Goodness me – if only we produced new followers of Jesus at anything like the rate we produce new churches and denominations!

I read a book on Scottish Church history ( sorry the name of the author escapes me). It had a family tree of the development of all the Scottish churches and almost every time any two denominations tried to combine the result was 3 denominations, because the combined church didn’t suit everyone, so you got the X church continuing and the Y church continuing as well as the new Z church… That is why there are so many varieties of reformed, Presbyterian (that should have a small p but it keeps self correcting to an upper case when I don’t want it) Christianity in Scotland. It was amusing in a way.

Thanks Tina — interesting comments. My comment on God withdrawing the Spirit of course relates to that specific period of time and specific geography. I also feel that when churches are in disunity that is what happens — but I don’t suggest it’s ever permanent. Sorry if that wasn’t clear!
Agree that any ecumenical attempts to increase understanding across our churches and denominations are worthwhile and to be encouraged — I suspect most Christians are “too busy” discussing in our churches, which is sad but often the case.

Gosh that’s a really hard question Helen. But I see your point — my recollection from around 4 or 5 years ago (that’s the last time I looked at this in any detail at all) was that all mainstream denominational churches in the UK were shrinking (except Baptist churches which had grown but only by a minuscule amount — so “almost shrinking”).
On the other hand, churches that are somehow outside the usual denominations often seem to be growing incl BME churches, the “newer” denominations such as the ones you list, and some fresh expressions of churches. The only denominational churches I recall as growing were midweek and cathedral congregations inc of course Anglican churches AND, to be fair, many churches in London.
So there’s definitely a big shift in attendance and type of church even before the Pandemic.
I think someone needs to do new research now that we are post-pandemic (almost), but that research is probably some way off. My guess is that it will certainly show a further decline in attendance BUT a new set of “online attendance” figures.
And yes I have to agree that churches seeing growth often tend to be more authoritarian, often conservative, and some of which are the result of schisms.Certainly, the days when you could drop into a Methodist Chapel or the Parish Church and expect a sizeable crowd are gone.
I would love to see some new research on this — if you come across any, send it over Helen!

Thanks Danny — and script shared by email

Yes we have been good at finding gnats haven’t we .… thanks for reading

Hi Mike — yee lots of experience — and, in the end, all good!

Hi Joe — great to hear from you. I wonder too! I do think we have so much work to do in just getting our own churches to think “a bit less critically” of all other churches! My new role at the airport goes way beyond ecumenism as I will be working with Muslim, Sikh, Jewish etc chaplain Thats a different thing of course but I hope whichever role you choose God blesses you in it and others thru it.

The Church has taken many forms even before the Reformation.…..I’m thinking for example of the ‘Brethren of the Common Life’ — a group that practised very simple Christianity within the Catholic Church long before the Reformation.…..the Reformers like Wycliffe ‘morning star of the Reformation’ as we know him practiced simple forms of Christianity.

It would be great to have twice yearly discussion groups for all Christians in Warrington.…I’m sure we could learn much from one another.…for.…each Croup of Christians has strong points and deficits! Thanks again for all your trouble and study in producing this blog.…I always enjoy it!