Tipping Points

Sometimes silence is not only golden it is also wise.

If you have not read Malcolm Gladwell's little book, Tipping Point yet I strongly suggest that you get it and peruse it as soon as possible. Not only is Gladwell a very good writer who entertains while he informs, this book will surely help you think about ways to influence others.

This boo suggests that small things can make a very big difference when it comes to change in society and groups. Some small things are like a virus that spreads from person to person in a rapid fire multiplication that touches lots of people.

Gladwell says there are three key types of influencers: Networkers, Mavens and Salesmen. Networkers seem to know many people and are in touch with them about the things they like. They are, therefore, like a virus.

Macens are those who possess a lot of knowledge about a topic and who love to share that knowledge with others. Most of us know someone who is a maven and we often ask them for information.

A sales person is able to "close the deal". They not only know people and have knowledge, they can get others to buy into the change process.

In the Wall Street Journal online there is a story about how one small event brought down the Berlin Wall and Communism. I hope you read the entire story, but here is the summary.

BERLIN -- The world believes Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev or peaceful protests brought down the Berlin Wall 20 years ago next month. But for those who had front-row seats, the argument boils down to Ehrman vs. Brinkmann.

Riccardo Ehrman, a veteran Italian foreign correspondent, and Peter Brinkmann, a combative German tabloid reporter, both claim they asked the crucial questions at a news conference on Nov. 9, 1989, that led East German Politburo member Günter Schabowski to make one of the biggest fumbles in modern history.

Mr. Schabowski was supposed to announce a temporary bureaucratic procedure that would make it easier for East Germans to travel abroad, a tactic aimed at shoring up the Communist regime in the face of mass demonstrations.

Instead, he inadvertently opened the Berlin Wall.

When his fellow Communist leaders decided on new travel regulations, Mr. Schabowski was out of the room. Later that evening he skim-read the executive order, stuffed it in his briefcase, and headed off to meet the world's media.

Pressed on the meaning of the new travel policy -- When did it come into force? Did it apply to West Berlin? Did people need a passport? -- the flustered apparatchik rustled his papers and gave confusing answers that led the news media to believe the border was open, with immediate effect.

The result, once East Berliners had seen that night's news on West German television, was chaos at border crossings across the city.

At Bornholmer Strasse, one of the main checkpoints in central Berlin, confused border guards couldn't get clear orders on how to deal with the crush, and debated whether to open fire. Instead, they opened the barrier, and the Berlin Wall was history. The events have been chronicled by Hans-Hermann Hertle, a historian who specializes in the fall of East Germany.

This reminds me of the importance of hearing God when we are trying to be influencers in the world. I am always leery about my friends and colleagues who try too hard to force change. For example, a person running for the school board near my home advertises as a "Conservative Christian". This morning while drinking coffee with some friends the conversation focused on the fact that none of them would vote for a person who was agressively attempting to force her views on the school board and the kids.

This person may be a wonderful and sensitive Believer. I do not know. But the way to make friends and influence people is not by force or pressure but applying a small amount of networking, sales wisdom and knowledge at the right time and the right place. Small things can bring great changes.

At Sweeten Life Systems we teach people how to be gentle, caring and wise influencers. It takes patience, wisdom and understanding. All of which are in short supply in the world and one reason we teach Christians how to manage their own thoughts and feelings. If I cannot manage me how can I manage others?

A New Way of Thinking

Is it possible for me to please God and do His will without renewing my mind? In retrospect, I thought I could be a pretty good Christian with my own mind. I had never heard that I needed a new mind and a new way of thinking when I was a young Believer. I was, in fact, a very arrogant person who was convinced that my thinking and approach to life was just fine, thank you very much.

Today, however, I see that my mind was filled with distortions, misunderstandings and bad theology. I know that bad theology leads to a dysfunctional lifestyle and poor emotional/spiritual health. No wonder the Lord wanted me to alter my thinking and repent! Those old habits got me into a lot of trouble with God, myself and other people.

God wants me to be healthy and live in abundance of joy, great relationships and spiritual peace. The ideas, assumptions and principles that were loaded into my hard drive called the brain before salvation blocked peace, inhibited joy and promoted conflicts with God, myself and others. YIKES!!! I needed help.

