Church Beyond Walls: Christian Spirituality at Large

Church Beyond Walls is a book that shares principles to inspire local churches to express their faith in their communities and shares liturgical and other resources developed for these occasions. It has been based in Brighton and known as BEYOND for over ten years, experimenting with public art, creating light shows, and walking meditations, partnering with retailers, and using folk traditions to introduce people to the Christian faith.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 30 June 2023
Publisher: Canterbury Press Norwich

Church Beyond Walls is a captivating book that tells inspiring, informative, and occasionally funny stories of a group of people who have taken Christian spirituality outside of church buildings to engage a world that is increasingly uninterested in religion, God, and faith. Through imaginative and wide-ranging experiments, it draws out principles to inspire local churches to express their faith in their communities and shares liturgical and other resources developed for these occasions. Based in Brighton and known as BEYOND, this group of dreamers, artists, and provocateurs has been experimenting with public art, creating light shows and walking meditations, partnering with retailers to create spiritual shop window trails, celebrating the festivals of the church in secular spaces, using folk traditions, and more to introduce people to the Christian faith for over ten years. Their goal and the aim of this book is to help local churches create opportunities for epiphanies—moments when the divine can break into human experience.

Introduction:
Church Beyond Walls is a remarkable book that offers a fresh perspective on the role of the church in today's society. By taking Christian spirituality outside of traditional church buildings and engaging with a world that is increasingly secular, the book provides a powerful message of hope and inspiration.

Experiments and Initiatives:
The book showcases a range of imaginative and innovative experiments and initiatives undertaken by the BEYOND group. From creating public art installations to organizing light shows and walking meditations, the group has sought to bring the Christian message to a wider audience. They have also partnered with retailers to create spiritual shop window trails, celebrated the festivals of the church in secular spaces, and used folk traditions to introduce people to the Christian faith.

Principles for Local Churches:
Through their experiments and initiatives, the BEYOND group has developed principles that can inspire local churches to express their faith in their communities. The book highlights the importance of creativity, collaboration, and reaching out to people from different backgrounds and faiths. It encourages local churches to be bold in their faith expressions and to create opportunities for epiphanies—moments when the divine can break into human experience.

Resources for Local Churches:
In addition to the inspiring stories and principles, Church Beyond Walls provides a wealth of resources for local churches. The book includes liturgical and other resources that have been developed for these occasions, such as worship services, prayers, and sermon outlines. These resources can help local churches create meaningful and engaging experiences that connect with their communities.

Conclusion:
Church Beyond Walls is a must-read for anyone who is interested in exploring the role of the church in today's society. The book offers a powerful message of hope and inspiration and provides practical resources for local churches to express their faith in their communities. By taking Christian spirituality outside of traditional church buildings and engaging with a world that is increasingly uninterested in religion, God, and faith, the BEYOND group has demonstrated that the church can have a profound impact on the lives of people and the world around us.

Dimension: 216 x 135 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781786224828