Philippians - Embracing Joy by Mark BattersonSample

From 1934 to 1961, a British historian named Arnold Toynbee published a twelve volume history that traced the rise and fall of nineteen civilizations. There is a question long debated by historians. Do all civilizations follow a predictable pattern, a life cycle from birth to growth to decline to death? Or is it possible, once a civilization is in decline, to experience a rebirth? 

Toynbee believed that civilizations could experience a rebirth, but the key is something that he called the “Creative Minority.” According to Toynbee, the collapse of civilization does not happen because of outside attack or external threat. The disintegration of civilization is caused by the deterioration of this creative minority, which begs the question. What is it? 

Toynbee cites the church as an example, but it’s any minority that creatively responds to crisis—and I might add a little addendum—whose response makes revival, reformation, and renaissance possible. 

In his book A Creative Minority, Jon Tyson writes these words about how followers of Jesus in the early church were dramatically different from the people around them: “The pagan society was stingy with its money and promiscuous with its body. A pagan gave nobody their money and practically gave everybody their body. And the Christians came along and gave practically nobody their body and they gave practically everybody their money.”

What a powerful testimony of how Christians should look, and act compared to the majority culture where God has placed us! When we show grace and kindness, but also speak truth and exemplify the way of Jesus, God moves in power.

God is raising up a creative minority to reimagine the kingdom. There are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet. Every generation has to incarnate the gospel in its own unique way. The message doesn’t change, but the methods do.

It can be very overwhelming and intimidating to be in the minority, unless that minority involves the Heavenly Father and His plan for our daily lives and for our future. That is exactly the minority that you want to be included in. 

Philippians 1:27 says: “Standing together with one spirit and one purpose.” You will never be truly in the minority if you stand together with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus died on a cross so that each one of us could stand side-by-side with other believers who are part of that creative minority. We have the means and the opportunity to help reach others in today’s world because we know the Master, the One who created all things and knows all things. There is nothing scary about living each day of your life with Jesus Christ. 

Respond

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

How has He changed your life? Write a brief prayer for someone who needs to hear about the love, acceptance, forgiveness, and salvation that can be found in Jesus Christ.

Prayer 

Father God, allow me to be part of the creative minority and share Jesus today.