I needed a church and Christian leaders who could assist me to repent of my old ways of thinking and to develop new Belief Systems.

I finally found ways that helped me repent. Oh, I knew that I needed to change my drinking, sex and cursing, but those are easy to alter. After repenting of my wild side I began to read the Bible while studying to be a teacher and coach.

I learned about God's word along with teaching students grow and change. I decided to apply those teaching methods to the Bible.

I learned:

If it works, do more of it.
If it does not work, stop it.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I learned the Christian education was NOT working.
I learned about what needed to STOP.
It was broken so I needed to fix it.

It was my experience with coaching that taught me most about being a disciple maker. I needed to coach Christians how to change their thinking, feelings and behavior. I learned that talk is not enough. I learned that students/disciples only learn when they change and only change when they actually PRACTICE new ways of thinking and acting.

Now I train, coach and disciple men and women with processes that see them change. Next time I'll tell you more about what I learned.

See my web page at www.sweetenlife.com for more on this topic.

Gary Sweeten Day in Cincinnati

 

This is a photo of the proclamation by Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory making October 2 Gary Sweeten Day in Cincinnati. It was a great blessing and honor to have EMI go to all the trouble to have the Mayor make the proclamation.

The Mayor also made Sunday, October 3 College Hill Presbyterian Church Day in Cincinnati for founding EMI and its predecessor, the Teleios Center, and supporting EMI's national and international ministries for thirty years.

A Prayer for Living

Over the past few weeks I have been teaching on ways to implement the very important principles found in Romans 12:2.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

These simple words summarize much of what I have learned that works in the Christian life as well as pastoral care and counsel. Think for a moment about not following St. Paul's admonition. Suppose he said, "Please, friends, continue to do what the rest of the world wants you to do. Don't change your ideas or actions even though they are leading to chaos, confusion and dissipation and is obviously contrary to God's will."

Any culture in which we live invades our thinking and feelings constantly, silently and completely. As Will Rogers said upon his return from Paris: "Those Parisian kids are the smartest I have ever seen. Every one of them spoke a foreign language. French."

Not only does everyone living in a French speaking country speak that language, they also think in French and think and act like the culture thinks and acts. Americans are conformed to our culture in ways that are uniquely ours.

But, are these cultural values always Christian in orientation? The answer is a resounding "NO!" Greed, rampant individualism, sexual obsession, abortion and aggression are not biblical values. When St. Paul wrote to the Believers in Rome he knew well that the culture there was anything but Christian so he exhorted them to work at renewing their minds. Only then would they be able to live like Christ and love one another.

THANKS

Without a doubt the EMI team led by Saddel Bradley along with Dave and Pam Ping put on a reunion and ceremony honoring myself and the pioneers who established EMI back in the days we served at College Hill Presbyterian Church.

The last post shows some of the photos from the event at the Marriott Hotel. I wish I could show you more and I will try to get additional shots from Friday night and from Sunday services at CHPC. Karen and I each said that the quality and quantity of EMI's ministry around the world have progressed dramatically since I retired. They have taken it much farther than I could have.

So, I want to thank the EMI team publicly.

I have often taught about the importance of following the biblical admonition to "Honor our fathers and mothers so we will live long on the earth." EMI did that with spades Friday and Sunday. May the blessings of God be yours for many generations.

Celebration of Missionary Organization

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Photos from the October 2 Banquet and Ceremony to Honor Dr. Gary Sweeten and other pioneers who founded and developed the Teleios Center and Equipping Ministries Inernational over thirty years ago at College Hill Presbyterian Church.

Reflection on Ministry

As I reflect on the last thirty years of ministry I am struck with how much Christian leaders and ordinary lay people are begging for practical Life Skills and how few seminaries train Ministers in their use. The research from all kinds of Helping Professions, including Ministry, indicates that the core of facilitating the growth and change of others lies in our ability to listen to, respect and care for people.

I recently read that only 13% of change in therapy comes from pills, psychological interventions, teaching and therapist theories. All the rest comes from caring relationships with family, friends, and the Helper. So, whether you are a Teacher, Psychiatrist, Pastor or Hair Dresser, learn to listen to your clients and your family members.

Love covers a multitude of sins.