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.