Hasn't Starbucks and Microsoft done exactly that though? No longer will we serve coffee the traditional way, let's do it differently so that we attract a different type of coffee drinker. Can you imagine what our PC's would be like if Micro…soft never evolved to where it is today? They have done that by replacing software systems with newer and improved.

They have changed, not by telling people to not drink coffee or not use the software that was in place, but by telling people that the coffee they were drinking or the software they were using was not good enough.

That's a big part of why I love our church! We constantly are evolving, we are constantly trying to refine our selves in order to reach more people even if that means doing something totally different that what we have been used to.

YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tim Stevens, MichelleWegner, Jason Petermann, Karen Isenhower, matt metzger and others. matt metzger said: RT @timastevens: Is it crazy that a megachurch is suggesting that megachurch isn't the answer for most people? http://ow.ly/2V8Zl [...]

There is one of the reasons why I identify with GCC's commitment to excellence, even it if means totally changing the way things are currently done… I believe GCC will see some crazy leaders rise up of this new movement.. Watch it unfold!!!

[...] Sometimes I Think We are Crazy – a blog post from Tim Stevens: [...]

If religion really is all about the Bible, being a good person, etc., why is there so much discussion about the declining number of church attendees? If people are worshiping, why does it matter where they do it? It's too bad religion is an industry. Maybe that's why people no longer want to attend.

I believe this move of God is nothing to do with changing the way we do church or finding innovative ways to do church, as much as it is about helping us realise how far churches are removed today from what Christ called his followers to be and do. The local church has become self-obsessed, self-centered and its main purpose is self-preservation, which means that its members no longer are encouraged in their God given gifts so that they can in turn make disciples, feed the poor, look after orphans and widows and generally be the light and the salt. Instead church members are consumed with the "running of the church", the "running of the Sunday experience", " the organisational side of things", and soaking knowledge like sponges, all the things that are indeed essential for the success of a structured system/corporation.

But this is where the core misconception lies. The Body of Christ is not a system, but a living thing fed and guided by God himself. We have reduced the wonderful spirit of God to a set of rules and ceremonies. The Spirit of God is alive, powerful and flowing, but in our pride and arrogance we try to control it, and encapsulate it as if we were dealing with a magic potion. At least this is my experience of the local church here in the UK. From what I hear and read, things are no different in the USA.

God is calling us all to integrity, transparency, simplicity, mercy, compassion, and unconditional love for the outcasts of society who will never make it through the church doors. We have to stop devising plans to keep people in the churches. It is those outside who Jesus spent most of his time with. Those who make it through the door need to be trained and equipped to go out and make disciples. Right now, all that is happenning is that for those who make it through the door, it is all about the man/woman at the front, and we have become spectators, and permanent students.

There are two books I have read recently which are great indicators of how big this move of God is going to be: "From the Sanctuary to the Streets" by Wendy McCaig and "Mere Churchianity" by Michael Spencer. What they share in their book is clear evidence that The Church as we know it is being shaken to the core, and when the shaking is done, I believe not much of what is left will resemble anything of what the church does and is today, at least in Western Countries. It is my prayer that Christians at large begin to go beyond the comfort of the pews and into the harvest. It is a straightforward call from Christ, but so far few have been prepared to take it.

There will come a time when we will not get a choice in the matter, and that those who want to truly follow Christ will be clearly separated from those who preferred the idea of Christ to Christ himself and what truly following Him means. I hope that when that time comes, I will find myself on the right side of the fence. Please forgive me for the lengthy comment, but this is an issue which is dear to my heart and which God keeps bringing to the forefront of thousands of people's minds and hearts, because indeed it is most dear to Him too: His Bride for whom Christ died. There is no greater love than that. Is the local Church illustrating that kind of love in the communities around it today? By their fruit you shall know them, Christ said. It is so simple. How could we drift so far and so quickly from where it all started?

Are you crazy? No you are normal. This is the way mission has been done for 2 thousand years. There is nothing new about it.

