Outliers & Harbingers of Change Affecting the Church
Dec 20, 2011
How is change affecting the church in the U.S.? More importantly, how should church leaders anticipate change, and act on it? This article highlights three outliers, or harbingers of change that church leaders should keep in focus as they look forward.
Strategic Foresight: Looking to the future to plan today
Jun 15, 2010
Strategic foresight is a new name for a core practice that leadership teams use to learn about the shifting forces shaping their ministry landscape 3 to 10 years out. It engages them in critical thinking and 'what if' debates. It takes a team beyond budget or policy assessment to allow open learning and strategic conversations to craft a long-term adaptive strategy.
The Lesson of the Dinosaur
June 21, 2010
Paul McKaughan shares why executives of mission agencies must test their assumptions of environmental change, if they are going to keep their ministries focused on the needs of people.
Futures Thinking and Kingdom Values
Feb 6, 2010
How does futures thinking relate to Christian hope and mission? A Hispanic mission leader considers the values that the futures community and the Christian community have in common.
The Post-Church Letters: Voices from 2020
Jan 1, 2010
In Church Executive Magazine, Dr. Jay Gary offers three letters from imaginary pastors, written as if it was 2020. They offer a retrospective look on what might be the prospects of the US Evangelical church looking forward. They are not projections, nor prophecies. But they can help us weigh how immigrants, women or emerging generations might shape the church in greater measure over the next decade.
The Christian Executive in 2035. . . A Peek into the Future
Jul 27, 2009
Merle Switzer offers a future narrative of 2035 about a young millennial executive living in San Francisco. Ben works for Multiplix, a global corporation based in Beijing, but works virtually to interact with global clients and colleagues. Catch this window into how Ben and his Chinese wife Ling live, work and worship as part of a global church.
The coming evangelical collapse
Mar 10, 2009
We are on the verge – within 10 years – of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. It will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West. But out of the ruins, a new vitality and integrity will rise. Check out this Christian Science Monitor opinion piece.
Ten Paradigm Shifts Toward Community Transformation
Nov 22, 2008
There is a quiet movement of the Spirit of God causing believers to re-examine how they 'do church.' Churches are throwing out the old measures of success. It's no longer merely about size, seeker sensitivity, spiritual gifts, church health, nor the number of small groups. It’s about making a significant and sustainable difference in the lives of people around us—in our communities and in our cities.
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