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“Drip by drip isn’t a crowd pleaser, but that’s what makes real change happen.” -Another prize-winning quote from Seth Godin.

Seth Godin writes a blog every day, ostensibly about marketing, but I find something profoundly useful for ministry at least half the time. “Drip by drip…” comes from today’s blog, January 22, 2019, in a post about gradual change.

Jesus, in his three years of public ministry, had a few big events. The feeding of the 5,000 comes to mind and maybe the Sermon on the Mount. The confrontations with the religious leaders described in John chapters 5 – 10 often were associated with large crowds.

But I would argue that Jesus’ main work was with the twelve. Assume they are always there no matter what else is going on, and he chose them “…so that that they might be with him and that he might send them out…” (Mark 3.14). He told Peter and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4.19) 

He invested in these men, drip by drip, over three years so that, he could send them out to replicate the process. “Make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28.19) 

It’s a simple system, but over the years, we have tried to improve on it. Churches seem to love and rely on big events. Once the senior pastor of a large church asked the youth pastor to organize a Christian concert. I love it that the youth pastor responded, “Why?” Answer: “So we can get more kids into the building.” The youth pastor replied: “If I put on a concert, the only kids that will come are kids who are already involved in ours or another church’s youth group. After the concert, they will all return to their own churches. The net impact will be zero.” This youth pastor wasn’t doing nothing; he was investing his time in kids one-on-one and encouraging his staff to do the same. Not as flashy as putting on concerts, or in Seth’s words, not as much of a “crowd pleaser,” but way more effective.

By the way, have you considered that the 600,000 men who left Egypt in Exodus 14 experienced in quick succession, Passover (where the Egyptian first-born were killed), the dividing of the Red Sea, and the giving of the law on Mount Sinai? Three of the biggest events I can imagine. Yet of the 600,000, the total number who persevered through the wilderness and entered the promised land was exactly two: Joshua and Caleb. (See Hebrews 3.16 – 19.) Real change takes more than big events!

You and I need to value the “drip by drip” opportunities we have…to encourage someone, to help a neighbor, to pray for someone, to tell someone we’re praying for them, to share what God is teaching us through our daily prayer times with someone else, to teach them how to have time with God…. Don’t expect someone else’s big event to get it done when God wants you to be making a small difference where you are.

A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.” (Isaiah 60.22, NKJV)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5.16, ESV)