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Future Faith: Ten Challenges Reshaping Christianity in the 21st Century
In Future Faith: Ten Challenges Reshaping the Practice of Christianity, author Wes Granberg-Michaelson provides a lucid view of how the top ten winds of change blowing through global Christian faith are reshaping the practice of Christianity today. He is uniquely qualified to identify and interpret connection points between global Christian trends and the American church.Drawing on the stories, examples, and personalities of pastors and congregations from throughout the U.S. as well as those from Africa, Asia, Latin America, who are the faces of Christianitys future, Future Faith is designed to inform and empower followers of Jesus to seek new ways of becoming the face of Christ to a rapidly changing world. Leaders and practitioners in church growth, renewal, and planting will be a primary audience for this book. Students of religion from Catholic, evangelical, Pentecostal, and historic Protestant streams will find this book an informative and stimulating resource for pondering together the future of their faith. Small groups engaged in congregational nurture and growth will find in the author a welcome companion for guiding them through the multi-cultural landscape of contemporary faith.
261 pages, Paperback
Published March 23, 2018
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May 30, 2018
Wesley Granberg-Michaelson is the former general secretary of the Reformed Church in America and has been involved in a host of ecumenical organizations over the span of some 50 years. His is a unique, global perspective of pan-denominational Christianity across the world, rooted in his Protestant American context. As an experienced communicator and churchman, he writes at a more popular, accessible level than a scholar of ecumenism or ecclesiology. This book is the product of Grandberg-Michaelson's reflections on the future of the Christian faith after sustained dialogue with church leaders from many different parts of the world.
I found that the first half of the book was surprising, convicting, and thought-provoking. In these chapters/challenges (Revitalizing Withering Congregations; Embracing the Color of the Future; Seeing through Non-Western Eyes; Perceiving the World as Sacred; and Affirming Spirit-Filled Communities), the widely-traveled author draws upon his unique experiences to convincingly make his point. Almost unimaginably huge megachurches in South Korea and flourishing Christian gatherings in Africa are stunning, powerful reminders to the West that, though mainline churches are disappearing every day, the Spirit is still working enormous miracles in the Global South. The Western churches need to identify their shortcomings which were inherited through Enlightenment thinking and Industrialization. These five chapters in my book are filled with notes, brackets, and underling. The segments dealing with Pentecostalism are so interesting. One in four Christians in the world is a Pentecostal/Charismatic. Over 50,000 people become Pentecostals each day. The statistics are incredible.
Yet, in the final five chapters/challenges (Rejecting the Heresy of Individualism; De-Americanizing the Gospel; Defeating Divisive Culture Wars; Belonging Before Believing; and Saving This World) Granberg-Michaelson relies more heavily on anecdotes in an attempt to support his particular agenda. I found much of the writing in these chapters dull, unimaginative, and uninspiring. Especially tiring was his tirade against Evangelicals and Catholics who supported the current U.S. president. At one point the author even suggests that white Evangelicals voted for this president because of his whiteness. It was awkwardly written and completely non-theological, especially because the abortion holocaust in the West was unmentioned. This is inexcusable, especially because Granberg-Michaelson professes to be a broad-minded, compassionate churchman. In these political sections, he resorts to citing statement after statement of different Church organizations denouncing the president, rather than citing actual evidence from immoral policies he has put into place or laws he has enforced. I kept waiting for him to build his case why Evangelical and Catholic voters were so misled by him, but the argument never came; the name-calling and accusations simply continued.
The author's reflections on LGBTQ issues and the Church were more measured, interesting, and well-documented. Yet, they suffered from his obvious bias and unwillingness to put forward the cogent arguments for traditional marriage from Christian history and from Catholic moral philosophers. The conservative scholars who denounce gay marriage yet do so in Christian concern and kindness, putting forward compelling, Christ-centered approaches, are simply not cited.
Finally, perhaps the book's biggest weakness is that Granberg-Michaelson praises the morally conservative Evangelical and Pentecostal congregations popping up across Africa and Asia for their solidarity with the poor and readiness to serve the lowest in society, yet he is so quickly dismissive of their traditional views on marriage and other issues, dismissing them as culturally conditioned factors. So, in other words, an African Pentecostal congregation is praiseworthy except when it puts forward its conservative, theological viewpoints (about marriage, gender, and sexuality) in the ecumenical discussion. He even blamed colonialism for these sub-Saharan churches' theologies, citing evidence that European governments are responsible for these conservative ideas. But isn't it colonial of Granberg-Michaelson to blame colonialism when he challenges those teachings that he doesn't like in the Evangelical African churches? It's as if he's saying, "Poor, ignorant African churches. You don't get it, do you? We white Christians made you like this. We will now un-make you." The argument up until now has been: "Let the exploding African/Asian churches influence us more and more in the West!" But now it has suddenly changed and he's given it a crucial caveat: "That is, unless they disagree with our Western sexual and moral opinions we have come to accept in the last fifty years."
