“If we want to learn how to be the church in the twenty-first century, we must change. We have to be transformed. We cannot externalize or outsource the change that needs to happen in many congregations. We can’t become the kind of church we want to be only by hiring a new pastor, changing our worship style, improving our website, or raising more money. The change has to begin with all of us. We have to become people who know how to get outside our comfort zones and connect with our neighbors in ways that build trust and mutual respect.
This trust will give us the chance to notice ways the Spirit of God is already at work in the lives of those around us, and it will clarify how our congregations can join in the work that God is doing in and through our neighbors. This is a totally different approach from assuming that our job is to invite people to meet God through joining our own church activities (like worship, small groups, or serving). We are talking about a paradigm shift in our perception and understanding of what the primary activities of the church should be.” (p. 83, Leading Faithful Innovation, by Dwight Zcheile, Michael Binder, & Tessa Pinkstaff)”