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mission shaped church

some questions for discussion

  If the Church of England exists for all, then how can it better connect

with the many who have little or no discernible involvement or interest?

(Bible suggestion: Acts 17.22 31.)

  What can be done in your area to enable the non churched to see and

hear the gospel, and to experience Christian life and faith?

  What experience have you had of people leaving your church? Can 

you identify some reasons why they left and any factors that prevented

their return? Similarly, have particular factors brought people to join

the church?

  One section of this chapter says this: `The Church of England exists 

to be a Church for the nation. This is not a comment on the issue of

the Church being established, but a statement of its mission purpose.'

In what way does being the Church of England in your local area

influence mission strategy and how does it differ from what other

churches and agencies do? Are there disadvantages to being the

national church, in your area?

  This chapter says there is a `general collapse of engagement with

children and young people'. In what ways does your church already

reach out to children and young people and what more might be done

to engage them? What further resources would you need for an

effective strategy to involve and learn from young people?

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