08/29/2026
A few weeks ago, my friend Garney Griggs shared an opinion piece by his friend and former pastor, Jim Jackson.
The reflection garnered a lot of attention, and I thought it worth reprinting portions of it here. Jim is retired from the largest United Methodist church in Houston, Texas, and the author of an occasional series of reflections, “Jim’s Daily Awakenings.”
The Once and Future Church
By the time my grandchildren are my age, the Protestant church in America will have undergone a radical transformation. My prediction….
Today small Protestant churches are getting smaller and Protestant mega churches are getting larger, but here will come a time when the large churches will die and small churches with modest, minimalist properties will thrive…many churches will meet in homes or rented spaces.
Most Protestant churches will then be loosely connected communities that closely mirror the church in its first three centuries of infancy….Those who belong to a church will regard it as central to their lives. Believers will meet several times a week for prayer, fellowship, Bible study, and Communion. They will often live in proximity to one another and depend on their community for connection and support….these small congregations will often be led by bi-vocational pastors, who are selected more for their spiritual gifts than their formal training. Congregations will ordain the pastor who serves them.
….Protestant churches will be devoid of racial or cultural boundaries. Like the church described in the New Testament, they will include every “nation, tribe, race, and language.” They will also be non-patriarchal, showing no preference for men over women. No special favor will be given to people because of their wealth, social rank, or political influence. And the church will be open to all people regardless of their moral background our sexual orientation, provided they dedicate their lives to God.
