Growth Planning Framework
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Welcome Welcome to the Growth Planning Framework. This resource supports both the Bishop’s Growth Agenda and our wider aim to make things easier for parishes. We hope that the Growth Planning Framework will help you reflect on some key aspects of the life of your church – its worship, ministry and mission – that as leaders you may need to celebrate, affirm, build upon or address over the coming 12 months. It doesn’t try and cover everything and is certainly not intended to make churches do more or feel guilty. Rather it’s about getting a snapshot of the worshipping life of your church, the things that are currently going well and some areas where you want to make changes. It also suggests where you can go for help and advice. Please remember that we and the staff of St James’ House are here to help – please don’t hesitate to ask. Why have a Growth Planning Framework? Because this resource helps us to reflect on where we are and consider what God is calling us to be and do – and how we can bridge the gap. The aim of this Framework is not to assess your church against some external criteria or simplistic formula for success. It does not urge you to do more, to get more busy. Instead it affirms the great ministries that churches have and creates a framework for listening to what God is saying to the church through the reflections of His people. It will also enable you honestly and prayerfully to explore before God how to bear more fruit as you seek to grow the church both numerically and in spiritual depth and maturity. When using this resource please note the following: • The questions are probably best discussed by a small, representative group such as a standing committee, leadership team or shared ministry team. • Aim to discuss and complete the document in a single session of up to two hours. • Trust your instincts and collective insight rather than get into extended discussions. As a group you will have as good a handle on your church as anyone. • The final Visitation Summary form should be seen by and signed off by the PCC/DCC before being submitted to the Archdeacons by 31 March, to give them opportunity to review each deanery before the Visitation Services.
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Taking action: • Aim to identify up to eight areas for action in the coming year. That may mean one action per section or there may be two or three actions in one section and none in another – but no more than eight in total. • In addition, you may wish to identify one or two areas to review more thoroughly. In terms of process: • Please read all the way through the document before you start ticking boxes. Get a sense of how the whole thing hangs together before tackling the detail. • Choose one person to write up a ‘master copy’ Visitation Summary to present to your PCC/DCC.
The Archdeacon’s Visitation The summary section at the end of the document should be returned by 31st March (before the Archdeacon’s Visitation). This will give the Archdeacon time to reflect on them before and at the Visitation service. This is because reflection on our church’s ministry and forward planning to serve the mission of God are, or should be, a natural part of our church life. Fundamentally this resource is not paperwork for the Archdeacons but a mission resource for the local church. It is a resource to help you reflect, learn and grow. We sincerely hope that it is helpful to you. We look forward to engaging with you more on all of this at our Visitations. Peter Bradley Ricky Panter Archdeacon of Warrington Archdeacon of Liverpool
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How it works The Growth Planning Framework is divided into eight sections covering core aspects of church life and the life of the individual church member. It enables you to take a snapshot of the church as it is now. The questions are not in order of priority, nor are they necessarily of equal importance. They will have a different emphasis at different times for different churches. The theme of this resource is growth, numerical and spiritual, and so the questions are loosely linked to the journey by which a new member of the church (‘seeker’) comes to join and explore the Christian faith (‘disciple’), before using his or her God-given gifts and talents to the advancement of the Kingdom (‘apostle’). This process is reflected in the sections and order of the eight groups of questions. Each section is laid out in the same format. There is some introductory text followed by a ‘Starter for 10’ statement, a series of questions and then a summary of actions. The aim is that you simply consolidate your Starter for 10 statements and up to 8 actions into the Visitation Summary form which should be returned by 31st March (before the Archdeacon’s Visitation). This will give the Archdeacon time to reflect on them before and at the Visitation service.
Step 1: Starter for 10 The Starter for 10 statements aim to help you get a feel for the relative strengths and weaknesses of the church in each of the key areas. It is just that – a starter to stimulate some discussion so go with your initial instincts. We suggest that you ask all the members of the group to score each of the sections before you meet and then agree a single score for each section within the meeting. It may be that at the start of the discussion there is some differences between the members in how they have scored individual areas. If so talk these through and come to a common mind. Please don’t just put a score which is the average of what everyone has said – try to get a sense of agreement as to the score you put down.
