Liverpool diocese dayReflect learn change adapt
1
Church Army’s Research unit
Seeing and sharingwhat God is doing in mission
With lessons from 2 parishes and the diocese’s young churches the fresh expressions of Church
The process can happen two ways1. Start with reflection
1. Analyse the now – and have an idea2. Change behaviour/ practice to fit with it3. Some say it’s a Greek [theory first] view
2. Start because of an event1. Which leads to change of mind and practice2. Some say it’s a more Hebrew [whole life] view
4
two examples• Idea first
– Reflection: I’m getting older – better plan retirement
• Event first– Spouse suddenly dies – what shall I do now?
5
• Old Testament– Exodus event: – Exile event:
• New Testament– Incarnation – a novel event– Resurrection – equally novel
Event led view: We can’t go on as we are
Saying so provokes resistance as well as desire for change
Fred [the penguin who sees the problem], presents it to a council
Stunned silence follows
No-No a senior penguin, who does their weather forecasting, angrily dismisses the evidence as temporary seasonal meltKotter, Our Iceberg is melting p 27-28
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-15% -10% -5%
C of E dioceses: mission & financial strength+
+Mission: 5 yr attend change
Sustainable Static
Strategic
Unsustainable
-
-
5% 10% 15%
+2.5 million
-2.5 million
Income vsministry costs
Each dot is one diocese7
• Diocesan Population 2012: 1,567,000• Population 2006-12: +2.5%• Average Weekly Attendance 2006-12: -2.7%• % population attending CE 1.82%
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An event view: The mission time bomb
De-churched: Approx 30%
Non-churched: Approx 60%
Attending: approx 10%
___= % PopAttended<15 yrs
____= AttendedIn 1998
The % of people furthest away from living contact with or effective knowledge of the church is growing.
Age of population
% of population
Most churches don’t know this, nor shaped to meet it
76% of ‘converts’ came from the dechurched – the shrinking pond
9
The Big [tidal] Change
• “Going” to those beyond the church is flooding in
10
• “Come” to church is flowing away
= Railway line
Add features that shape how the area works
And it changes the perceptions of what is possible13
V
C
St Agatha’s Anywhere
= attender
V = vicar
C = curate
= Parish
Place of worship
= Railway line
14
Basic Choices in ‘go to them’ mode
Progression – means building on strength
Should something start based around where the curate and some people already live?
Pioneer – means
responding to weakness
What might be the way forward on the local
authority housing estate? 17
18
Liverpool’s 78 fresh expressions of Church as of 2012:
Entirely Pro
gressi
on
Majority P
rogre
ssion
Equally Pro
gressi
on & Pioneer
Majority P
ioneer
Entirely Pioneer
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%
Pioneer / Progression
Key elements in every fresh expression of church [fxC]
21
‘Fresh expression’ = contextualised & missional ‘of Church’ = the identity is ecclesial
H2O Hydrogen with Oxygen = waterLeave either out and it isn’t water
fxC = M2E?
56 cases excluded from 135 examined – 42%
• A - Arch on from fxC or towards an
fxC
• I - Infrequent [< monthly]
• N - Not an fxC
• 2 - Duplicate record
• NY - Not Yet: planned not started
• L - Left C of E
Liverpool
11
5
38
2
0
0
22
Not an fxC included: • 16 rebadged existing services, small groups or social events • 7 outreach projects to bring people back to existing churches [M not E]• 9 new events for Christians [E not M]
Water exists as
23
liquid
ice
steam
Just because its Missional & Ecclesial - doesn’t tell you what form the fxC will take – just like with water
What kinds of fxC
24
Messy Church only 12%[Average Dioc 1-11 32%]
For older shut-ins 8%Adults only 32%
Those aiming to be for all ages 55%
Kind Nos %
Liverpool Alternative Worship 8 6%
Base Ecclesial Community 0 0%
Café Church 6 5%
Cell Plant - scratch or parallel 3 2%
Children Focussed Church 12 9%
Cluster based Church 9 7%
Community Development Plant 7 5%
Messy Church 16 12%
Mid Week Service 5 4%
Multiple Congregation 4 3%
Network Church 8 6%
New Monastic Community 2 2%
New Traditional Service 1 1%
Older Peoples Church 10 8%
School based Church 7 5%
Seeker Church 2 2%
Special Interest Group 11 9%
Traditional Church Plant 7 5%
Under Fives Church 7 5%
Youth Church 4 3%
Choose what’s right for your context
Nearly all kinds listed proved to be needed[Many double classify]
25
Liverpool fxC:
Majorit
y Neig
hbourhood
Equall
y Neig
hbourhood and N
etwork
Majorit
y Netw
ork0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Serving neighbourhood and network
Networks = 35% of the picture - the average we’ve found elsewhereBoth neighbourhood/parish and wider networks matter in our mission
26
Liverpool fxC:
21%
27%27
%
13%
12%
How do =they disciple people?
