Podcast Episode #290
At the beginning of each year, we predict trends to look for in the church during the coming year. Today we explain why I chose these ten trends for 2017.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- In some ways, outreach and evangelism were easier in the past. A greater intentionality is needed today.
- The gospel does not change, but how we reach people with it does.
- If you don’t have a child protection policy in your church, you are living dangerously.
- If you have a church credit card, you need checks and balances to ensure all purchases are church related.
- My hope is that denominational leaders will see church closings as an opportunity instead of a reason for despair.
- Longer pastoral tenure is correlative to better church health.
- Healthy churches are being led by leaders who are in a continuous learning mode.
The 10 church trends for 2017 which we discuss are:
- Renewed emphasis on evangelism.
- Renewed emphasis on practical ministries.
- Increased frequency of allegations of child sex abuse in churches.
- Increased financial fraud in churches.
- The multi-site movement becoming a neighborhood church movement.
- An acceleration of church closures.
- Church acquisitions becoming normative.
- Worship center downsizing becomes normative.
- Longer pastoral tenure.
- The remarkable shift toward continual learning.
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Feedback
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