A Generational Vision to 2075
Long-term thinking shapes mission, finances and relationships.
When I was racing mountain bikes at a high level, one of the skills I focused on developing was the track-stand. This is where you practice balancing on the bike without moving at all. At first, it feels impossible, because normally a bike’s stability comes from motion. But with time, a skilled rider can balance indefinitely. One of the keys when learning is to train your eyes to look at a stationary object that is far away. This fixed point helps your body find the balance point more easily.
This act of looking at a fixed, stationary object to find balance is a powerful analogy for church life.
Long-Term Perspective
One of my mentors, a deeply respected pastor who also trained as a nuclear engineer, served his church for his entire adult life. He once said to me, “We consistently overestimate what we can accomplish in one year and underestimate what we can do in ten.”
Long-term thinking should be one of the church’s greatest strengths. We have a rich history spanning thousands of years and an eschatological lens through which to interpret the present. Yet, Protestantism is particularly at risk of being buffeted by the circumstances of the moment.
A friend from an Orthodox Church once said to me, “We are not particularly bothered by the ebb and flow of culture. We have been consistent for two thousand years, and we are not about to change just because someone on social media said something mean about us.”
Training a Generational Mindset
I have been working to train my soul and our church culture to think generationally. I keep two conceptual targets in mind: 2050 and 2075.
2050 represents the point when my leadership tenure will likely end, and the next generation will take over.
2075 represents the optimistic span of my life.
Of course, these are just reference points. The Lord is free to move us however he pleases.
Long-term thinking gives rise to several key principles for the church:
1. Missional Clarity
The Great Commission is both our historical reference point and our future objective. Anything that does not connect to the Great Commission is out of bounds.
Specifically, our missional objective is:
We, having preached the Gospel faithfully with our lives, leave the next generations a template to make disciples who make disciples that is relationally integrated, global, theologically robust, financially generous, where the values of: everyone, disciple-making, evangelism, reliance, church family, radical generosity and sending are lived and breathed by an interconnected global family of missionaries.
This means we must think in terms of multiplication. We cannot build around a single personality but must always activate and release the priesthood of all believers.
2. Financial Sustainability
I am increasingly convinced that churches think too short-term about finances. Large churches are often riddled with debt, and small churches frequently operate month to month.
When finances are unstable, churches naturally gravitate toward initiatives that produce quick growth, since this is the fastest way to generate tithe income.
Our mission is to clear $1.5 million in debt from capital projects over the next few years. This will give us a greater launching pad and capacity to fund future initiatives. A significant portion of my energy is dedicated to strengthening our church’s financial foundation.
3. Relational Emphasis
Short-term thinking can make people expendable in pursuit of objectives. Yet relationships are the only things that are truly eternal.
Long-term thinking in relationships means we cannot sacrifice people on the altar of success. At the same time, we cannot dismiss relationships when friction arises. We must choose to value one another enough to work through grievances for the sake of the mission.
This is one of the hardest parts of church life. Hurt is inevitable, bitterness is tempting, and the enemy is constantly seeking to destroy. When faced with these challenges, we must look back at Christ, who forgave us, and look forward to eternity together as brothers and sisters before the throne.
Thank you for the insights. I especially liked the description of a very relatable picture: "Hurt is inevitable, bitterness is tempting, and the enemy is constantly seeking to destroy."