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2023 – A Year in Review

Words Have Meaning

8 Trends that Were Forecasted

Prior to 2023 here is the fourth trend that was being forecasted.

Churches That Embrace Online Ministry Will Start Seeing Results

Lifeway Research stated that pre-2020 only 27% of churches offered online streaming. Post 2020 92% of churches offer live streaming. Interestingly enough, many churches throttled back their live-streaming presence post-Covid. Here are three pre-2023 reasons not to throttle back your digital footprint.

  • Online church is the BIGGEST front door in history. Pre-dating Covid your churches front door was not the actual front door to gain access into your church.
  • Online church is a powerful side door. Your churches digital presence make it possible for people who aren’t attending on Sunday to access your church anyway and anytime.
  • Online church has not been the backdoor. Given all the disruption that has taken place, the rise of digital options that have been available for years, anyone who saw church online as an easy out is already gone.

Digital church is not the enemy of in-person attendance, but it is the greatest ally.

Reflection

As you read these Year in review posts of trends that were being forecasted for 2023, what are your thoughts regarding this fourth trend?

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2023 – A Year in Review

Words Have Meaning

8 Trends that Were Forecasted

As you read these posts, keep in mind the eight (8) forecasts were wrote prior to 2023. Now that we are at the end of 2023, we can look to see if these have come to pass. 

The Line Between Digital and In-Person Will Continue To Blur

Take notice Millennials and Gen-z move in-through-and-around a hybrid form of church that older Gen-X and Boomers find it difficult. A fantastic online presence drives demand for in-person experiences because the line between what happens online and in real life continues to get thinner every year.

The younger generations find it easy to navigate between the digital and in-person world. While not endorsing business/secular strategies, but only to illustrate the power of an awesome on-line presence consider Taylor Swift’s Midnights album release. It set new records for streaming on Spotify and sold over 500,000 copies. Further demonstrating that online experiences drives in-person commitment Swift’s Eras Tour shut down Ticketmaster sales (here’s Ticketmaster’s explanation of what happened).

Small church leaders are not exempt from this reality. Think Media Sean Connell states: “Don’t overestimate any one post, but don’t underestimate the commitment to consistent posting.” 

Reflection

The church is not in the business of religious entertainment. In the words of a well known evangelist (Mario Murillo); “Skinny jeans, big screens, and smoke machines are not a strategy for the Great Commission.” Our first business is to “Preach the Word”. If the power of spoken words is insufficient to draw man-kind to the gospel, then entertainment gimmickry will not help us.

As we approach 2024, we are witnessing a growing unrest within our nation. What are your thoughts on reaching the younger generations with an eternal message of hope ad peace?

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2023 Year in Review

Words Have Meaning

2023 – A Year in Review

8 Trends that Were Forecasted

In my previous post I mentioned that first trend of eight that were forecasted entering 2023. This post will focus on the second forecasted trend.

Trend #2 -Open Pastors Will Reach Open Generations

Coming into 2023, Barna Research showed that while Gen-Z is the most unchurched generation, it is also the most open generation to spirituality. Study the infographic by Barna Group Research below. 

This info-graphic clearly shows that Gen’s believes there is a supernatural or spiritual side to life, but doesn’t believe that any one faith system works for them. The good news is that 59% of Gen-Z are more open to an encounter with God now than before the 2020 disruption.

Reflection

A spiritually open generation is a reachable generation. Church leaders who are open to change, who are ready for real dialogue, and who are ready to listen to a new generation will find themselves in the best position to reach Gen-Z. 

Is this statement true for you? If not, then why not? Keep in mind, this information was forecasted entering 2023.

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2023 A Year In Review

Words Have Meaning

8 Trends that Were Forecasted

As we look back on Church development in 2023 there were eight (8) trends that were forecasted based upon research from Barna Research and Carey Nieuwhof. Barna Research has been active for their entire history as a research group in tracking the patterns of church growth strategy and attendee’s mindset. Nieuwhof has a track record of offering forecasts dating back as far as 2016.

It must be stated that 2020 was a very disruptive year in religious practice. What we seem to be missing is that 2020 has not necessarily caused the disruptive practices in church today (Ie. Church attendance), it has however, revealed and accelerated what was already becoming true. This truth is hard to see when the measurement of success has been brick and mortar along with social-gospel agendas. We see ourselves as successful because of dollars in the plate and people in the seats. The disruptive chaos may have subsided a bit in 2023. This is a great time to address the underlying crisis that has been happening in the church for decades. The decline of church!.

The Boomer Church Will Decline and Eventually Disappear

At the start of 2023 the oldest Boomer turned 77 and the youngest will celebrate their 59th birthdays. Born between 1946 and 1964, Boomers have been the center of the megachurch movement. The aging Boomers is and will continue to impact church trends in a big way. Since 2020, 16% of Boomers have quite attending church. Boomers simply do not track with church if they are not in the building. Millennials and Gen-X are quite comfortable with the hybrid church. This trend that was forecasted early in 2023 will impact the church in three (3) ways: Attendance, Volunteering, and Giving. These three impacts should be seen as natural for an aging generation. Since there are fewer Boomers that are leaving portions of estate wealth to the church, will this stretch financial operations while attempting to lead a church building with fewer and fewer people?

Reflection

How has this 2023 trend impacted your church? What trends are you beginning to see in Attendance, Volunteering, and Giving? How can we move the “Brick and Mortar/Social Gospel” strategy to more of a “Great Commission” strategy of making Disciples (Life on Life Relationships)?

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Admit Your Mistakes

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Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

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Handle Criticism Graciously

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher – SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

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Listen More Talk Less

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Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher – SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

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Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

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Look At Yourself When People Quit

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Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

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Putting your Team First

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Birkman Assessment

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The Fog Has Lifted – What Do You See? Pt. 4

The Resilient Leader

Now that we are on this side of the so-called pandemic, religious leaders are asking some very hard questions on where we go from here. Truthfully, attempting to measure our purpose and mission by pre-pandemic metrics does not make sense any longer. Please do not misunderstand my comment. I am not saying that our pre-pandemic efforts had zero impact. Let’s face the fact that we all have been traumatized on several levels and we are trying to make sense of what it is that we see now the fog is lifting. What I can say is that things appear vastly different today.

How do we assess the health of our church? Barna Research has been an invaluable resource for those leaders who desire to present a passionate vision that is spirit led and data informed. While the religious landscape appears vastly different there are metrics that remain true even though we are shell shocked by the rapid change of our world and nation. Here is a set of metrics that is worth the time and effort to engage for clarity and the rediscovery of purposeful community mission.

Metrics for Flourishing Churches

These metrics are meaningful to worshippers that attend our churches and activities. As you examine this set of metrics you will notice the absence of program driven agendas and the focal point of celebration – “Look at what we have accomplished!” Rather, this metric set is all about formation of the worshipper and the team members that serve the church. It answers the three crucial questions of a post-pandemic society; Do you know me? Can you help me? Can I trust you?

While we are all rubbing our eyes in disbelief at the accelerated changes in our nation and churches, perhaps we should realize the amazing opportunity being presented. Re-evaluate our Biblical mandate of spiritual formation of Christlikeness in the lives of worshippers that call our church home should become the front and central passion. The pandemic has not caused our concerns, rather, it has revealed what was occurring previously. Utilize this metric set as a focal point of evaluation for our current agenda and our preferred agenda for tomorrow’s worshippers.