It was over a cup of coffee that a friend and I began discussing the idea of “church in reverse.” He pastors a church with fewer than 100 members, though his church may actually be more active in its community – helping other church plants and serving the world – than most churches I’ve seen 50 times its size. According to Outreach magazine and Ed Stetzer, I attend the fastest-growing church in America; a church that has gone from 4,000 to more than 10,000 in the last year. So, you can imagine our different perspectives conversation as we discussed this simple idea of church in reverse.

What is church in reverse? It’s about having the conversation around this thought: What if we, the Church (people, not steeple), went out and did something so amazing, so big, so effective that it demanded we create tools to facilitate the great things being done – as opposed to collecting the tools and then trying to use them to do great things. We would be a Church that is leveraging its real estate to equip the church body, to contribute to the community, and ultimately to change the world by maximizing the tool we call a church building.

For Those Who Have Their Own Tools

I am tired of watching people build buildings and then turn to each other and say, “So what do you think we should to do with this big thing ... God provided a building, we should use it.” That must stop. As Alan Hirsch once wrote, “Let us be clear here, buildings are useful. They are tools, sometimes vital tools, but they are only tools nonetheless. And when the use of a tool blunts our ability to fulfill our mission and purpose in the world, it must be questioned and dealt with appropriately.”

For Those Borrowing Tools

Often, church planters, for example, have an opportunity for innovation that existing churches do not; that is, a blank canvas on which they can dream, discover and design a tool that will facilitate the meeting of needs that are in their community. This tool just may go beyond meeting the presupposed “needs” that an existing church has in mind or – dare I say – the expectations a denomination may have set for them. The Church must leverage its real estate because God wants to bring the Church back to the center of town and put the front porch back on America.

How do we do that? Let’s not forget that 1 Corinthians 3 says one man plants, another waters, but only God makes it grow. That chapter goes on to remind us that we are God’s fellow workers, God’s field and even God’s building. Go do something so great – it demands a tool to facilitate.

For Those Who Will Eventually Need Tools

I was introduced during a recent conversation to a ministry organization that has nearly 20 employees, all of which are mobile workers. For these people, home and work, the two places they spend most of their time, are one in the same. This is just one of the elements demanding the redefining of third places, or the third most important and most-frequented place in people’s lives. We discussed their ministry personality, their deep passions and their needs for a place that would work for them. After some amazing dialogue, we envisioned a place that would serve as an organic, open-air office space that would accommodate the way they communicate with one another. We pictured a place where people from the community could gather, as well as the thousands that visit their ministry base every year. We discussed the need for retailing their ministry-funding products and for a full café that would allow them to be open and contribute to the community. In addition, this ministry organization has interns – leaders that have put themselves in a position to be ministered to and through, who need a place to be trained and encouraged. Finally, this place would be the central visitation hub for those who have been affected by this ministry. In one place, they could connect people, develop leaders and fund causes.

Innovation doesn’t dry up during an economic crisis; in fact, the opposite is true. We must rebel against a selfish mindset, be the Church – a people who have come together for the Great Commission – and understand that innovation is a social process that demands diversity and novel connections in order to imagine, create and give birth to ideas that will change the world.

Consider the tools you have, the tools you want and the tools you’ll need to create – and consider doing Church in Reverse. It promises to move the Church forward.

Michael Trent is the founder and idea engineer of Third Place Consulting and a knowledge partner with the Cornerstone Knowledge Network. He travels the country experiencing and creating environments that enhance and complement the vision and mission of churches, businesses and organizations. You can contact or blog with Trent at www.thirdplaceconsulting.com or www.messageinhand.info.

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