From the fringe

"On the fringes is where disruptive innovation begins."

This is the quote on the front of Fast Company this month. What a true statement. To be truly out there, to be where the people are going to be, to be out front is to be on the fringe. It's very shaky territory though. It's unstable and unpredictable, a true experimental culture is the only way to navigate it. I have a friend who calls it the "white water."

As a church, if we are going to be on mission we need to be on the fringes. This is where the unstable, creative way of the gospel is most loudly spoken. I also think this is where the pharisees show up. They are there to push you back into the safe area of theology, community and safe boundaries. The safe area is the place where you are told how to believe, how to live and how to behave. There is a false security to someone affirming all of your beliefs, it feels good and right.

As I read the gospels, I see how the Pharisees were shaken to the core, they went out to the fringe where Jesus was to try and use the law to push him back to safety. Jesus lived on the fringe and found the future greats that were going to help spread the kingdom of white water. Peter and Paul were fringe dudes. Mary Magdelene was a fringe girl. Peter was the first church leader, Paul was the mission specialist and Jesus saw to it that Mary was the first to see and know about his resurrection.

I get weary of trying to live in the box when the fringe is calling. As a follower, as a doubter, go to the fringe! Push the message of Jesus to the fringe of your life, that is where the super natural happens, this is where real influence happens. Innovate, create, thrive, paddle, and live freer than you ever have...on the fringe!

Comments

[Eric]

Here's a question back to you: Can you operate on the fringe with 2 church services every Sunday?

I think you've got fringe aspirations stuck with the inertia of a traditionally sunday morning service church.

That's the tension - stable tithing comes from the established community members, who want their sunday morning church, and want their christian experienced localized.

Being fringe, reaching out to Amsterdam and such, is pretty hard for the 9-5 sunday service church going family who has the money to tithe and feels comfortable in that nitch.

To use business terms, the real risk is canablization of the stable sales channels by a start up sales channel.

What you need is an investor who believes as you do, that the fringe is worth pursuing, then 'sell' off all the rooted All Saints assets, shaking loose what will arguably keep you from moving more quickly.