As one fascinated by the future and its possibilities, I find scenario planning -- creating stories of possible futures, and watching for signs as to how the future is unfolding -- to be a stimulating framework for observation. Peter Schwartz, in The Art of the Long View, and his consulting firm, GBN Global Business Network, popularized this planning technique that is used in for-profit as well as non-profit and governmental organizations. I like to think that my passion for scenario planning both honors and invokes the tradition of the Bible's visionaries and dreamers, whose own scenarios of what God's future would hold were awakened by the touch of the Spirit in their respective contexts and cultures.

As one fascinated by the future and its possibilities, I find scenario planning -- creating stories of possible futures, and watching for signs as to how the future is unfolding -- to be a stimulating framework for observation. Peter Schwartz, in The Art of the Long View, and his consulting firm, GBN Global Business Network, popularized this planning technique that is used in for-profit as well as non-profit and governmental organizations. I like to think that my passion for scenario planning both honors and invokes the tradition of the Bible's visionaries and dreamers, whose own scenarios of what God's future would hold were awakened by the touch of the Spirit in their respective contexts and cultures.

Several recent experiences have caused me to wonder whether the radical newness I have been observing across the church is a predictor of something far greater. And what I have observed gives me hope.

Author and scholar Diana Butler Bass opened a January 2008 lecture with the story of a 65-member congregation in Santa Barbara, Calif., which was miraculously prayed back to life by an unconventional priest and a faithful congregation. Four years after embarking upon extensive renovation efforts, the historic church building was reopened. At the dedication, the sanctuary was filled with more than 600 people. That transformation, and the question posed by the man sitting next to her -- "What's happening here?" -- set Bass on a quest to discover the keys to vitality of mainline congregations. Her book, Christianity for the Rest of Us, captures the stories and observations she drew from a study of vibrant congregations across mainline denominations.

In the course of her research, Bass entered into conversation with the author and pastor, Brian McLaren. Together they discovered that her observations about vibrant moderate to liberal congregations and his about, as she referred to them, "post-evangelical emerging congregations" reveal commonalities. Bass added that she had also been engaged in conversations with Synagogue 3000, a group of Jews making similar observations within Judaism. Bass believes that another Reformation on the scale of the Protestant Reformation is underway.

Days before, I read the paper presented by Bill Young, executive director of Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship, at the PC(USA) Mission Consultation held in Dallas. In his paper, Young cited Paul Pierson: "The changes in the worldwide church today are probably greater than those that took place during the sixteenth century Reformation."

The Mission Consultation demonstrated a profound expression of unity and commitment to God's mission by a group of Presbyterians who had never come together before. Prompted by a Commissioners' Resolution from the last General Assembly, 65 people representing a broad range of theology, mission interests, bodies and organizations were called together, in a sense to respond to the very question, "What's happening here," as we see a proliferation of mission endeavors around the church. On the last day of the consultation, the writing team presented An Invitation to Expanding Partnership in God's Mission. Signed and embraced unanimously, the invitation calls all Presbyterians to new cooperation and partnerships within the PC(USA).

So, what's happening here? And does it point to reformation? Those are intriguing questions not just for futurists, but for all of God's people. On this 25th anniversary of denominational reunion, let's keep our eyes and minds and hearts open -- with hopeful imagination -- to see how the Holy Spirit is moving us into the future.

Linda Bryant Valentine is executive director of the General Assembly Council, Louisville, Ky.

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wrote on April 17, 2008

Title: Pastor, Covenant Church Dear Mr. Hughes, How I appreciate your regard for those churches that express a 'fervent and unabashed belief' in Jesus, and as you note, many of them are non-denominational. But in order to thank God for such things, do we have to bash those on a different track? Does the right hand give out praise for Jesus and some congregations and the left hand throw bricks at others? To suggest that 'liberal or post-evangelical' congregations are merely rising from 'dead to the mere comatose' is far from generous, far from accurate. Who's looking in the carnival mirror? Recent developments at Willow Creek (the megachurch granddaddy) are a telling reminder to everyone: success cannot be measured in numbers, but only in maturity of servanthood. I've been a student of Willow Creek and have attended their conferences for more than ten years; I thank God for them, but they well-know, as we all do, that we're all in this together, and we help one another. We all have needs that can be met only by the gifts of others; God does this to both humble us and help us maintain the unity of Christ. No one has to be wrong for anyone to be right. Generosity, kindness and encouragement toward fellow disciples have to be the bywords of those who follow Christ. Bitterness and denunciation have no place in the fellowship of the Cross. We can challenge one another, we can vigorously disagree, but we cannot and must not break the fellowship of Christ. Oh, to embrace the humility of a Thomas Merton who said when confronted with enormous doctrinal differences, 'This is beyond me at the moment.' There is only reality that can transcend the reality of our differences -- a foot-washing kind of love given to us by our LORD who shed his robes of authority and donned the towel of a servant. Blessings and Hope in Jesus...

wrote on March 18, 2008

Title: ... Seems to me that the most rapidly growing and energetic churches in the world, today, are those which express a fervent and unabashed belief that Jesus is our risen Lord and Savior. Oh, and most of them are non-denominational and enthusiastic in their evangelism. A few 'liberal or post-evangelical' congregations may be rising from the dead to the mere comatose; but like the PC(USA), most of them continue to spiral like waste down the drain. I suggest the author look at the world, perhaps in awe, not at the carnival mirror in false hope.

wrote on March 17, 2008

Title: Elder, Collingswood Presbyterian Church I, too, believe that something is happening out there as well. What Butler-Bass writes about in her book is happening in Presbyterian congregations, too. Unfortunately, much of what gets publicized about the PC (USA) is our conflict driven nature. Are we on the verge of another Reformation? Perhaps. But there is one thing I feel deeply in my soul: God is not quite finished with this part of his church. For despite the predictions wrought by our Presbyterian pundits from the left and the right, Jesus is still in charge of this church and for that, we all can be thankful.

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