Why This Church Traded Their Biggest Event for a Coffee Shop (And What Happened Next).
What if the solution to declining church participation isn’t better programs, but joining neighbors where they already are? Pastor Shannon Kiser, Senior Director of Fresh Expressions North America, shares how her congregation at Riverside Presbyterian transformed from hosting 2,000 kids once a year at their “Slop Fest” mud Olympics to creating ongoing relationships through fresh expressions of church. Their bold move – selling donated land and opening a seven-day-a-week coffee shop with indoor playground – turned their half of an office building into the community’s favorite gathering place for families.
Shannon reveals the “who before what” principle driving fresh expressions across denominations, from dinner churches to workplace ministries. She offers practical first steps any inherited church can take to connect authentically with neighbors, including how to see your community with “the eyes of Jesus” and why one church’s simple question to their local high school – “Who’s the most underserved group here?” – changed everything. Perfect for church leaders feeling stuck between maintaining existing programs and wondering what God might be calling them toward in an era of rapid cultural change.
Resources Mentioned:
- “Opening Space: A Vision for Fresh Expressions of Church and Creative Mission” by Shannon Kiser
- Fresh Expressions North America
- Riverside Presbyterian Church – Sterling, Virginia
More From Us:
- Watch Part 1 of this conversation between Dwight Zscheile and Shannon Kiser
- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithleadfromluther/
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