Red Skies: 10 Essential Conversations Exploring Our Future as the Church

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When it is evening, you say, "It will be fair weather, for the sky is red." And in the morning, "It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening." You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. MATTHEW 16:2-3 Our world is changing faster than ever. Digital culture is rapidly accelerating, climate change threatens the future of our planet, racial inequality looms large, sexuality norms are constantly shifting, and forced migration is increasing. Meanwhile, the church is rife with internal conflict and busies itself with growth strategies, running programs, and creating better worship services. ​​​​​​​ In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus told the religious leaders that although they could interpret the appearance of the sky, they didn't know how to read the signs of the times. As twenty-first-century disciples and leaders, we must not make the same mistake. We need to understand our cultural red skies and see the coming changes because our response to the issues we face will determine the church's position, posture, and practice for years to come. With contributions from experts in their fields-including missiologists, pastors, ecclesiologists, entrepreneurs, and prophets-Red Skies explores some of the essential conversations the church must engage with now so we might overcome potential threats and look for opportunities to be good news to both our current and future world. Why? Because the skies are red.