“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

In 1790, a small group of interconnected friends and families realized they shared more than love for one another. They also shared moral and spiritual values that influenced who they were personally and professionally. They met and organized around these values, prayerfully encouraging one another, challenging one another, and resourcing one another.

They also had a keen sense of their time and place. The world was a different place in 18th century England than it is today. Slavery was common and, seemingly, integral to the economy. Young children were treated much the same way as slaves by their employers. Prisons were inhumane. Through their small group and their efforts, this group of men and women founded or involved themselves in societies that worked tirelessly at helping their fellow man and, as a result, changing their world.

But most important of all, they created, what one writer called, an ethos that “became the spirit of the age.” He called them the ‘Clapham Sect’ after the primary location of their homes southwest of London.
Recently I had the opportunity to interview Jon Sharpe, the Executive Director of C3 Leaders. Jon likes to refer to the Clapham Sect to help people understand the significance of their participation in C3 Leaders Forums. The growing number of forums (35) that Jon and the C3 Leadership team have helped form has assisted many men and women to share and change their lives in deeply personal ways. But, according to Jon, it is how each person impacts their world outside these forums that releases an “ethos”, the Spirit of Christ, into this world leaving a legacy for years to come.

“You cannot and should not walk in the light alone”, said Jon. “We need each other to help us see with clarity what God is doing and will do in our lives. We need to break through the walls that surround our hearts and the fears that isolate us. And, the promise is, if we do that, we will be blessed to participate in what God has planned for this age and the age to come.”

The reason Jon wanted to start this column, C3 Leaders “JUST BUSINESS’, is to highlight the day to day actions of C3’s growing community as they go about just doing the business of their lives after getting fed, taught, encouraged, prayed for and supported by their small group of friends in the C3 Community.

These stories are His-Story, being played out in front of us on the world’s stage. And they are C3’s collective stories, because others like you have shared them with us; by doing so, we experience the light more fully, understand it more clearly, and leverage it in rich and compelling ways.

We look forward to just doing business together with you and reading His-Story of your lives.

Writer: Ron Worman is a C3 Leader Forum Chair