Be Known, Build A Reputation

When someone says your name, what comes to other people's minds? This is your reputation. Reputation is the second step of really living into a place. It is, in a sense, the legend of ourselves in our community.

Incarnation –> Reputation –> Conversation –> Confrontation –> Transformation

I remember a discussion that took place on Facebook a while back about "bi-vocational" ministry. One of my friends was arguing for it and another was arguing against it. I love what my friend Bryan wrote, "If I had been bi-vocational I would never have become the pastor of the Grand Traverse Commons."

Bryan incarnated a little a walking mall where his congregation met for worship each week. He studied, prayed, and played there. Pretty soon people would come to Bryan with their problems or with their joys or with requests to do their weddings. He had developed a reputation.

When we incarnate a place, a reputation will be developed. When that happens it begins to provide us with an opportunity to speak into the lives of other people.

Luke writes of the early in Acts 2:46-47,

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The early followers of Jesus began to incarnate the Temple. They were worshiping God and in so doing worshiping the Messiah Jesus. These were not people who were worshiping in the old way but in a new way. They were counter cultural. These people developed a reputation, "...having favor with all the people."

Their reputation would allow them to speak into the lives of their community. They were able to call people into relationship with Jesus because their reputation was such that they had found favor within their broader community.

What is your reputation like? Have you lived into a place in such a way that you have one? Share your experience of reputation building in the comments below.