For nearly 30 years, Tom Sine has kept an eye on "the lively edge" of ministry in the ever-changing culture. In his latest book, The New Conspirators: Creating the Future One Mustard Seed at a Time (IVP, 2008), Sine identifies "mustard seed" movements of faith that build God's kingdom.

What are the greatest challenges you see facing the church now?

The Western church is losing twenty- and thirty-somethings at an unprecedented rate, even while there's a growing spiritual hunger among those groups. This is going to lead to a financial crisis for the church and mission as baby boomers start retiring.

Because they are strapped with much higher school and housing costs, the few young people left in the church won't have the discretionary income that their parents or grandparents had to sustain the church. At the same time, the average American is working roughly 10 hours more a week than he was 15 to 20 years ago. That means these young people will have less time for family, church, prayer, ...