Podcast Episode #289
We look back at our trend predictions for 2016 and see how we fared.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- Decreases in worship center size have much to do with the Millennial generation and their desire for community.
- Replanting and church acquisitions are becoming the preferred methods for successful church revitalization.
- When people move into gentrified communities, churches typically follow.
- There has been a doctrinal renewal that has taken place in the church in recent years.
- If a pastor is not involved in small groups, the church probably doesn’t have the healthiest possible groups system.
- Pastor search committees are realizing they often don’t know how to find the best available candidates for a vacancy.
- Churches that are declining are typically declining at a more rapid pace than ever before.
- I still think the clock is ticking on the ministerial housing allowance, and it will go away within the next decade.
The 16 trends from 2016 that we cover today are:
- Church security as the fastest growing ministry.
- Decrease in worship center size and capacity.
- Increase in successfully revitalized churches.
- Rapid growth of coaching ministries for pastors and church staff.
- Increase in the numbers of churches in gentrified communities.
- Increased emphasis on practical ministry training.
- Increasing emphasis on groups in churches.
- Fewer segregated churches.
- The rise of the mini-denomination church.
- Increased pastoral tenure.
- Rise of alternative ministry placement organizations.
- Increase in the number of Millennials who are Christians.
- Accelerated decline of 100,000 American congregations.
- Churches no longer viewed favorably by many governmental units.
- More bivocational pastors and staff.
- Dramatic changes in senior adult ministries.
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