2. Emerging Clues to the 2020 Future Source: Bill Easum, ASCG, 10, 2000, Leadership on the OtherSide

3. 2020: 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

4. 2020 Questions: What will ministry look like on the other side? We will inherently understand that America is a mission field  We’ll know this is an “away game” We will embrace acting as a community of cross-cultural missionaries No disciples wait on clergy to minister

5. More 2020 questions: 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?

6. More 2020 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?

7. More 2020 questions … What will Christianity look like when the Bible is now alien?  “The Bible says” no longer carries weight with non- members  Biblical illiteracy among believers requires complete overhaul of how to help people listen to the God of the Bible How do we transition from handing out Bible data that informs to offering an experience with Scripture that transforms daily decision-making?

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.  It’s all about discipleship, baby!

9. 15 Mega Clues for 2020 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.  For the first time in history, more people live in cities than not  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 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  New metrics of faithfulness beyond attendance

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. 25 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”  Leadership through lens of discipleship

24. 25 Leadership Implications 2. “Who will I mentor today?” instead of “What will I do today?”  “Who will I discover?” instead of “what is my job description?”  How many others can I disciple?

25. 25 Leadership Implications 3. The intra-tribe 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. 25 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. 25 Leadership Implications 5. Growing segments of Christianity will rediscover first- century Christianity.  Retro-future

28. 25 Leadership Implications 6. Talking about God isn’t enough in a pagan society; one must be passionately committed to Jesus.  Second and Third persons of the Trinity

29. 25 Leadership Implications 7. Indigenous worship and lay ministries must grow.  Are clergy stealing ministry from people?  Growth of “five-fold” consciousness

30. 25 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. 25 Leadership Implications 9. All leaders will be equipped to be “fractal.”  Embedding DNA, self-replicating  Disciples who reproduce other disciples

32. 25 Leadership Implications 10. Permission-giving will make it all flow and go.  Living out APEPT 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. 25 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. 25 Leadership Implications 12. Reaching an area or people-group is replacing the present focus on growing local churches.  Mission-shaped communities

35. 25 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. 25 Leadership Implications 14. The number of deeply committed Christians will increase, while % of nominal/cultural church members will decrease.  “Covenant” or “rule of life” will be the gateway to affiliation and leadership  Fewer church members, more disciples

37. 25 Leadership Implications 15. “Succession issues” will plague the megachurch and modern church for the next couple of decades.

38. 25 Leadership Implications 16. Multi-site churches will become the “new normal.”  Death of “place” as “mission” becomes more important

39. 25 Leadership Implications 17. Multi-track churches will become the norm among established, healthy churches.  Multiple expressions for modern, boomer, and postmodern worshippers  Also education, pastoral care, nurture  “Boutique” churches among church plants  Beyond h.u.p. to congealed salads

40. 25 Leadership Implications 18. “Branded” denominations will struggle while groups associated by clear mission will have a place.  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. 25 Leadership Implications 19. Worship wars categories of “traditional” vs. “contemporary” will make less and less sense  “Mystical” & “high-tech”  Sensory images and the arts as important as music  “Order of service” replaced by emphasis on listening to the Holy Spirit

42. 25 Leadership Implications 20. Preaching will be more Q/A and conversational.  Beyond the “information dump” and monologue

43. 25 Leadership Implications 21. Food, drink, and conversation are in.  The New Architecture: enormous foyers  Coffee-house or tea- room discussion

44. 25 Leadership Implications 22. Many (or most?) of the pastors will be women.  Who understand and navigate this new world intuitively

45. 25 Leadership Implications 23. Expect heightened online connection with church.  Key question: can you find authentic community online?  Do I have to “be there” to “be there?”

46. 25 Leadership Implications 24. Social ministries will flourish as the government abandons (including social security).  Congregations again have social opportunities

47. 25 Leadership Implications 25. Teams will replace committees.  Polycentric 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  APEPT rules

48. Conclusion The future belongs to the agile, flexible, and intentional  Those who can change the fastest and easiest for the purpose of growing disciples who can reach disciples.

49. Emerging Clues to the Future Dr. John P. Chandler www.spencenetwork.org Copyright John P. Chandler, 2013