I was talking with Alan Hirsch as we worked together on chapter six of our recent book, On The Verge. That chapter explains the necessary missional practices a church must adopt if they are going to mobiilze their people for mission. It was during that conversation Alan said,“80% of all people act their way into a new way of believing and behaving.” I asked him to repeat it. He said, “Yeah, 80% of all people act their way into a new way of believing and behaving.”
Since that time I have thought about that single statement no less than a thousand times. Over and over again I’ve mulled what he said and wondered how do I get my people to act their way into a new way of believing and behaving regarding the mission of Jesus?
After pondering this statement I’ve come to two conclusions:
- First, I think Alan made up the 80% part. Did you know that 85% of all stats are made up on the spot? 🙂
- Secondly, for a shift to happen that mobilizes all people for mission in a church there needs to be a culture so strong in that church that it insists you do mission long before you completely understand the mission or are sure you are even a part of the mission. And the way that you establish a strong culture like that is through consistent simple missional practices that everyone believes and does.
I have some thougths that I wil share over the next week or so. But here is my question for you? What are some simple missional practices that would allow people to act their way into a new way of believing and behaving.