Ten Major Shifts For Impacting our Communities

I've had the privilege of hearing David Macfarlane. He's worth listening to. He is primarily an evangelist and a mentor to the churches to help them fulfill their calling. Funny, that's how I see myself too...

Ten Paradigm Shifts Toward Community Impact
based on a message by Eric Swanson - used with full permission
By David Arrol Macfarlane

As I speak at conferences and in churches across Canada I see a quiet movement of the Spirit of God that is causing believers to re-examine how they “do church.” Churches are throwing out the old measures of success. It’s no longer merely about size, seeker sensitivity, spiritual gifts, church health, nor the number of small groups. It’s about people being genuinely transformed by Christ - making a significant and sustainable difference in the lives of those around us—in our communities and in our cities.
My Dad often said to me: “David, you cannot continue to do the same old things and expect different results.” To maximize our impact on our Canadian communities--urban, suburban or rural, we need changes in at least ten of our paradigms of how we currently view church.

1) From building walls to building bridges. “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13,14). The first paradigm shift pertains to where we, as the church, see ourselves in relation to our communities. Will we remain outside of the community inviting people in or will we go to our communities, seeking to be a transforming agent?
More: http://www.davidamacfarlane.com/published-articles.html