The Tipping Point

If you enjoy books that examine the sociological aspects of human nature, you may find The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell to be an interesting book. I finished it on my way back from California this week. The book explores the way that ideas can become contagious until they reach “epidemic level.” Gladwell discusses everything from the success of Paul Revere’s famous ride to the resurgent popularity of Hush Puppies shoes to the phenomenal success of the children’s TV program, Blues Clues.

The words "tipping point" comes from the world of epidemiology. It's the name given to that moment in an epidemic when a virus reaches critical mass. It's the boiling point. It's the moment on the graph when the line starts to shoot straight upwards.

Gladwell does a great job analyzing and explaining why certain ideas catch on to the point that they reach critical mass. It caused my mind to start whirring, thinking about how Gladwell’s observations might relate to sharing the message of the grace walk. Since I established Grace Walk Ministries in 1996, there has certainly been a steady increase of interest in the message and I’m thankful for that, but what I pray for is that there will be a sharp, spiked increase among people who are hungry to know the message so that whole denominations, mission agencies and para-church organizations are transformed.

The book isn’t what most would call a “Christian book,” but it is filled with great information that can help Christians. The author calls it “an intellectual adventure story, that draws from psychology, sociology and epidemiology and uses examples from the worlds of business and education and fashion and media.” This type book isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but if you like books rich in helpful and interesting information, I recommend this one as a good read. After reading it, I find myself praying that the spread of the message of the grace walk will reach the tipping point and that the church of Jesus Christ will begin to live in our full inheritance.