An ancient Chinese proverb reminds us that ‘to prophesy is extremely difficult, especially with regard to the future’.
This is certainly the case as we try to anticipate the future of evangelicalism, and is heightened still further by the fact that we live in a context of considerable social and political volatility, confront a rising and more aggressive secularism, and live within communities with growing non-Christian religious affiliation. But most of all, humility is called for because of the most significant reality of all – God’s sovereign engagement in the life of the church and in the realities of our world. In the midst of so many unknowns, we trust His good purposes.
One way of assessing likely futures is to project from existing features on the evangelical landscape, and here are seven issues, with a simple exhortation for each from the first chapter of Philippians.
1. Loyalty
Evangelicalism will need to strengthen its focus on gospel priorities and evangelise a secular culture with winsome boldness.
Our challenge: every generation must renew its fidelity to the doctrinal content of the gospel and then engage robustly in the task of evangelism. Statistics suggest that true believers who are actively connected to a local church represent little more than 3% of the UK population. In the West generally it is predicted that we are on the edge of a steep decline, as young adults and teens walk away. During Covid-19 our horizons might have shrunk as the priority shifted towards survival. Globally, alongside remarkable evangelistic growth in some countries, we are losing ground, partly because of the loss of momentum during the pandemic, and partly because the conversion rate is less than the birth rate.
Our opportunity: evangelism will need to be top of our agenda. Our churches will need firm theological foundations for evangelism, alongside a more-focused effort to engage secular people. Globally, our evangelical family in the majority world will increasingly engage in indigenous missions, and send gospel workers to the West. These fellow believers will demonstrate the significance and urgency of integral mission. Whilst other denominations are likely to continue to decline in Europe, Pentecostal and diaspora churches will continue to grow, and our fellowship with them must increase.
Our encouragement: ‘The important thing is that in every way … Christ is preached’ (Phil. 1:18).
2. Integrity
Evangelicalism will need to demonstrate the credibility and transformative power of its gospel message by more consistently living out its radical truth.
Our challenge: there is a serious paradox in the evangelical family. It is that we who most loudly assert the life-changing power of the gospel too often fail to demonstrate it. Leaders can display an abuse of power, financial irregularities, and cover-ups; congregations can suffer the terrible consequences of relational failure; believers fail to grow in Christ-likeness. It leads to a crisis of credibility and a dishonouring of the name of Christ.
Our opportunity: we will need to give much more attention to the integration of faith and life, helping one another to live godly lives in the light of contemporary challenges. New models of leadership – with collegiality, support and accountability – will need to be established. Believers will need help in adopting a Christian moral framework, and Christian communities will need to express the gospel of reconciliation in their relationships. As the gap between the church and the culture continues to widen, we will need to ensure the gospel is expressed in word and deed, by voice and touch, through truth and justice.
Our encouragement: ‘Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ’ (Phil. 1:27).
3. Maturity
Evangelicalism will need to address serious Biblical malnutrition, helping believers to imbibe Biblical truth and frame a Biblical worldview.
Our challenge: another significant paradox is that evangelicals have never been so well resourced, yet our Biblical literacy has rarely evidenced such decline. In his opening address as incoming Secretary-General of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), Thomas Schirrmacher stated that ‘the biggest crisis is the growing lack of Biblical literacy worldwide … Our biggest problem is that Bible knowledge is fading away.’ We know that a neglect of Scripture is a serious and potentially fatal health hazard for Christians and for churches.
Our opportunity: evangelicals will need to give much more focused effort to strengthening each disciple’s personal engagement with Scripture. Congregations will need to explore a practical and innovative catechesis that grounds and grows God’s people in God’s word. We will continue to witness the growing strength of evangelical theology, though it is likely that this will increasingly be expressed by theologians whose first language is not English.
Our encouragement: ‘I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit’ (Phil. 1:27).
4. Unity
Evangelicalism will need to dismantle tribalism and express a practical and relational unity across the boundaries of denomination, race, ethnicity and class.
Our challenge: we have too often been known for our woeful tendency to fragment. Failure to work together has hindered evangelistic effectiveness, squandered resources through duplication of effort, and resulted in the loss of public credibility.
Our opportunity: we will need increasingly to affirm the gospel essentials for unity, and become more capable of living with difference and diversity. We are likely to enter a post-denominational future, where allegiance to a denomination will be far less significant than evangelical cooperation. Sustaining evangelical witness in some denominations could become more difficult and less productive. We will need grace and gentleness in discussing potentially divisive issues and, if we are to speak to the culture with one voice on matters of race, gender, poverty and class, we will need to demonstrate a radical new community. This will mean re-evaluating what issues are primary and what are secondary or tertiary, through carrying out a wise Biblical and theological triage.
Our encouragement: ‘that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel’ (Phil. 1:27). ‘Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind’ (Phil. 2:2).
5. Mutuality
Evangelicalism will need to build, strengthen and extend gospel partnerships of all kinds and at all levels and in all countries.
Our challenge: within the evangelical family we can be known for competition rather than cooperation, for an unhealthy independence rather than partnership, for speaking to others rather than listening to others.
Our opportunity: we will see a growth in partnerships, through local networks, national Evangelical Alliances, and global agencies. Locally we will need to build gospel fellowship across boundaries, as well as appropriate alignments for co-belligerence on matters of social engagement. We will need the continuing help from the One People Commission, and will be grateful for the Lausanne movement creating platforms for cooperative ventures in worldwide evangelisation. We British Christians will need to listen not just to Western voices, but to the world church. We will need the WEA to help us more and more in global partnerships and shared resources, nurturing prayer and calling for generosity.
Our encouragement: ‘I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now’ (Phil. 1:4,5); ‘striving together as one for the faith of the gospel’ (Phil 1:27).
6. Stability
Evangelicalism must be ready to face opposition, suffering, marginalisation – and the opportunities for faithful witness that will arise.
Our challenge: there will be trouble ahead. At present, 360 million Christians live in nations with high levels of persecution or discrimination, representing one in seven Christians worldwide. It’s likely that this will only increase. The level of hostility towards evangelical faith will increase for those of us in the West, and platforms and public buildings in our country may close to Christian voices.
Our opportunity: pressure will result in greater clarity. It will become more costly to stand for Christ but, as Paul declares in Philippians 1, gospel opportunities can increase in the midst of opposition. We will take heart from global evidence that, surprisingly, the biggest threat to Christian vitality might not be persecution, affluence, education, or pluralism: it could be State support. Evangelicals will become closer as a national and global family, praying for and supporting one another, and churches will need to equip believers to be resilient, ready to endure as our forebears have done.
Our encouragement: ‘what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel’ (Phil. 1:12); ‘striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you … For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him’ (Phil. 1:27-29).
7. Humility
Evangelicalism will need to express the meekness and gentleness of Christ in its evangelism, leadership styles, global listening posture and service to a broken world.
Our challenge: another paradox is that evangelicals who proclaim God’s grace can display an ugly pride and arrogance. This sometimes results in toxic leadership, an inability to listen, and a failure to recognise Christians in other traditions.
Our opportunity: whatever our evangelical future will look like, following Christ will mean adopting the posture of the servant, prayerfully seeking God’s help for every aspect of our life and witness, and depending on the Holy Spirit for His power and guidance. We will remember the words of John Robinson, preaching to the fearful pilgrims on the Mayflower before their trans-Atlantic journey: ‘I am verily persuaded the Lord hath more truth yet to break forth out of His holy word.’ And we will hold on to the certainty of Jesus’ promise: ‘I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’ (Matt. 16:18).
Our encouragement: ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others’ (Phil. 2:3,4).
