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Principle 13: Build a Coalition
An Excerpt from Influencing Like Jesus Digging Deeper: Contemporary Coalitions
The Concept
When we’re trying to influence people, there’s power in numbers. A "coalition" -- a group of people banding together to effect some sort of change -- can give us that power, especially when dealing with people and entities more powerful than we are.
An Excerpt from Influencing Like Jesus
Conflict. It’s inevitable in any relationship. No matter who’s involved or how reasonable they are, eventually conflict happens.
Maybe that’s why Jesus taught us directly what to do in the midst of interpersonal conflict, even going so far as to offer us a step-by-step conflict resolution process. One of those steps is our influence principle for today, a principle that, as we’ll see, is closely related to the previous one we’ve studied.
Let’s look at Jesus’ teaching on the subject:
If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he won’t listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. If he pays no attention to them, tell the church. But if he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever and a tax collector to you. (Matthew 18:15-17)
How are we to influence this person to change his mind? First, go to him privately. If that doesn’t work—and a lot of times it doesn’t—then Jesus says it’s appropriate (arguably mandated) to take a person or two with you to support what you are saying. In other words, to use contemporary language, “build a coalition,” a group of like-minded people who come together for a particular cause.
Interestingly, Jesus is not teaching something new here, but something very old. This coalition approach is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, a tradition that says corroboration is essential evidence. Deuteronomy 19:15 illustrates:
A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
Connecting the dots to influence, then, the lesson is this: sometimes the word of one person is not enough; a coalition of at least two or three is required to make a compelling case. This is why, for example, Jesus did not send out the disciples alone to evangelize, but instead, he sent them in pairs (e.g., Luke 9:1-6, Mark 6:7). They could have covered more ground as twelve individuals, but they effected greater change as six coalitions. The practice continued in the infant church also, as we see in the Book of Acts (e.g., 13:2, 15:27, 39-44; 17:14; 19:22.)
To read more, purchase Influencing Like Jesus
Digging Deeper: Contemporary Coalitions
Please note: This section does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of these groups, their messages, or their methods.
Examples of Christian-led coalitions:
Other examples of coalitions:
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