Trends from those who set and watch trends

Things change so fast I can't keep up with them. Some are intentional. Some are incidental. The only certitude is change. Things a year from now will be different.

The catalyst conference is one my friend Mark Batterson attended. He spoke as well.

Here are some key points made by some speakers:

From Reggie McNeal

Tens of thousands of new Christians each day in China

Tens of thousands of people coming to Christ each month in India

These people are saying: “We don’t have time to evangelize… we’re growing too quickly.

“I’d like to see Pentecost happen where I live, not just ‘over there’”

What is God doing over there that we could learn from?

It’s too early to ‘define’ this movement…

How do we ride the wave?

Internal focus in churches produces church centric view of the world.

External focus in churches produces a kingdom lens view of the world.

The missional church doesn’t see the church as a silo (come and get it). The missional church looks more at the ‘go and get them’. God is at work in every area, the missional church looks at how to work in those areas.

The church counts those who are in attendance. God is too busy counting those who aren’t there.

Regular church ‘shrinkwraps’ God’s ability to work.

“Quit reaching lost people. They don’t want to be reached. They want to be left alone.”

Jesus is hanging out with the lost. (He has come to seek and to save that which was lost).

We should make people adopt their culture or their lifestyle to accept Christ.

Are people gonna have to become church people to accept the gospel?

We are in a God intoxicated culture.

God is ‘busting this sucker wide open’

The book of acts is the church catching up with the spirit. That’s where we are.

What’s the point of the people of God if the people of God isn’t the point.

The church is not the destination. The KINGDOM is the destination.

The church is just a connector to the kingdom.

From Brad Powell

Pastors Fear Change

But many pastors fear making changes at their church, especially changes that challenge the tradition and culture and language of their local church. Change is hard. Change is stressful. And many view any kind of transition in the church today as a type of compromise. Change can also cause people to leave the church (a big concern for most pastors). But according to Powell, these types of changes are absolutely necessary if a church is to move from a state of decline into a period of growth and health. And, when studying church change, you’ll find that people will leave with or without change.

Brad cites three truths:

1. If your church doesn’t change, it will STILL lose people. It’s natural… people will leave even if you don’t change!

2. If your church doesn’t change, it loses the opportunity to reach new people. If you’re not able to speak the language of the culture, many of your target will fall completely off your radar.

3. If your church does change, it would lose the right people. Those members who are the ones steeped in tradition are the ones holding the future effectiveness of the church back.

I think these thinkers and front line observers have something to teach the rest of us.

The real question is, ARE WE TEACHABLE OR WILL WE REMAIN IN OUT CHOSEN RUT?