scientific and does not take into account the working of the Holy Spirit, which cannot be quantified scientifically. Nonetheless, the study shows that, excluding other factors, even a relatively small number of Christians in a group will exert a powerfully persuasive influence on the group if the Christians are unwavering in their faith and loyalty to Jesus.

What I am even more interested in, though, is Collier’s application of this study. For some time he has suggested that companies should market themselves not like companies do, but like rock stars do. Collier explains that companies tend to focus their marketing efforts on new customers, who are relatively large in number, but low in loyalty. In contrast, he says, rock stars focus their marketing efforts on brand advocates, who are relatively small in number, but high in loyalty. Collier believes the study by Rensselaer demonstrates what rock stars already know: a few passionate fans will “evangelize” and win over the majority (the word “evangelists” actually appears in the post and is a term used in the marketing world).

In other words, reach a few people deeply, and you will ultimately reach the masses. Does this sound familiar to any of you?

Our last Frontier Men’s Bible Study session covered The Master Plan of Evangelism, by Robert E. Coleman. One of Coleman’s main points in this book was this: Jesus’ strategy of mass evangelism was to concentrate his ministry on relatively few men who would, in turn, reach the masses as they multiplied their own disciples.

The implications for ministry are staggering. As Coleman suggests, our ministry priorities may be way off. It is very tempting to try to evangelize or minister to the masses directly, but this strategy all too often breeds superficiality and tends to be unsustainable. On the other hand, Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, Mack Collier, rock stars, Robert Coleman, and Jesus all agree—reach the few deeply, and you will eventually reach the many effectively.

And it was Jesus’ idea first.

—Beau Stanley

The “Good Shepherd,” not the “Good Cowboy”

I think it may have been in seminary that I first heard someone present the difference between the “cowboy model” of leadership and the “shepherd model” of leadership. Cowboys, of course, lead their herds by driving the cattle from the rear and sides. Shepherds lead their flocks by walking in front of the sheep.

How interesting it was, in light of this week’s discussion in the Frontier Men’s Bible Study of Robert Coleman’s principle of “delegation,” to come across John 10 this morning in my Bible reading. Not only does Jesus refer to Himself as the “good shepherd” (John 10:11,14), he tells us that He “goes on ahead of” His sheep (10:4 NIV). The Good Shepherd, as we would expect, leads from the front.

If we plan on leading as Jesus did, we’re going to have to show people what we are asking of them (see Coleman’s principle of “demonstration” in The Master Plan of Evangelism). We can’t just tell, we need to do as well. If we aren’t willing to get our hands dirty, to be involved in the process, to give as much as we ask, then we might as well be wearing boots, spurs, chaps, and big wide-brimmed hats. This is not to disparage the cowboys amongst us who are reading this post via the one cell tower in Wyoming. Driving cattle is a good idea. Driving people isn’t.

What metaphors have you found helpful or unhelpful to communicate the essence of good leadership?

—Beau Stanley

Picking up a cross daily, not a marshmallow occasionally

This week in The Frontier Men’s Bible Study we covered chapter 4 of The Master Plan of Evangelism, entitled “Impartation” (notes available here). Kevin Davis, who led the discussion, did a great job of focusing our attention on the connection between investing in other people and giving. To shape a person’s life the way Jesus shaped His disciples’ lives, we must give of ourselves.

Practically speaking, this means that we must often surrender our personal agendas for the sake of those whom we lead. Make no mistake, if we want to impact others positively, we’ve got to give them ourselves. This is difficult. It costs us something.

What else would we expect, though? Jesus told us that anyone who wants to follow Him (that is, to do as He did and does) must “take up his cross daily” (Luke 9:23). The text does not say “pick up his marshmallow occasionally.” Each and every day we should expect to make sacrifices for Jesus.

The great news, though, is that making such sacrifices leads to a greater experience of the abundant life that Jesus desires for us (John 10:10). He was right, of course, when He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

— Beau Stanley

Simplify toward Jesus

This week in The Frontier Men’s Bible Study, we covered chapter 3 of Robert E. Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism (lesson notes are available here).

Our discussion of the chapter, which is entitled “Consecration,” focused on Jesus’ call to discipleship: the simplicity of the call, the seriousness of the call, the product of the call, and the practice of the call. The central truth we gleaned from the chapter was that effective disciplers obey Christ and challenge their disciples.

To put the first part of this truth into action—that is, to obey Jesus, who calls for complete devotion—we’re going to have to simplify our lives in His direction. We should seek simplicity, but not just any simplicity. We want to simplify our lives around Jesus, His values, and His mission.

This is related to saying no, which we posted about yesterday. Of course we should say no to ungodliness (Titus 2:12). We should also say no to excessive commitments and constant distractions that come disguised as meaningful information. It is impossible to follow Jesus with the loyalty He called for when we are scatterbrained and “scatter-bodied.”

Simplify, men. Simplify toward Jesus.

—Beau Stanley

Earning “Double Dividends”

This week in The Frontier Men’s Bible Study we covered chapter 2 in Robert E. Coleman’s book, The Master Plan of Evangelism (lesson notes available here). The chapter, entitled “Association,” discusses Jesus’ practice of influencing people by spending time with them.

Coleman makes the simple but powerful observation that Jesus brought the disciples with Him while ministering to the masses. “In this manner,” he writes, “Jesus’ time was paying double dividends” (pp. 42–43). In other words, Jesus influenced His disciples while He served people, because the disciples got to watch Him in action.

Our response aim from the study was “to list specific activities from our regular routines in which we could include other men in order to invest in them.” What is your list? Whether or not you attend the study, what are some activities in which a person could include someone he or she is discipling?

Please leave a comment with your response so we can share ideas and “best practices.”

— Beau Stanley

Jesus’ “draft strategy” at work in the corporate world?

Week 3 of The Frontier Men’s Bible Study found us investigating the second chapter of Robert E. Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism. The chapter, entitled “Selection,” discusses Jesus’ principle of choosing specific men into whom to invest. Notes for the lesson are available here. 

Jesus didn’t exactly conduct a draft like the NFL or the NBA does, but he did choose to invest more heavily in some men than others. He “picked” them. In fact, as Coleman points out, Jesus staked his ministry to the world on his ministry to relatively few men.

I’d be interested to hear your comments on whether or not we see this principle lived out in the corporate world, and on how a leader in the workplace can be a mentor without appearing to play favorites.

—Beau Stanley

Batting 2 for 2 after week 1

In case you weren’t aware of it, the Frontier Men’s Bible Study got off to a great start this week as we began our investigation of Robert E. Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism. In our Monday and Wednesday meetings we discussed two main points drawn from Coleman’s preface (pp. 13–20): 1) Jesus had a strategy for ministry and leadership, and 2) Jesus’ strategy should be our strategy.

Jesus had a clear sense of His mission (Luke 19:10; John 18:37), and He was intensely focused on fulfilling that mission (Matt. 16:21–23; Luke 2:42–52). It is good to adopt Jesus’ strategic principles of ministry, even though the specific ministry techniques He employed may differ from our own.

Our aim for the following week is to pray that God will make us disciplers, not just disciples.

Next week we will focus on the first principle Coleman finds in Jesus’ master plan to reach the world: the principle of selection (chapter 1, pp. 21–35).

You can download this week’s notes and our spring 2011 study schedule on the page for the Frontier Men’s Bible Study. We welcome you to join us for our remaining meetings.

— Beau Stanley