7 Church Trends to Watch in 2024

[@KJ-lb4tj]

'if you want to keep your ministry ahead of the curve'. That sounds like a very business model statement that is irrelevant to Jesus upside down character-building relationship based gatherings.

[@dagwould]

Just who are you talking to when the viewer gets a 1/4 side head shot such as at 3:32? We know its not an interview, so it breaks the connection with the viewer. I don't know which producer things this is a good idea for keeping a warm connection with the viewer, but it doesn't work. It looks somewhere between 'weird' and 'corny'. Not cool Carey.

[@DavidWesley]

Thanks for keeping your finger on the pulse of the church. I was in Barrie last Sunday to lead worship at Emmanuel - almost within shouting range of you!🤣

[@ForwardChurchGA]

We're seeing this, we're just south of Atlanta, GA. 85% of our growth over the last 18 months has been millennials. They're quick to serve and they prefer relational extra gatherings rather than deep study or outreach. They engage in outreach but it's also more relational.

[@CareyNieuwhof]

Thanks for sharing!

[@KJ-lb4tj]

If you're not discipling on-line then you're not engaging in the breaking down of real communities. That's what people actually want and need.

[@losmcdonald]

Preach the Gospel and welcome those who receive the Message, and dust off your feet and move on from those who don't. We are to merely plant the seed, we cannot make it grow.

[@MrThelittleguy903]

Here's an idea...preach the gospel. You know, God's word. That a trend that's been working for a couple of millenia.

[@jonterry3066]

Really good data!!! Thanks

[@CareyNieuwhof]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jesus-on-demand]

Question: are the good people staying away-leaving or the bad guys?

[@ValLeeWeblog]

Churches are to be about equipping the saints for the work of ministry by teaching them the Bible from cover to cover. Teaching them to come out from culture/society/the arts/contemporary-ism, entertainment-vanity fair, to be a holy and a peculiar people. My heart is to follow the apostles' example. For many walk according to what they think or have experienced or what others think or have experienced. This hurts my heart and such actions made Paul and the other apostles weep. We are to only walk according to Christ's and the apostles' examples and teachings without questioning-1 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 3:16, 2 Peter 3:2 and Jude 17, etc. The Word of God never changes to suit manufactured doctrines, culture, contemporary-ism, society, entertainment, the arts, and activities! Those who do not obey are the enemies of Christ, whose end is their destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is their shame, who set their minds on earthly things; Philippians 3:17-19

[@KJ-lb4tj]

Let gen z lead.... What the heck. The Bible has clear guidance that, elders, those of good character and those that don't lord it over others but are servants are the leaders. It also says to be careful not to put too much pressure on a young believer as pride will be tempting.

[@ValLeeWeblog]

Yes, KJ, A pastor has to meet all the qualifications for pastors located in the books of Timothy and the book of Titus, 1 Peter chapter 5, Ephesians chapter 4. They need to compare themselves to Stephen who knew his Bible from cover to cover and preached it and they should too. He provided a walk through the Bible before he was stoned to death. He was a man of character, being above reproach. The arriving 144,000 male, virgin Jews of the tribulation period will never compromise the Word of God. They represent the heart of true pastors who will die for the faith. They will not take the mark of satan and his talking idol-Revelation chapter 13. Pastors must know their Bibles from cover to cover. And they are not to allow the sexually immoral in the church nor those who are alcoholics, nor the dishonest, etc. 1 Corinthians chapters 5 and 6 explains this. The church is to be equipping the saints for the work of service, to be equipped for every good work, the work of ministry; Ephesians 4. Every true Christian should be able to do a walk through the Bible in truth accuracy through pastoral equipping. Believers are not to be equipped to be rock and rolling with the sexy beat of the rock industry. They are not to be entertaining the masses. They are to be equipping the masses for all holy and pure and separated living. “Come out and be separate says the LORD,” not being one with culture/ society/the arts/entertainment, etc. Please study 1 and 2 Corinthians. All evil must be exposed in the churches through church discipline performed before the congregants so others will be fearful of sinning. Women are commanded to dress in shamefaced modesty as they should never dress to incite a man to lust. Knowing men are to look upon them as sisters in all purity as Scripture admonishes. They are to display long hair, and the married women must wear the headcovering because of the holy angels who observe the church service and be silent during the church service. A true pastor would be preaching this. (1 Corinthians chapter 11) A pastor/elder's wife told me women can't know their Bibles as if they cannot go to school and learn spelling, math, history, etc. This is manipulation, gaslighting, and insanity. It is as if the fewer people, including women, who don't know the Bible the better for church leadership to gaslight into all kinds of false doctrines and wickedness creating less accountability from congregants and pastors. Galatians chapter 1 exposes those who promote false doctrines and Paul wrote as God’s spokesman, God’s words-Let him be accursed/anathema. There are deadly consequences to sin as we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. God judges the churches as we read in the first three chapters of Revelation and this addresses idolatry/statue worship as well. Please study these chapters and the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 5, Jude, 2 Peter chapters 2-3. Learn your Bibles from cover to cover so you are never led astray by the ways of sinful men who claim to be pastors or evangelists. This is the day of the worldly/styling false church as God predicted would arrive. Remember, Job never lusted after women, he only had eyes for his wife. He made a covenant with his eyes. Jesus Christ, the thrill of hope, for a sick, hurting, and weary world-Romans 10:9-10 from the Bible: “That if you confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.”

[@ryanleland7069]

What data sources are you using to provide these insights?

[@CareyNieuwhof]

Data is linked in my full article: careynieuwhof.com/church-trends-2024/

[@mtcstyle]

When will the centrality of the Sunday sermon go away? I'm a de-churched mid-40-yo. I spend the majority of my time with unchurched friends. I will not invite them into a community where they get lectured to.

[@CareyNieuwhof]

Great point, there are a rise of churches/ministries that are trying to build community and discipleship in a unique way that isn't central to the sermon and lead pastor. Something to keep an eye on for sure.

[@tomlundeen1029]

I've been in ministry for 45 years and have had the privilege of serving churches in America and Australia, and am in what can be described as a "megachurch" as Sr. Pastor for the past 20 years. I have heard almost my entire ministry life that preaching is a thing of the past and will be replaced by something. It has never happened, and if anything, preaching is more important today than ever before. The "foolishness of preaching" is something God inspires and uses. Jesus didn't think it was outdated, and neither did Peter or Paul, or 2,000 years of church history. Perhaps this person was in churches where the preaching was "lecturing"...if so, that's a shame. Great preaching is still one of the main ways God speaks today.@@CareyNieuwhof