What to Expect from InFocus in 2026!
As 2025 draws to a close, I wanted to share a genuine sneak peek into the conversations we’ll be diving into on the InFocus Blog next year. My heart is truly set on staying at the leading edge of mission—not just in the US, but globally.
Sometimes that means we need to take a brave, introspective look at ourselves; other times it demands we reconnect with the foundational power of our historic roots; and at still other times, it requires us to look ahead to anticipate what’s coming.
I see our journey in 2026 organized around these three key, continuous questions:
1. What’s Tripping Us Up from Our Primary Task? (A Candid Self-Assessment)
We’re all pouring our best into ministry, but honestly, what are the real-life barriers that are actually getting in the way of our shared, primary task of making disciples?
- Is it the tyranny of the urgent? Are our schedules so full of maintenance that we have no bandwidth left for mission?
- Do we need greater clarity on the goal? Do we have a shared, practical understanding of what a multiplying “disciple-maker” truly looks like in our context?
- Have we unconsciously adopted certain cultural habits that actually make it harder for new people to connect, learn, and grow?
If you’re like me, you probably answered “Yes” to all of the above! I believe our shared opportunity is to become radically willing to ask this tough question about everything we do in ministry—whether we’re planting a new church or leading an established one. This isn’t about placing blame; it’s about bringing our shared struggles into the light so we can tackle them together.
Coming Up: I’m excited to share my experience with a very simple approach to making disciples and church planting. I’ll also be sharing a powerful interview I conducted with Dennis Bachman, a leader of the ViaCordis house church movement, as a clear example of how leaders are re-focusing their ministries to emphasize multiplication through disciple making.
2. Where Did We Start? (Reconnecting with Historic Roots)
I find immense strength in pausing to remember the passion and clarity of those who came before us. Let’s look back to our first-century roots:
- What was the original, driving, life-giving impulse that started this whole movement?
- What was the radical idea that drew people in? The strategy Jesus employed was simple: making disciples causes exponential, God-breathed growth. If it weren’t for that strategy, we wouldn’t be here today as part of this movement that started with Jesus and the twelve!
- By remembering your roots, you can often find the simple, foundational truths that have perhaps gotten complicated over time. It can give you the courage to simplify and refocus.
It’s easy to confuse church planting by addition with true multiplication. We use the word “multiplication” a lot to validate ministry, but it’s starting to lose its meaning.
Coming Up: Expect a series of blogs that will challenge and re-frame the way we approach training church planters. The problem with much of the current training is that it focuses on launching well (the bigger, the better), rather than launching with proven multipliers—a paradigm shift that’s not new, but essential.
3. What’s Coming Next? (Anticipating Our Future)
As partners in this mission, let’s look forward together. While our historic roots are solid, the environment we operate in is always changing.
- What are the cultural and societal shifts happening right now that will directly impact how we make disciples in the next 5-10 years? (Think technology, shifting demographics, and how people view community.)
- How can we prepare for these shifts now so we meet the future with grace and effectiveness, rather than just reacting defensively?
- What can we learn from the international church? Globally, the largest churches are over 250,000 people strong – read Smaller (much SMALLER) Churches Prevail + Bigger (much BIGGER) Churches are Needed. Contrast this to the largest and fastest growing churches in the US this year (2025) – CLICK HERE.
I’m not a futurist, but the trends are clear: internationally, the largest growth is happening through regional house church networks. What strikes me is this question: Why are we—in one of the most prosperous nations in history—so far behind the “international curve” in disciple-making and church multiplication?
Coming Up: I will continue to explore different ways the international church is experiencing different results through its disciple-making focus. I especially want to disrupt the limiting narrative that says, “What works over there won’t work here.” I can’t wait to dive into this one with you!
I’ll be starting our 2026 discussion with a review of the Top 10 InFocus Blog Posts of 2025 on January 7, 2026.
Until then, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Is there one of these three topics you are most excited to see us dive into first?
Photo by BoliviaInteligente on Unsplash
