Emerging Clues to the Future

1. Emerging Clues to the Future Source: Bill Easum, ASCG, November 10, 2000 Leadership on the OtherSide, Abingdon, 2000

2. In the Wormhole • “Liberal/conservative” doesn’t matter any more • What denomination you’re a part of doesn’t matter anymore • All that matters is that one is revolutionary in the way mission is carried out

3. Questions: What will ministry look like on the other side? • We’ll have lots of questions once we understand that America is a mission field, such as: • What is the difference between “being missional” (postmodern) and “doing evangelism” (modern)? • What’s the difference between being a pastor and a cross cultural missionary?

4. More questions for ministry in an organic worldview: • How will we communicate the Gospel when salvation means far more than transformation of “my” soul? • What will church look like without programs and committees? • What will authority look like in a non-institutional, deconstructed world?

5. More questions … • What does it mean to live in a world where spirituality is more important than credentials? • Can we imagine evangelism that is not carried out in the context of “conquest?” • Where Christianity is no longer in the center of the world but on the fringe • How do leaders lead without control?

6. More questions … • What will Christianity look like when no longer defined by the book? • Members know more about the Bible than about Jesus • “The Bible says” no longer carries weight with non-members • How do we help people embody spirituality instead of just getting more Bible info? • How do we transition from handing out data that informs to offering an experience that transforms?

7. The Key to it All • What is it about our relationship with Jesus that the world cannot live without knowing?

8. 15 Mega Clues to What’s Coming in our Culture • 1. In an organic world, the growth of people replaces the management of institutions.

9. 15 Mega Clues • 2. Ultimate truth is being replaced by multiple forms of truth. • My claims of a “Truth monopoly” on faith is laughed away as tribal

10. 15 Mega Clues • 3. Anti-institutional sentiment continues to grow. • Churches will become smaller and more varied in character • But not like the dysfunctional small church of today

11. 15 Mega Clues • 4. We are witnessing the interaction of the sciences and theology. • It is no longer enough to read just theology

12. 15 Mega Clues • 5. The internet will continue to grow and become the primary form of info, commerce, and networking. • Teaching, worship, communication in church will also morph

13. 15 Mega Clues • 6. Communication and education are entering the visual, experiential, and interactive world of reality. • “Experience” now the foundation of learning • Not “content” • Not literal but metaphorical

14. 15 Mega Clues • 7. Authority now must be earned by the individual. • How one lives before others determines authority • Not educational credentials, political chips, etc.

15. 15 Mega Clues • 8. The people are moving to the cities. • Church planting in metro areas

16. 15 Mega Clues • 9. The boats are no longer coming from Europe. • In such a world, “multi-culti” ministry is essential

17. 15 Mega Clues • 10. Intuitive, paradoxical, “fuzzy” and emotional awareness of the tribal-think are replacing rational, linear thought.

18. 15 Mega Clues • 11. Biogenetics will replace gay rights, abortion, and gender issues. • Which clone has the soul? • Which clone is the real person? • In such a world, “My genes made me do it”

19. 15 Mega Clues • 12. Society will become more hostile to local congregations and more open to spirituality. • Only high-commitment churches will do well in this squeeze • Not churches that focus on “membership”

20. 15 Mega Clues • 13. Anti-institutionalism will affect affiliation. • Community, not membership • Empowerment, not delegation

21. 15 Mega Clues • 14. The world is running out of world-class leaders.

22. 15 Mega Clues • 15. Consumerism continues to grow unabated. • How do we reach out without selling out?

23. 26 Leadership Implications for the Church in this Emerging Culture • 1. Our greatest needs are for leaders who can provide an atmosphere in which other people are transformed and empowered to follow Jesus and become leaders. • In a world of speed, blur, and flux • Becoming a “leader of leaders” • Not a “leader of followers”

24. 26 Leadership Implications • 2. “Who will I mentor today?” instead of “What will I do today?” • “To be” is postmodern; “to do” is modern • “Who will I discover?” instead of “what is my job description?” • DNA embedding rather than “to do” list • How many others can I equip?

