Testimony of a "Disrupter"

A new book out on finding one's 5%, which is our Intentional Difference, the unique us made to make a difference, is an interesting context to reference an experience I had this week. I was meeting with an old colleague from the 1990's. I had moved on in 1999 to other things, never really looking back. He was sharing with me how several ideas I initiated in the 1990's in Coca-Cola Consolidated, which were totally disruptive then, are now dominant practices 20 years later. In fact the market-based pricing system, which replaced the industry norm of cost plus pricing and transformed the ability to grow sales and margin simultaneously, is now common practice throughout the entire Coca-Cola bottling network in the US. The company (which raised many eyebrows then) i started in early 1990's to support these initiatives is a thriving mainstay in what is now considered normal my thousands of peeps.

In reflecting over those years I also remember how Forest Hill Church had struggled in the early 1990's with strategic decisions of building a new building and planting churches. After several years of watching the leaders postpone the tough decisions, I became Clerk of Session. In that year under "disruptive" leadership the Session initiated steps to build a new sanctuary and to plant 5 churches. Both of these help define the present nature of the Church.

Neither of these impacts I had on organizations have benefited me personally, either economically or in public acclaim. I never sought either. I think the lesson from my life looking back to those who feel compelled to lead from their 5% (iDiff) is that we are not to expect an exchange of our 5% with the world for personal gain. The benefit of leading from the 5% is the joy we receive from being faithful to playing out what God has put in us.

Faithfulness not worldly significance is the fruit of Grace and the message of