» Major Trends from Northern Europe

Just arrived from a fairly remote location somewhere in Asia. Back to semi-civilization. Coffee and an internet connection. What else do you need?

More about the trip later.

Here’s Manfred Rusner’s response to Howard Snyder’s Major Trends. Great to get a norther European perspective. Between Australia and Sweden we’ve got the whole world covered.

1. Missionary sending countries are becoming missionary receiving countries.

Many of the countries in northern Europe have a long tradition of sending missionaries to the mission field. They still do although the number of missionaries being sent has dramatically decreased the last 10-15 years. Now they increasingly become missionary receiving countries, partly through inviting missionaries to come.

2. Ethnic churches are being planted.

This reflects the increasing globalization of our world and also the human need for “localization” in a new country. Yes, people move to new places and yes, they bring a need for their own culture with them. The planting of ethic churches is an example of this. But ethnic churches not only serve the needs of people of their specific culture, in many cases they also met the needs of the local people.

3. Continued decline of the inward focused traditional church.

In northern Europe the traditional form of the church, regardless if it is Lutheran or Free Church, has been in decline, especially if it has been inward focused. This decline has been going on for many denominations since the Second World War. For some it started earlier, for some later.

4. The Church will walk in the footsteps of society.

The Church in northern Europe has a strong tradition of affiliation with the state. Even if this is not the case any more in several countries, this mentality is still prevalent. The temptation therefore is strong to adopt thinking and practises that have a majority position in society. In short, the church is adapting to the ways of the world.

5. The Church will walk in the footsteps of its Lord.

Some parts of the church have rejected the trend of walking in the footsteps of society; they believe the best serve their people by live in obedience to their Lord. They will evangelize; they will serve people in need and do whatever is needed to follow Christ.

6. The decline of the Church is reversed into growth.

Already we are seeing churches of different kinds experiencing a fascinating growth in northern Europe. This growth will spread to other churches and a large part of this growth will come through churches not even in existence now. I believe that we will see a thriving, healthy and growing church reaching out and serving people in northern Europe.

7. Stronger co-operation between like-minded churches and movements regardless of denominational peculiarities.

No longer will old denominational, confessional or structural patterns govern relationships. Leaders will recognize similarities and affinities according to new lines of thinking and acting that spring out of a desire to be missional churches.

8. The denominational chart is being re-written.

Almost always when the church has experienced growth new movement have sprung into being. This can happen again, as churches are being planted and as new leaders coming from these or other countries are building new movements parallel to the existing ones.

Manfred Rusner