Of course, many congregations would not grow healthy even if Jesus had just returned, or Paul had arrived by train with a new plan for church renewal and Johann Sebastian Bach had flown in to become the national master of church worship and music.

But here's what I see as possible in the future:

First, preachers are going to have to learn more and then continue learning. So much has changed in the world of religion that preachers are going to be pressured to learn how to lead their religion into the 21st century. And suddenly, preaching has become important. If clergy don't learn how to communicate with enthusiasm, religion will fall by default. Don't count the numbers of fallen congregations because they weren't doing mission work when they fell. And don't weep for those left behind, the survivors -- they will be exhilarated.

Clergy also need to learn to listen to those who don't have much to lose. These are the people who are fed up enough that they will risk speaking to the powerful. Calling people together for a focus group sometimes works. But the secret is for clergy to be patient enough to draw out people's thoughts in an atmosphere of mutual trust.

When fringe people start talking about change, transformation begins to happen. And when change begins, it cannot be stopped.

Second, we are seeing the death of the builder generation. These are the people who came out of World War II, built the suburbs, interstate highways and one of the most efficient business communities in the world. They are elderly and have been frugal all their lives, but that generation is passing. In their bank accounts, however, is the future in the form of trillions of dollars in savings and investment profits.

Religious groups must learn how to develop their congregations into powerful missions with the help of some of that money. And if it does not occur to some of these people that their money would help, clergy must learn how to ask.

Third, we must continue to evangelize. Some congregations make a feeble effort, but others are organized with slick brochures and programs to draw new members. Small groups have helped the highly effective congregations grow by hundreds every year. Education of children also has become a high priority, and congregations that provide infant and toddler day care for the children of working parents and parochial schools for older children will do well.

The reward comes 15 to 25 years down the road when those children join the work force and start looking for a church.

Fourth, churches have to learn how to deal with congregational conflicts, especially those involving staff. Some of these fights have devastated congregations, and often they don't recover. Pastors of those fighting groups often leave the ministry. Many move to other congregations, but lose their sprit. You can't underestimate the effect these conflicts have on a group of devout people -- lives are shattered for a time, faith is destroyed, the young swear off religion for good.

And finally, Christianity needs to continue to explode all over the world, as it has in recent years, according to a World Council of Churches report. Much of the gain in recent years followed the conflict between Christianity and communism, a fight that ended in a 1980s triumph for Christianity. And since then, the 1 million-member church in China that remained after all missionaries were expelled now is a church of 70 million to 100 million.

A revival also has happened in Africa, which has brought one out of every two citizens to faith in Jesus Christ. And across South America and Central America, where only 7 percent of the population professed a faith in Jesus Christ, now 50 percent percent say they have a strong faith.

A reasonable person cannot look at what's happening in late 20th century Christianity and not be impressed. But we also ought to be forming our own evangelism efforts that result in huge rallies in the United States. Something is happening to us amid all the governmental glum. And thankfully it is something very good.

Clark D. Morphew