Insights from Bishop Peter Hayward

This week I attended a regional meeting with Bishop Peter Hayward. His reflections on the past 20 years were insightful.

20+ years ago, the NCLS (Church survey) data was new and helpful. We learned that congregation members were not always satisfied with the preaching, worship service experience, and leadership of the church. In short, congregation members were not happy with service and ministry production, and were reticent to invite their friends to church.

There was a shared belief that if we could improve all of the above, people would invite their non-Christian friends more readily, and the church would grow.

The more recent NCLS data shows that local churches and denominations have responded. Congregation members now report being more content with the leadership, preaching, and worship experience. They report being more comfortable inviting new people to church. This is great news.

Except it’s not happening. People are inviting their friends less, and the level of newcomers at church has dropped dramatically. In the past 10 years, the number of people new to an Anglican church in the Wollongong region or re-engaging with a church after a 5+ year break has dropped from 16% to 3.9%.

Peter Hayward made several conclusions about this. First, church services and leadership have definitely improved. This is a good thing. Second, the idea that if we get Sunday services right, we will grow has proved to be flawed. Attractional church has not delivered. Third, there must be some factor other than how good our product is that prevents people from inviting friends to anything (but Carols). Fourth, the churches that are doing well are growing by transfer growth, not conversion growth. Fifth, if our main mission assumption was that we get church right, people will invite, and others will be saved – if that is not working – we need a new mission strategy.