A Couple of Good Questions

"As a Pastor where do you see the church transitioning to in the next decade?"

I honestly don't think you'll see much change in the church in the next decade. For the most part the church has been what it is for the past several hundred years.

But, there is a group of Godly people who are stepping up and emphasizing the gospel and the Love of God to the world. There has always been this group, but I believe that it has been growing over the past 20 years and will now continue to grow until Jesus returns. We need it! There are far more people in the world today that need to hear the Gospel of Jesus, we need more Christ lovers. This group has a heart for the gospel and social justice. They want to reach the hurting world in tangible ways with food, shoes, water, money, etc, and the love of Jesus. Isn't that what Jesus did? For far too long people have either tried to reach the world with food, shoes, water, money etc. minus the gospel, or have tried to reach people by sitting in their holy huddles and hoping some other people come into their church, be born again, and become a part of the club. Both ways are wrong. What this world needs are Christ loving disciples that are the hands and feet of Jesus to their world. This world doesn't need a club, it doesn't need a hippie movement, it needs the gospel! In the gospel we find all the hope that is needed for a dying world. It is eternal hope!

"Why do you think that the 'church', not the body, has taken such a huge hit in the past decade?"

Because of what I've stated above. The "church" has wanted people to come to them. You've heard pastor's say things like, "go out and invite your friends to church!" This is a misnomer. We should be the church, not go to "church". We need to go to the world! We need to bring the gospel, even the unread, unspoken, and unpreached gospel to our world. Because when we do what God says we are reading, speaking, and preaching the gospel to the world like Jesus did. I'm not suggesting there is no place for the written or spoken Word, but people are going to be far more accepting of the written and spoken Word when they see it lived out first. It is crucial that we reach and love the lost, teach them what God says, then go do what God says, and tell others how awesome He is! They will become the body of Christ in turn.