Church decline and growing secularization have forced pastors and church leaders to confront difficult questions. What kind of leadership does the future church truly need? What qualities inspire trust, movement, and mission?

Being a fantasy novel fan and working with churches, I love when a story reveals something vital about church leadership. In my new book, Game of Pulpits, I spotlight a scene in The Lord of the Rings prequel, Rings of Power, when the young elf Galadriel, having been rescued at sea, is delivered by ship to the city of Númenor.

We get a visceral view of how humans viewed elves. A kind of racial animus exists. But also fear. Everywhere she goes, people can’t take their eyes off her.

Later, when she makes an urgent appeal for others to join her fight against an ancient evil, Númenor’s Queen questions her:

“What authority do you speak of, elf? That of your people, or that of a castaway grasping for a hand-hold in a tempest?”

Cutting in, Galadriel explodes:

“There is a tempest in me! It has swept me to this island for a reason. It will not be quelled by you, Regent!”

Not a perfect character by any means, but from a leadership lens, she possesses something powerful. Something others follow.

We could call it inner conviction. Clarity of mission. In our church circles, some might call it “anointed presence.”In her case, moral light.

Why the Future Church Needs Different Leadership

While writing Game of Pulpits, I found myself asking a central question: What kind of leader will the future church require?

My hope was not simply to analyze trends, but to help leaders deepen their spiritual stature and strengthen their kingdom vision.

Though I believe we are falling down at the helm right now in critical areas, I continue to see the proper exercise of spiritual authority as our best hope.

If you are a pastor, church leader, or ministry team core member, you hold a principal place in the epic kingdom story unfolding. Others are looking to you.

In a tumultuous hour, you are God’s LEAD VOICES.

Though we come to the ministry arena from differing backgrounds and theological lanes, we share a common goal: to provide the church with the effective leadership needed for our moment.

Let me add a caveat to whet your appetite for this blog series.

I believe we have arrived at a pivotal point on the Church’s historic timeline where long-held ministry assumptions need to be re-evaluated.

With church decline and growing secularization—non-religious identifiers in America have grown to 25–28 percent—dominating headlines for two and a half decades, whether you lead a smaller or larger church, the question of how to counter these cultural trends hangs before us.

Who amongst us has a bead on the future?

What quality in a church leader today do members need to see?

Whom do they seek to emulate in their discipleship?

Where do we drive our stakes to achieve a far greater vision than we have right now?

Developing a Deep Leadership Well for the Future Church

Today’s church members are looking for more than sermons and programs. They are searching for leaders with:

• Clarity of mission
• Conviction of calling
• Spiritual authority
• Vision worth following

They get behind a person led by the Spirit with a clear vision for what God is calling their people to be and do.

I attempted to capture this quality by metaphor. I call it the leader’s “deep well.”

But how does a deep well form? Where does this leading quality that influences and drives everything else come from?

Not in any way discounting the vital basic disciplines of a leader’s spirituality, I have whittled down three practices that have a deepening effect toward missional leadership.

In my view, these are what will make great leaders stand apart from the rest. They position one to grow committed followings and reroute church experiences and expectations.

I have also included some practical ideas to run with in each pursuit.

It is my observational opinion that if you do not have this qualitative “deep well” conviction underlying the vision you are championing, you will not have what it takes to re-invent and re-invigorate the movemental thrust of Christianity.

My concern is that too many leadership models continue to reinforce the status quo. While churches face mounting cultural challenges, many leaders have not yet embraced the level of missional transformation needed for the years ahead.

Although none will say this of themselves, they are champions of the status quo. Stick with the shallower vision prevalent in most congregations, and members’ gospel-mission effectiveness will remain in the anemic column.

What we cannot do is merely maintain.

We need a greater vision, we need to…

• Be less settled and more stirred.

• Be convicted over Christ’s calling for each follower.

• Believe more from our people—His body.

Each leader must look in the mirror to evaluate themselves and stand before their LORD in surrendering prayer over their unique ministry context.

It is because I am convinced decades-long denominational decline and secularizing cultural drift require the future church to become more missional that I present a formational way forward.

When I say formational, I am referring to practices that hold the potency to deepen the leader’s vision-conviction.

This sacred place where leaders draw their strength is not merely for their own spiritual benefit.

This well, when deep enough, enables others to drink.

It serves to fuel the thirst for greater involvement in what Christ wills to do in them and through them to the world.

To the degree applied, these practices work their way into the inner core of leadership conviction.

Don’t read or run past them as if they are easily done or one-and-done checklist items. These are ongoing practices within a church or mission arm.

I also tend to believe that they are more rare than common.

It is the exceptional leader who engages with these at acute levels for the benefit of all.

Three Pursuits That Shape Future Church Leaders

In short, here are three dynamic pursuits that deepen leaders and position churches for greater kingdom impact:

1. Assess Mission Performance Candidly

2. Measure Teaching Impact Downwardly

3. View Leadership Vision Structurally

The series will unpack each of these pursuits in a way that will allow you to see them far more strikingly.

Coming soon to your inbox!

The Future Church Must Become More Missional

The central challenge facing church leaders today is not simply attendance decline.

It is discipleship weakness and mission disengagement.

Pastors must ask:

• Are our people equipped for gospel influence?
• Are members relationally connected to unbelievers?
• Are we forming disciple-makers or simply attendees?

The future church will be shaped by leaders who empower the whole body for mission.

Ready to Deepen Your Leadership Well?

The future of the church requires more than maintaining what already exists. It requires leaders willing to deepen their conviction, clarify their mission, and equip God’s people for greater gospel influence.

Next Steps

• Order Game of Pulpits

• Explore Soul Whisperer Ministry resources

• Learn relational evangelism through Soul Whisperer

• Join the email list for upcoming leadership insights and ministry training