13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. -Acts 4:13-14

In 2009, I got the privilege to go to the Catalyst West Coast Conference. Erwin McManus spoke at several of the sessions I attended and he spoke about a concept he called the 3 spaces of influence.He was talking about how so often, we as Christians want to evangelize to the world, but we only stay in the 1st Space of Influence.

If we’re really going to make an impact for the Kingdom we need to be earning the right to influence people in the second and third spaces of influence as well as raising people up who earn that influence as well. Here are the 3 spaces defined:

1st Space – Minimal Influence. We earn the right to speak to Christians that come to our churches or our immediate circle of influence. Usually we end up influencing only Christians, and not very many of them. We all start in this space with everyone, but if we’ll live our lives for God and do what He puts in our hearts, we’ll be able to move onto the other two spaces of influence.

2nd Space – Earned Influence - You get to influence people in this space because of what you’ve done in the world. Maybe you’ve built a large church, wrote an interesting book, started a business that was a big success, etc. Because of what you’ve done, people respect you and are willing to listen to you.

3rd Space – World Influence - These are people that because of who they are and what they’ve done, they have a platform to influence the world. An example would be Michael Jordan. If Michael Jordan was speaking at a convention in your city, you would go just to hear him. You wouldn’t care what he was speaking on, he’s Michael Jordan, because of what he’s done, he’s earned influence & the right to speak into your life. Christian examples: Billy Graham, Rick Warren, John Maxwell, Mother Theresa, John Wooden.

The questions I’ve been asking myself, and that I’ll ask you is:

What are you doing with your life that is earning or will earn you influence in the 2nd and 3rd space?

Do people outside of the Christian bubble take note of what God has and is doing in your life?

Everyday, we should ask ourselves, what am I doing with my life that will enable me to expand the Kingdom of God? That will help me spread the Word? That will gain me influence with the world?

Ask God those questions, and He’ll put something in your heart, that if you’ll do it, He’ll open up doors for you to influence people in the 2nd and 3rd spaces!

Thoughts?

²⁷ “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. ²⁸ For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.  Luke 16:27-28

Watch this video by Penn Gillette, an atheist, as he talks about a time a man came up to him, gave him a Bible, and talked to him about God.

Do we really believe the message we preach? If we do, we should have a burning passion in us to tell everyone we know about it about God. It’s so easy to lose sight of the importance of evangelism! It’s so easy to pass the people we know don’t know Christ everyday and think nothing of it. I do it, you do it, we all do it.

Do we really believe this message we preach? And if we do, how bad do we have to hate someone to not tell them about God?

If you’ll be open and ask God to use you, you’ll start to see opportunities all around you everyday to share Christ with people. When the opportunity comes, go for it! You never know the impact a few words could have, even if they don’t react the way you’d want them to.

Finally, I just want to make note that the man who talked to Penn, did not freak him out. I see so many Christians that are so “spiritual” that they drive everyone they meet away from God. They make me not want to be a Christian! So please don’t be so “flaky” when you talk to people about God that you turn them away. I’d recommend watching Perry Noble‘s seminar on Evangelism, he’s got some great advice!

How bad do we have to hate people to not tell them about God?

Who are you going to tell?

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.  ~Cicero

I thought I’d do a fun post today listing the first 100 things that come to my mind that I’m thankful for! I’d encourage you to do the same! Be grateful!

100 People and Things I’m Thankful For:God

• Laura

• My dad

• My sister

• My grandparents

• Mike Steidel

• Judy Steidel

• Pastor Larry Bettencourt

• Zack & Lauren Blair

• Pastor Craig DeBower

• Sean Moore!

• Christine Marra

• The Bettencourt Family

• The Moore’s!

• Victory Family Church

• Pastor John Nuzzo

• The staff at Victory Family Church

• Ben Rath

• Alicia Rath

• Keith Moore

• Starbucks

• Revolution

• Books

• John Budavich

• John Maxwell

• 19 North

• Andrew & Vanessa Raisley

• The Bible

• Youversion.com

• Good health

• A house over my head

• An income!

• Google Reader

• WordPress

• Blogging

• John Saddington

• Cory Vogan

• Michael Hyatt

• iPhone

• Great friends

• The City of Pittsburgh

• The Kindle

• Light of Life Missions

• The Pittsburgh Project

• The Pittsburgh Kids Foundations

• My Cadre Brothers and Sisters

• The Cadre

• Erwin McManus

• TED Talks

• Catalyst Conferences

• BeachBody

• P90X

• Insanity

• Jack Bauer – 24

• Hot Showers!

• Sushi

• Mentors

• Volunteers who pour their lives into others

• Date Nights

• Twitter

• Facebook

• The students at Revolution

• The Summer of Service Crew

• Our Hockey team

• Netflix

• Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace

• Family Traditions

• People that invest their time, money, and gifts in me when they don’t have to

• Bloggers

• Authors

• Seth Godin

• Google Analytics

• Victory Bible Institute

• North Allegheny School District

• Robert Morris

• CCAC

• The gifts, talents, and heart God put in me

• Matthew 6:33

• Ephesians 3:20

• Brad Cooper

• Perry Noble

• Encouragement

• People that Believe in Me

• Hummus

• Banana Republic

• A car

• Silver Ring Thing

• Marathons!

• Hootsuite

• Jeanne Mayo

• Mark Batterson

• Tony Horton

• Vacations

• Bar Harbor, Maine

• Bible Gateway

• IMapMyRide

• Runners

• North Park

• Summer Camps

• Slipper Rock Baptist Camp

What are you thankful for?