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Step 2: Individual questions Each question has a yes/no box. Just tick one box per action. The easiest way to get to this point may be simply: • To go through the whole Growth Planning Framework answering in pencil yes or no to each question • Having completed the 8 sections go back over all the questions and decide: • are any of the ‘problem’ areas identified under the ‘no’ questions sufficiently important to require special action over the next 12 months? • could any of the strengths identified under the ‘yes’ questions be significantly built upon over the next 12 months? • Then record one single action you could take to address either a problem or an opportunity in the action box • Finally, use the yes/no box to indicate whether a more wide ranging review of the area of church life and ministry under consideration is appropriate. You will see from the Visitation Summary form at the back of this document that we recommend that you limit the number of areas for wider review to no more than two; otherwise you are in danger of spending a whole year just reviewing. We also recommend that if you do commit to a review then you should treat that as one of your 8 actions for the year.
Step 3: Section summary When you have completed the Growth Planning Framework please complete the Visitation Summary form. This is a simple, three step operation: 1. transfer the Starter for 10 scores to the Statement table on Visitation Summary page 1 2. transfer the agreed actions from the sections to the Key Actions table on Visitation Summary page 2 3. transfer if appropriate the one or two areas identified for review to the Areas for wider review table on Visitation Summary page 2.
Help and support At the end of each section there is a customised email address which will be directed to the support teams at St James’ House. Use this email to ask for support and guidance in accessing resources that can help in the areas you wish to address.
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1. A place of welcome Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2) It is often said that people who attend a service of worship will decide within minutes whether or not they will come back. Equally, it can take many months, even years, for people to come to faith in Christ. And we know that the Gospel of Jesus is an invitation to God’s abundant life. Therefore our churches must be places of welcome as well as worship, of hospitality as well as hope, of belonging as well as believing. We are privileged to have so many opportunities to welcome new people into our churches; the challenge is to ensure that they leave feeling welcomed and valued and that they want to come back.
Starter for 10 On a score of 1 – 10 (1 completely disagree; 10 fully agree) how do you rate the following statement:
New people quickly feel at home in our church. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J J J J J J J J J J Completely Disagree
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Fully Agree
www.liverpool.anglican.org/gpf
Questions 1. Do we have effective ways of finding out who new people are and why they have come to church?
J J
2. Do our initial welcome and hospitality encourage people to come back?
J J
3. Do we have a welcome pack or welcome literature?
Yes
Yes
No
J J Yes
4. Do we build good relationships with baptism families, prepare them well for baptism and stay in contact afterwards?
No
No
J J Yes
No
5. Are we making the most of our contacts with couples coming for marriage?
J J
6. Do we have effective ways of connecting with and supporting families going through bereavement?
J J
7. Would we benefit from welcome training for our sidespeople?
J J
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Actions What is the one thing we could do over the next 12 months to connect better with new people in our church?
Has our discussion suggested a need for a more wideranging review of the way in which we welcome people?
J Yes
J
Having discussed this area do we need to revise our Starter for 10 score?
J
J
Yes
No
No
Do you need further help in the area of Welcome? If so email gpf_welcome@liverpool.anglican.org 7
2. A place of belonging Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Cor 12:27) A church is much more than a collection of individuals who enjoy similar types of worship or activities. A church is a rich and varied extended family; it is a diverse community of those who follow Jesus. For many people it is the sense of belonging to this family, this community, this body that comes before any believing, any saving faith in Jesus. If our church is to grow in numbers and in spiritual maturity people need to belong, to be a part of what God is doing in this place. We also need to be careful that while the front door of welcome in the church is open we don’t miss those who slip quietly out of the back door.
Starter for 10 On a score of 1 – 10 (1 completely disagree; 10 fully agree) how do you rate the following statement:
Our church is a community where most members feel a real sense of belonging. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J J J J J J J J J J Completely Disagree
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Fully Agree
www.liverpool.anglican.org/gpf
Questions 1. Does our welcome help people feel comfortable and settled in our church?
