- Carey Nieuwhof is a best-selling leadership author, speaker, podcaster, former attorney, and church planter. He hosts one of today’s most influential leadership podcasts, and his online content is accessed by leaders over 1.5 million times a month. He speaks to leaders around the world about leadership, change, and personal growth.
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Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week.
One of the great privileges of writing on leadership for a long time is that you get to see your theories proven wrong, or at least a little bit wrong.
Hundreds of thousands of leaders have read my article entitled “Are Churches Behaving Like Malls In the Age of Amazon, Just Hoping for People To Return?”
Malls had been in a free fall for decades when I wrote that piece.
But I’m less beholden to my ideas than I am to the truth, so let me bring you the first bit of contrary evidence I’ve seen in years about the demise of malls. The Morning Brew reports a rise in foot traffic and sales among malls last year.
I know, right? Huh. Who knew?
Sure, when you drive through the suburbs you still see the wasteland that was suburban culture in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. What used to be K-Marts and Macy’s are now clearance outlets, dollar stores, and people trying to sell calendars in July.
Further, it seems to be high-end malls that are doing best. You know, the ones with valet service, pedestrian streets, Tesla dealerships, and Apple Stores?
Gen Z is digging both brick and mortar AND online retailers. A casual stroll through a high-end outdoor mall in Plano Texas this summer surprised with me with tons of Gen Z out in their best pink (I was there the week Barbie opened in theaters.)
The lesson for leaders? Hybrid church is the best bet for church leaders in the future. A robust online presence and a robust in-person experience will rule the roost from what I can see.
So, don’t go shutting down your stream.
Oh, and those malls that are barely alive? There are some great deals out there for churches looking for buildings.