Is the Church losing relevance—and what can we do about it?

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman is joined by Jurie Kriel of Shoreline Church and the global initiative NXT Move to explore how the church can reach emerging generations in a rapidly changing world.They discuss the growing challenges of declining trust, loneliness, and cultural change, and why collaboration among churches and leaders is more important—and more difficult—than ever. Drawing from his book Hitting the Ball You Cannot See,  Jurie highlights the “relevance deficit” many churches face and the need to adapt as technology, including AI, reshapes how people live, connect, and understand identity.The conversation also emphasizes the importance of relational, incarnational ministry, the balance of large gatherings and deeper community, and a hopeful vision for the church’s role in a changing culture grounded in God’s sovereignty.Topics(0:00) Introduction (2:20) Reality check on faith(3:35) Three forces shaping culture(6:08) Hope in God’s plan(10:14) Unity over competition(12:15) Why collaboration is hard(18:50) The relevance deficit(25:27) AI, identity, and digitization(32:49) Humanity redefined by AI(36:23) Identity received in Christ(46:37) Truth moves at trust(55:55) Hope for the future church(59:21) Closing ResourcesAbout Jurie Kriel NXT MoveLausanne MovementWorld Evangelical AllianceAsk Us Anything: [email protected] for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribeAbout Jurie Kriel Jurie Kriel leads the NXT Move global community from Austin, Texas, where he also serves on the Executive Leadership team at Shoreline Church.The mission of NXT Move is to gather Christian leaders to address the negative trajectory of Christianity in the next generation, recognizing duplication and siloed thinking as major obstacles to fulfilling the Great Commission.In Texas, Jurie has served as one of the teaching pastors at Hill Country Bible Church and has planted a church in the urban core of Austin. In South Africa, he oversaw and planted multiple campuses with Doxa Deo and co-founded the Timothy Ministry Training Seminary, which continues to train leaders actively involved in ministry worldwide.He has preached and facilitated strategic change as a leadership consultant in 42 U.S. states and 49 countries across every inhabited continent.About Dr. Mark TurmanDr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.About Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org.Blurb: In this week’s Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman explores the growing challenges of reaching the next generation—from rising loneliness to the impact of AI—and what it will take for the church to respond with clarity and purpose. It’s a hopeful, practical conversation about staying faithful, building trust, and rediscovering the church’s role in a changing world.