- The fruits of the Spirit are lived out in the hearts of the church’s leaders. Young people–especially non-Christians are incredibly in tune with attitudes, subtle jokes, disapproval, and/or tone of voice.

- The church is involved in local and global compassion and justice ministry.

- 20-somethings are respected and given a voice.

- Theology and doctrine are taught. (Overall, the churches thriving with young people are evangelical churches.)

- Mission is the driving decision-making force of the church.

- Art and artists are generally part of the fabric of the church and mission

Mindy Caliguire

Religion results from avoiding hell. Spirituality results from living through hell.

While planting a church in Boston, Mindy’s formed a functional relationship with God. “What do you want me to do today, God?”

Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.

Alan Hirsch

“The End of Christianity in Europe”

Europe has a veneer of Christianity–a church without Jesus.

There is a judgment of God going on in Europe as well.

We have to dethrone Constantine.

The church has been pushed from the center of culture to the margins. (In Germany, less than 2% of Christians identify as evangelical.)

If we don’t learn from this, we will suffer the same fate. Christianity – Christ = Religion.

There is a considerable missional opportunity with discipleship. We don’t know how to form people in the image of Jesus.

Evangelicalism has repurposed the Great Commission to be all about evangelism, when Jesus said “go and make disciples…”

Leadership is an extension of ministry. We think that a person can be pastor, theologian and teacher.

Dan Kimball

When we think of the word “missionary,” we think of going to another country or culture.

Kimball (a pastor in Santa Cruz) tells a funny story about getting a group excited about doing a mission trip to a place called Zurcatnas–describing the people, the culture, the need everything. After the group became excited, Kimball told them that Zurcatnas was really Santa Cruz spelled backwards.