Is it for You?
For a variety of reasons, the Church21 Parish Development Programme isn’t suitable for every church. The structure or demands of the process may not be appropriate or it may simply be the wrong time for your parish. It may help to prayerfully walk through the steps below, preferably with other leaders from your church. Remember, this is chiefly a spiritual decision.
Step 1 – Can you and your can parish say “Yes” to any of these statements?
- Our members are tired and we have trouble finding enough people to help
- We want our parish to be more welcoming of all people and to be filled with the voices of children and youth
- People are moving in nearby and we want to help our congregation to reach them
- We’re stable but we know there is something better than being stable
- We want to see our parish make an impact where we live
…then Church 21 may be for you.
Step 2 – Having established some “divine dissatisfaction” within your parish, here are common reasons for engaging with Church21. Do they ring true?
- We need a clearer vision
- We’d like to connect with our community
- We need to do some forward planning
With a clearly identified need or needs, it’s time to honestly examine whether you are ready for this journey.
Step 3 – Please answer the following questions:
- Can we be honest?
- Are we ready to share leadership?
- Can we commit to key events?
- Will we communicate well?
- Are we ready to go beyond our comfort zones?
- Will we finish the race?
If you can answer yes to the above, and have looked at the process, your parish may be ready for Church21.
If you wish to get in touch, please register your interest in Parish Development. We will contact you for a chat and may be able to offer some help in the interim.