Not at that stage1-1Small GroupsCoursesServing in teams
79% of examples have been taking some steps in discipleship
Formal Socialisation
Non Formal
Intentional Practical
Traditional
Types of Learning
FeaturesThey share …
27
Formal Socialisation
Non Formal
Intentional Practical
TraditionalTeacher
Mentor/Craftsman
Parent
What are the sources of learning?
28
Formal Socialisation
Non Formal Jesus & discipleship
Intentional Practical
Traditional
a disciple is like his teacher Matt 10:24
Mk 3.14a …to be with him
Mk 3.14b … he could send them
How many courses did the disciples take?
29
Tradition involved in fxC
30
NB Many cases cited > 1 tradition
Evangelical Charismatic Central A/Catholic
Liverpool:
Average Dioc 1-11 61.9% 31.6% 42.3% 10.2%
All traditions are able to start something further if they want to
Liverpool 72% 23% 24% 9%
“Questions To ponder”
?
??
?
?
?
?
?
What are your main reflections on what challenges and opportunities you face locally?
What are you discovering about how ‘learning’ happens better?
32
36
Liverpool fxC:
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
fxC adult and child attendance
Adult atten-dance figures
Child atten-dance figures
77 records of fxC active in 2011/12
No.
of p
eopl
e
Adults 1693Children 1240Total 2933
Liverpool AWA (2012) 28500fxC attendance 2933% of whole 10.3%
37
Number of fxC 78Number of churches 256fxC percentage 30.5%
A large collection of small churches
Liverpool:
under 20 20 to 29 30 to 49 50 to 69 70 to 99 100+0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Number of fxC by size
Average fxC size 38.1
Average dioc. Church size 114.9
38
Liverpool fxC:
Christian De-Churched Non-Churched0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Who was the mission task to reach?
AimResult
How does that compare with who is in the older churches?
39
What was the Status of the Leader?Liverpool fxC:
57%
43%
1992-98
35%
65%
1999-05
Lay Ordained
53%47%
2006-12
Incumbents and Priest-in-Charge 25%Assistant clergy 19%
Readers and Church Army (3%) 11%The ‘lay-lay’ 39%
28.3%
71.4%
LayLay leaders by gender
LayLay Male
LayLay Female
60.2%
39.8%
Non-LayLay leaders by gender
Other Male
Other Female
Examining differences: lay-lay led fxC & the rest
Type Full time Part time Spare time
Lay-lay 9.1% 22.5% 68.1%
All others 74.0% 15.1% 10.9%
Type Stipendiary Locally paid Voluntary
Lay-lay 1.4% 17.0% 81.2%
All others 67.9% 6.7% 25.3% 40
Lay-Lay
Non Lay-Lay
4.3%
10.7%
11.6%
19.8%
7.6%
11.2%
17.0%
19.5%
16.7%
3.0%
32.6%
25.6%
5.8%
8.4%
10.5%
8.1%
13.4%
6.7%
4.3%
17.9%
fxC type by leader status(10 most common fxC types)
Alternative Worship Café Church Community Development Plant
Child Focused Church Cluster based Church Messy Church
Multiple Sunday Congregation Network Church Special Interest Group
Traditional Church Plant
41
Leader types & frequency of meeting
Weekly Fortnightly Monthly0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
47.5%
8.3%
44.2%
53.0%
7.9%
39.1%
LayLay
Non-LayLay
42
A rough indication of comparable church size
43
LayLay NonLayLay0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
20.9 21.7
14.713.5
35.6 35.3
LayLay and all other leaders by fxc average size
Average adultsAverage ChildrenAverage size
This is not exact as a significant minority of fxC have had >1 leader over time
Lay-Lay Non Lay-Lay0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
2.7 2.9
7.26.8
3.6 3.8
fxC growth ratios by leader status
Adult Growth Ratio
Child Growth Ratio
TOTAL Growth Ratio
44
How well do they grow?
Christian De-Churched Non-Churched0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Lay-LayNon Lay-Lay
45
NB In reality these are but rough proportions – not precise percentages
Leader’s view of attenders’ background
Growth patterns over time
46
LayLay All other0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
25.7% 26.6%
6.9%11.4%
36.0% 23.4%
9.7%
9.3%
21.7%29.3%
LayLay and All Other leaders by growth patterns
Grow Shrink
Fluctuate
Quick Plat
Grow Plat
Cont Grow
NB 37% of lay-lay e.g.s and 33% of all others are less than two years old so no calculation was made in those cases.
