The document discusses three possible futures for Christianity: continuing contraction, conservative resurgence, and pregnancy (theological reformation and missional reorientation). It then examines the roles of movements and institutions in Christian traditions, noting that both are needed but can also frustrate each other. The final sections discuss the relationship between denominations and emerging Christian identities and priorities around mission.

1. Christian futures:
Three scenarios

2. Three possible futures:
Continuing contraction
Conservative resurgence
Pregnancy

3. Three possible futures:
Continuing contraction
- Shrinking numbers
- Wrinkling members
- Low retention
- Low evangelization
- Constrained leadership

4. Three possible futures:
Conservative resurgence
- Immigration fears
- American domination
- Terrorism fears/revenge
- Playing to base
- New alliances (global,
ecumenical)

5. Three possible futures:
Pregnancy
- Theological reformation
- Missional reorientation
- Post-national, post-partisan
identity/ethos
- Spiritual-social movement
(Peace, planet, poverty)
- New alliances (global,
ecumenical)

6. Which future(s) should you
prepare for?
Which future seems most
likely?
Which future(s) should you
help create?

7. Christian futures:
movements and
institutions

8. Needed:
A theology of institutions and
movements

9. Institutions:
Organizations which
conserve the gains made
by past social movements.

10. Social Movements
Organizations which call
current institutions to make
progress towards new
gains.

11. Both movements and
institutions...
Organize for their purpose
Need one another
Are frustrated with one
another

12. Without movements ...
Institutions stagnate ...
Without institutions ...
Movements evaporate ... (or
create institutions)

13. Some movements
successfully inject their
values into the institutions
they challenge. Then what?
Other movements
decide to create their own
institutions. Then what?

14. Vital movements
call people to passionate,
sacrificial personal
commitment
Sustainable institutions
create loyalty across
generations through
evocative rituals & traditions

15. Movement leaders
&
Institutional leaders
Different skills, much overlap
Essential friendships

16. Movements
Institutions
Low Stress High Stress

17. Did Jesus start a movement
or an institution or both?
What is the status of our
Christian movements
today?
What is the status of our
Christian institutions?

18. What kinds of personal
commitments do movements
invite? How do they solicit and
maintain commitment?
What kinds of personal
commitments do institutions
invite? How do they solicit and
maintain them?

19. !eological movements
&
Theological institutions

20. Catholic movements
Catholics as ex/inclusive
Ecclesiolae en ecclesia
Protestants as protestors
Protestants as pro-testifiers
Protestant movements and
institutions

21. Christian futures:
A hopeful
movement

22. What’s
emerging?

23. a conversation
becoming
a movement

24. Some ways to think of the church that is
emerging -
As center a…
a fringe
a stage
a n d a r a n g e.

25. a stage

26. Consider that we live in at least three
worlds.
Emerging world
NOW
Modern world
Pre-modern world
Non-modern world

27. it ion
s
Tran
L ate
it ion
ra ns
Old yT
rl
Ea
Paradigm/
Model

28. it ion
s
Tran
L ate
it ion
ra ns
Old yT
rl
Ea
Paradigm/
Model

29. New
Paradigm/
it ion Model
s
Tran
L ate
it ion
ra ns
Old yT
rl
Ea
Paradigm/
Model

30. New
Paradigm/
it ion Model
s
Tran
L ate
it ion
ra ns
Old yT
rl
Ea
Paradigm/
Model

31. The Churches
of Tomorrow
The Churches
that are
emerging
The Churches
We Know

32. The Churches We Love and
Respect
The Churches
of Tomorrow
The Churches
that are
emerging
The Churches
We Know

33. As center

34. Liturgical Social Action
Evangelical Charismatic

35. a fringe

36. Is this “the
emerging
church?”
pentecostal
A new “slice
Anglican of the pie?”
catholic
baptist

37. Or are these
the churches
that are
emerging?
pentecostal
reformed
A new ring on
catholic
the tree…
baptist

38. All must deal
with the
realities of
today’s world
pentecostal
reformed
catholic
baptist PLANET
POVERTY
PEACE
RELIGION

39. emergence and
convergence

40. Conservative
way
Modern
Crisis
Medieval
church
Liberal way
from Nancey Murphy, “Beyond Liberalism and Fundamentalism”

41. “evangelical”
Modern
Crisis
Medieval
church “mainline”
from Nancey Murphy, “Beyond Liberalism and Fundamentalism”

42. Increasing Polarization
Conservative way
Medieval church
Modern
Crisis
Liberal way

43. Increasing Polarization
Conservative way
Medieval church
Modern
Crisis
Liberal way

44. The Post-Liberal, Post-Evangelical
Convergence
Conservative way
Medieval church
Modern Postmodern
Crisis Interruption
Liberal way

