Blue Ocean Strategy

The church can continue to struggle in a red ocean environment of blood-letting competition, or walk on a blue ocean of new opportunities.

First it was a hardware store, built in 1947. Then a run-down storage building.

Now it’s a grace place.

A Colorado congregation spotted this old store on the main street of their small town, and immediately recognized that it had incredible community outreach potential. They were anxious to reach their neighbors, especially those disconnected from God and the church, and so they pounced on the building as an ideal location for a café and bookstore.

They turned the store into a commercial restaurant called “The Lighthouse Café,” an eatery that is now open to the public six days a week, with specialty coffees, pastries, sandwiches, and soups. The café builds a bridge to the community by bringing people into the building for breakfasts, lunches, and community events. It establishes relationships, breaks down barriers, and makes it easier for neighbors to come to the church for other events.

The café also stimulates community-building within the...