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Ten things which make a church grow

Ten things which make a church grow. Mark Ireland, Diocesan Missioner God’s Growing People, 4 November 2006. Going for Growth. What does ‘growth’ mean? Auxano appears 22 times in NT Gospels: plant-like growth of the kingdom against all opposition – Mark 4.8

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Ten things which make a church grow

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  1. Ten things which make a church grow Mark Ireland, Diocesan Missioner God’s Growing People, 4 November 2006

  2. Going for Growth • What does ‘growth’ mean? • Auxano appears 22 times in NT • Gospels: plant-like growth of the kingdom against all opposition – Mark 4.8 • Paul: growth of church despite division – 1 Cor 3.6 • Acts: growth in numbers through mission – 6.7

  3. Ten things which make a church grow? Actually, there’s only one…

  4. 1. The Holy Spirit • Is your church prayed in during the week? • Are you mobilising housebound prayer warriors? • What about a School of Prayer in your parish? Details on the diocesan intranet • Do you need to develop the prayer life of the church? See handout

  5. 2. Focus on health, not numbers • A church is a living organism • Healthy organisms grow naturally • Too often we think evangelism means putting on extra activities • But growth comes not by doing more but improving the quality of what we do already • Do less, but better!

  6. Natural Church Development Survey . . . • Identifies and affirms your strengths • Enables the church leadership to know what the members see as its weakness • Enables effort to be concentrated on one minimum factor, using your areas of strength • Grants available – forms on intranet

  7. To find out more visit www.healthychurch.co.uk

  8. 3. Get your church noticed! • A good noticeboard… • A good website – register your own domain name at www.123-reg.co.uk. Is your website aimed at enquirers or just church members? • Register at www.achurchnearyou.com and www.findachurch.co.uk • Local press – get people talking

  9. 4. Use your building • Many churches visited more during the week than on Sundays • What would an unchurched visitor learn about Jesus from visiting your building? • Learning from the RSPB… • Prayer cards, prayer stations…

  10. 5. Model generous hospitality • If I say ‘church coffee’ what do you think of?? • Generosity attracts, meanness doesn’t • Heating • Coffee and donuts

  11. 6. Review your service pattern • In a changing culture if we do not update our service pattern we will be left behind – e.g. the nurses service • GROUP EXERCISE: Draw a picture for each of your church’s services of the typical attender • Now draw the kind of person who lives in your parish but is under-represented at church • What fresh expression of church could you plant for them?

  12. 7. Help midweek groups become church, not a bridge to church • Traditional view, church=building+priest+services • In the Bible, Church=worship+community+mission • Church doesn’t have to be on Sunday • What midweek parish groups have you got? • Do they already have elements of worship, mission and community in their activities? • How might you start to help them become more fully church - worshipping missionary communities?

  13. 8. Release the gifts of children • ‘I will pour out my spirit on all people. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy…’ Joel 2:28 • Example from St. Patrick’s Tawau, Sabah • Churches which enable children to minister are growing – like Maesbury, near Oswestry

  14. 9. Tune into today’s spiritual climate… ‘If you could have the answer to one big question in life, what would it be?’ • Destiny – what happens after we die? • Purpose – why are we here? • The universe – accident or design? • Is there a God? • What about the supernatural? • Why is there so much suffering? When might they hear these questions addressed in your church?

  15. 10. Rethink Christmas • Over 40% of population attend a church service over Christmas – massive opportunity • Carols, candles, kerygma (gospel) • What stepping stones are in place for those who want to go further? C.f. Amazon -‘Customers who chose that also chose this…’ • Have course in place – Start!, Essence, Emmaus, Alpha • A5 invitation to enquirers group on back of every service sheet over Christmas season • Invitation leaflets – invitation to church, or invitation to prayer? Include rejesus website – www.rejesus.co.uk

  16. 11. Look after your vicar • A vicar who stays the distance for 10-12 years is most likely to lead a church into growth • How can you look after your clergy and nourish and refresh them in their ministry?

  17. Further resources… • DIOCESAN INTRANET http://intranet.lichfield.anglican.org/growth • BOOKS Evangelism – Which Way Now? 2nd edition – special price £10; Evangelism in a Spiritual Age – special price £10 • JUST PUBLISHED – Mission-shaped Rural, Mission-shaped Spirituality, Mission-shaped Parish

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