One of the best parts of being in the Triangle is getting to work with many people who are passionate about what they do. I have been blessed to work with many self-starters who have really helped to unleash a lot of creativity in my own profession, and I am convinced that we need a healthy dose of their entrepreneurial spirit within the Church.

An important part of understanding the current generation of young adults is the need to realize that they want to use their creativity and talents to improve the world. Yes, many want to make a living that allows them to enjoy life but not at the cost of what they value. I am not always convinced that this is unique to any one generation, but perhaps an important part of what it means to be young.

Along these lines, I think we need to shift the frame in which we view working with the upcoming generations. Instead of viewing young people and their culture as a problem, I believe we need to start viewing them as an integral part of the solution.

Of course, this dynamic life-giving font of creativity needs to be harnessed in cooperation with visible structures and channeled through the reasonable constraint of the larger community (as represented by the Bishop). Like every generation that has come before, young adults must realize that they are part of a team, and while the visible structures of the Church need new life, they also need these new leaders to play nice with others.

That being said, I also think that more established authorities within the Church need to realize that innovation and growth does not come through carefully crafted meetings and agendas. Like all other fields of human activity, the innovative spirit of the entrepreneur is what drives development, and a healthy institution must accommodate such influxes of creativity instead of viewing them as a threat.

The solution to the current decline will most likely, in my opinion, come through new modes of religious expression that is formed mostly by emerging spiritual entrepreneurs. I think the Church will do well to help nurture and support such potential.