25. 26 Leadership Implications • 3. The clash between the Old and the New will continue for at least two more decades. • Those who worship the church vs. those who worship Jesus • 1 Corinthians 9:22 methodology

26. 26 Leadership Implications • 4. Churches that know where they’re going and why will do best. • Culturally relevant and biblically sound • Issues of values, identity, security, relationships, and purpose will be paramount

27. 26 Leadership Implications • 5. Growing segments of Christianity will rediscover first-century Christianity. • Retro-future

28. 26 Leadership Implications • 6. Talking about God isn’t enough in a pagan society; one must be passionately committed to Jesus.

29. 26 Leadership Implications • 7. Indigenous worship and lay ministries must grow. • Language and technology of the people • Are you stealing ministry from people?

30. 26 Leadership Implications • 8. Church planting will be the primary mission of the church, and behavior modification will be the main focus of preaching and teaching.

31. 26 Leadership Implications • 9. All leaders will be equipped to be “fractal.” • Embedding DNA, self-replicating • First group for church plants key

32. 26 Leadership Implications • 10. Permission-giving will make it all flow and go. • Living out spiritual gifts without having to ask permission from a centralized authority • Democracy, voting, and representation are being replaced by leadership, prayer, and a demonstrated life • “Doers” & “deciders” are the same people

33. 26 Leadership Implications • 11. Everything is measured by the Prime Directive. • If it doesn’t further The Mission, then quit doing it • Innovation and risk-taking thus a normal part of life

34. 26 Leadership Implications • 12. Reaching an area or people-group is replacing the present focus on growing local churches.

35. 26 Leadership Implications • 13. Trans-denominational efforts to reach large metro areas will replace an emphasis on growing local institutions. • The goal is to transform the city spiritually and socially • Measurements move from “church size” to “percentage of penetration of a city”

36. 26 Leadership Implications • 14. The number of deeply committed Christians will increase, while % of nominal/cultural church members will decrease. • “Covenant” will be the gateway to affiliation and leadership

37. 26 Leadership Implications • 15. “Succession issues” will plague the megachurch and modern church for the next couple of decades.

38. 26 Leadership Implications • 16. Multi-site churches will become the norm. • Death of “place” as “mission” becomes more important

39. 26 Leadership Implications • 17. Multi-track churches will become the norm among established, healthy churches. • Multiple tracks for modern, boomer, and postmodern worshippers • Also education, pastoral care, nurture • “Niche” churches among church plants • Beyond h.u.p. to congealed salads

40. 26 Leadership Implications • 18. Established denominations will continue to decline while loosely associated groups will emerge. • Market share is shrinking and an “age-mesa” is approaching • When 60% of your people are over 60, you have 3 decades till death • Parachurches will put denominations out of the curriculum resourcing business • And into the “planting” business

41. 26 Leadership Implications • 19. Thriving churches will remain in denominations only if seen as “teaching churches.”

42. 26 Leadership Implications • 20. Worship will no longer be “traditional” vs. “contemporary,” but Eastern and Western • “Mystical” & “high-tech” • Images and the arts as important as music • Sensory

43. 26 Leadership Implications • 21. Preaching will be more Q/A and conversational. • Beyond the “information dump” and monologue

44. 26 Leadership Implications • 22. Food, drink, and conversation are in. • The New Architecture: enormous foyers • Coffee-house or tea-room discussion

45. 26 Leadership Implications • 23. Many (or most?) of the pastors will be women. • Who understand and navigate this new world intuitively

46. 26 Leadership Implications • 24. Cyber-churches may be a new form of mega-church. • Key question: can you find authentic community online? • Just because I am “in your face” doesn’t mean we’re in community

47. 26 Leadership Implications • 25. Social ministries will flourish as the government abandons (including social security). • If you can’t count votes …. • Congregations again have social opportunities

48. 26 Leadership Implications • 26. Teams will replace committees. • Co-pastors emerging as a prime form of leadership • Logical result of permission-giving church • Churches will compensate entire teams rather than individuals • And let the team decide how to distribute

49. Conclusion • The future belongs to those who can change the fastest and easiest for the purpose of growing disciples who can reach disciples.

50. Emerging Clues to the Future Dr. John P. Chandler The Ray and Ann Spence Network for Congregational Leadership www.rasnet.org Copy Right John P. Chandler, 2001