CofE: Church Growth Research Project

One of the most exciting things that I have found of late has to be the Church of England's church growth research project .

It's an 18 month research project that is seeking to explore, understand and explain church growth in the CofE and it is potentially something of great import to us on the ground at parish level. To this end there are three strands:

Data Analysis - We all know just how much data the CofE holds and this gold mine will no doubt enable trends and practice (good and bad) to be identified. This will lead to:

Church Profiling  - Looking at what is happening to see what really works in some 4,000 churches to augment the data that's already been collected (and discus/discover why).  This leads to the final strand (take a deep breath):

Structures: Cathedrals, Fresh Expressions and Church Planting and Amalgamations, Team Ministry and United/Grouped Benefices  - Looking at growth in cathedrals and comparing it with city centre (and larger churches) to investigate the impact of church planting/Fresh Expressions on growth and research into the effect of Team Ministry and Grouped Benefice structures.

Bottom line is that we are going to need to cut our cloth according to the number of stipendiary ministers we have (and also look at ways of balancing the books) and this means  effective, efficient and smarter ministry model. Sharing resources and working together in a collegial manner, minster models (which is what the 'Team Ministries' were aimed at being) and equipping the Church (which in this context means ALL THE LAITY*) to fulfil their baptismal calling.

We are in for a very exciting few years as we revision and re-equip the Church to be the body God has called it to be.

And it won't happen unless you (and I) get involved and committed to it!

* Laity (God's people) means every Christian. Clergy never cease being laos (God's chosen people) they merely add other titles to it (diakonos, presbyteros etc.) and laos is the bedrock, the very foundation of our Christian being, calling and mission.