The involvement of Australian churches in global mission: insights from National Church Life Surveys

Transcription

1 The involvement of Australian churches in global mission: insights from National Church Life Surveys Dr Ruth Powell Director, NCLS Research Associate Professor, ACU Missions Interlink Conference, 19 July NCLS Research

2 Introduction I am a third culture kid. The child of missionaries in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea

3 National Church Life Surveys I work with Australian churches who invest in mission research Primary Sponsors National Church Life Surveys (NCLS) are the largest, longest running database of its kind in the world Surveys of church attenders & leaders. Five waves: 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and E.g. Participants in the 2011 NCLS local churches individuals 23 denominations 8 languages 2011 NCLS - Protestant: 2062 churches, Catholic: 254 parishes. 23+ Participating Churches Anglican Apostolic Australian Christian Churches Baptist Brethren Catholic Christian Missionary Alliance C3 Churches COC Australia Congregational CRC Churches International Church of the Nazarene Churches of Christ Four Square Gospel Lutheran IPMF Presbyterian Christian Reformed Churches Salvation Army Seventh-day Adventist Uniting Church Vineyard Fellowship Worldwide Church of God and Independent congregations, House churches and other Christian communities 2015 NCLS Research

4 Sample publications

5 Overview What can we learn from the NCLS about Australian churches and global mission? Part 1: The religious landscape in Australia Part 2: About Individuals Support of overseas mission by church attenders Links to developing countries by church attenders Part 3: About Local Churches Local church support of global mission and sending workers Part 4: Looking ahead: learning from vital faith communities Denominational group definitions Mainstream : Anglican, Uniting, Lutheran, Presbyterian 'Pentecostal' : Australian Christian Churches, Apostolic, C3 Church, CRC International, and INC. Other Protestant' : churches from Christian Reformed, Congregational, Vineyard, Missionary Alliance, Nazarene, and independent churches.

6

7 Mission and Research The Five Marks of Mission* TELL - To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom TEACH - To teach, baptise and nurture new believers (and to build welcoming, transforming communities of faith**) TEND - To respond to human need by loving service TRANSFORM - To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation TREASURE - To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth Research = The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. *Anglican Communion and Methodist Church UK; ** abmission.org, 2014

8 Australia THE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN AUSTRALIA

9 The religious landscape in Australia There has been a decline in the religiosity of Australians: belonging, believing and behaving. Younger generations are missing. Figure: The religiosity of Australians: belonging, beliefs and behaviour

10 Individuals SUPPORT OF OVERSEAS MISSION BY CHURCH ATTENDERS

11 Regular support of overseas mission workers or ministries Nearly 4 out of 10 attenders (39%) donate money; 3 out of 10 pray. Four out of 10 attenders (41%) do not provide regular support. NB. Results may add to more than 100% as attenders could mark more than one option QW1_51.

12 Overseas mission support by age % Older attenders are the prime support base. Will the 30 to 49 year olds increase their low support in the coming decades? Yes, by donation Yes, by regular prayer No yrs yrs yrs 70+ Yes, by other means Source: 2011 NCLS Sample Survey W1 (n = 1296) QW1_51.

13

14 Main focus of overseas ministry or mission work The most commonly chosen focus of supported work is 1) Christian aid and development and 2) child sponsorship. "If you do support overseas ministry or mission work is its main focus on:" 18.4% 17.4% 10.6% 18.8% 33.3% 24.9% 13.1% 9.4% 29.8% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Percentage of respondents Church planting Cross-cultural evangelism/discipleship Bible translation Training Church leaders Christian aid and development Child sponsorship Support/advocacy for persecuted Christians Other NA; not involved in support NB. Results may add to more than 100% as attenders could mark more than one option QW1_53.

15 Inclination to support certain types of work Six out of 10 attenders do not target their support. They feel equally inclined to support a range of options or are unsure (59%) QW1_52.

