Leadership Network’s Eric Swanson has identified Eight Trends That Will Shape the Future of Global Missions. They are:

1. Mutuality—The future of missions will be shaped by mutuality between East and West, North and South, sending and receiving nations. Churches worldwide are learning to come together.

2. Partnering—Different than mutuality, partnering pertains to projects that require the assistance of skilled co-laborers driven by what indigenous leaders in the country are trying to accomplish.

3. Investing in leaders—Leadership is everything. Wherever good things are happening, a capable and passionate man or woman will be leading the way.

4. Combining good deeds and good news—The level of problem-solving in which externally focused, missional churches are engaged is significantly higher.

5. Greater financial accountability—With all the needs and opportunities in the world, global missions leaders of the future are working to maximize every dollar expended on global outreach.

6. Business as mission—An emerging funding model ties business and mission together. Missional entrepreneurs who are starting businesses and creating jobs in the countries in which they serve.

7. Focus—Churches today are learning to do better by focusing on fewer places of engagement.

8. Technology—With every breakthrough in communication technology, there have been innovators who have exploited that technology to advance the gospel.

(Leadership Network Advance 2/23/10)