Dave Gibbons of NewSong Church (Irvine, CA) discussed handling culture shifts during Verge Conference’s 3rd session. Here is what he said:

One of the things I think we are really horrible at is seeing. Consider these observations:

• Look at our economy. If you listen carefully to the experts, we are actually still in a lot of trouble. In these unstable times, what will you do as a church to give stability to your people?
• There is a widening gap between the poor and the rich.
• Can our government still protect us? We used to worry about nations now we worry about individual attackers. How does this affect the people you reach?
• July 27, 2048 is the date when China and others are expected to surpass the U.S. in life expectancy and gross per capita income.
• There is a shift from the West to the East. It is not going to happen. It already has happened.
• We are shifting from church with walls to church without walls.
• We are shifting from steps and solutions to stories and narratives.

If we can leverage the power of the Holy Spirit, we have an advantage to expect and react to how this affects the people we reach. But how many of us are praying like we should? In addition to prayer, do this:

1. Establish the Biblical theology of liquid leadership in your church.
2. Be prophetic and not just pastoral. We need more than pastoral diplomacy.
3. We need a both/and environment.

When God stirs up a nation and causes chaos, it is a time when God moves. Make space for God, and He will give you the strategy.