16 Individuals LINKS WITH DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BY CHURCH ATTENDERS

17 A caring link with people in developing countries Are you involved in activities or programs which mean you have a caring link with people in developing countries? (Mark ALL that apply) Yes, I have a link with individuals in such places Yes, I have a link with a community group Yes, I have a link with a church Yes, I have a regular financial commitment to such places Yes, I have a regular prayer commitment to such places Yes, I have a commitment to campaigns which tackle poverty or injustice Yes, I have another kind of link No, I do not have any links of this kind

18 A caring link with people in developing countries Of those with links, the 3 most common types are regular financial commitment (23%), link with individuals (22%) or with a church (18%) QW1_42.

19 Link with people in developing countries by denomination There are strong denominational differences. E.g. Most common links Mainstream: financial Pentecostal: link with church Other Protestant: link with individual Source: 2011 NCLS Sample Survey W1 (n = 1301) QW1_42.

20 Focus of linking activity in developing country If you are involved in activities or programs linking you to a developing country, is its main focus on (Mark ALL that apply): Evangelism/ spreading the faith The environment Human rights and justice issues Trying to change Australian government policy on overseas aid, international trade and debt relief Emergency relief Long-term development of communities Sponsorship of needy people or communities Another focus not mentioned above I do not have any links of this kind

21 Most common focus of linking activities Most common: Emergency relief (29%), sponsorship (28%), long-term development (26%), evangelism (23%) and human rights (19%).

22 Pathways for involvement in linking activities If you are involved in activities or programs linking you to a developing country, do you choose to do this primarily through (Mark ONE only): Your local church s designated projects Your denomination s programs Non-denominational Christian agencies (eg. World Vision, Compassion) Other overseas aid agencies Personal connections with a person or program overseas Other ways not mentioned above I do not have any links of this kind

23 Pathways for involvement in linking activities Links are primarily through: local church designated projects (29%) followed by non-denominational Christian agencies (13%)

24 % Pathways for involvement in linking activities: detail There are age differences in chosen pathways. Youngest attenders are most likely to link via personal connections and local church Local church projects yrs yrs yrs 70+ Christian agencies Personal connections Also, those with university degrees are more likely to use Christian agencies (21% vs 13% overall) and then use local church links (18% vs 29% overall) Source: 2011 NCLS Sample Survey W1 (n = 1156). NB Only a selection of options are shown

25 Prompts for links to developing countries If you are involved in activities or programs linking you to a developing country, what prompted you to establish this link? (Mark ALL that apply): Meeting or listening to people from overseas Website or publications Experiencing overseas conditions through travel Encouragement from friends Preaching or teaching at church Mass media (radio, TV, advertising) Publications from church or religious organisations Other Publications from other organisations Can t remember/ don t know Social media (eg Facebook/Twitter) I do not have any links of this kind

26 Prompts for links to developing countries Most common prompts are a) contact with overseas people (26%), b) Christian publications (21%), and c) preaching (18%)

27 Churches LOCAL CHURCHES THAT SUPPORT PEOPLE/MINISTRIES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

28 The 2011 NCLS Operations Survey Information collected from local churches in the 2011 NCLS via an Operations Survey was: Supporting Churches that support people/ministries in developing countries Churches that support overseas workers othrough a mission agency odirectly (not through a mission agency) Sending Churches that help organise mission trips oto elsewhere in Australia ooverseas Churches that send people on mission oshort term (1-6 weeks) omedium term (7 weeks 2 years) olong term (more than 2 years) Operations Survey oone per church ofilled out by leader/admin NB Wording of questions developed with help from Missions Interlink

29 Local Church Support for Developing Countries % of churches Most local Australian churches have a specific commitment to people in developing countries Support for People in Developing Countries Regular financial support is the most common form of support that churches offer to people in developing countries (61%) Figure: Support for people in developing countries in past 12 months Personal Financial Prayer Campaigns Other None Source: 2011 NCLS Operations Surveys (n=2,429 churches).

30 Local Church Support for Developing Countries Table 1: Support for people in developing countries, by denominational groups Detailed denominational information is available in the NCLS Fact Sheet 3 'Pentecostal' includes Australian Christian Churches, Apostolic, C3 Church, CRC International, and International Network of Churches. 4 'Other Protestant' included churches from Christian Reformed, Congregational, Vineyard, Missionary Alliance, Nazarene, and independent churches.

