![]() 'I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it' (Jesus Christ) The report itself notes that 'Those whose work at church headquarters in London cause them to live in the South East may not realise the seriousness of church life in other parts of England' (p.56) At this rate Methodism faces another 30 years of life, however it reorganises its administration. Looking ahead, Methodist respondents expected 1 church in 6 to close by 2010. Whilst the decline is least in the suburban South East and multi-ethnic London, where the black churches have seen growth, this is more than made up for by rapid decline in other regions. Mainstream denominations and those churches of a broad, liberal or catholic churchmanship are declining fastest, and sadly the Methodist Church leads the way in most regions of the country, down 40% in 20 years, at an increasing rate of decline. The 1990's saw 1,000 children under 15 leave the church every week, and also during that decade there was a definite decrease in the number of those aged 30-44 (a key parental age group) coming to church. There are of course regional differences in my own South Yorkshire the percentage in 1979 was 8.2% and by 1998 had dropped to 4.5% - the lowest in the country! The drop suggests the rate of decline is increasing, and whilst the number of churchgoers of 65 years and over is increasing, worryingly for the future two churches in five reported no youth work of any kind. In 1979 11.7% of the population attended weekly worship in 1989 it was 9.9% and in 1998 it was down to 7.5%. 'The church is in trouble and doesn't know it' (Mike Riddell) Denial of cold facts, statistical dancing to make things seem better (Methodism take note!) or some vague hope that things will somehow change in the future do not serve us, or the gospel we profess well. ![]() However if we take this work (and others over the last 10 years which have pointed in the same direction) seriously then the Church in England is in trouble. ![]() 'Lies, damned lies and statistics' (Mark Twain)įor some church ostriches this latest report merely confirms their belief in Twain's quote and for them all such reports are rejected under the misguided belief that 'things are not really as bad as all that' or 'these people will be back - it's all a cycle'. The survey sought to discover both the present facts and some possible future trends of church going, worship attendance and frequency, also noting age profiles, theological positioning and regional differences. Produced by Peter Brierley of Christian Research, and recently 'on tour' around the regions of England under the title 'Turning the Tide?', The Tide is Running Out presents and analyses the results of the 1998 English Church Attendance Survey, and is based on a return by over 12,400 churches - a third of all churches in England. ![]()
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