J J
2. Do people quickly find their way around our church and our activities?
J J
3. Are we good at identifying people who may be isolated or overlooked in church?
J J
4. Do we offer effective and supportive pastoral care for those going through difficulties?
J J
5. Do we notice if people stop coming to church?
J J
6. In general do people look out for people in our church?
J J
7. Is our church a place where our church members bring their friends along?
J J
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Actions What is the main change we could make over the next 12 months to help people feel a greater sense of belonging?
Has our discussion suggested a need for a more wideranging review of our pastoral care?
J Yes
J
Having discussed this area do we need to revise our Starter for 10 score?
J
J
Yes
No
No
Do you need further help in the area of Belonging? If so email gpf_belong@liverpool.anglican.org 9
3. A place of worship They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42) For Christians, gathering together for worship is at the heart of our faith and life together. It is also our shop window and the opportunity for many people to taste and see what we are about. This may be through a Sunday or a midweek service, inherited or fresh expression. So it is important to ask the questions, ‘how does our shop window look to newcomers?’, ‘how well do we do worship?’. We need to focus both on the regular church members and the most recent newcomers.
Starter for 10 On a score of 1 – 10 (1 completely disagree; 10 fully agree) how do you rate the following statement:
The worship in our church is attractive, vibrant and inspiring. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J J J J J J J J J J Completely Disagree
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Fully Agree
www.liverpool.anglican.org/gpf
Questions 1. Does our regular worship draw people into the presence of God?
J J
2. Is our preaching biblical and practical and does it challenge and encourage us in our discipleship?
J J
3. Is our liturgy accessible and appropriate?
J J
4. Does our worship take place at the most appropriate times?
J J
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Actions What is one change that we can make over the next 12 months that will enhance our worship?
Has our discussion suggested a need for a more wideranging review of the worship?
J Yes
J
Having discussed this area do we need to revise our Starter for 10 score?
J
J
Yes
No
No
Do you need further help in the area of Worship? If so email gpf_worship@liverpool.anglican.org 11
4. A place of nurture and discipleship Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. (Eph 4:15) Christian growth and development do not just happen. Both Paul and the writer of the letter to the Hebrews challenged early Christian churches to move on from spiritual milk to solid food. People mature and grow in faith when they are appropriately nourished and nurtured within a Christian community. The early church took this very seriously indeed. Our practice of forty days of Lent has its roots in the serious business of preparing for Holy week and the celebration of Easter and preparing new converts for their baptism at Easter. In our own day we have a range of creative and accessible courses and resources which can be used and adapted to help new Christians grow in their faith, spirituality and ministry within the local church.
Starter for 10 On a score of 1 – 10 (1 completely disagree; 10 fully agree) how do you rate the following statement:
Our church is a place where everyone grows and matures in their Christian faith. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J J J J J J J J J J Completely Disagree
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Fully Agree
www.liverpool.anglican.org/gpf
Questions 1. Do we regularly see people coming to faith in our church?
J J
2. Do we regularly run Christian basics courses (e.g. Alpha, Emmaus etc)?
J J
3. Do we have effective ways, including small groups, of helping people mature in their faith and their walk with God?
J J
4. Do we have appropriate ways of helping children and young people grow in and express their faith?
J J
5. Do we help people to talk about and live out their faith day by day beyond the walls of our church?
J J
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Actions What is one step we could take in the next 12 months to help people mature in their faith, moving from milk to solid food?
Has our discussion suggested a need for a more wideranging review of the way in which we help people move on in their Christian faith?
J Yes
J
Having discussed this area do we need to revise our Starter for 10 score?
J
J
Yes
No
No
Do you need further help in the area of Nurture and Discipleship? If so email gpf_nurture@liverpool.anglican.org 13
5. A place of prayer ‘Lord, teach us to pray’. (Luke 11:1)
Prayer is at the heart of both the life of the believer and the health of the church as a community of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus taught his disciples to pray and it was as they prayed together at Pentecost that they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus calls us to be fruitful, not just busy. A church can be successful, well organized, engaging and welcoming. But we can do all these things and still not flourish if there is no sustaining life of prayer both individually and together as a church.
