Please! Be a "Red Box" Church

April 8, 2011
Church Planting Clip to Evernote
16

Blockbuster is in bankruptcy. The once mighty giant failed to recognize the need for change and are trying to "catch up."

First came Net Flix, Blockbuster waited to long to recognize the customer wanted the choice of buying and ordering off line.

Then came Red Box. Blockbuster underestimated the power and connivence of multiple locations and lost another major battle.

What can the church learn from this? Innovate or die! If you wait for the culture of those you are trying to reach move so far ahead of you. Your church will find itself in "bankruptcy."

Love your city, love your people and be innovative in the way you demonstrate that with the Gospel. Your church and your city may very well hang in the balance.

What say you?

 

About artie: I'm the lead Pastor at Cornerstone, a Multi-Ethnic church in the heart of Orangeburg, South Carolina. Also the founder of the Comb Network.com, a movement to plant Multi-Ethnic, culturally relevant churches in smaller cities. I direct a gathering of small city leader called "The Sticks."

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  • http://twitter.com/NewCityNorCal Pastor Randy

    This is GOLD! Being relevant to the un-churched/pre-believers is how we need to "do" church.

    • Anonymous

      Thanks Randy, I agree brother we have to "do" church and then "be" the church!

  • http://twitter.com/chazzdaddy charles hill

    Great post Artie! We have to learn to innovate BEFORE the decline as Jim Collins has taught us all! Oh, yeah, Jesus did it first!

    • Anonymous

      True that, but you know that bro, you live it. Thanks for always being "out front"

  • http://thoughtsaboutnothing.com @kylereed

    Great thoughts and good examples.

    I think the biggest thing, especially looking at blockbuster, is that they refused to pay attention. They thought they owned the market and could do whatever they wanted. Charging 5 bucks for new releases, having crazy late fee charges. Netflix and Redbox flipped that model on its head and proved that it could be done differently.

    Not that churches need to flip the model on its head, but maybe they need to start paying attention to what is going on around them. Like the fact that 20 somethings are not going to church and that having a service on sunday nights that is labeled for college students will pacify as a solution.

    Innovate or die.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah, I think most churches have lost the ability to hear 2-things: the voice of God, and the voice of the lost. We are striking out at bat!

      Thanks Kyle

    • http://twitter.com/ReligionSucketh Jonathan Jones

      You completely took the words out of my mouth.

  • http://twitter.com/gamma909 Jim Liberatore

    We did 11 venues in 3 weekend days in homes and canceled regular church. Had people invite friends. One had ice cream sundaes afterward. One was catered Italian. One had Mexican Food and Margaritas. Almost doubled Sunday attendance. Will be doing on a regular basis.

    • Anonymous

      Dude you are my hero! We are gonna have to connect on that idea!

    • Johnnie Denson

      We do this once a month. You’re so right it has a great impact on building relationships; which has a great impact on the church.

      • Anonymous

        Thanks Johnnie, good connection point.

  • Jacque

    Awesome

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  • Johnnie Denson

    So true. Some pastor friends and I were talking about this wednesday. I believe we must also be careful with innovation. We have to be sure that a "Netflix" or "Redbox" Christian is engaged with a local body, discipled and becomes a disciple maker. I think corporate comparisons are great, but the one thing to remember is corporations want to meet you where you’re at and are perfectly happy if, and actually prefer, you stay right there. Churches should compare themselves to the way God views and say, "we’ll meet you where you’re at, but it’s our job to lead you well beyond, then it becomes your job to lead others.". In no way am I disagreeing with what you said. Those are great observations and comparisons.

  • Johnnie Denson

    So true. Some pastor friends and I were talking about this wednesday. I believe we must also be careful with innovation. We have to be sure that a "Netflix" or "Redbox" Christian is engaged with a local body, discipled and becomes a disciple maker. I think corporate comparisons are great, but the one thing to remember is corporations want to meet you where you’re at and are perfectly happy if, and actually prefer, you stay right there. Churches should compare themselves to the way God views and say, "we’ll meet you where you’re at, but it’s our job to lead you well beyond, then it becomes your job to lead others.". In no way am I disagreeing with what you said. Those are great observations and comparisons.

    • Anonymous

      You are right. That’s the point, we can’t be lulled into staying in the status quo. We must be willing to do something different. Meet people where they are and be intentional about making multipliers.