One measure of maturing
47
LayLay Non-LayLay0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
46.0%
51.2%
45.3% 45.3%
27.5%
36.7%
32.2% 34.9%
20.3% 19.3%
LayLay and Non-Lay-Lay led fxC by discipleship method
Groups
1-1
Courses
Serving
Not yet
3 self as taking responsibility
48
LayLay Non-LayLay0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
58.7%
47.0%
42.8%
36.0%
30.1% 29.8%
20.3% 20.0%
LayLay and Non-LayLay fxc by 3 self
Self Gov
Self Fin
Self Repro
Not yet
Sacrament of Communion
49
LayLay Non-LayLay0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
33.7%
49.8%
42.0%
32.8%
5.1%
2.1%16.3%
10.5%
7.2% 5.8%
LayLay and Non-LayLay fxc by Communion
Impractical
Don't see the need
No Presider
Not Yet
Yes
Sacrament of Baptism
50
LayLay Non-LayLay0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
32.2%43.0%
39.9%
35.3%
4.0%
1.6%18.1%
14.7%
8.3% 6.3%
LayLay and Non-LayLay fxc by Baptism
Impractical
Don't see the need
No Presider
Not Yet
Yes
Overall
• The Lay-lay are different in respect of:– Gender, employment [hence cost]
and time given• They do pretty much as well in
terms of:– Mission effectiveness– Seeking ecclesial maturity
51
Sacramental life may take time
52
Liverpool fxC:
53%47%
Do the fxC offer Communion?
No
Yes
71%7%
22%
7%
Reasons fxCs do not offer Communion
Not Yet
No Presider
See No Need
ImpracticalAverage dioc. 1-1138.6%
54
Frequency:Weekly 54%Fortnightly 11%Monthly 35%
Liverpool:
Mon Tues Weds Thur Fri Sat Sun0
5
10
15
20
25
30
fxC meeting daysN
o. o
f fxC
70.6% are non Sunday e.g.s
Average dioc1-11 is only 58.3%
Key messageBe flexible in face of variety
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1992-98 1999-05 2006-120
5
10
15
20
25
Venue Type
ChurchChurch HallSecular
No.
of f
xCLiverpool fxC:
Key messageBe flexible in face of variety
Church building not used as venue = 61.3%
56
Motivations for fxC
Liverpool:
1992-98 2006-111999-05
Diocesan Initiative Growth PhilosophyProvide Increased Diversity Unreached People GroupInadequate Penetration of Parish New Housing OpportunityPhysical restriction at Mother Church Other
GrowCulturalGeographyFull up
Key messageBe flexible in face of variety
59
1992-98 1999-05 2006-110
10
20
30
40
50
60
When were your 78 fxC started?N
o. o
f fxC
A sharply rising trend since the Mission shaped Church report in 2004
Liverpool:
Look how far the diocese has come
Ratio sent to attending now
60
Sent Now0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
AdultsChildren
Sent Now Ratio Adults 504 1693 3.4 Children 91 1240 13.6
TOTALS 595 2933 4.9
Liverpool fxC:
The ratio means 390% growth, over time
Look who’s come, nearly 4 for every 1 sent
61
Liverpool fxC:
2 open questions:Is 30% reaching a plateau a cause of concern or celebration?What’s best to do, if a young church reaches its natural unit size?
62
Liverpool fxC:
1 to 2
3 to 12
13 to 19
20 to 49
50+
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Size of Team taken
1992-981999-052006-12
The classic small team size chosen [73%] meansMany more parish churches could do this
Small is possible
“Questions To ponder”
?
??
?
?
?
?
?
What signs of a response to a wake up call do you see?
What do you attribute it to: desperation, realism, seeing opportunities, hard- nosed finance, God, … other?
64
65
Liverpool fxC:
City Centre
Urban
Urban Prio
rity Area
Loca
l Authorit
y Estate
Loca
l Priv
ate Estate
Private Housin
g Estate
Suburban
Town
New Town
Expanded Villa
geRural
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
What was the geographical area planted in?
2006-121999-051992-98
No.
of f
xC
66
Liverpool fxC:
Within the Parish Within the Deanery
Within the Diocese Beyond the Diocese
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Where was the fxC planted in relation to the sending church?
1992-981999-052006-12
No.
of f
xC
67
Gender and Work Status of the LeaderLiverpool fxC:
Full Time Part Time Spare Time0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
MaleFemale
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