More Trends In Church Renewal

Last week, I began summarizing an important new report that highlights 10 dynamics I think are relevant to our work in church renewal.  This week I have the final five insights from Vanderbloemen Group’s State of the Church: Trends for 2025.

Five More Trends in Church Renewal

Trend 6: Succession planning will be a critical task

• The pastoral workforce is aging, and many seminaries are seeing fewer young people enrolling. The leadership crisis we have highlighted in various ways over the years in this newsletter is upon us.
• Proactive planning will help churches avoid the chaos of a long, drawn-out vacancy, which can lead to a season of decline. I believe open discussions about succession planning around all key staff positions — not just lead pastors — will become the new norm.

Trend 7: Older pastors will be sought after

• Older pastors bring a lifetime of wisdom and insight to their work. For those who embrace the role mentoring plays in their work, they will remain in high demand.
• In my experience, it is easy to see which younger leaders have the most potential. They are the ones seeking out mentorships and learning opportunities. Smart churches will pair them with experienced pastors right away.

Trend 8: AI will be a critical tool

• Within churches, artificial intelligence (AI) has been the subject of conversations for some time. Meanwhile, the world-at-large has adopted the technology and is benefiting from it.
• In the near future, smart churches will begin using AI wisely to help with brainstorming, research, proofreading, graphic design, video creation, etc. We’ve written about it in detail in a previous article.

Trend 9: Employees will look for full-time employment

• Side hustles and gig work have become increasingly common, but their popularity is beginning to wane. People are realizing how taxing it can be to balance multiple jobs. People are also seeking reliable jobs with good benefits.
• Churches that focus on hiring fewer, high-quality employees who are fully devoted to their roles will find the most success. Smart churches raise the bar when it comes to hiring, as just a few underperforming team members or a few with poor attitudes can tank the entire team’s morale.

Trend 10: Compensation increases will level off

• Salary spikes have been common because of recent economic shifts, but these adjustments are largely in the past. The emerging trend is that Millennial and Gen Z employees care just as much — if not more — about benefits.
• How can your church offer a robust benefit package that meets the needs of today’s employees? What benefits are most appealing to your job candidates?

Did you miss part 1? Check out last week’s article for the first five trends to keep your eye on.