Pulse Growth Initiative

Why grow?

When the District Annual Meeting decided in March 2008 to set the goal of 50% numberical growth over the next five years, some people said that we had to grow to ensure our own institutional survival. Others questioned such an emphasis. "We are not about numbers," they said, "we are about the integrity and quality of our own spiritual experience." Both views are mistaken.

Our own institutional survival might be a happy by-product of our growth, but it can never be a proper or sustaining motivation for it. If the only reason we want others to join us is so that they can pay the bills we are too cheap to pay ourselves, those others will never appear and we will deserve to wither and perish. The only legitimate reason to appeal to others is because we believe that we have something of great worth which can transform and enrich others' lives and that, with more people sharing our religious values, the world will be a better place. There are many people hungry for what we have, and if we refuse to share it with them, we are as guilty as if we were hoarding food for our own consumption while others outside the gate were starving. It is no less than a moral imperative to make others aware of what we offer, and to allow them the opportunity to judge for themselves whether it is what they are seeking.

And it is not a numbers game. Every "number" represents a real person, a person who has found something which has enriched their lives. Every person who might join us is as important as every one who is already one of us. The only people playing a "numbers game" are those who, though their unwillingness to open their doors to others, are keeping the numbers small because they like their cosy familiarity.

For those who insist on "quality" rather than "quantity", the fact is that good quality is likely to lead to increase in quantity, and the lack is that increase is, in many cases, a direct result of the lack of quality. And it is far easier to be spiritually healthy in a healthy, growing congregation than it is in one which is stagnant or in decline.

Growth is not about us. Growth is about the others who would want to join us if they knew we existed and if we make ourselves as attractive as possible by ensuring good quality, and expecting a newcomer, it all we do.

What is GN1 and what was it set up to do?

In 2008 PULSE decided to take a lead on achieving 50% numerical growth in the next 5 years.  A couple of well attended workshops were held initially on aspects of growth.  Then those congregations who wanted to commit to growth applied to join the first PULSE Growth Network (GN1).  GN1 initially supported congregations with networking opportunities at workshops and online and providing information about growth.

Now FAP, the Facilitation And Planning process, is available to all GN1 Congregations and will help every congregation to move to the next step, wherever it is currently. The facilitators are prepared to help with three important areas:

• Building enthusiasm and a finding a foundation for growth in the purpose and principles of your congregation
• Managing the challenges of growth including resistance to growth
• Planning your path to growth and the detailed steps along the way

Robust growth is unlikely without a good understanding of the reasons for growth, the management growth and a good plan for growth. FAP helps congregations to do all three!

Recently Newington Green and Islington held a Growth Day, using FAP.  Guy Bentham reports:

"We explored questions of why we as a congregation might want to grow, and what growth might mean for us, in a friendly and participatory way that encouraged some careful thought about what makes a growing congregation a possibility, and what might stand in the way.

Because we are growing, and quickly, many of the issues - the positives and the negatives - came quickly to the forefront of our minds and our discussion. The key message that came from the workshop is that we exist as a congregation not just for ourselves, those who are already here, but even more for those in our community who would benefit from finding us but have not yet done so. It's a sometimes uncomfortable thought, but realising that we are not the most important people around is one of life's lessons that bares relearning from time to time. "

For more information about FAP contact:
Andy Pakula - send a message by clicking here.

Other PULSE growth group contacts:
Louise Baumberg - send a message by clicking here.

Karen Hanley - send a message by clicking here.

David Usher - send a message by clicking here.

Helpful Material

How to grow your church - click here.

Hospitality Questionnaire - click here

Details of forthcoming meetings

For details of Light the Fire please click here.