(Here’s a major report on the churches in my home-city, Melbourne, with a slight emphasis on us Baptists. Rowland).

All Melbourne Matters: Research of the Whole Church in Melbourne for the Future of the Church and the City

Compiled by Philip Hughes and Stephen Reid. Christian Research Association and Transforming Melbourne, 2009.

Reviewed by Darren Cronshaw in Witness: The Voice of Victorian Baptists, Vol.89, No.4 (May), p. 20.

Any church that wants to connect with its community needs to understand it. For the whole church in Melbourne it is important to understand our city. This is the basis of a massive exploratory research project released in February of Melbourne and its churches. Philip Hughes and Stephen Reid draw on Census figures, National Church Life Survey, other focused surveys and the input of dozens of church leaders. The result is an overall picture of the church in Melbourne and the challenge of its mission field.

The Citywide Report tells us Melbourne has:

*3.6 million people

*1720 churches, 147 are Baptist

*58% of population identifying with a Christian denomination, 1.4% as Baptist (50,630)

*15% frequently attending church at least monthly (520,000)

*The church is also impacting Melbourne through church schools, government school chaplaincy, social work, health and aged care.

The Report outlines big challenges:

*80% (2.9 million) have little if any church connection

*Churches are declining overall – while population increases 90000 per year, churches are losing 4500 per year (one average congregation every 2 weeks)

*Baptists, Salvation Army and Pentecostals are the only denominations expected to grow over the next 20 years, but not keeping pace with population growth

*Church resources are unevenly spread, with less churches on the northern and western fringes of Melbourne

*Single people, youth, couples in de facto relationships, tertiary educated people, full-time workers and men are underrepresented in churches (so Melbourne churches are not connecting with ‘the average person’)

There are important strategic responses for us as Baptists. Seven issues strike me as particularly important to address.

1. Empowering leadership

Pastors are stretched by low morale, role confusion, changing ministry patterns and ageing. Of 2400 ministers and chaplains in Melbourne, 37% are over the age of 55 and so likely to retire in a decade. Baptist leaders are younger, with only 27% over 55. Yet Baptists still need to empower a new generation of pastors and leaders.

2. Church planting

With declining attendance, increasing cultural diversity, the population explosion, and the need for fresh expressions of church to connect with ‘average Melbournians’ there is a clear need for more new churches. Julian Dunham has helped me understand that to even hope to keep pace with population growth, we need to be planting hundreds of Baptist churches over coming decades.

3. Engaging youth

Although 15% of Melbourne’s population frequently attends church, only 3% of young people aged between 15 and 24 and 30% of those over 75 attend. Baptist churches have traditionally been better than average at connecting with young people, but are still failing to connect with the majority of youth and young adults.

4. Caring for the aged

Melbourne is aging. Between 1996 and 2006 Melbourne’s population increased by 15% but those aged 75-84 increased by 40%. Current generations of older people connect well with church, but as baby boomers age there is no guarantee they will maintain similar commitment. Melbourne’s suburbs have some of the largest proportions of older people in Australia and our churches need age-appropriate expressions of care and evangelism.

5. Celebrating multicultural diversity

One person in three was born overseas and one person in four speaks a language other than English at home. Ethnic churches cater well for migrants but we also need churches that address the needs of second generation migrants (23% of Melbourne). Celebrating multicultural diversity is an appropriate response to Melbourne’s diversity and an appropriate expression of an inclusive gospel.

6. Remembering all Victoria matters

The Report focused on Melbourne but regional and rural Victoria have unique challenges and opportunities and we need to understand and address them as well.

7. Re-imagining evangelism

Many churches are running evangelism activities and experimenting with different approaches to church but only 4200 people are coming to faith each year (an average 2 people per church). We need a lot of fresh thinking about relevant evangelistic prayer and action.

Darren is BUV’s Coordinator of Leadership Training and contributed a 4 page article on emerging churches in All Melbourne Matters. The report is available from Transforming Melbourne http://www.transformingmelbourne.org or phone 9570 2534.

“The “All Melbourne Matters” report is an exciting and challenging document for all who share the good news of Jesus. It will be of great value to all who seek to lead the Australian church into the future.” Alan Marr, BUV Director of Ministries

Darren Cronshaw

Coordinator of Leadership Training

Baptist Union of Victoria