Share your views

As part of our commitment and calling to introduce more people to Jesus, deepen discipleship, develop our Christian leaders of the future and work for justice, it is vital that we address the key challenges that we have been facing as a church for some time.

This is part of our ongoing commitment to continuing the growth agenda developed by Bishop James in 2015 and continued by Bishop Bayes to build on our calling to ask God for a bigger church to make a bigger difference.

While this is something that we’ve long understood as a Diocese through the Rule of Life, we recognise that we can best achieve this through identifying a clear direction of travel that sets out what resources we need.

This is your opportunity to share your views as we'll be using all your feedback to shape our proposals for the future. 

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* 1. We have identified 4 mission priorities for the future. Please tell us under each:

o   What are the main strengths on which you can build?
o   What additional support will you need?

The four priority areas are:
 
1.       Introducing people to Jesus
2.       Deepening discipleship
3.       Developing Christian leaders
4.       Working for justice

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* 2. In consultation we have identified five underlying obstacles. Please tell us under each:
 
o   How significant a challenge do you think this is for your church?
o   What help and support do you need to tackle them?
 
The five underlying obstacles are:
 
1. The long-standing and deep-rooted decline of the Church of England
2. Being under-resourced on the front line
3. Unrealistic expectations on people
4. Unsustainable buildings
5. A church that does not look or act like me

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* 3. If you were to add a 5th underlying challenge:
o   What would this challenge be and why have you identified it?
 

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