“An influencer is an individual who has the power to affect purchase decisions of others because of his/her authority, knowledge, position or relationship with his/her audience. An individual who has a following in a particular niche, which they actively engage with.”

And believe me, this is a big deal. One report says, “…72 percent of major brands say they are dedicating a sizable portion of their marketing budgets to influencers — people with a strong relationship to an audience who can heavily sway decisions like purchasing habits.” And that marketing budget can be sizable, with some influencers pulling in $100,000 USD or more! One company in this industry, Viral Nation, tells how lucrative it can be to be an influencer.

“Influencers with up to 1 million followers can get $10,000 [per post], depending on the platform, and 1 million followers and up, you’re getting into territory where they can charge $100,000. Some can even get $250,000 for a post!”

Crazy! Of course, it isn’t just about influencing someone to purchase something. It has to do with how we respond to the culture around us, whether it is products, politics, or our faith.

Did you know you are an influencer? No, you may not be commanding a big income from your opportunities, but you can be making a powerful impact in lives for God’s Kingdom. There are folks who watch you, listen to you, follow you. Do you have a sense of responsibility to those people? Do you realize that God may have placed you where you are and made you who you are for such a time as this?

Dr. Jim Denison in one of his recent daily blogs (denisonforum.org) encourages us to use the influence with which the Lord has blessed us.

“Seek to use [your] influence for Christ and his kingdom as effectively as [you] can. It is by God’s providence that you are alive where you are and when you are. Whatever your gifts, aptitudes, and resources, someone knows who you are and how you live…. Our Father will use all those who want to be used. Are you in their number today?”

One of the influencers in my life has been Dr. Henry Blackaby. In the 1970s I took a group of young people to his church in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Blackaby had struggled there for years before the Lord began to bless the growth and influence of that church. Yet even in those hard times, God was teaching Dr. Blackaby things that would be a major influence for many. It was during those challenging days in a struggling church that the principles found in Blackaby’s book Experiencing God were formed. And those principles have influenced millions of people around the world.

In another one of Henry Blackaby’s books, Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda, he talks of how small things in the life of a leader have a great impact.

“Leaders dramatically influence the culture of their organizations through their own work habits. Being a leader does not mean one has ‘made it’ and is now exempt from hard work. Rather, leaders should set the pace for others. Few things discourage employees and volunteers any more than lazy leaders. Leaders should not ask their people to undertake tasks they are unwilling to perform themselves.”

The Apostle Paul instructed young Timothy about the importance of his influence.

Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 NLT

Whom will you influence for Christ today? How will you influence them? God has given you a special platform that no one else has. Use it for His purpose.