The future of the established church

This post is from the defunct blog “Dying Church”

The days of the established church are numbered. The church will exist and even thrive in the future, but it will look far different than it does today. Over the next few decades, I predict that the established church will change in three ways. First, we will see the rise of new forms of church such as the emerging church and house churches. Many who currently support established churches will leave and move to these new forms, and many with no church affiliation will join these new forms as well. Second, many will continue in the established church but will voluntarily lay up the trappings of modernity over time. Many established church pastors, like me, will continue to pastor established churches, but will either see their established churches transform into something completely different, or will one day make the leap into the new forms. Third, many established churches will resist changing and will one day face extinction. While the established church will continue for some time, its days are numbered. These are my predictions. Your thoughts?