Starter for 10 On a score of 1 – 10 (1 completely disagree; 10 fully agree) how do you rate the following statement:
As a church we believe that prayer makes a difference and we take prayer seriously. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J J J J J J J J J J Completely Disagree
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Fully Agree
www.liverpool.anglican.org/gpf
Questions 1. Is the daily office said, and is it open to all?
J J
2. Do we provide encouragement, guidance and teaching for people in their personal prayer lives (e.g. school of prayer, guided retreats)?
J J
3. Do we provide creative opportunities to pray with and for people (e.g. prayer meetings/breakfasts, prayer ministry, laying on of hands, intercessions)?
J J
4. Do we encourage people to commit time specifically to praying for the life and ministry of our church and the world in which we live?
J J
5. Are people encouraged to bring prayer requests to our church?
J J
6. Have we offered training for those leading Sunday intercessions?
J J
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Actions What is one change we could make over the next 12 months to deepen the prayer life of our church?
Has our discussion suggested a need for a more wideranging review of the prayer life within our church?
J Yes
J
Having discussed this area do we need to revise our Starter for 10 score?
J
J
Yes
No
No
Do you need further help in the area of Prayer? If so email gpf_prayer@liverpool.anglican.org 15
6. A place for all people For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body— whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Cor 12:13) Our churches are diverse communities comprising a rich mixture of people with different needs, stories and expectations. We want to be a church for the whole community, reflecting its different ages, backgrounds and circumstances – meeting people where they are and seeing them transformed into the full likeness of Christ. Together we make up the body of Christ; together we are called to live the gospel and to serve the communities in which God has placed us.
Starter for 10 On a score of 1 – 10 (1 completely disagree; 10 fully agree) how do you rate the following statement:
Our church is not a members’ only club but a place where people from across our parish/parishes explore their journey of faith and come to know and love Jesus Christ. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J J J J J J J J J J Completely Disagree
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Fully Agree
www.liverpool.anglican.org/gpf
Questions 1. Do we have regular, high quality, engaging all-age worship?
J J
2. Do our children and young people have an appropriate place for them to grow in faith, and a voice in the life of our church?
J J
3. Are we providing adequate care and opportunity for the older members of our church?
J J
4. Are there generations missing from our church?
J J
5. Do we make the most of our major festivals, school services, civic services etc?
J J
6. Do we have effective ways of connecting with or reaching out to people as yet untouched by our church?
J J
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Actions What is one step we can take over the next 12 months to reach one of the ‘missing generations’ or to strengthen one area of our congregational life?
Has our discussion suggested a need for a more wideranging review of how we seek to be a church for everyone?
J Yes
J
Having discussed this area do we need to revise our Starter for 10 score?
J
J
Yes
No
No
Do you need further help in the area of People? If so email gpf_people@liverpool.anglican.org 17
7. A place of empowerment There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Cor 12:4-6) An ancient Christian writer called Irenaeus once said, ‘the glory of God is a man or woman fully alive’. God not only calls His people, He also gives us gifts and abilities which are not restricted or constrained by age, gender or ordination. God’s gifts are to be used in His service, in our church certainly, but also in our places of work, our homes and our leisure. God’s gifts are given that we might serve and also that we might flourish as people; that we might know and reflect his abundant provision throughout our lives.
Starter for 10 On a score of 1 – 10 (1 completely disagree; 10 fully agree) how do you rate the following statement:
Our church is a place where people grow their gifts and flourish and vocations are nurtured. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J J J J J J J J J J Completely Disagree
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Fully Agree
www.liverpool.anglican.org/gpf
Questions 1. Do we encourage all our people to discern their gifts (spiritual and practical) and to have the confidence in using them in service of the kingdom?