Granberg-Michaelson's overall point of view, or should I say, posture, is compelling. This posture is what made the book ultimately worthwhile. He shows that the Western churches have so much to learn, so much to do, so much to accept. The time for broad change is now. We must look to our sisters and brothers across the seas and not just across the railroad tracks for new approaches. The Enlightenment and Industrial Age have left their terrible marks; the 21st century is the time for theological, ecumenical, and ecological rebirth. May the Lord of the Church lead us onward. May He also lead us to repentance over our silence while innocent lives are taken each day in the name of Western progress.
I found that the first half of the book was surprising, convicting, and thought-provoking. In these chapters/challenges (Revitalizing Withering Congregations; Embracing the Color of the Future; Seeing through Non-Western Eyes; Perceiving the World as Sacred; and Affirming Spirit-Filled Communities), the widely-traveled author draws upon his unique experiences to convincingly make his point. Almost unimaginably huge megachurches in South Korea and flourishing Christian gatherings in Africa are stunning, powerful reminders to the West that, though mainline churches are disappearing every day, the Spirit is still working enormous miracles in the Global South. The Western churches need to identify their shortcomings which were inherited through Enlightenment thinking and Industrialization. These five chapters in my book are filled with notes, brackets, and underling. The segments dealing with Pentecostalism are so interesting. One in four Christians in the world is a Pentecostal/Charismatic. Over 50,000 people become Pentecostals each day. The statistics are incredible.
Yet, in the final five chapters/challenges (Rejecting the Heresy of Individualism; De-Americanizing the Gospel; Defeating Divisive Culture Wars; Belonging Before Believing; and Saving This World) Granberg-Michaelson relies more heavily on anecdotes in an attempt to support his particular agenda. I found much of the writing in these chapters dull, unimaginative, and uninspiring. Especially tiring was his tirade against Evangelicals and Catholics who supported the current U.S. president. At one point the author even suggests that white Evangelicals voted for this president because of his whiteness. It was awkwardly written and completely non-theological, especially because the abortion holocaust in the West was unmentioned. This is inexcusable, especially because Granberg-Michaelson professes to be a broad-minded, compassionate churchman. In these political sections, he resorts to citing statement after statement of different Church organizations denouncing the president, rather than citing actual evidence from immoral policies he has put into place or laws he has enforced. I kept waiting for him to build his case why Evangelical and Catholic voters were so misled by him, but the argument never came; the name-calling and accusations simply continued.
The author's reflections on LGBTQ issues and the Church were more measured, interesting, and well-documented. Yet, they suffered from his obvious bias and unwillingness to put forward the cogent arguments for traditional marriage from Christian history and from Catholic moral philosophers. The conservative scholars who denounce gay marriage yet do so in Christian concern and kindness, putting forward compelling, Christ-centered approaches, are simply not cited.
Finally, perhaps the book's biggest weakness is that Granberg-Michaelson praises the morally conservative Evangelical and Pentecostal congregations popping up across Africa and Asia for their solidarity with the poor and readiness to serve the lowest in society, yet he is so quickly dismissive of their traditional views on marriage and other issues, dismissing them as culturally conditioned factors. So, in other words, an African Pentecostal congregation is praiseworthy except when it puts forward its conservative, theological viewpoints (about marriage, gender, and sexuality) in the ecumenical discussion. He even blamed colonialism for these sub-Saharan churches' theologies, citing evidence that European governments are responsible for these conservative ideas. But isn't it colonial of Granberg-Michaelson to blame colonialism when he challenges those teachings that he doesn't like in the Evangelical African churches? It's as if he's saying, "Poor, ignorant African churches. You don't get it, do you? We white Christians made you like this. We will now un-make you." The argument up until now has been: "Let the exploding African/Asian churches influence us more and more in the West!" But now it has suddenly changed and he's given it a crucial caveat: "That is, unless they disagree with our Western sexual and moral opinions we have come to accept in the last fifty years."
