Dieter Zander labored in two high-profile ministries where the emphasis was "come to us." Having struggled under these high-pressure, quantifiable, results-oriented approaches to ministry, Zander underwent a radical change of emphasis when he moved to San Francisco. On arriving in the city, he and his group prayed for others in their neighborhoods, but they had no desire for these neighbors to come to their group or meeting. Zander's community was completely outward focused. Zander and company seek to be "out there," leaning into their neighborhoods.

 

Zander used an expandable rubber band and a ring to compare traditional and missional models of mission. The traditional model works like a rubber band encircling the perimeter. Such Christians look to attract more people, and when they do, they "stuff" them into the middle of the rubber band. As more come, the rubber band stretches. The goal is to get the rubber band to stretch as far as possible. Zander's ring model works much differently. Zander envisions a ring that maybe ten to twenty people can hold around the perimeter. With one hand, they hold on to the ring, and with the other hand, they reach out as far as they can, each one holding another ring for yet another to hold on to. Because of the inner ring, they are able to reach out farther than they could without a ring for support. The inner ring is a supportive accountability group, which asks each person if he or she has been good news (served in the kingdom) that week. The goal is not to bring new people into the small group but to add groups for those who respond to the kingdom. Each new believer joins the contact person's outer ring, which in turn becomes the new believer's inner ring (2005:51).