Ten Trends That Will Affect Your Ministry: Total Convergence
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Sun, June 07, 2009
- Viewed 38
- (5) comments so far
We are already seeing a convergence of cultures in churches today. Young and old; multi-cultural, local and world-wide ministries are all becoming blurred. What was the standard mission program in most churches for the past century (sending long-term missionaries to different parts of the world) is quickly becoming, in many cases, a partnership where churches send people to help on an on-going basis to another country; while people from the other country come and serve the churches in the United States.
If Salzman is correct, this trend of ‘convergence’ will only take root and spread in the church. The norm in the church-at-large is to ignore these trends initially, but in reality, we should be seeing how this idea of convergence in our culture can help us better reach people with the gospel.
Here’s today’s question…What ‘old familiar boundries and categories’ are you holding on to? How are you seeing this ‘total convergence’ happening in your church and community?
I’d love to hear your response. You can reach me at .
Have a great week in ministry!
Todd
You’ve probably never heard of the name Marian Salzman, but you probably have heard of some of the words that she has coined. Words like “metrosexual” and “cuspers” are her creation. She is a trend spotter; and a futurecaster. I recently read an article featuring her in American Way Magazine where she identifies ten trends that will change everything from consumerism to the business landscape. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at a few of those trends, and how they may affect us in a ministry setting.
Trend #1: Total Convergence.
According to Salzman, “Old familiar boundaries and categories are dissolving, blurring black and white into shades of gray – private with public, fact with fiction, news with entertainment, young with old, home with office, off-line with online.”
We’ve already seen this idea and trend change the way many people are doing church. Just within the past year, many churches are adding an on-line service, where literally thousands of people are worshiping, not in a church building, but in their homes and offices via the internet. People are giving online as well, choosing online payments rather than in-person giving...
Comments
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Caleb on Mon, June 08, 2009
More convergence in missions please!!!
The old Protestant work ethic was “earn all you can, save all you can and give all you can.” Maybe this old mantra will fuel missions in the 21st century.
Dr. Kermit P. Soileau on Mon, June 08, 2009
The 10 Trends are viewable at: http://www.americanwaymag.com/obama-marian-salzman-social-networking-platforms-facebook
Paul Steinbrueck on Mon, June 08, 2009
Good, thought-provoking article, Todd. I’m going to have to give it some more thought but a few ways I see “Total Convergence” playing out in the church…
- Convergence of responsibilities of clergy and laity. Taken to its extreme, some churches are being started with no seminary-trained clergy or paid staff.
- Convergence of church locations. Churches now meet in warehouses, storefronts, parks, and homes.
- Holistic ministry. While not new more and more churches are doing food pantries, homeless outreach, job training, and so forth.
- Then there are onvergences of the worship leader turned rock star, the preacher turned converence speaker and million book selling author, the church staffer turned uber-blogger, the multi-site church turned franchisee.
J.D. King on Mon, June 08, 2009
While I agree there are many attempts at convergence taking place, Al Ries persuasively argues in “The Origin of Brands” that what actually is taking place is increasing divergence.
Two things don’t typically combine, they diverge further. There has never been a succesful flying car. They never came up with a television that could print off your daily newspaper (Two things that many believed would converge).
He writes, “Have you ever seen a tree in which two branches converge? This is highly unlikely in nature. It is also highly unlikely in products, services and other things.”
I, along with you and many others like the idea of convergence but just doesn’t seem to be happening - at least not like we think. Oh, I know there are some exceptions. I am currently typing this out on my Iphone with combines an Ipod, phone and “computer” (but I keep getting interupted by incoming calls)
For most of us, convergence will be like that Dvd/Vhs combo that I threw out last week. It’s a good idea but in the end we want our ministries, our communication, our stuff to be one “successful thing” rather than mixture of two others.
Bob Bremer on Tue, June 09, 2009
It seems like convergence will need to impact church planting as well.
Going forward, why should a church plant take on the chatacteristics of the mother church? Why hold on to the old strategy of making the “field” look like the missionaries?
Why not allow the plant to take on the characteristics of the culture it is being placed within, and utilize those characteristics from whatever internet ministry source is available?
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