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?