In the new millennium, technology will permeate the world.  The 21st century vortex will force all life to be conformed into the digital image. Business will be done primarily over the “web” (a concept which itself will evolve way beyond the present limited meaning).  The old-style “mortar and brick” business structure will give way to e-commerce.  This will have a profound impact upon the society and lifestyle of the planet.  More people will be working at home and communications will allow more freedom and interaction than ever before. In turn, this will bring about a change of like kind in the Church.  “Brick and mortar” church structure will be transformed into a new format - the Virtual Church.  Not virtual in the sense of non-tangible, but virtual in the sense of not being limited by space and time.  For the first time in history, the concept of a global Church i.e. World Christianity, will be practically realized.

 In this new world of 24-hour commerce, information, and access,  the Church will have to deliver its product on demand.  The demand, spiritually speaking, will in fact be much greater than it is today.  The message will not change but the delivery mechanism will change.  In the fast paced ever-changing world of new millennial souls, the Church will have to meet the hurting where they hurt and when they hurt.  The old style “brick and mortar” Sunday service Church will no longer keep pace with a generation that is missing the mark at digital speed.

 There will be a common realization that the Church in America is in the post Christian era.  In this new system, missions will take on an entirely new meaning.  Missions to America will be a major theme and 3rd world countries will be evangelizing the western nations that once evangelized them.  Global interaction of Christians will bring about a new consciousness of dedication and mission.

 What will this new millennial church look like?  The future church will be people centered and relational but connected by technology.  It will be high-tech and high-touch.  It will be evangelical in belief and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  There will be a positive message of faith geared toward a balanced wholeness of spirit, soul, and body.  There will be an expectancy of prophetic fulfillment with a practical spiritual focus.  A new music will emerge in line with advances in digital technology that will uplift and bring about a virtual worship environment.  This new virtual visual and audio worship environment will lift believers into the throne room of God.

 The church of the future will be H.O.M.E..  IT will be centered in the home, like the 1st century church.  The first church was a virtual church.  There were no church buildings, the reality was found in the relationship of the believers to their Lord and each other.  For the first three centuries of Christianity, believers met in their homes.  When St. Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus for example, he was actually writing to a network of home fellowships located in that city.  As it states in Eph. 20:17, Paul called for the elders of the church of Ephesus.  In Ephesus, like all the churches, there was a network of home fellowships with each headed by an elder.  These were very close knit groups of local believers who communicated amongst themselves and proliferated throughout their region.  New believers were added as they adhered to the community.  It was primarily a lifestyle witness.

 The church unit was actually the home fellowship and the overall community of home churches was the city-church, a hyperchurch (hyperchurch is a term which means an “encompassing” assembly).  Down through the centuries, we have lost the closeness and relational attitude that permeated the early church.  Cell groups and other programmed attempts to regain this have failed because they fail to understand the foundational concept.  The home fellowship group is the church, not a program.  In the new millennium, due to the various factors of persecution, technology, and especially revelation, the 1st century church will be resurrected.  This virtual church will result in the most explosive growth the church world has ever witnessed. This has already begun in Africa and China.

 In the new millennium, these home fellowships will be tied together via the web.  For the first time since the early church, a local network of home fellowships will be in constant contact even though they may be spread across greater geographic distances (the first century city-church lived in the same small community).  Needs, meeting agendas, and all information will be instantly accessible and updated in real-time via digital technology.  Video net cams will allow believers in the same city-church or even in different areas of the globe to meet, pray, teach, and fellowship virtually. Technology will make the virtual church life a daily reality.  The home fellowship will be as it states in the Book of Acts,

 “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. . . Day by day, as they spent much time together . . . , they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” (ACTS 2:42-47 NRS, emphasis mine)

H.O.M.E. will be a mentoring community.  An environment conducive to spiritual growth and lifelong relationships.  It will be the 1st church in the 21st century. It will be back to the future.