45. Conservative way
A Generous
Orthodoxy?
Modern
Crisis
A Missional
Liberal way Church?

46. Conservative way
Modern
Crisis
Liberal way

47. At hea" -
a #eological movement seeking to
transform ex$ting in%itutions
ar&nd Jesus’ messa( of #e
kingdom of God

48. Christian futures:
A critical choice

49. Conventional
Church-going
Christians
Spiritual Atheists
but not Agnostics
Religious

50. Typical Reaction
ATTACK! ATTACK!
Conventional
Church-going
Christians
Spiritual Atheists
but not Agnostics
Religious

51. Alternate Response
Listen/Learn Listen/Learn
? ?
Conventional
Church-going
Christians
Spiritual Atheists
but not Agnostics
Religious

52. “I don’t feel the need for
religion or spirituality.”
The New Atheists/Agnostics

53. I’m NOT ...
Interested in preserving
unprovable beliefs.
Interested in defending
religious violence.

54. I’m WORRIED ...
That strong religious identity
makes people vicious.
That no spiritual identity
makes people vulnerable to
persecution by the religious.

55. I’m CONFIDENT ...
Religion is the problem.
Reason is the answer.

56. “I’m not religious, but I’m
spiritual.”
The SNR/Nones ...

57. I’m NOT ...
I don’t believe organized
religion has all the answers.
I don’t believe science,
government, and
economics have all the
answers either.

58. I’m WORRIED ...
That strong religious identity
makes people vicious.
That no spiritual identity
makes people vacuous.

59. Religion:
How [our] religion provides
exclusive
religious goods and services
so human souls can
be saved
from God.

60. From what kind of God would
people need to be saved?
violent
unforgiving
cruel
capricious
tribal or racist

61. Religion:
How [our] brand provides exclusive
religious goods and services
so human souls can
be saved
from God.

62. Spirituality:
How God is saving
all creation from human evil ... by
grace, through faith,
in the way of wisdom, compassion,
and love,
inviting our participation.

63. The Christian Religion:
Identity: Exclusive distributorship of saving
doctrines, rituals, or membership so souls
can be saved from God
Goal: Converts, believers, souls in heaven,
political power
Jesus: blessings for members, condemnation
for non-members
Clergy: Priests & pastors to and for members
Laity: Consumers, satisfied customers become
marketers
Focus: One hour per week
Social Cohesion: In-group vs. Out-group, us vs.
them

64. Christian spirituality:
Identity: A way of wisdom, compassion, and
love so creation can be saved from human
evil
Goal: A world healed and transformed
Jesus: Blessings for learners so they can bring
blessings to everyone
Leaders: Training fellow-learners to be priests
and pastors to all humanity
Learners: Being presence and agents of Christ,
inviting and including others
Focus: Way of life and goodness lived every
day
Social Cohesion: Come-on-in group, some of
us for all of us

65. Religion:
Other Religions: Shouldn’t exist, a mistake,
should be critiqued and eradicated
Other Religious Leaders: Should be rejected,
mocked, vilified, discredited
Other Religious Beliefs & Practices: Should be
feared and avoided as competition with and
contradiction to our own
People of other religions: Seek to avoid or
convert and assimilate. If they won’t convert,
ignore, shame, or inconvenience. If they
become a threat, defeat and “cleanse” them.

66. Spirituality:
Other Religions: Part of God’s world, should be
understood and valued, a mix of good and
evil in need of growth and maturity - just as
ours is
Other Religious Leaders: Should be respected,
honored, appreciated
Other Religious Beliefs & Practices: May have
much to teach us, similarities and differences
may help us appreciate our own
People of other religions: Receive the gifts they
offer, offer the gifts we have; seek mutual
understanding; collaborate for the common
good of all

67. Christian futures
and Denominations

68. What Denominations Do Well:
Embody Ethos: Brand name, virtues
Conserve Treasures: Wisdom, values,
memories
Support Relationships: Local, regional,
national, global
Protect Physical Assets: Buildings, colleges,
camps, properties, etc.
Protect Human Assets: Professional
development, insurance, pensions, etc.
See/Solve Problems: Financial, demographic,
etc.
Setting Policies: Ordination, discipline, etc., so
bad things don’t happen again.

69. What Denominations Can Do Better:
Evolve Ethos: Emerging identities around
mission and values
Enhance Treasures: Keep learning, adding
Expand Relationships: Age, race, culture, class
Leverage Physical Assets: For mission,
sometimes through liquidation
Develop Human Assets: Recruitment,
networking, training, support
See/Set New Goals: For mission,
transformation, formation
Creating New Policy Zones: So creative things
can start happening again.

70. Denominational Leaders Gone Wild:
Evolve Ethos: Change your name
Enhance Treasures: Write new commitments and
creeds to support them
Expand Relationships: Recruit talent outside your
denomination, race, class, culture
Leverage Physical Assets: Direct funds from
asset sales into new church development
Develop Human Assets: Give everyone an
annual 4-week learning sabbatical
See/Set New Goals: Focus on behaviors, not
results
Creating New Policy Zones: Create a future
denomination alongside/within the present one

71. Christian futures
and Denominations