www.churchofengland.org

© Strategy and Development Unit, Church of England

Church Growth Research Programme:

An update on progress at the 12-month stage

Resource Strategy & Development Unit

• A robust, in-depth, study of the causes of church growth within the Church of England

• Inform resource allocation decisions / provide tools for diocesan & parishes leaders to support growth

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The Church Growth Research Programme

The research project contains three strands…

Data analysis

Church profiling

Cathedrals, Fresh Expressions, Church Planting & Benefice Structure

Data analysis (University of Essex)

• Making use of annual returns & other data sets & applying a range of statistical techniques.

• A significant amount of data cleansing work has been undertaken.

• Survey has been sent to 3,700 incumbents – though most of it can be completed by a lay person.

• Collecting church level data on a range of factors which the annual returns do not cover

• Data will be linked to other data sets. • Less than 30 minutes to complete – web

based• Heading for c40% response rate.• Survey closes at the end of June, analysis

will be undertaken over the summer.© Strategy and Development Unit, Church of England

www.churchgrowthRD.org.uk

Church profiling survey (Essex)

Cathedrals (Cranmer Hall, Durham)

Survey of Deans – most responded.

Qualitative research days amongst

members of cathedral chapters and other

staff.

Detailed congregational surveys for 4

Cathedrals (Birmingham, Gloucester,

Southwell & Wakefield)© Strategy and Development Unit, Church of

Englandwww.churchgrowthRD.org.uk

Team ministries & amalgamation of benefices

(Durham)

Fresh Expressions (Durham & Church Army’s Research Unit)

An in-depth study of FX in 12 dioceses.

6 dioceses (Liverpool, Leicester,

Canterbury, Derby, Chelmsford &

Norwich) already researched.

Liverpool: 78 FX, attendance 2,885, adding

10% to diocesan attendance.

Chelmsford: 50 FX, attendance 1,830, adding

4% to diocesan attendance.© Strategy and Development Unit, Church of England

www.churchgrowthRD.org.uk

Further findings from the Fresh Expressions strand Six dioceses to date were all in decline 2004-

10, yet attendance drawn to FX’s in all 6 cases is greater than the decline.

For every 1 person sent, 2.5 others are there

now. On average so far, the FX are 15% of the

churches of the diocese and 10% of its attendance.

On average, 76% of the FX’s are taking some steps in discipleship with those who come, 35% of those coming are de-churched and 42% are non-churched.

© Strategy and Development Unit, Church of England

www.churchgrowthRD.org.uk

Church Planting (OxCEPT)

In-depth study of 24 ‘Church Plants’.

Researchers spending 1-3 days which each

plant.

Considering a range of different types of

church plants (e.g. Missional communities,

BMO’s) and a wide range of issues relating

to planting.

Not just London focused.

© Strategy and Development Unit, Church of England

www.churchgrowthRD.org.uk

Outputs and outcomes...

• Findings from the various strands integrated

• In depth report with academic integrity

• Practical guides and tools to help people on the ground

• Stimulate the church growth research field

• Not definitive answers to all the questions

– though some rich evidence to inform thinking.

• Widely disseminated

www.churchgrowthresearch.org.uk

© Strategy and Development Unit, Church of England

www.churchgrowthRD.org.uk