A practical booklet exploring eight key themes to help local churches boost their congregations arrives in Christian bookshops today. The Ven Bob Jackson, Archdeacon of Walsall, has packed Going for Growth with tips for busy church leaders and members who want to 'get stuck in' to plans to grow their church, by offering a menu of ideas for action.
The booklet, designed to prompt prayer, discussion and action by church leaders and committees, offers 'bite size' inspiration for new ways of working that have been proved to boost the numerical size of congregations. The pocket-size resource contains guidance on using the contents in small study groups. The groups' findings and suggestions can then be fed back to the 'centre' of the local church's organisation to influence future strategy and direction.
Bob Jackson's summary is based on eight key themes, each drawn from factors associated with the numerical growth of churches:
Good practice in worship provision
Encouraging a culture of change
Investing in fresh expressions of church
Developing diocesan policy and fostering shared values
Reviewing deployment of clergy
Training for non-clergy leadership
Sound financial management
Prompting spiritual renewal
Bob Jackson believes the book has the potential to re-energise churches, but that there are no 'quick-fix' answers: 'As every church and every situation is unique, then God's way to grow will be different in every church. The book contains stimulus, ideas, options and inspiration for providing favourable conditions for the growth of the Church.'
John Coles, Director of the New Wine network of churches, agrees: 'Going for Growth is not prescriptive; rather it helps church members to tap their existing experience, while learning from other churches and, with God's help, discover their own church's road to growth.'
The book draws on discussion areas and action points taken from Bob Jackson's two books, Hope for the Church and The Road to Growth. Ideas from these popular publications have been distilled into the new book, offering a concise collection of possible strategies for leading a sustained boost in congregation numbers and a renewed church life for those already in the worshipping community.
Going for Growth is published by Church House Publishing, priced £3.99, and is available from Christian bookshops including Church House Bookshop, email bookshop@chbookshop.co.uk, or on the web at: www.chbookshop.co.uk (mail order available).
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