A few friends at the conference.

Are you coming to this article without reading the first four insights? We’ll wait for you! Read the first four takeaways in Part 1, here.

❤️‍🔥 #5: “Fear is the worst advisor.”

This line came from a remarkable, humble woman who was interviewed at the main conference, the prime minister of Latvia, on how she leans on God in her call to public service in a difficult time. They are on the border of Russia and Belarus. There is concern.

The whole crowd of 6000 leaders in Christian churches and organizations immediately said “ooooh.” We all recognized the truth of that.

I see far too many parishes delay becoming missional because they are afraid–not of the mission, but of the internal blowback. People don’t like change. People will complain. Donations go down when people are not happy and we won’t meet budget. Etc.

Fear is absolutely the worst advisor. Rely on God’s peace that surpasses all understanding, then ask for God’s vision for your parish. Then, operate out of that.

🔥 #6: Are we innoculated with just enough “Christianity” to become immune to the power of the Gospel?

From Stephen Foster, vicar at St. Aldate’s, Oxford: “We (England) have become a pre-Christian country. Beyond a post-Christian country. In a post-Christian culture, you are innoculated with just enough “Christianity” to become immune to the power of the Gospel. In a pre-Christian culture, the Gospel rings true like a bell across the landscape. It cuts through the noise.”

This one is more food for thought.
In 2022, 41% of people in England identified as atheist. In 2025, it was around 22%.
The number of Christians rose about 20% in that time. Read that again. in slightly less than 3 years.

A number of speakers at this conference used the phrase pre-Christian. They have a young adult generation (Gen Z) that has been raised by “nones” and atheists and a culture that was dismissive of the Christian faith. Yet they, not the millenials or Gen Xers, are coming back–and honestly, discovering it anew.

The point we want you to ponder is this–if the USA is a post-Christian culture, which precedes a pre-Christian culture, and we’re dealing with the waning cultural Christian “innoculation” against the power of the gospel–how do we change that? Can we welcome a new move of God in any generation by zeroing in on the gospel?

Are we failing in renewal because instead of proclaiming God’s goodness and power, we proclaim potlucks and cultural accommodation?

🔥 #7: “Churches get caught between ‘are we catching fish, or feeding sheep?’ If you first feed sheep, possibly you will catch fish. But if you first catch fish, you will always feed sheep.”

Churches often feel a tug between pastoral care and evangelical mission…especially when a church is shrinking, it feels like a competition for limited energy. But the more you bring people in (catching fish), the more you are able to feed sheep (carry each other’s burdens). It is as simple as that.

People often choose feeding sheep because it is a known good, and it feels safe. But doing that first–or alone–is the path of destruction.

❤️‍🔥 #8: “When we separate discipleship from mission, we become weird.”

Direct quote!: I believe I can credit this to Fr. James Mallon, the founder of Divine Renovation. And I love this quotation. Absolutely love, love, love it. It makes you think–what is discipleship for?

Is discipleship for our personal benefit, like self-help–but with Jesus?

Is discipleship for our personal salvation while we dismiss the cries of the rest of the world?

Does that discipleship sound like a saved person or a selfish person?

Unfortunately, there is a long Western custom of discipleship being a “private time between Jesus and me.” Churches needs to crack through the custom and empower–and expect!–people to share and invite others to come and see that the Lord is good!

Perhaps you’d like to share these eight insights with friends, or co-workers in the parish, or your pastor or bishop. And begin a deep, potentially life-changing conversation: Which one of these resonates the most with you? Which is the most challenging?