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Vicar’s address

Vicar’s address. The Church Life Cycle Where are we now? Where do we need to go? How do we get there?. The Church Life Cycle. Numbers. Viability. Time. The Church Life Cycle. Numbers. Viability.

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Vicar’s address

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  1. Vicar’s address • The Church Life Cycle • Where are we now? • Where do we need to go? • How do we get there?

  2. The Church Life Cycle Numbers Viability Time

  3. The Church Life Cycle Numbers Viability A: fast growing, but not yet viable church needs resourcing from outside This is Christ Church! Time

  4. The Church Life Cycle Numbers B: growing, but viable church always pain: never enough resources Viability A Time

  5. The Church Life Cycle C: static, but viable church the problem: living comfortably! the solution: reform and plant This is St John’s Numbers B Viability A Time

  6. The Church Life Cycle Numbers C B Viability D: declining, but viable dead in one generation needs re-invention A Time

  7. The Church Life Cycle Numbers C D B Viability E: declining, non-viable dead in this generation needs to be closed A Time

  8. Where are we now? • St John’s • a viable church on a plateau • we are heading towards the edge: we need to act! • Christ Church • a growing church, but not yet able to stand alone

  9. Where do we need to go? • St John’s need reforming • to take us from “C” to “B” • moving from comfort to pain! • moving from membership to ministry • re-establishing the leadership course in the autumn • sharpening the focus on evangelism • re-inventing the Evangelism Strategy Group • being willing to accept change for the sake of the newcomer

  10. Where do we need to go? • planning for growth • which means pressing ahead with the building project • planning for another church plant (but not just yet!) • Christ Church needs resourcing • She is growing up, but hasn’t left home!

  11. How do we get there? • The source of church growth • Always and only the triune God. • ‘I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.’ (1 Cor. 3.6) • ‘And in [Christ] you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.’ (Eph 2.22) • We should make plans about how best to ‘plant’ and ‘water’: but we always depend on the Lord to give the growth.

  12. How do we get there? • The means of church growth • Always and only the word of God • ‘the word of God grew and multiplied’ (Acts 12.24, cf 6.7, 19.20, Mark 4.8,14, 1 Pet 1.23-2.3) • ‘It was [the ascended Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up …’ (Eph 4.11ff) • The word of God must be central in all our activities.

  13. ‘I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.’ (Acts 20.32)

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