What it Means to be a Change Agent to Culture

SALLT Leadership Podcast

Episode 5 Show Notes

“What it Means to be a Change Agent to Culture”

“Before we were even born, he gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart.” - Ephesians 1:11 TPT

“Culture is the ‘artificial, secondary environment’ which man superimposes on the natural. It comprises language, habits, ideas, beliefs, customs, social organization, inherited artifacts, technical processes, and values.” – Richard Neibuhr

Key Takeaways:

The story of William Wilberforce.

Three things you should know about Wilberforce and his friends

1. They lived their lives imitating Jesus to the best of their ability
2. They had deep, abiding relationships with God and one another i.e., they loved God and loved their neighbor
3. There were two things that motivated their missional commitment to a transformed culture:
   1. Concern for the lost – those who did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ
   2. A belief that they could influence the world to be a better place to live for all people

Change agents can be for both good and evil.

Being a change agent first and foremost means our personal pursuit to become increasingly like Jesus in order that the culture around us looks like love. It means being salt and light wherever it is that God has planted you. It means starting within and working your way out because you can only give away what you’re carrying in your own heart.

Next Steps:

• Discover the stories of other change agents and build your faith by seeing how God works through them
• Read about William Wilberforce and his friends in the book, “Amazing Grace” by Eric Metaxis (there’s also a movie)
• Read “The Heavenly Man” by Brother Yun or “God’s Smuggler” by Brother Andrew