For those of you that read this blog regularly, you know I’m a fan (past blog posts) of Seth Godin and his thoughts about marketing, leadership and etc. Three weeks ago he posted an article entitled, First, ten, and I’ve returned to it many times since then. Here is the gist of his thought about “First, ten“…
Find ten people. Ten people who trust you/respect you/need you/listen to you…
Those ten people need what you have to sell, or want it. And if they love it, you win. If they love it, they’ll each find you ten more people (or a hundred or a thousand or, perhaps, just three). Repeat.
If they don’t love it, you need a new product. Start over.
Is this ground breaking or new? Heck no. It’s a basic principle. It can be found in the movie Pay it Forward and it is pretty much the principle of “Spiritual Multiplication” – that is pouring ourselves out for the Glory of God, for the sake of others, so that, Lord-willing, they will enter a dynamic relationship with Jesus, and then pour themselves out in the same way. Furthermore, it’s also obvious that Jesus practiced this; however, he happened to have the “First, Twelve” in mind, instead of ten.
So if this isn’t something new, then why is it messing my head up so much? I’m not sure, that’s why I’m writing this. I know that I’m not trying to sell anything, and I’m certainly not trying to peddle something. I’m, with the aid of God, attempting to live, love, and speak in such a way where those around me are going to long to have what I have. No selling. No peddling. No convincing. But a lot of living, loving, laughing, crying, speaking, and more together, in hopes…. In hopes, that something, anything will happen. I guess, it is in this thought, that I’ve been troubled by this blog post from Godin. I pray for ten. I pray for five. I pray for two. I pray. I hope. I’m not trying to win, as Godin mentioned in the post, but in the midst of a culture that is very cold to things of God, it would feel that I’m on the “losing” end more than the “winning” end. That’s it. There it is. That is why this post has been haunting me! That connected with, the last sentence I quoted – “start over” and “find a new product.” While I believe in being a constant learner and always being willing to change our methods, I’m left scratching my head, because it would appear some days that I need to take that last sentence to heart. Especially, as I look at our work here in Prague. I think we have adjusted our methods (“start over”) and we are still praying for ten. Five. Two. Hmmm… Much more could be written, but I will leave on two things – 1) please join in praying for us/me as we/I live, love and speak here in Prague. Pray that God would raise up ten. Five. Two. 2) Be encouraged because Jesus said,
“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18b
amen.