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Innovation: Is Your Church “Beyond the Box”?

Orginally published on Monday, December 13, 2004 at 8:57 AM
by Todd Rhoades

Last week, I opened a huge can of worms talking about the subject of churches and innovation. I heard back from many of you. In fact, we have a great discussion going on currently at the daily blog on the issue (that I’m sure will continue this week). It is true that innovation means different things to different people. The same church that finds one thing to be innovative would view another church’s innovation as mundane. But regardless, it makes for some fascinating discussion (at least it fascinates me!)

One of my favorite books on innovation in the church is by Bill Easum and Dave Travis titled "Beyond the Box: Innovative Churches That Work" (Group Publishing). If you haven't read this book, it will definitely challenge your current thinking. In the opening chapters, Bill and Dave talk about 'Beyond the Box' churches... churches that are setting a brand new course for the future.

According to Easum/Travis, many 'Inside the Box' and 'Outside the Box' churches are cluttered with so much 'box baggage' that many of the questions they are asking don't have much meaning anymore. They automatically assume that certain things are normal or natural in Christianity (they site such things as hierarchy, structure, organization, property, location, conflict, centralized control, ordination, clergy, seminaries, and denominations.)

Many thriving congregations, they say, aren't anywhere near 'Beyond the Box'... still spending much of their time swirling with old assumptions, causing them to "waste their potential fighting battles that no longer matter." Look, for example, at the three ways they would categorize most churches:

In the Box	Out of the Box	Beyond the Box
Stuck and dying	Thriving and growing	Radically innovative
Property is important	Relocate or expand	Property agnostic
Looking for help	Holistic growth	Pursuing opportunity
Interventionist/restart	How to grow our church	Missionary mindset
Survives/protects heritage	Institutional effectiveness	Kingdom orientation
Organization, polity, control	Decentralized	Reproductive
Maintains	Adds	Multiplies
No DNA	Unembedded DNA	Gives DNA away
Culturally ignorant	Invites public in	Goes out and sends
Protects heritage	Willing to be adaptive	Radical innovation
Controlling	Benevolent hierarchy	Gospel is everything
Elects slot fillers	Trains key leaders	Models leadership
Avoids change	Comfortable with change	Embraces change
Chaplain	Career	Missionary/apostle
Slave to constitution	Ignores constitution	Flexible guidelines
Members	Volunteers	Discipled servants
Staff are doers	Staff are equippers	Equipping culture

OK... before you fire me off an angry email saying that this book and books like it cause harm to the church because they tell us to change our message; water down the gospel; disregard important traditions, cause the church to be like the world, are only based on a business-model mindset, or anything else; please take a deep breath... that is not the intention of this book. The purpose of this book is to think of innovative ways for your church to reach people in your community for Christ, not for your church to become more hip, theologically liberal, or popular.

Where does your church land on this table? Does your church have a lot of 'box baggage'? Let's discuss this idea. You can get in on the conversation and give your 2 cents worth easily and quickly by leaving your comments. Let me know how your church rated... are you "In the Box", "Out of the Box" or "Beyond the Box"? What is your church doing that's innovative?

Would you like some new ideas at how your church can be more effective in the next five years? If so, I would encourage you to grab a copy of Bill and Dave's book. It's a easy, but thought-provoking read... a book that may very well open your eyes to ways that your church can be more effective in your community.

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TRACKBACKS: (0) There are 35 Comments:

Posted by

Tuesday, December 14, 2004 at 4:41 PM

To tell the truth very few would be in the beyond category. Or tract three as Bill would call them.

But something we see happening is churches operating in all three. They operate in some way in all the categories that you listed.
Posted by

Tuesday, December 14, 2004 at 6:58 PM

I believe that many churches who are wrestling with ways to carry out the great commission, are finding out that their programs are helpful and important to build up and equip the saints, but many of them have become an end in themselves. Realizing this, we are beginning to look for ways to move people out of the chairs and into kingdom building labor/ministry. This, then, is the beginning of a more missional approach to ministry. I believe we are slowly coming to a realization that “the church” as we knew it, is mostly irrelevant to those who are not part of it. A fast growing majority of the people in our communities do not even think about church on Saturday night or Sunday morning, let alone attend. There’s only one way to reach them - go to them and meet them where they’re at. By the book’s description, this is “beyond the box” thinking and requires a huge paradigm shift for all of us. This is more difficult for me and my fellow boomers! But shift we must....
Posted by

Wednesday, December 15, 2004 at 10:34 PM

Al: why on earth would you want to be anyone other than the person God has created you to be? Allowing the Spirit to guide you is exactly the mode that transposes you into the servant He has created you to be. Why try copying anyone else other than Jesus Chist?
Posted by

Wednesday, December 15, 2004 at 11:12 PM

I would recommend this book to anyone…

Our churches have become a place of Atrophy...and one reason is because we would rather survive then thrive.

