Pastors, church planters, and ministry directors
Planning a church leadership retreat or vision-casting session focused on missional innovation.
Use cases
About
Alan Hirsch's talk at Velocity in GA, February 2010 challenges church leaders to reimagine mission in a post-Christendom context. This 97-node mind map captures his key arguments, including the 'Cultural Distance' scale (0-4) and Australian research on self-identifying non-Christians' views of God, Jesus, Spirituality, and Church. It explores why the traditional and mainline church is declining (20% loss per year in Australia) and why the contemporary evangelical independent church, while appealing to 40% of Americans, fails to reach the remaining 60%. Hirsch calls for innovation, asking 'What is church for this people group?' and 'What is gospel to this people group?' The template serves as a study guide and discussion starter for missional leaders.
Terms and ConditionsWhen to use this template
Seminary students, missiologists, and church historians
Studying the decline of traditional church models and exploring alternative approaches to evangelism.
Missionaries, evangelists, and small group leaders
Preparing a talk or workshop on reaching post-Christendom cultures with the gospel.
How to use this template
Step 1
Open and explore the core concepts
Open the .xmind file to navigate the four main branches covering Hirsch's arguments on church innovation and cultural distance.
Step 2
Review data and add personal reflections
Examine the specific research data and quotes within the nodes while inserting your own child topics for localized missional insights.
Step 3
Export and share with your team
Save your customized mind map as a PDF or image to facilitate group discussions about reimagining mission in your specific context.
Frequently asked questions
Hirsch argues that the Western church must reimagine its mission because traditional and attractional models fail to reach a growing post-Christendom culture. He emphasizes innovation and contextualizing both church and gospel for each people group.
The 'Cultural Distance' scale (0-4) measures how far the church has drifted from mainstream society. Hirsch explains that 'Subculturalization' increases distance, making the church a cross-cultural missionary context rather than a central institution.
Self-identifying non-Christians have positive views of God, Jesus, and Spirituality, but negative views of 'Church'. This suggests the church's 'delivery system' must change while the core message remains sound.
He believes that the church's future in the West depends on creative, innovative thinking rather than repeating past methods. Without a new imagination, the church will continue to decline.
Yes. You can edit the .xmind file in Xmind desktop or web to add your own notes, quotes, or action items. The template is fully editable and can be adapted for group discussions or personal study.
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