What Does the Future of the Church Look Like?

What Does the Future of the Church Look Like?

My friend Tony Morgan (of Granger Community Church) is starting a fascinating project. He will be working with a group of ministry leaders from throughout the country to consider what innovation in the church really looks like; and what it will mean for the future of the church. As I look back at how much ministry and church-life has changed in the last twenty years, I am just utterly amazed. Have you ever really thought about what the church will look like twenty years from now? Well, that's exactly what Tony's group is planning on looking at. It sounds interesting and exciting...

I got an email last week from Tony asking for our help… Will you join the conversation and help Tony start with a base of good questions to ask these leaders.  Here are some starting comments and questions from Tony.  Let’s discuss them here.  What questions would you add?  How would you answer the questions that Tony raises here?  What do you think the church will look like in ten or twenty years?  Here we go…

Innovation defined.
How would you define innovation?

Is it biblical?
Does God want churches to innovate? Did innovation happen in the first century church?

Ingredients for innovation.
What does innovation look like in today’s churches? What are the ingredients for innovation in the local church?

Opportunities for change.
What’s happening outside the Church that should influence innovation inside local churches?

Obstacles?
What are the enemies of innovation in churches? What are the challenges churches will have to overcome to experience innovation?

Leadership.
How can leaders help create a culture of innovation?

Technology.
How will technology including the use of media and the Web influence churches in the future?

Arts.
What will the role of the arts (music, drama, video, etc.) be as the Church moves into the future?

Community impact.
How are innovative churches trying to engage and impact their communities? Does innovation look different in different communities?

Size.
Does size matter? What about smaller churches and those with limited financial resources? Or, is innovation harder for larger, more established churches?

Cultural influence?
Do you believe the Church has influenced past cultures? Do you think the Church can still influence culture today?

Measures.
How will we know if innovation is working? How should we measure the impact?

Future.
What do you believe will be the most significant differences between churches of today and churches of the future?