Jason has personalized the content so much that he is able to speak with passion, clarity, and vision re: this new direction for you. He is an incredible communicator and I believe he has a bright future ahead of him. Please pass my compliments on. Inspired and challenged by the content and the communication.

It is interesting that God chose to introduce Jesus the Christ in an animal food trough. In communicating the Gospel, God has consistently chosen the foolish to confound the wise. He chose Paul, who by his own admission, was not eloquent at all to be one of the all time great missionaries and authors of a substantial part of the New Testament. We all feel as if God needs a marketing department and a theatrical division. We believe that we have to be more worldly to share a Gospel that promotes less worldliness. The trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit hardly ever gets a mention. We're all about "how to be a better leader" nowdays. Conferences on how to be better followers probably would never make. Worship has become a production. We rely on technology to empower our services even though Scripture is clear that our power is from the Holy Spirit. Lord help us to go back to Scripture to understand the plain-ness of what is being asked of us. Most importantly, let us accept the fact that when we rightly divide the Scripture and present it that it is a fact that not everybody will accept the offer of Salvation. When that occurs it does not require us to be "slicker" in our approach by adding more bells and whistles to our presentation. Bottomline: We don't need another conference. We need people who will seek the Lord, turn from their wicked ways and clearly communicate the Scripture with boldness and plain-ness. There's not a big market for "salt and light" these days.

For Terry and A New Creation – Your comments seem to suggest that you expect this to be another meeting about mega church and slick marketing. It’s not. I’ve seen a lot of information and frankly it’s dizzying in scope and direction because it’s NOTHING like our efforts to date. In fact the challenge is to keep doing what we do (because we are impacting lives and helping people find Jesus) and to reach those that will never be reached with our current methods.

And Terry if you listened to to video, it takes exception to your comment about no need for meetings. The leaders did meet in Jerusalem because God was doing things that seemed in conflict to the understanding of the early (and Jewish) leaders. They grasped that God was doing something different and they embraced it. So why shouldn’t church leaders of today gather and grapple with those same thoughts? There are plenty of examples in the book of Acts of the early leaders sharing what they were experiencing and it led to greater impact and a broadening community. One of the greatest joys I take in these conferences is seeing leaders from so many DIFFERENT denominations coming to together – not just to hear speakers, but to also share their own stories and experiences. That’s called focus on mission, on God – instead of our artificial boundaries and divisions.

So I would encourage you to come here or to any of the many opportunities to gather and share and encourage one another. Leaders need that too.

Steve – do you consider these "attractional"?

- Taking up your cross?
- Repentence
- Selling all your possessions, giving to the poor?
- Presenting your body as a holy sacrifice
- Salt & Light in a sweet and dark world market
- Crucifying self

I dare say that the world wouldn't consider any of these attractive. I would be interested to hear what you consider attractive. Are we to be attractive? Or are we to be clear? And allow the Holy Spirit to convict and draw? We should present the Gospel clearly, allow the Holy Spirit to convict and to draw people to Jesus as He sees fit. It is when we try to put corporate marketing models into the church's mandate do we quickly get into trouble.

Steve, I pray nothing but the very best for your conference. Of course, there's nothing wrong with meeting to strategize. I was deliberate in referencing "we" in my post because I think all of us are somewhat guilty of overshooting the approach – that is, being over reliant upon technology, "coolness", today's most popular corporate marketing principles, etc.. to do what we do. Check out the agendas of some of the biggest ministry conferences today; we're not teaching and learning how to connect with the Holy Spirit to empower our creativity, direct our thoughts, direct our strategies, both outward and inward. We don't stress the importance of repentance. We don't talk about Hell as a certainty for unbelievers. I don't think God ever called us to make the Gospel cool. He called us to make it clear. Following Jesus isn't the most attractive offer for most but we try to muster up, market up "coolness" as an attractional strategy. In doing so we begin looking worldly quickly and at that point we're neither salt nor light. As I say, we're to make it clear. Thanks for allowing me to post. As I say, I'm praying the Holy Spirit's guidance for your conference.

You say your conference is not about "mega church" slickness yet most, if not all of your presenters are from mega churches, including your own.