I mentioned the book microtrends: the small forces behind tomorrow's big changes by Mark Penn in an earlier post. For those of you interested in social change, well worth getting a copy and browsing for early trends which might help you anticipate or recognize change in your area and if you don't want to spend the money, at least sit down at your local Barnes & Noble and read the Conclusion over a cup of coffee. Those pages alone will get you thinking.
Here's and example:
"While there is a wave of interest in religion, people around the world are gravitating toward smaller churches and newer religious sects. Some older religions are trying to modernize, reforming their doctrine and adding women to the pulpit. Others are going more traditional. Perhaps nowhere are we seeing more contradictory and swirling microtrends than in religions movements today. But it suggest that what we are seeing now is likely to grow--more and more people will be loosely affiliated with religion, and, at the same time, the intense followers will grow in devotion and influence. We have to be vigilant in watching for the growth of offbeat cults, and also hold the line on protecting the separation between church and state."
Thought provoking in many ways and challenging to those in funeral service who have tried to stick to the mainstream of religious service. What will it take in the future to serve the needs of these contradictory religious outlooks? How will this impact you in your area? How has it changed what you do already?
I look forward to getting a few comments and if I have piqued your curiosity enough, here's a link so you can purchase the book for yourself.
Have a fantastic day!!!
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