J J
2. Do we actually know the gifts and talents God has given to the people within our church?
J J
3. Are we consciously developing our current leadership and a new generation of leaders within our church, especially in the light of the Bishop’s Growth Agenda?
J J
4. Are we committed in principle and in practice to growing collaborative ministry and leadership?
J J
5. Do we support Christian discipleship in the world of work, including those in our church with leadership responsibilities outside the church?
J J
6. Does our track record suggest that we are actively encouraging people to explore ordination, Reader ministry or a specific calling to some aspect of Christian ministry?
J J
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Actions What is one thing we can do over the next 12 months to help us recognise and affirm all the ministries and contributions of all the members of the church?
Has our discussion suggested a need for a more wideranging review of the way in which we empower people for Christian service inside and outside the church?
J Yes
J
Having discussed this area do we need to revise our Starter for 10 score?
J
J
Yes
No
No
Do you need further help in the area of Empowerment? If so email gpf_empower@liverpool.anglican.org 19
8. A place of service and sending Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:18-20) Many years ago Bishop Michael Marshall used to say that whatever God is doing always has an address, a place where He acts. The place where we are is the place where God has placed us and calls us to do His work. This means two things: • That we are called to the service of the community where we live and not just to be concerned with what happens inside the walls of our church. • Our church in our community is just one piece of a large jigsaw, God’s church in all the world.
Starter for 10 On a score of 1 – 10 (1 completely disagree; 10 fully agree) how do you rate the following statement:
Our church makes a difference to our local community and at least one other community beyond. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J J J J J J J J J J Completely Disagree
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Fully Agree
www.liverpool.anglican.org/gpf
Questions 1. Are we involved with initiatives that make our community a better place to be?
J J
2. Are we sufficiently or creatively involved with our local school(s)?
J J
3. Are there particular parts of the parish which are largely untouched by the current ministry of our church?
J J
4. Do we actively support Christian agencies working in the UK?
J J
5. Do we actively engage with and support mission partners outside of the UK?
J J
6. Do we celebrate and affirm the difference our church members make in their workplace and voluntary commitments?
J J
7. Are we actively involved in work to bring the Gospel to those who have never heard it before?
J J
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Actions What is one thing we can do over the next 12 months to help our church make more of a difference in our own community or further afield?
Has our discussion suggested a need for a more wideranging review of the way in which we engage with the world beyond the walls of the church?
J Yes
J
Having discussed this area do we need to revise our Starter for 10 score?
J
J
Yes
No
No
Do you need further help in the area of Service? If so email gpf_service@liverpool.anglican.org 21
Visitation Summary Form Parish Name:
Parish Number:
Deanery:
Statement
Score
3. The worship in our church is attractive, vibrant and inspiring.
J J J
4. Our church is a place where everyone grows and matures in their Christian faith.
J
5. As a church we believe that prayer makes a difference and we take prayer seriously.
J
6. Our church is not a members’ only club but is a place where people from across our parish/parishes explore their journey of faith and come to know and love Jesus Christ.
J
7. Our church is a place where people grow their gifts and flourish and vocations are nurtured.
J
8. Our church makes a difference to our local community and at least one other community beyond.
J
1. New people quickly feel at home in our church. 2. Our church is a community where most members feel a real sense of belonging.
Visitation Summary Form page 1
Key actions Please copy down here the key actions you identified under the different sections in the Growth Planning Framework. You will probably have 1 action per section. You may have 1 or 2 in some and none in others. We strongly suggest, however, that you do not have more than 8 in all and that if you have put down an area for wider review then you treat that as one of your key actions. 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Areas for wider review Please copy down here any areas for wider review you identified under the different headings in the Growth Planning Framework. 1.
2.
Please photocopy and return the Visitation Summary Form to your Archdeacon at St James’ House, 20 St James Road, Liverpool L1 7BY by 31st March. Visitation Summary Form page 2
For more copies of the booklet and form please visit: www.liverpool.anglican.org/gpf Find out more about The Bishop’s Growth Agenda: www.liverpool.anglican.org/growthagenda
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