How to Lead a Future-Focused, Thriving Church

For a church to thrive, its leadership must be grounded in the present but also committed to preparing for the future. Future-focused leadership is essential to guiding a congregation toward spiritual growth, health and community impact.

“Future-focused” is one of 15 dimensions that make up a Barna framework for measuring the degree to which churches are thriving. The 15 dimensions of Thriving Churches are rooted in key signs of a ministry’s priorities and effectiveness. To be a thriving church is to be on a journey toward health and success. (See how your church rates on all of the Thriving Church dimensions with Barna’s ChurchPulse, available for free in Barna Access.)

According to The State of Your Church, a study led by Barna in partnership with Gloo, three in five leaders (61% of churched adults who identify as leaders in their church) are confident that their church is on a future-focused path. However, this also means there is ample room for more churches to embrace forward-looking leadership.

See the specific scores and items of Barna’s future-focused” dimension in this chart:

Engaging the Next Generation for the Future

A future-focused church, as Barna defines it, is one that not only envisions where it wants to go but actively engages its congregation, particularly the next generation, in shaping that future. However, many churches struggle to communicate such a vision effectively.

Leaders who have been with their church for two years or less are far less likely to describe their church as future-focused (45%), suggesting that the church’s direction is often not passed on clearly to newcomers. Relatedly, younger leaders tend to rate their churches lower on vision communication and empowerment of the next generation (49% of Gen Z and 53% Millennials compared to 72% of Gen X and 60% Boomers). These figures highlight the need for churches to better engage and inspire younger leaders, many of whom feel disconnected from the broader vision of the church.

Innovating for the Future

One defining characteristic of future-focused leadership is openness to new tools and tactics to meet people where they are, especially the next generation. In a world shaped by technology, social media and cultural change, reaching younger generations might require adopting innovative methods.

“Over the last few years, pastors and the Church as a whole have experienced huge disruptions to ‘business as usual,’” says Tim Turner, CEO of Subsplash, an innovative technology platform to help churches know, grow and engage their people in-person and online.

“They’ve been launched into a polarizing, controversial, tech-centric culture—often requiring rapid adoption of new tools, methods and ways of thinking. This can be complex and challenging,” he adds. “They want to meet the basic needs of their communities and also effectively engage them for the sake of the gospel. Sometimes this can lead to analysis-paralysis. It’s better to have a bias toward action and ‘go toward it’ rather than to be stuck in a state of inaction.” 

Whether through digital platforms for ministry, new styles of worship or data-driven approaches to discipleship, future-focused leaders are willing to rethink traditional models to stay relevant while staying true to the gospel. This adaptability allows churches to engage meaningfully with people at various stages of their spiritual journey.

Subsplash helps thousands of forward-thinking churches innovate to engage the culture and their communities with timeless biblical teaching, discipleship and dynamic resources.

“Together, we are leveraging The Ultimate Engagement Platform™ to create powerful experiences for billions of people—fueled by the same passion of making the truth of Jesus incredibly accessible to a world that needs him,” Turner says.

A thriving church looks ahead, inviting every generation—especially the next generation—to be part of shaping its future. It’s about leaders who not only cast a vision but actively engage their congregation in moving toward it.

“Faith produces boldness, and it’s up to us to be obedient and faithful to live out the Great Commission with boldness and innovation,” Turner explains.

By embracing innovation and staying adaptable, churches can remain rooted in their mission while reaching people in fresh, meaningful ways.