Future-forward Next Gen Mistakes

Future-forward has taken over the Next Gen world. Language, platforms, and visionary methods are not just normal, they are required for relevant conversation. My fear with the future-forward mentality is that we lose the foundations because we are running into the frontier.

When looking at Next Gen and the church, we must be careful not to lose the DNA of Christianity in the work we do. If we are neglecting the Holy Spirit and the scriptures in order to find a more powerful and more relevant way to do ministry, I want no part of it. Yes, ingenuity is sexy. And there is nothing wrong with innovation. But, genuineness is the better way.

The church is global and requires many different models and approaches in all kinds of settings.

Maybe the church is small, medium, or large. Maybe the place where you worship is in the rural setting or the urban setting. But the formula for a healthy ministry is simple. Scripture over culture. The Creator over the created.

We had meetings this week in Europe in Lisbon, Madrid, and Paris with some important leaders in the Next Gen world. Here’s a look at some of the future-forward conversations.

Convo 1

Americans have to high a view of themselves

I’ve said it for years. America dropped its opportunity to lead the world spiritually in the last two generations (millennials & gen Z). One of the failures that I see in Next Gen is thinking that we have arrived and we are professional. When all of the statistics have proven otherwise.

The theological void in the Millennial and the Gen Z sets is a clear indication that we may feel like we have a large footprint on the socials (and most often purchased followers and likes) and a slick promotional image, but, the statistics tell another story - that the last two generations have dropped increasingly, almost unbelievably, in their biblical worldview!

Never have we had more influencers in the church, but, few disciples. With the rise of influencers has come a plummeting biblical worldview among the last two generational sets.

One of the main reasons for this drop in biblical worldview is because I believe we have chased THEATRE (creativity & drama), and, forgotten THEOLOGY (discipleship & spiritual formation) in Next Gen Ministry. Of course, the family has some responsibility also, but, Next Gen leaders carry some responsibility for this also. Ingenuity must always be a co-worker with the supernatural.

And now globally, China, Dubai, and much of Europe can rival the U.S. when it comes to creativity and theatre. Maybe we could have stood out in America with the distinction of raising a faith-based generation.

Convo 2

Theology is greater than Theatre

What a conversation. If you want to build a healthy Next Gen ministry, it really is simple. Spiritual formation and discipleship create disciples. It is all about your personal missiology or approach to ministry. Our priority should be spiritual formation and discipleship of a generation.

Which we have personally seen in Europe over the past week. These teams in Portugal and France are on fire. They are all volunteers in the local church in Lisbon and Paris, and just organized thousands of teenagers (1,000 and 6,500 teenagers in Convention respectively). And their Leadership Conference every year draws hundreds of leaders.

Theology focus of theology and the depth of ministry is refreshing. Sure, there were lights. And cameras. And audio/visual presentations. And modern venues. But, the Next Gen ministry in Europe is theologically foundational. These leadership teams are changing Christianity among teenagers in Europe.

For instance, just in France alone, Christianity is rising a percent or so annually and tied for the second most popular religion in the country behind Catholicism. And they are doing it with theology.

Convo 3

Theatre is greater than theology

Here’s the argument. Using creativity above the creator is dangerous. Creativity can become a replacement or a dependency above God’s work in our ministry.

INGENUITY is no replacement for GENUINENESS. We try too often to create something unique or pop or we try creating something that is current or next. When all the time, God has a way that the kingdom works and it doesn’t take much creativity on our part.

In a future-forward society it can be easy to end up in more creative meetings than prayers meetings.

Our ingenuity is always looking for the wow factor and the next influencer track. But genuineness seeks relationship and focuses on the faith handoff from one generation to the next. Our ministry must settle on our model of missiology that emphasizes our relationship with the Holy Spirit and the scriptures. We must remember, that our most important relationship is not technology. Our most important relationship is the Holy Spirit.

What is very clear is that whatever we’ve been doing in Next Gen ministry the last 20 years, we should stop. Because it’s not working.

Convo 4

Theology & Theatre must work together

Remember, everything we need to build our spiritual lives, to build the church, and to transform society is found in the person of the Holy Spirit. And every assist that creativity and technology can give us is supplemental to theology.

Look at our time spent in the disciplines of our lives. Is prayer being neglected? Have we forgotten about fasting? We must marry theology and theatre together in a concerted effort to keep the foundational disciplines secure while navigating the frontiers.

Ingenuity and AI cannot replace genuineness and EQ. They must be in relationship with each other.

Human and divine interaction is not best practiced in technology. It is best practices in relationship. I understand the social platforms, and now, even AI as 21st century tools. But, there is no greater connection between human beings and God than personal relationship. So, our questions should be, “How can we marry theology and theatre?”

Finally

The Church is stuck in a fish bowl/aquarium mentality and thinking the world has come to stare at us and watch our every move. But things are changing when it comes to faith around the world today. You won’t find a lot of people lined up to stare at the fish bowl or aquarium called American Christianity anymore.

When looking at Next Gen and the church, we must be careful not to lose the DNA of Christianity in the work we do. If we are neglecting the Holy Spirit and the scriptures in order to find a more powerful and more relevant way to do ministry, I want no part of it.