Outside the Box

I'm not sure we use the phrase "think outside the box" very much anymore. It's become a tired phrase but we all know what it means. And we know what it implies.

The implication is that we are stuck in a way of doing things that may not be the best way anymore. All sorts of organizations get in a box and then start trying to find ways to get out of it. Odd thing is, the organizations jumped into the box freely just a few years ago.

Then things changed. A new business model comes along and every business operating under the old model is at a disadvantage. To use another cliche, business have to stay on the cutting edge to remain successful and maintain or grow their market share.

Then things change again. And again. Organizations stuck in a box get left behind.

Now let's think about the church. They get stuck in a box, too. And they get left behind, too. And for the same reasons a business gets left behind. Things change and we don't. A church that is willing to change anything except the Word of God will always impact its community and the world. A church reluctant to change will only impact those within the group, and that number will shrink as time goes on.

I'm not promoting change in order to grow a church but in order to maximize its impact. A church of 50 people could grow to 100 but make little eternal impact on those people or anyone else. A church of 50 seeking to make a lasting difference will make a huge impact and will likely grow. But numerical growth is not the goal, gospel impact is. And growth is a by-product.

I'm thinking through a lot of this. Not exactly sure what this will look like for me, my family, or my church. But I do know that I'm getting out of the box. And I'll be careful not to simply jump into another box. We live in an ever-changing world where the only constant is Jesus Christ.