Hitting the Ball You Cannot See: Accelerating Jesus-Following into the Future

Jurie Kriel · NXT Move Community

Sep 2025 · NXT Move Inc

About this ebook

In a world defined by unprecedented change, the very foundations of society are shifting, leaving many disoriented and searching for direction. Technology is rewriting what it means to be human. Trust is collapsing in our institutions and relationships. Communities are more connected and yet more fragmented than ever. For many leaders, it feels like trying to swing at a ball you cannot see—unpredictable, invisible, and moving faster than you can track.

Hitting the Ball You Cannot See is both a prophetic wake-up call and a practical field guide for Christian leaders seeking to navigate this new reality with clarity, courage, and faith. It challenges us not to retreat into what’s familiar but to pioneer boldly into the unknown, trusting that God is already present in the future we are stepping into.

Born out of global conversations with leaders across every continent, this book explores the profound shifts shaping the next era of Christian faith and leadership: the redefinition of humanity in light of technology, the rise of digital existence, the collapse of trust, the changing dimensions of organization, the shifting degrees of separation, and the rediscovery of belonging. Each chapter highlights one of these critical shifts and pairs it with a practical leadership skill—anticipating the unseen, rebuilding trust, cultivating collaboration, embracing innovation, and more.

This is not a book of abstract trends or academic theory. It is a compass for leaders in every sphere of society—pastors, educators, non-profit leaders, entrepreneurs, and next-gen pioneers—who are determined to remain rooted in Christ while leading into an uncertain future. Through vivid metaphors, wisdom from global practitioners, and deeply theological reflections, readers are equipped to move beyond reacting to cultural disruption and instead anticipate, innovate, and disciple faithfully in the midst of it.

Reflection questions at the end of each chapter make this more than a book to read—it is a conversation to join, a movement to be part of, and a call to personal and communal transformation.

In these pages, you’ll wrestle with questions such as:

Are we swinging at where the ball used to be, or where it’s headed?

How do we disciple in a digital age without losing depth?

How do we build intergenerational teams rooted in authenticity and trust?

What does it mean to pioneer kingdom innovation in a rapidly unraveling world?

Hitting the Ball You Cannot See offers hope, direction, and a vision for the future of Jesus-following. It reminds us that while the world may feel unpredictable, God’s Kingdom is unshakable. This is how we lead into the future.

This is how we swing—by faith, not by sight.

Ratings and reviews

superb

About the author

Jurie Kriel leads the NXT Move global community from Austin, Texas, where together with his wife Karin are part of the leadership at Shoreline Church. The NXT Move is a community of leaders with the mission is to gather Christian leaders to address the negative trajectory of Christianity in the next generation, with a focus on overcoming duplication and siloed thinking—key obstacles to fulfilling the Great Commission. To further this mission, Jurie also serves as the Global Director of Collaboration with the Lausanne Movement.

In Texas, he has served as a teaching pastor at Hill Country Bible Church and planted a church in the urban core of Austin. In South Africa, they oversaw and planted multiple campuses with Doxa Deo and co-founded the Timothy Ministry Training Seminary, which continues to train leaders for ministry.

Jurie has preached and facilitated strategic change as a leadership consultant in 42 U.S. states and 49 countries across every inhabited continent.

The NXT Move connects leaders around the world by building community and facilitating collaboration.

https://nxtmove.global