Granberg-Michaelson's overall point of view, or should I say, posture, is compelling. This posture is what made the book ultimately worthwhile. He shows that the Western churches have so much to learn, so much to do, so much to accept. The time for broad change is now. We must look to our sisters and brothers across the seas and not just across the railroad tracks for new approaches. The Enlightenment and Industrial Age have left their terrible marks; the 21st century is the time for theological, ecumenical, and ecological rebirth. May the Lord of the Church lead us onward. May He also lead us to repentance over our silence while innocent lives are taken each day in the name of Western progress.
March 25, 2018
It has been said that the church goes through a rummage sale every 500 years or so, and since it has been that long since the Protestant Reformation, we’re due for some changes. As author Wesley Granberg-Michaelson notes in his new book, Future Faith, the church as a whole — whatever denominations it might make up— must become relevant for the times. This is not a new idea. Authors such as Diana Butler Bass have been looking at the changing role of the church in the 21st century and John Shelby Spong, in his last book Unbelievable, has outlined changes to church doctrine that are necessary for the church to survive. Granberg-Michaelson’s book is a little along the lines of Shelby Spong’s book in that the former offers 10 theses for how the church must change. The only difference is that Granberg-Michaelson casts a wider net, targeting mainline Protestant, Catholic, evangelical and Pentecostal streams of Christianity. This is a book pretty much meant for everyone.
As such, the book might be a bit controversial, and I’d suggest that it may bite off more than it can chew. The introduction written by Soong-Chan Rah even notes that you might not agree with all of Granberg-Michaelson’s suggestions. Still, the book is an important read for most. Even though I already agreed with some of the author’s approaches (such as affirming gays and lesbians, which may be anathema to, say, an evangelical), I also learned a lot from this volume. For one thing, I came to understand what Pentecostalism is and why it is a growing strand of Christianity in the Global South. I further deepened my understanding of the culture wars and why they exist.
Read the rest of the review here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
As such, the book might be a bit controversial, and I’d suggest that it may bite off more than it can chew. The introduction written by Soong-Chan Rah even notes that you might not agree with all of Granberg-Michaelson’s suggestions. Still, the book is an important read for most. Even though I already agreed with some of the author’s approaches (such as affirming gays and lesbians, which may be anathema to, say, an evangelical), I also learned a lot from this volume. For one thing, I came to understand what Pentecostalism is and why it is a growing strand of Christianity in the Global South. I further deepened my understanding of the culture wars and why they exist.
Read the rest of the review here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
December 18, 2018
Here in the Global North, churches are facing major challenges. The churches in the Global South, they're growing quickly. What were once mission receiving regions are now the mission-sending ones. Many of our congregations are a shadow of their former selves. Many that were once thriving congregations are now gone from our midst. The congregation I serve was once one of the largest and most influential in the denomination, while its pastors had a national following. We're not that church today. So, what is the future?
Wesley Granberg- Michaelson offers ten challenges he believes face Christianity, and which will reshape who we are. Much of what he shares I have known, some I've been living for the past thirty plus years of of ordained ministry. Fortunately, this is not simply a rehashing of old memes about how liberal churches decline and conservative churches grow. Truth be told, conservative churches are now facing the same challenges more liberal ones faced in years prior. We're just farther along. My sense is that with the apparent white evangelical embrace of Trumpism, they will face an increasing dilemma. Issues like same-sex marriage, which mainline churches have been working through for a couple of decades will hit soon, if it hasn't already among younger members. That is only one of many issues.
So, what of the ten challenges? The first is the challenge of revitalizing withering congregations. I've been trying, but without much success. There are, however, signs that new kinds of congregations are being planted within existing congregations that are promising good results. The second challenge is titled "Embracing the Color of the Future." The suggestion here is that our future is diverse. I found interesting his reference to the prevalence of so called "nones" in Portland, Oregon, noting that this phenomenon that has gotten a lot of press is largely a white one. But persons of color, they're more likely to embrace religious life, and diverse congregations may be the wave of the future (and the present if we allow it to happen). I do know that at least in my denomination what growth we have is among non-white and multi-ethnic congregations. The third challenge is titled "Seeing through Non-Western Eyes." When I look at my book shelves, most of my books were written by European and North American scholars, mostly white males. I was introduced to Liberation Theology a long time ago, and have tried to open myself to other visions, but still it's easy to look at faith through Western Eyes, but with the dynamic nature of the Global South, it's time to pay attention to other vantage points.
