Catalyst for Transformation 
By Becky and Daniel Frank
As with many things in Christianity, transformation begins with an invitation. Initially, it is an invitation to relationship, then to join the Father in what He is already doing. The church spends a lot of its time trying to create opportunities when God has already opened doors, creating natural opportunities and divine appointments; we simply need to seize the moments.
‘Catalyst’ means ‘a stimulus to change’.
The church’s DNA is inherently a ‘stimulus package’ that is designed to create spontaneous combustion wherever we go. Bishop Graham Cray believes, ‘There is no way to reevangelize this nation apart from the impact of the daily lives of ordinary, everyday Christians.’
The church becomes a catalyst when we realise we can’t do it on our own, just like Peter in Luke 5 when he had to ‘call to his partners for help’ or else lose the catch.
Knowing you are a catalyst can be a bit like ‘launching out into the deep’ as it is full of unknowns, but if we respond like Peter (in spite of what we think we know as truth through our personal experience) and say, ‘at Your word Lord’, we can have the joy of igniting transformation in ourselves, others and our communities.
Another key element in being a catalyst is relationship. As catalysts, we must seek to build real genuine relationships so chain reactions can occur, otherwise, we just implode. Relationships were key for Peter to bring in the ‘catch’. The further we are willing to reach in relationship the further we can cast our net of transformation. To see communities across our nation truly transformed the church must partner with community services, schools, local councils and other agencies. But, to partner, we must intentionally seek to build real relationships believing that we are only part of the solution. We need to listen to others and come alongside them to develop a unified community strategy.
Ironically, it wasn’t about the size of the catch that day long ago…the catch was simply the catalyst used to unite ‘the partners’ to take transformation further.
“While one determined person may make a significant difference, a small group of determined people can change the course of history.”
Becky and Daniel Frank
Church Planters,
North East Glasgow