A few weeks ago I spent a couple days with a whole bunch of the leaders of Mainline Protestantism as part of the Transforming Theology project. (Clayton has blogged on it here) One of the things I left wrestling with in my mind is how much fear can control us as Christians. Throughout the discussions there was an apprehension about much of the transformations taking place in culture and society. Clearly the make up and shape of Protestantism will be different in the future. Clearly what was wonderful, successful, and connected people to God in the past cannot be continued with the same results. What will the future church look like? What new things are emerging now? What needs to die so that new things can rise? You can throw in more questions, but to get to these questions we can’t be defined by fear of change, death, and transformation.
Pete Alcorn, the head of podcasting for Apple, gave this really short TED talk titled ‘On the World in 2200.’ Here’s my translation of the thesis into the future of the church: ‘If we have a positive view of the future we may be able to accelerate through the turn and not run off the cliff. If we can make it through the next 150 years our great grandchildren will forget all about the whimpering out of Protestantism and be busy following Jesus in new ways, bringing beauty, truth, and goodness to the world.
My blogging of quotes and ideas through the event. Day One. Day Two.
