In the drive to be contemporary and relevant to the younger generations, church growth specialists are beginning to sound somewhat traditional.
Next (February), the newsletter of the megachurch think tank, Leadership Network, reports on a recent forum to reevaluate ministry in a “postmodern culture.” The 500 participants in the forum — mainly young church leaders — targeted several key features of church life that are currently unfolding, including:
01: Community — The 21st century church will serve as a communal alternative to the fractured families and structures of society
02: Experience — churches will introduce people to experiences of God, doing it in the “context of church history and scripture”
03: Participatory ministry is appealing to people’s desire to “take part in all areas of life including church”
04: Multi-sensory worship is also being rediscovered by churches; “everything in the service needs to preach — architecture, lighting, songs, prayer, fellowship, the smell . . .”
05: Mysticism and mystery is appealing in a society “less dependent upon a scientific and rationalistic way of thinking.” An appreciation of wonder and mystery is expressed in more liturgical worship; “churches are returning to the `old’ and using guided meditative prayer . . . incense, candles and historical Christian rituals”
06: Since spirituality is increasingly found in wider culture, churches will have to use such yearnings as starting points for conversation
07: The arts, especially visual arts, are making a comeback in churches, as churches are seeking to “return beauty to our worship.”
(Next‘s web site is at: www.leadnet.org)