We live with the challenges of climate change, which has been impacted by industrial "advancement." The Enlightenment by and large de-sacralized the world, and that hasn't been good for the world. So maybe it's time for a change. It's time to again perceive this world as sacred, as created by God, and therefore good.
From the sacredness of our world, he moves to an affirmation of "spirit-filled communities." Here again, there is notice of patterns of growth, and around the world it is to be found in communities that are Pentecostal and Charismatic in orientation. Modern Pentecostalism is largely traced to the Azusa Street Revival in 1906, a revival that gave birth to a diverse movement of the Spirit that is expanding exponentially across the globe. Granberg-Michaelson notes that there are now six hundred million Pentecostals around the world, which is ten times the number as in 1970, making this one of the fastest growing Christian movement in history. So, what does this movement have to say to us?
Challenge six is truly challenging -- "Rejecting the Heresy of Individualism." This is one of the bedrocks of our culture, and yet it may have to go. We're not islands. We're created for community. So, how are we going to embrace this? Again he invites us to look to global Christianity, which is much less affected by Enlightenment individualism. With chapter seven, he really starts meddling -- the challenge of "De-Americanizing the Gospel." Here he takes note of the danger of Trumpism, and the way in which international evangelical leaders are concerned about its affect on the churches of this nation. "De-Americanizing the gospel requires listening intently to Christian voices that are not simply shaped by the American Church" (p. 152). It also requires greater grounding in the biblical faith. Challenge 8 involves the culture wars that continue to rage, and which are undermining the gospel. What issue more than any other divides? It is the question of same-sex relationships. These wars have become globalized.
Challenge nine has to do with "Belonging before Believing." Here is another challenge to our individualism. Faith is something more often than not that is developed as we become part of a community. The future belongs to those who discern how to do this well. He makes use here of the idea of bounded versus centered sets, so that communities that are centered set focus less on boundaries than on the center, which for Christians should be Jesus, but the focus is one of relationship rather than doctrine.
Challenge ten is titled "Saving This World." There has long been a debate within the Christian community as to whether we have any responsibility for saving this world. Aren't we supposed to separate ourselves? We can be light to the world, but saving the world isn't our job. Or is it? Perhaps our calling is to a holistic vision that is rooted both in our relationship with God, and engaging in work that touches the world. It is a vision to which I am committed, and which I believe is rooted in the Gospel. His suggestion is that this is also central to living out of our faith.
Again, the information isn't altogether new, but it the author has done an excellent job of drawing together a set of realities that stand at the heart of our lives as Christians. The future will look a lot different. Change isn't easy. Not all congregations will survive, but I don't think that Christianity will disappear. In fact, the Western World might be the next mission field, as folks from across the globe bring the faith to us in the Global North.
Wesley Granberg- Michaelson offers ten challenges he believes face Christianity, and which will reshape who we are. Much of what he shares I have known, some I've been living for the past thirty plus years of of ordained ministry. Fortunately, this is not simply a rehashing of old memes about how liberal churches decline and conservative churches grow. Truth be told, conservative churches are now facing the same challenges more liberal ones faced in years prior. We're just farther along. My sense is that with the apparent white evangelical embrace of Trumpism, they will face an increasing dilemma. Issues like same-sex marriage, which mainline churches have been working through for a couple of decades will hit soon, if it hasn't already among younger members. That is only one of many issues.
So, what of the ten challenges? The first is the challenge of revitalizing withering congregations. I've been trying, but without much success. There are, however, signs that new kinds of congregations are being planted within existing congregations that are promising good results. The second challenge is titled "Embracing the Color of the Future." The suggestion here is that our future is diverse. I found interesting his reference to the prevalence of so called "nones" in Portland, Oregon, noting that this phenomenon that has gotten a lot of press is largely a white one. But persons of color, they're more likely to embrace religious life, and diverse congregations may be the wave of the future (and the present if we allow it to happen). I do know that at least in my denomination what growth we have is among non-white and multi-ethnic congregations. The third challenge is titled "Seeing through Non-Western Eyes." When I look at my book shelves, most of my books were written by European and North American scholars, mostly white males. I was introduced to Liberation Theology a long time ago, and have tried to open myself to other visions, but still it's easy to look at faith through Western Eyes, but with the dynamic nature of the Global South, it's time to pay attention to other vantage points.
