Future Church Summit
The crises of 2020 have accelerated the need for churches to "future-fit" for our new world. Future Church Summit brought futurists and missional practitioners to help chart a course for the road ahead.
This season has left us with many uncertainties. When can our churches safely gather? How do we live in both a virtual and a physical congregation? How can we stay engaged with our people? Yet, one thing we can be certain of - the future of our congregations doesn’t look like the past. The good news is that amidst this crisis, there is great opportunity.
Session 1: Better Days Ahead A Thriving Mission in a Polarized, Post-Corona, Hyper-Connected World Michael Beck
After a year of significant challenges, is there hope on the horizon? What if there is a future for your church that is more alive, vibrant, and fruitful than you had thought possible? What might that look like? In this session, Dr. Michael Beck will cast a vision of hope for the future church, and invite us to press into the possibilities that God’s Spirit is at work breathing new life and activating new mission energy into the Church of Jesus Christ.
Session 2: Minefields and Goldmines What to Anticipate in the New World Len Sweet
Culture is changing at an exponential rate. Technology and innovation are rapidly shifting the ways we go about life, work, and commerce and will not wait for the church to catch up. What does the Church as a whole need to anticipate, and what are the implications for the Church as we look toward the Future? In this session, Dr. Len Sweet reflects on some projections of what lies ahead, and what it means for the mission and ministry of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Session 3: The Plans I Have for You Why Your Church's Destiny Lies in its History Tod Bolsinger
What if your future lies in the adaptation of your church’s core DNA to your current and emerging context? In this session, Dr. Tod Bolsinger helps us explore how tapping into your church’s core values may be the key to unlocking your church’s future.
Session 4: The Church has Left the Building Re-Vitalizing Congregations from the Outside-In Shannon Kiser
Congregations that inhabit their buildings but not their communities may be looking at a bleak future. Discover what it means to become a church sent to the world, and why an incarnational church is critical for vibrant ministry in a changing world. In this session, Rev. Shannon Kiser explores the promise that every church has unique potential for impact as they join in God’s mission, and projects that a posture of outward-facing mission has the potential to re-energize your existing congregation.
What if the future of the church lies in the synergy of the old and the new? How can the depth and the beauty of the established church form disciples who will join in God’s mission, and how can experimental Christian communities help established congregations dream new dreams and reach new people? In this session, Dr. Matt Lake explores how this can actually happen in a local congregation, and what it could mean for your church’s mission and ministry.
Session 6: Reclaiming the Spirit The Power to Become the Church of Tomorrow Today Keisha Polonio
The Church has been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Rev. Keisha Polonio calls the Church back to her source of power, wisdom, and unity. The Church was never meant to rely solely on human strategy or effort, but rather, to be led and empowered in the power of the Spirit. The Future Church will evidence an ever-deepening trust and dependence on the Holy Spirit.