Medium to large to very large:
enabling the growth of larger churches
Kevin Norris
Alan Cruickshank
Resource Strategy & Development Unit
Church of England
May 2016
What are the factors that contribute to the
growth of larger churches in the Church of
England?
What can dioceses do to enable growth?
This presentation sets out the results from our research project based on:

Analysis of Church data

Interviews with leaders from 39 larger churches of different size,
geographical location, growth or decline records, and tradition
In this presentation we refer to larger churches:

‘large’ churches - those with an average of more than 200 weekly
attendees, and

‘very large’ churches – those with over 500 weekly attendees
2
Some headline figures on larger churches
Large churches (200+)

Make up 7.3% of
parishes

31.5% of the
attendance of the
Church of England

Pay £5,000 more in
‘parish share’ than they
receive in ordained
ministry provision.
Very Large churches (500+)

Make up 0.6% of parishes

6.5% of the attendance of
the Church of England

Pay £45,000 more in
‘parish share’ than they
receive in ordained
ministry provision.
3
Proportion of churches made up by larger
churches by Area type and Region
Area type
Proportion of
churches which
are large (%)
Region
4
Proportion of
churches which are
large (%)
City centre
27
Greater London
18
Towns
18
North West
12
Suburbs
17
South East
11
Inner city
10
Yorkshire & Humber
5
Council estates
4
South West
5
Commuter belt
rural villages
1
East of England
4
East Midlands
4
Rural villages
0.5
Where are the 500+ churches?
5
Are larger churches growing numerically?
- the case of churches that are now large

Grew by 4.6% in the last 5 years
(compared to churches of all sizes which
shrank by 3.9%

Churches that are now very large grew
by 8.3% over the past 5 years
Much of the growth in the C of E comes from churches becoming
large in a short space of time
6
Are larger churches growing numerically?
- however – this growth is fragile…

Churches that were large 5 years ago have declined by more
than the national average 7.9%

Very large churches that were large 5 years ago have declined
by 9.2%
7
Existing congregation size as a predictor of
numerical church growth - Evidence from ‘Going
Deeper’ research by Dr Fiona Tweedie
The effect of congregation size on growth, differs depending on
the rurality of the parish.

In urban areas it is larger congregations that are more likely to
grow (starting congregation of 90+ people)

In rural areas it is smaller congregations that see more growth
(congregations of 30 or less)
8
What are the key learning points from this
study?

Larger churches are more complex and require particular
leadership skills and structures

They grow better where:

a.
they have a clear sense of mission and purpose and are
intentional about wanting to grow,
b.
they are able to invest in a staff team (often ahead of the
growth curve), and
c.
they adopt multiple congregations and undertake
church planting
Larger churches are willing and able to be a significant
resource to the wider Church
9
Medium to large to very large:
enabling the growth of larger churches
Kevin Norris
Alan Cruickshank
Resource Strategy & Development Unit
Church of England
May 2016
6 factors
contribute
to the growth
of larger
churches
Multiplying
congregations
Investing
in staff
resources
Leader
with the
right
gifting
11
Clear
vision &
strategy
for growth
Growing
disciples
Refreshed
governance
& structure
But first …
12
It is
God’s
work
“I planted the seed,
Apollos watered it, but
God made it grow.”
1 Corinthians 3:6
Growing larger churches need to …
 Invest in the staff team ahead of
the growth curve
 Consider an early appointment of
a Children and Families Worker
 Consider an Associate Vicar
appointment
• Seen as key to supporting numerical
growth; perhaps with intention to lead
• A training Curate is less linked to
growth
 Consider an Operations Manager
appointment for growth from large
to very large
13
Investing in
staff
resources
Implications for the diocese
 Review the way clergy are allocated
across the diocese & look specifically at
clergy resources in larger churches which
have grown or might grow
 Encourage investment in staff resources
ahead of growth (and then repeat)
 Identify a pipeline of clergy who can lead
or help to lead growth in larger churches
Growing larger churches need to …
 Develop a clear and accountable
leadership team
 Be clear about the role of the PCC in the
context of a large and growing church
with a staff team
 Define clearly the roles of sub-committees
and working groups and use them
appropriately:
• to develop and deliver the strategy
• to provide effective oversight
 Be ready to adapt the structures to serve a
second phase of growth
14
Refreshed
governance
& structure
Summary:
what a
diocese
can do
15
Think bigger,
plan bigger
Communicate,
communicate,
communicate
It’s all about
the people
Align the
forces, find
the money
Summary:
what a
diocese
can do
16
Think bigger, plan bigger
• Identify current and
potential
Communicate,
larger churches
communicate,
communicate
• Identify gaps: where
could/should
there be larger churches?
• Test whether diocesan policies
support their growth
• Develop a network of leaders of
larger churches
Align the
Smooth
It’s• all
aboutthe path for church
forces, find
planting
&
grafting
the people
the money
• Invite larger churches to be
resource churches
Questions to consider
Where are your
emerging leaders of
larger & growing
churches?
17
Where are your larger churches,
and where could/should there
be larger churches?
What is the diocese currently doing
How strong and
productive is the
diocese’s relationship
with its larger churches?
Should you develop
a network of leaders
of larger churches?
to help larger churches to grow?
What could it do?
Has it been an accidental (or
deliberate) strategy of the diocese to
limit the growth of the larger churches?
How could larger churches be
resource churches for the
diocese?
Medium to large to very large:
enabling the growth of larger churches
Kevin Norris
Alan Cruickshank
Resource Strategy & Development Unit
Church of England
May 2016