We live with the challenges of climate change, which has been impacted by industrial "advancement." The Enlightenment by and large de-sacralized the world, and that hasn't been good for the world. So maybe it's time for a change. It's time to again perceive this world as sacred, as created by God, and therefore good.
From the sacredness of our world, he moves to an affirmation of "spirit-filled communities." Here again, there is notice of patterns of growth, and around the world it is to be found in communities that are Pentecostal and Charismatic in orientation. Modern Pentecostalism is largely traced to the Azusa Street Revival in 1906, a revival that gave birth to a diverse movement of the Spirit that is expanding exponentially across the globe. Granberg-Michaelson notes that there are now six hundred million Pentecostals around the world, which is ten times the number as in 1970, making this one of the fastest growing Christian movement in history. So, what does this movement have to say to us?
Challenge six is truly challenging -- "Rejecting the Heresy of Individualism." This is one of the bedrocks of our culture, and yet it may have to go. We're not islands. We're created for community. So, how are we going to embrace this? Again he invites us to look to global Christianity, which is much less affected by Enlightenment individualism. With chapter seven, he really starts meddling -- the challenge of "De-Americanizing the Gospel." Here he takes note of the danger of Trumpism, and the way in which international evangelical leaders are concerned about its affect on the churches of this nation. "De-Americanizing the gospel requires listening intently to Christian voices that are not simply shaped by the American Church" (p. 152). It also requires greater grounding in the biblical faith. Challenge 8 involves the culture wars that continue to rage, and which are undermining the gospel. What issue more than any other divides? It is the question of same-sex relationships. These wars have become globalized.
Challenge nine has to do with "Belonging before Believing." Here is another challenge to our individualism. Faith is something more often than not that is developed as we become part of a community. The future belongs to those who discern how to do this well. He makes use here of the idea of bounded versus centered sets, so that communities that are centered set focus less on boundaries than on the center, which for Christians should be Jesus, but the focus is one of relationship rather than doctrine.
Challenge ten is titled "Saving This World." There has long been a debate within the Christian community as to whether we have any responsibility for saving this world. Aren't we supposed to separate ourselves? We can be light to the world, but saving the world isn't our job. Or is it? Perhaps our calling is to a holistic vision that is rooted both in our relationship with God, and engaging in work that touches the world. It is a vision to which I am committed, and which I believe is rooted in the Gospel. His suggestion is that this is also central to living out of our faith.
Again, the information isn't altogether new, but it the author has done an excellent job of drawing together a set of realities that stand at the heart of our lives as Christians. The future will look a lot different. Change isn't easy. Not all congregations will survive, but I don't think that Christianity will disappear. In fact, the Western World might be the next mission field, as folks from across the globe bring the faith to us in the Global North.
June 7, 2018
A Realistic look at how the future of the church is shaping
This book starts out dry and has some very complex passages, but overall it is an eye opening look at how Christianity will survive into the future and ends with sound strategies to be a part of that future.
This book starts out dry and has some very complex passages, but overall it is an eye opening look at how Christianity will survive into the future and ends with sound strategies to be a part of that future.
May 31, 2018
The author presents an interesting comparison / contrast between the Christian Church in the Western world, especially the United States, and the Global South. In doing so, he explores the possible explanations as to why the church is declining in the US and Europe, at the same time it is expanding and growing in the Global South. He also identifies the steps the Church in the US need to take in order to revitalize and re-engage with younger Americans.
April 8, 2021
This is actually the second time I read this book, both times as part of discussion groups. As an American Christian (let me specify, a progressive version of such), it was good for me to learn from a Christian leader who has been deeply involved in ecumenicalism not only in the U.S. but around the world.
August 23, 2018
Great overview of the factors shaping the future of faith... and why we often don't get it.
October 27, 2018
Well written with lots of food for thought for Christians.
November 9, 2018
It’s a call to renewal for Christian churches in the United States that we are no longer the center of the Christian faith. We have much to learn from faithful Christians around the world.
December 11, 2018
Some same-old, same-old, but also so new and helpful information as well.
May 5, 2019
Read this book as part of a small group. The author provides much material for discussion. I found hope for the future of the faithful in the Global North.
August 3, 2019
A good read, I highly recommend it!
August 19, 2024
Great insight on many levels.
July 16, 2018
An excellent read for anyone interested in why so many churches in the Western world are failing while churches in the Global South are experiencing tremendous growth. Racial diversity and an emphasis on community over being right in religious thought are only two examples of why.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews