In the midst of Anglican realignment it remains vital to remain focused on the ministry and mission we have together.

This edition of Essentials certainly touches on some of the wider issues of Anglican realignment, including a summary of the state of play from Bishop Stephen Hale, and a contribution to the broader question of what it means to be distinctively Anglican as we reproduce here the very helpful paper from the Sydney Doctrine Commission on Authentic Anglicanism. Yet alongside that we each must keep our eyes on the central task of the ministry and mission of our local churches.

That is why it has been so refreshing in Sydney that we have committed together through our recent Synod to have a focus on conversion growth. As the Archbishop of Sydney said in his Presidential Address, “I believe in conversion”. This focus has arisen in the context of reported data from recent years identifying a downward turn in attendance in the diocese, especially when considered alongside population growth. So while the most recent data has indicated a positive rebound in attendance, for this to be sustained and increased we need to long prayerfully and proactively for growth by new Christians, not merely by transfer.

The Sydney Synod has held before the churches a goal of seeking to grow by 5% each year by conversion. I think this is a helpful and activating goal. In our local context it means that we have been called to consider what we can do under God to seek to see 20 people to become Christians in our church next year. Acknowledging the divine miracle expressed in each moment of conversion does not in any way deny the role of human planning and effort used by God in such moments, and so it is good to be praying and planning for such an outcome in our church.

At the same time caring well for those that move into the area and find their way into our churches is a vital part of the work. Even the churches with the highest levels of growth by conversion still have the vast majority of their growth from transfer. People arrive in our churches perhaps looking for Christian community in a new town or suburb, or perhaps wounded from a previous church experience. We must care for the sheep and bind their wounds. At the same time we believe in conversion.

In our own parish the approach to seeking conversion has been multi-faceted. We want rich and thoughtful Sunday services to be the open front door of our church, expecting non-believers to be present in our midst. There is no doubt that in the current social and cultural malaise of the West that every week people are walking into our churches because they sense deeply that something is missing and they want to find out if there is something more.

Michael Bird’s article explores issues in our understanding of human nature and how our church life can be shaped by thoughtful Christian anthropology. It is often in this area that people find themselves asking questions and wondering if there is a better alternative. We must be alert, ready and expectant. We also intentionally seek to build links to people at times of crisis and life reflection. Courses and Christian input through Divorce Care, Griefshare, parenting seminars, and Blue Christmas services, all seek to place Christians and non-Christians in a shared environment where their shared experience of dislocation in this fallen world creates opportunities to hear afresh, or perhaps for the first time, a message of hope and life. From these courses and relationship connections people flow into Life Series or Christianity Explored, and then God-willing into our regular bible-study groups. Each year God has chosen to lead people from darkness to light, from death to life, through a process like this. This edition of Essentials reflects in two different articles on the role of trials and grief in leading people to explore and find faith in Christ.

The Sydney synod in setting this vision for growth by conversion, also chose to put a deliberate emphasis on youth and children’s ministry. This makes sense practically and strategically, and the statistics bear out the way in which so many make their commitment to Christ under the age of 18. However, this goal must be considered alongside the shifting reality of the last two decades in which the youth and children’s ministry of most local churches no longer consists of large groups from nonchurch- going families, but is instead dominated by the children of existing church members. In such a context there is a danger than a focus just on youth and children will see us simply treading water. While we must focus on youth and children this must always include reaching those from families not already in our church. This prevents a call to resourcing youth and children’s ministry from becoming merely sub-contracting out Christian parental responsibility in the raising their children in the faith. Youth and children’s ministry must believe in conversion not just discipleship of children from Christian homes.

Another danger of this emphasis is that we can lose sight of other ministries that might seem less strategic. And so it is wonderful that in this edition of Essentials we have two articles that focus on the joy of ministry to Seniors. In our church we have found this to be not just encouraging and fruitful, but each year we see elderly members of the wider community renew faith in Christ, or perhaps grasp the gospel of grace for the first time. In the midst of our Anglican realignment this all must remain at the heart of what we do, because we believe in conversion.

Gavin Perkins, Bowral