What if the best days of your church are ahead?

The best days of the church are ahead.

Really.

Don’t get us wrong. We are under no illusion that churches have it easy in this season. These days the church can feel . . .

So fractured.

So distracted.

So divided and politicized.

So exhausting.

So hard to lead.

Like everything is an uphill battle.

You may remember a simpler season. When people of all generations seemed less busy and showed up every week— or more frequently— to church worship and gatherings. Or when mental health concerns didn’t seem so prevalent. Or technological interruptions so pervasive. Or young people’s journeys so complex.

Or perhaps you’re starting out in your leadership journey. You have big dreams. You’re ready to roll up your sleeves and try new things, but others around you seem resistant or are moving too slowly.

We’ve led through these challenges. We feel them too.

But nonetheless, we believe the future of the church will be better than the past.

In fact, we believe the best days of your church are ahead.

But the question is, What do you think?

When you consider your church five months, five years, or five decades from now, what does the future look like? Brighter than the past? Or, if you’re being honest, a little dim?

In answering those questions, leaders like you are all over the map. There’s a mix of hope and heartache.

Many leaders we’ve encountered in the last decade know what they want to see change but struggle with the process and path for how to bring about those desired revisions. They long to lead a church that is more like the one they see throughout the pages of Scripture—a courageous and compassionate church, a just and diverse church, a loving and generous church, and a faithful and vibrant church. But they don’t always know how to get from where they are today to where they feel the Scriptures are calling them to be tomorrow.

We’re clearly optimistic about the potential for change and the future of both the church and your church. Not because we’re ignorant of the challenges churches face but because we believe God is bigger than those challenges. And our big God invites us to be a people of hope. Hope that is grounded in the fact that God is a God of resurrection who makes things new, brings life out of death, and shines light in darkness.

What if the church isn’t merely in the midst of a decline but also an era of reimagining and renewal?

While the gospel message never changes, the specific methods we utilize deserve our ongoing reimagination.

To be honest, we don’t see an easy option, fast path, magic wand, or quick fix that immediately enables churches to move forward. We believe this is a season in which leaders need to attend to what the Holy Spirit is doing in new ways and in local contexts and to develop skills and systems for ongoing adaptation. While change and moving into the future aren’t easy in this reality, there are insights and lessons that can make them easier. That can save you from spinning your wheels and make it more likely you’ll be effective.

That can help you lead a future-focused church.

Over the past decade, our team has led extensive, yearlong training with over 1,000 churches worldwide. Inspired by what we’ve heard from these dedicated leaders, we’ve written an exciting new book offering a step-by-step roadmap for leading your church through change. Future-Focused Church offers comprehensive research, interviews, and case studies as you learn to see your church’s big picture, clarify your "why," communicate a compelling vision, and maintain focus on a more vibrant and lasting future. By experimenting, exploring, and embracing the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you’ll lead your church forward with confidence and hope.

Adapted with permission from Future-Focused Church: Leading through Change, Engaging the Next Generation, and Building a More Diverse Tomorrow by Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Raymond Chang, published by Baker Books. Releasing in March 2025.

Your church’s best days are ahead.

Let church leadership and change experts Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Raymond Chang be your companions as you construct a map unique to your ministry context that will help your congregation pursue vibrancy and vitality. Through research-based insights and stories from churches like yours, you’ll learn to:

⮕ Activate a transformation team
⮕ Discern God’s leading when the future is unclear
⮕ Lead change like Jesus

With Future-Focused Church, you’ll gain tangible steps to transform your congregation into a group of Jesus followers who seek God’s direction together.