The next 10 years will be challenging—but don’t believe the worrywarts.
Predictions of the coming collapse of evangelicalism were easy to find in 2009. Writers competed for the end date, many predicting 10 years of ecclesial hospice culminating in the death of evangelicalism in 2019. You can check out the predictions for yourself on the internet, although some of the publications that posted the articles are now out of business.
Evangelical churches in America are doing well, and evangelicalism around the rest of the world is booming—especially in Africa, South America, and parts of Asia and Europe. To flourish in the coming decade, what trends should American pastors anticipate? Let’s risk some predictions for 2029.
Evangelicalism Isn’t Going Anywhere
The question I’m asked most often is this: “What’s happening to evangelicalism?” People are curious about the state of the movement and the name itself.
The term evangelicalism may be uncomfortable for many, but it won’t disappear easily or quickly. Changing names rarely works anyway. Ask your friends, “What is the tallest building in Chicago?” Most will answer, “The Sears Tower.” Except Sears sold the naming rights a decade ago, and this second-tallest-building in the Western Hemisphere became the Willis Tower on July 16, 2009. Either way, evangelicals have a long history of adaptation, and the future will be bright for those who take the Bible seriously and believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
What about reports of the decline of evangelicals, especially among younger adults? Most evangelical denominations are growing, some are plateaued, and a few are declining. New churches are being planted across our nation, from small rural towns to major urban cities. In 10 years they will ...
from Christianity Today Magazine https://ift.tt/2PWcatW
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