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Perceived spiritual openness, increased prioritization on evangelism, and greater clarity on the purposes of evangelism are among the more surprising findings in this 2024 study with Alpha Canada, with over 800 Canadian church leaders. This report also includes data and opportunities for congregation leaders in areas of prayer, inviting people to evangelistic contexts, and celebrating new followers of Jesus.
Where are signs of life in Canadian congregations, and what can we learn from them?
A key marker of congregational flourishing is discipleship, where followers of Jesus are transformed and mature in their Christian faith. This study with over 9100 people in 250+ churches in Canada explores discipleship practices and processes that help to facilitate spiritual growth among congregants. Learnings center on the ways denominational tradition matters for how groups disciple their members, plus the importance of a welcoming, safe, and caring congregational context for effective discipleship.
Co-vocational pastors are increasingly common in Canada. Yet should we also think about co-vocational churches where all members are part of the “priesthood of all believers,” seeing their lives as part of God’s mission?
“No religion” is the fastest growing group in Canada. This 2021 survey research with 2700+ Canadian church leaders, in partnership with Alpha Canada, details the attitudes, behaviours, and experiences surrounding evangelization. Some results are unexpected, yielding several considerations for churches that wish to take evangelism seriously as one potential source of church growth.
Training to become a pastor/minister/priest requires certain skills and knowledge to flourish with the 21st century congregant.
A healthy church volunteer culture rarely arises by accident. It requires intentional systems and structures to recruit, train, and retain volunteers, centered on personal invitation, clear coordination/support and role descriptions, resonance with the church’s mission and vision, and care for the individual volunteer.
One of the best ways a denomination can resource pastors of small churches is to facilitate access to an accessible network of peers. This is one takeaway among others from a Canadian study of small evangelical churches, which gives attention to “size dynamics” and how small congregations can play to their strengths in local ministry.
Flourishing congregations depend, in part, on clergy who are flourishing. This study on Canadian clergy resilience – the ability to bounce back from challenges and adversity – builds on research with 500+ clergy and centers on the perceived types of adversity clergy confront that impact stress and burnout, variables that affect clergy resilience, and pre-service training that nurtures clergy resilience.
Visionary leadership and re-evangelization are central components to the transformation, renewal, and flourishing witnessed in this Catholic parish during case study research in Atlantic Canada. This presentation explores some of the areas related to being “explosively alive,” including Alpha, Mass, mobilizing lay leadership, innovation, and parish structures and processes.
The Flourishing Congregations Institute researches the Canadian Church, interpreting and sharing data with church leaders across the country.
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