Salt is not the only new journal encouraging original and thought-provoking reflection on the Church’s missionary calling and identity in the contemporary world. June 2020 saw the first issue of Ecclesial Futures, an international, ecumenical journal which has emerged out of the IAMS^[1] Study Group “Local Christian Communities in Mission,” and an international conference entitled ”Researching Missional Congregations.” As the titles suggest, the journal focuses on the future of local Christian communities as they seek to be faithful witnesses to Christ in their particular context. It aims to address issues such as why some communities flourish while others dwindle and die, how churches can experiment and be transformed to participate in and embody the mission of God in their locality, and the kind of leadership and theological education needed for contextually relevant Christian witness.

^[1]        International Association for Mission Studies.