Here’s some data worth pondering. In the 2004 British Mission Shaped Church report, research by Richter and Francis, was cited to (rightly) support the claim that 40% of the British population are ‘unchurched’ - that is, they attend church or Sunday School less than six times a year. Church-goers comprised 20% of the sample and “de-churched” people the remaining 40%.

This is where it gets really interesting. Half of that “de-churched” group (20% of the whole) indicated that they were open to attending church in the future if invited.

Who are these “open-dechurched”?

They include people who’ve relocated (and have yet to become integrated in a new faith community); people who’ve been through death, divorce or some kind of separation and have put church ‘on hold’; people who work Sundays; people with unsympathetic spouses, kids or other relatives; people with transportation problems and so on.

The U.K. Back to Church Sunday (BTCS) initiative targets this “open-dechurched” group. And I’m excited!

BTCS was piloted in the diocese of Manchester in 2004. Being a diocesan initiative, it received broad coverage and 160 parishes signed up. An estimated 1,600 people responded to personal invitations and attended services.

The question you should be asking by now is, ‘So did they keep on coming back?’. Good question!

My colleague in the Diocese of Lichfield, Archdeacon Bob Jackson (author, The Road to Growth, Church House 2006), has crunched the numbers for his neck of the woods.

Here’s the bottom line: In 2007, BTCS in the Diocese of Lichfield attracted 6,000 visitors. Excellent. Six months later, between 700 and 900 (12-15%) had become regular members.

In addition, a further 3,000 are still in touch with their inviting churches and have attended at Christmas or some other social event.

Here’s Jackson’s take on BTCS: “People invite their friends on BTCS with no strings attached. We know many people will gladly respond to this. What we’ve proved is that up to 15% like it so much that they want to come back for good. No wonder BTCS has been such an encouragement.”

The BTCS Sunday site offers loads of welcoming, hospitaility and advertising tips and resources.

Will it work in Australia? Dan Willis, CEO The Bible Society NSW, believes so. Dan is working with the UK organisers to bring BTCS to Australia in ‘09.

Seems to me to be a great way to Connect in ‘09!

Stuart Robinson is the National Mission Facilitator for the Anglican Church of Australia and the rector of St Paul’s Anglican Church, Chatswood.