roots and shoots signs of hope for the uk church
TRANSCRIPT
Roots and ShootsSigns of hope for the UK church
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
“Crisis: what crisis?
Jim Callaghan, PM
WHERE ARE WE NOW? Church Attendance 2010
Church Attendees: 8%Regular Fringe Attendees 12%Dechurched 40%Unchurched 40%
WHERE ARE WE NOW? Church Membership 2005-2010
2005 UK Church members 12.3% (7.8 million) 2010 UK Church members 11.2% (5.5 million) 2015 UK Church members 10.3% (4.8 million)
WHERE ARE WE NOW? Church Membership 2005-2010
Church of England down 11% Roman Catholic down 12% (N.I. 38%)Methodist down 20%Church of Scotland down 18% Welsh Independents down 20%Evangelical down 8%
WHERE ARE WE NOW? Church Location
Rural DeclineUrban Exodus
WHERE ARE WE NOW? Church Demographics
Children and youth leaving in droves Absence of Young Adults (Gen Y 18-34’s)Ageing congregationsMore women than menAbsence of the “poor”
Shoots of HopeSigns of life in the UK church
Shoots of HopeSigns of life in the UK church
Shoots of HopeChurch Attendance/Membership
Slowing decline Midweek Growth London
Christmas 8 in 10 in church Cathedral
More church members than football club members
Shoots of HopeChurch Plants/New forms of church
2700 new churches in last 5 years Growth of New forms of Church
Growth of black Churches (RCOG) Methodist/Baptist Planting 1500 missionaries sent to UK
Shoots of HopeYouth Work
Youth workers employedYouth attend church Youth connect with church Youth engage with church Youth participate in churchYouth outreach
Shoots of HopeVolunteerism and
Community Engagement
Churchgoers overall contribute 23.2 million hours voluntary service each month in their local communities
72 million volunteer hours per year by churches 25% of all Christians are engaed in voluntary community service outside their church. If the volunteers were paid the minimum wage and rent charged at average prices then the financial contribution alone would be equivalent to 1 billion pounds per year
Shoots of HopeEducation and schools
Teaching in class Weekly act of worship
Many Church schools Link with schools
Christian schools welcome and popular
Countless points of contact: Events, Assemblies, services, Christian teachers, chaplains etc
Shoots of HopeChristian courses/national initiatives
Course Journey Evangelism Courses Success of Alpha and others
Back to church Sunday Many more
Shoots of HopeSpirituality Interest
BIG QUESTIONS OF LIFE
W H
O
I
S
J E
S U
S
Most declare themselves Christians
WE PRAY
we believe
The
Bible
ShootsThere are many shoots of life in the UK church, which are breaking through the hard and hostile terrain of an ever-increasing post modern, post-Christian and secular environment. We would be foolish to ignore the challenges and setbacks, but equally foolish to think everything is lost, everything is bad and everything is hopeless. There are signs of hope in the desert place.
Shoots“The British church is NOT on its “deathbed” but it is changing and traditional practices are changing too. Its future health may well depend to some extent on flexibility and adaptability while never abandoning the patterns of Scripture and never minimizing the work of the Holy Spirit.“
(Church Statistics: Peter Brierley, May 2011)
ROOTSAre there roots to the shoots?
ROOTS
Stirring up of God
ROOTSHoly Discontent with the status quo
(in church and in society)
ROOTS
Intercessory Prayer
ROOTS
Visionary Leadership
ROOTS
Rediscovery of the priority of Mission
ROOTS
Releasing of Creativity
ROOTS
Room for Diversity
ROOTS
New forms and ways of being church
ROOTSGrowth often takes place on the margins and not at the centre
ROOTS
Longing for community (belonging) and engagement (participation)
ROOTSQuest for the experience and the
supernatural (mystical)
ROOTS
A deep concern for leaving
and missing generations
ROOTS
Rediscovery of lay ministry
ROOTS
Refocus on whole life discipleship
Isaiah 35 v 1-2
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendour of our God.