Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Why I am Excited About the Future of the Church


I have just returned from three days in Phoenix.  Each February Christ Lutheran Church hosts the Best Practices in Ministry (BPM) conference.  I was one of the workshop presenters at the event.  One of my presentations was titled Generation Z: Why I am Excited about the Future of the Church.  If you would like to know more about my BPM sectional you can check out the next two issues of my Passing the Torch newsletter.  You can also wait a couple of weeks and then listen to the presentation in its entirety on the Christ Lutheran Church – Phoenix website.  All the presentations were recorded.

As I reflect on my three days in Phoenix I could easily change my workshop title to BPM: Why I am Excited about the Future of the Church.  I always come away from BPM overwhelmed by the entrepreneurial spirit of many of those in ministry.  The variety of ministries represented by both the presenter and vendors was impressive.  The Gospel is being offered in more varied forms to a more diverse audience than I could have ever imagined. 

The one common thread that seems to exist between all growing churches is an openness to change.  Our world today is vastly different than it was forty years to fifty ago.  The biggest difference is the post-Christian culture that exists today.  We have gone from an atmosphere that was open and accepting toward the church to one that at times is even hostile toward the Christian community.  That calls for not only unique ministries that are targeted to reach the lost, but a spirit of love and acceptance toward those who are outside the Christian community. 

Thanks again to the folks at Christ Lutheran Church in Phoenix for annually hosting this conference and continually make available at no cost.  I cannot wait for next year.  If you have never attend, I would encourage you to check it out next February.


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