Future-Focused Church: Leading through Change, Engaging the Next Generation, and Building a More Diverse Tomorrow - Hardcover

Kara Powell; Jake Mulder; Raymond Chang

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801093392 ISBN 13: 9780801093395

Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2025

Synopsis

In the past few decades, the church has experienced rapid and distressing change. Hard-working pastors and leaders often know they need to embrace diversity, creatively engage younger generations, and equip their people to love their neighbors. But since they don’t know how to make the changes needed, they feel stuck and wonder, “What do I do now? What steps can I take to lead our church purposefully and prayerfully into a more hopeful future?” For these dedicated yet drained church leaders, this research-informed resource from the team at the Fuller Youth Institute offers a clear roadmap to faithfully and effectively navigate change that will revitalize your church. Through extensive research, interviews, and case studies, you will learn how to see the big picture, activate a transformation team, know your “why,” discern where God is leading, communicate a compelling vision, maintain disciplined attention, and experiment toward a more fruitful, faithful, and lasting future. This hope-filled guide for building tomorrow’s church today is the resource your church has been waiting for.

About this title

About the Author

Kara Powell, PhD, is chief of leadership formation and executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute at Fuller Theological Seminary and coauthor of several books, including Growing Young. Jake Mulder, PhD, is assistant chief of leadership formation and executive director of FULLER Equip at Fuller Theological Seminary and coauthor of Growing Young. Raymond Chang is executive director of TENx10, a collaborative youth discipleship initiative out of Fuller Seminary, as well as president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative.

From the Back Cover

"In an era of breathtaking change, Future-Focused Church provides leaders with a compass as well as guardrails for navigating our way forward. Practical insight combined with a hopeful vision for the church make this an essential resource for all of us."--Andy Stanley, North Point Ministries

"I am a firm believer that the best days for the church are ahead of us, not behind us. Future-Focused Church should be required reading for every pastor and leader. It provides the insights and practical tools needed to navigate through current realities and move into the hope-filled future that awaits. We have a generation to reach and a mandate to fulfill. This book shows us how."--Christine Caine, founder of A21 and Propel Women

"The experience and research in this book combine to deliver a compelling resource for a new breed of leaders. It's no secret that future-focused leaders need practical gifting and skills to lead diverse communities. In your hands are the words that will transform you into a most effective generational leader."--Rev. Dr. Charlie Dates, senior pastor, Progressive Baptist Church and Salem Baptist Church

"Powell, Mulder, and Chang collaborate in Future-Focused Church to translate years of wisdom, research, and experience into a guide for any congregation that wants to discern God's leading and discover new life. Faith and wisdom are threaded through this clear, accessible approach to church leadership that will help any congregation chart a path forward."--Rev. Louise Johnson, executive for vision, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

"Using a wealth of data from in-depth interviews, church training cohorts, and decades of hard-won personal experience, Powell, Mulder, and Chang provide a process for church leaders to think concretely about not only where their congregation will be in a decade but also how to take tangible action now to move closer to that goal."--Ryan Burge, author of The Nones and The Great Dechurching

"A must-have for church leaders looking to foster a vibrant and thriving church or ministry. Packed with valuable insights and practical strategies, this book provides a step-by-step roadmap for transformational change across all faith traditions, with a particular emphasis on empowering young people. It will inspire you to embrace adaptive thinking and confidently believe that the best days of ministry are yet to come."--Christina Lamas, executive director, National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry

Edition details

• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801093392
• ISBN 13: 9780801093395
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304