Church v.2020 – Ten Changes:
#3 More Innovative – Less Predictable
When compared with the American church of 2012, the future church (v.2020) will be markedly more innovative and significantly less predictable. This change will be evidenced in many ways, including:
- A move away from a model of risk aversion best known by the so-called seven last words of the church (“we never did it that way before”) to a mentality of welcoming new possibilities and giving people permission to fail. Going forward churches recognize the insanity of doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. Leaders will celebrate the opportunity to try new things, especially in areas of decline and in areas the congregation has never previously explored. Those who step forward to launch new programs, services and ministries will be fully empowered to proceed and given permission to fail. If a significant percentage of new endeavors don’t fail, then the new mentality has yet
to become a part of the congregational DNA (meaning many people are still dreaming small dreams because they do not yet believe the church is ready to really move beyond its past preference for “safe” risk taking.) - A move away from a time when most new ideas being generated by clergy and key congregational leaders (or leadership bodies) to an era when all within the community are encouraged to explore their passions and use their gifts both within existing ministries and to create new ones. Rather than looking for ways to deny such requests, leaders look for every possible way to say “yes” to them.
- A move away from being guided primarily by strategy and budgetary allocations to being open to the leading of the Spirit. This shift does not do away with the need for good planning, but requires that such planning be done with built in flexibility. Additionally, this challenging transition is aided by a more scalable approach to mission and ministry (scalability was discussed at length as the #9 change for the church of the future).
So What?
While change has always been a given, the speed of change continues to accelerate. During this phase of the history of humanity, the church must be ready to do the difficult but important work of continually reforming and re-contextualizing. Although this approach is often easier for younger congregations (those “born” in recent decades), it is essential for congregations of all ages and sizes. A 1950s or 1960s approach to church didn’t work well in the 1990s or 2000s; it will be even less effective in the 2010s and 2020s.
- Is your church more innovative or predictable? Explain your answer using examples.
- If someone who is actively involved in the life of your church (whether or not he or she is a member) feels led to start a new ministry, what is the current process to move that idea from a vision to reality? What percentage of such ideas (arising from outside of the formal leadership positions or structures) are approved? What percentage of all new ideas come from this congregational demographic?