If you are serious about facing the reality of what we have created in today’s church…and desiring to have a church that fights for the heart of our king…then this is a great book to start that journey.
Posted by

Thursday, December 16, 2004 at 9:49 AM

The issure really is, “being Biblical.” The problem is most churches would rather be traditionally 19th century churchy.
I find myself in a quandry; as a youth pastor i am always trying to be culturally relevant, as most youth pastors. I find myself think closer to “beyond the box”, functioning “outside the box”, but my church is most deffinately “in the box” big time.
Posted by

Thursday, December 16, 2004 at 2:12 PM

“Al: why on earth would you want to be anyone other than the person God has created you to be?”

Who would want to be anything other then what Christ would want you or me to be? If they are intent on following Christ’s will for their lives.

The issue is how best we fulfill that “will” in our current place in time. The answer to me is what Paul taught Timothy: “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)

At that point if others consider me, or even if I consider myself, “in” or “out” of the box it really doesn’t matter if I am in God’s will for my life.

Blessings,
Al
Posted by

Monday, December 20, 2004 at 3:09 PM

Begin making small changes to start new thinking. People will begin following if they can see the new progress. As in a hockey game, just skate one shift at a time. Massive changes frighten others. It took many years to get inside of the box. It may take many to grow beyond it. Blessings,
Mark B.
Posted by

Monday, December 20, 2004 at 7:17 PM

I know your pain as you go about seeing the lack of power of the people leading the Church. My advice to you is this. First develop your relationship with God the Father by approaching Him in Jesus name. Go to Him as a child and develop an intimate father son relationship with Him. Actually call on Him when reading scripture make it a partnership with God the Holy Spirit as you study God’s Word. Learn to fellowship with Him as you do with your closest of friends. Then as you grow in love and admiration to a true and living God that manifests Himself even today, lead and teach the youth of the Church to do the same. As your group draws near to God it will become everyone’s desire to be pleasing to the Lord of Host and they will devote themselves to that point of pleasing God. You must get to the point that you are constantly aware of God’s presence every moment of everyday. This is continual prayer. Prayer is not limited to having your eyes closed in reverence, but includes your daily conversations as you work, play or live your life.

Today churches are caught up in a vicious cycle as they are unable to break from their weekly routine. The church staff meets and every staff meeting is the same as we plan the week’s activities and never focusing on the most important aspect of Christian life “discipleship”. Have you ever noticed that the elders do not teach or preach God’s word? We have lost our ability to fellowship with God because we have been drained by all the needless programs. The church needs to return to basic preaching of Christ crucified. The calling for repentance of all members and a return to true holiness of heart and not outward appearance is what we need today. We must also stand against the world and its practices that have allowed demonic influence to rob us of our relationship with God. Many Churches today I am said to say rely on emotionalism and in some depth of demonic activity to give there congregations goose bumps and high fives and the character of the people never changes. We need to preach the unadulterated all powerful; life changing, all sufficient Word of God and then we will change not only our congregations but society as well. The time is now to change for behold Him who promised to return will not delay and there are many who know not his name.
Posted by

Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at 9:49 AM

I agree with many of the thoughts posted here. I hear the same thing from many,"In wanting out, but how?” OK, try this, I came to a large church that was well out of the box. The out of the box Pastor of 30 years retired. The Associate Pastor of 6 years took over. For 15 months we were busting loose then, a 180 degree turn right back in the box we went and they closed the lid! What now? The boss will ALWAYS sit where he is comfortable...ALWAYS. If he is allowed to get comfortable the church is in trouble! So, we, the staff members, said “NO Way” and we fought against the change each in our own ministries. The Pastor sat comfortably while we worked a fever pitch around him, then when we thought we were going to survive he put his hands around the throat of it all and forward movement stopped! We now sit stagnate. We have many visitors every week and even a few join our church BUT they are people who like an in the box atmosphere. So we just ask God to do what we cannot and serve our 4 and no more...(so to speak)In college they taught us how to resolve a chord but not one word on resolution with the boss. Read all the books you want. Attend all the seminars you wish but if the boss is comfortable in the bosses chair you will just have to sit down and get comfy or move on!
Posted by

Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at 10:00 AM

Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie (The classic way of doing things. Constant and reliable) Drove my Chevy to the Levy but the levy was dry (went to church the place of living water, but the water, the Holy Spirit, had left long ago) Those good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye ( the deacons, elders, pastors, the church leaders had tried everything except the living water and now they had given up and joined the world’s process) saying this will be the day that I die (they just lost their purpose, their promise and The Power)

Last Verse of the song, “the three men that I admired the most, The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost, got on a train for the coast, the day the music died!

That says it all!

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Hi... I'm Todd Rhoades. I'm a Christ-follower, husband, father and I love to connect leaders with other leaders. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step on Twitter.