Almost twenty years ago Howard Snyder wrote Foresight: Ten Major Trends Facing the Church. It’s uncanny how close he came to predicting future reality.
Here’s a list of the trends he predicted:
1. From regional churches to world Church.
2. From scattered growth to broad revival.
3. From Communist China to Christian China.
4. From institutional tradition to kingdom theology.
5. From clergy/laity to community of ministers.
6. From male leadership to male-female partnership.
7. From secularization to religious relativism.
8. From nuclear family to family diversity.
9. From church/state separation to Christian political activism.
10. From safe planet to threatened planet.
What are people’s thoughts on how the list could be updated?
5 Comments
While Howard Synder’s insights are remarkably uncanny, I think that the overall trends that we see in these projections yet to be completed. We have had some breakthrough in certain areas, but I think the majority of Christian church around the world has seen little change; particularly with regard to issues like institutionalism, male/female partnership in top leadership roles, and a real lack of a community of ministers. One trend that I think will emerge is the issue of race and prejudice in the church. The church must deal with these issues and I think, over the next 20 years, this will be a huge issue. Brian.
Very perceptive! 1. World church is coming due to immigration. The International Church is a phenomenon of God’s big mixing stick that He is applying to the nations in the church growth area and will continue to be sol. However I agree with Brain that race and Nationalism will be issues for the developed world as the developing world impacts the West more and more.
Just been in the USA and some remarkable predictions and prophecies are being made in conservative evangelical circles about the imminence of a great spiritual awakening commencing in southern USA.
China – we should all learn to speak Mandarin and be ready for the day the USA hands to baton of world missions to this emerging giant.
Institutionalism and community of ministers! Well, it’s happening slowly but there are good signs.
Female-male leadership sharing is coming but again slowly.
Precient really. Its hard to fault the list Steve. So I’m not sure how I can add to it. I have always appreciated Snyder’s work as I know you do. I hope to meet him in a visit to Asbury in a few weeks. I do worry though for the Chinese church once they become establishment. Its such a phenomenon at the moment.
Where does an Internet community fit-in?
I’ve written up my thoughts on the first five at Pacific Highlander.
4 Trackbacks
[...] Steve Addison on his ‘World Changers’ blog writes: [...]
[...] That’s enough for the moment. I’ll be back next week with some more reflections. Still making sense of it all. And I haven’t forgotten the Ten Major Trends series. It would be great to get some more input before I get Howard Snyder to respond. [...]
[...] Addison on his ‘World Changers’ blog [...]
[...] few muddled thoughts in response to Howard Snyder’s Ten Major Trends written almost twenty years [...]