Looking to the Future: A Next Gen 10:2 Reflection

By Seth Barker

The church as a structure is adaptable. While the core message is Christ, the way that message is delivered to the audience has changed over time. While all denominations have their different interpretations of Scripture, the source for all is Jesus as our Savior. With the message being malleable, as it is intended for all, the church must find a way to deliver it to all.

The Next Gen 10:2 Gathering was designed to reach young adults within the Free Methodist Church and teach them what it means to be a disciple of Christ and accepting the calling to minister. Having attended this conference and reflecting upon the teachings of it and observations made about the Free Methodist Church, I have come to see what steps the church has taken in modern years to reach a newer audience. The purpose of this is not to state that these changes are the superior way of doing church, but instead a perspective of how these changes impact the view of the church and worship service to a nonbeliever.

Sanctuary Shift

One of the smallest and slowest changes to many churches has been the shift within the sanctuary. The old style of preaching performed on Sundays of the pastor standing behind a podium has been phased out by many pastors in favor of a placement closer to the congregation.

This subtle shift helps to change the purpose of the pastor’s sermon. It creates a less formal environment where the congregation is not being lectured, but led. Similarly, worship music has shifted its style in recent years with many churches changing from hymns to a more contemporary style of worship.

“One of the smallest and slowest changes to many churches has been the shift within the sanctuary.”

Not only have changes been made to how a Sunday morning service plays out, but also where it happens. As malls see disappearing storefronts, new styles of business (one of which being churches) have entered these abandoned spaces. Some churches have even begun to offer services on select nights, giving newcomers an option to attend a later time if they aren’t ready for the morning commitment.

Online (and Personal) Connection

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the world was faced with a challenge to adapt their lives to distanced versions of prior activities. The church adapted by livestreaming services through online platforms for their congregation to receive the Word.

While services have been shown remotely before through televised services, the medium of the internet and the number of people pushed to it during that time allowed all churches the opportunity to reach a larger audience. This solution became an issue as part of the church is the community within, something that the livestreams could not replicate. When COVID-19 restrictions lifted, many churches continued livestreaming their services, allowing for those unavailable to attend services to still access the Word of God spoken through a preacher.

Most of these changes have been attempts to step away from old traditions and break the stigma many nonbelievers have toward the church. But this change seems to be a push for a larger message of personal connection with Christ.

Free to Be Equal

From an early anti-slavery position to allowing women to preach, the Free Methodist Church has always been ahead when it comes to healthy progress within the church. These pushes toward progress have been beneficial in aligning the Free Methodist Church with a very important stance: all were created in the image of God and thus are equal. We afford all members of the church the same rights no matter their race or gender.

Investing in the Church’s Future

Upon reflecting on these observations of churches in and outside of the Free Methodist denomination and the message given through the 10:2 Gathering, I was left with the question of “How do we help our struggling churches grow and find success?” while keeping in mind the strides made toward adapting the church to bringing people in while keeping God’s message the same.

The 10:2 Gathering is Free Methodists investing in the future of the church — not just to become future pastors, but to become faithful stewards of God’s message, working to spread His Word.

“We afford all members of the church the same rights no matter their race or gender.”

“The gospel came to you on its way to someone else.” We are not the Lord of the harvest, but its laborers. It doesn’t matter your age, gender, race, or credentials: God is calling all of us to “go forth and make disciples of all nations.”
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Seth Barker is a member of the Kittanning Free Methodist Church in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, and serves as the vice president of Kiski Valley Free Methodist Family Camp in Apollo, Pennsylvania. He is a senior at Geneva College studying communication.