31 Churches that support people/ministries in developing countries Has this congregation had a specific commitment to people in developing countries? % of churches Financial Support NUMBER of churches Some groups with fewer churches proportionally giving support are still big movements, and therefore provide a large portion of the actual support in Australia.

32 Overseas Mission: Sending workers overseas Australian churches send mission workers overseas. 28% of support for overseas workers from Protestant churches is currently not going through any mission agency. Agency 72% For wider reflection and further research Direct 28% What implications does this have for the individual missionaries involved? For the agencies?

33 Churches that support overseas workers Denominational Groups?

34 The 2011 National Church Life Survey Operations Survey 34% (approx 3,900 churches) Over one third of churches have helped organise a mission trip in the previous 2 years (to either other parts of Australia or overseas) approximately 3,900 churches Overseas trips are almost twice as common as Australian trips

35 Sending: Organising mission trips Mission trips are most often organised by Pentecostal, Anglican and Baptist churches. Most are short term (1 to 6 weeks). 2% 8% 8% 5% 32% 1% Anglican 15% 14% 6% 6% 3% Baptist Catholic Churches of Christ Lutheran Pentecostal Presbyterian Salvation Army Seventh-day Adventist Uniting Other Protestant ,

36 LOOKING AHEAD: LEARNING FROM VITAL FAITH COMMUNITIES

37 Summary of survey results 1. Religious landscape Decline in the religiosity of Australians. Younger generations are missing. 2. Support of overseas mission by church attenders Nearly 4 out of 10 attenders donate money; 3 out of 10 pray. Older attenders prime support. Most common focus is 1) Christian aid and development and 2) child sponsorship. Six out of 10 attenders do not target their support. 3. Links to developing countries by church attenders Most common types: financial commitment, link with individuals or with a church. Most common focus: Emergency relief, sponsorship, long-term development, evangelism. Links primarily through: local church designated projects and Christian agencies 4. Local church support of global mission Most local Australian churches have a commitment to people in developing countries 28% of support for overseas workers from Protestant churches does not go through any mission agency. Over one third of churches have helped organise a mission trip in the previous 2 years (to other parts of Australia or overseas).

38 Some emerging themes 1. Global mission is understood in broad terms Links and support are focussed on social justice, aid and development, followed by evangelism and discipleship. 2. Possible financial support issues into future Older mainstream (Anglican) attenders are the primary financial base. When our older attenders pass on, will younger generations step up? (NB. Government reduction of overseas aid) 3. Take account of denominational differences There are strong differences. Take account of what Pentecostals and Anglicans are doing. 4. Expect generational change 5. The local church is key Links and support are mainly driven through local churches

39 Outcomes for vital faith communities Christians understand themselves to be called into a relationship with God, with others in the church and with the wider community. In addition, faith communities need to be sustainable, which requires inflow of new people. In simple terms, these are the outcomes for all faith communities NCLS Research

40 Relationship with God Helping people to explore faith matters, develop religious knowledge, strength religious beliefs and practices is part of vital faith community life. A goal is to help participants to develop and maintain a relationship with God NCLS Research

41 Relationship with each other In vital faith communities, people feel that they belong. A core outcome for all faith communities is to help participants to develop and maintain relationships with each other NCLS Research

42 Relationship with the wider community In vital faith communities, people seek to make an impact through word and/or deed on the wider community (i.e. outward focus, mission, service, social transformation, bridging social capital). A core outcome for all faith communities is to help participants to develop and maintain relationships with the wider community NCLS Research

43 Features of vital faith communities people helped to grow in their faith people feel that they belong experience of vital nurturing worship are innovative the leaders empower and equip have a clear and owned vision focus beyond themselves are inclusive have an inflow of new people

44 What will we find in the 2016 NCLS (Oct/Nov)? It is not too late for churches to sign up.

45 Powell, R. (2016). The involvement of Australian churches in global mission: insights from National Church Life Surveys. NCLS Research. Sydney. Dr Ruth Powell Director, NCLS Research NCLS Research