slides for tomorrow's fusion

this slide shows the migration (and decline) of christianity from its origins in jerusalem upwards and westwards to its present epi-center in africa.

note that the americas do not appear on this map, but that the migration is the same. it flourished in north america, has largely declined, and now finds its center in latin america.





similarly, this slide shows the movement of christianity beginning in the southern hemisphere, moving north, and now rapidly moving south again.














adapted from dan kimball's book (the emerging church) this slide shows the default worldview of those born into the modern world.

for me, and people like me, this basically represents the way our parents think about the world and about church.

it is not wrong.

the slide merely depicts their "defaults" which are very different than my own/our own.


again, from kimball.

this slide shows the defaults of most of my peers; and, more significantly, the default of MOST EVERYONE who will be born from now on (until the next major cultural shift).

this is important because it means that this is the default view in which our faith must be inculturated with increasing saturation in the future.


meaning, if you're wired the other way you'd better - at least - become familiar with this so that you know what you're up against.

some may say that their kids, or even their youthful peers, do not have these defaults. they are probably right. my aim is not to say that everyone has these, just that an increasing number of people are born into a world which values these things (over the other things). there will always be exceptions to this. but the exceptions don't make the rule. the world is headed this way and we must learn how to live as followers of jesus in it.


this slide shows how these two defaults overlap. we are not wholly in a world of pluralism etc. yet.

for as long as i'm alive i believe i'll be caught between these two worlds.

...but my demographic pocket will probably be the last to live in that tension, as perhaps the baby boomers were the first.