Good News in the Countryside
Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham
13 November 2013
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Special Information
This presentation was designed and written by the Rev’d Barry Osborne.
It is hoped that many will find it helpful.
Should you make use of the presentation we ask that you include the contact
information towards the end of the presentation.
Much of the clipart is in the public domain. The origin of the cartoon on slide
44 is unknown.
Should you wish to use any of the material in the presentation please obtain
permission stating what you wish to use and how you intend to use it.
A presentation transcription can be made available.
Thank you.
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Evangelism
Network
Ecumenical
Members are the Churches
and Mission Agencies
Sharing insight and experience
Encouraging good practice
Conferences
Publications
Consultations
Interactive Website
www.ruralmissions.org.uk
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
A bit about your speaker
• 1965 to 1988 full time rural missioner
– Ecumenical special missions
– Training men and women for rural ministry
• 1968 first pastorate – in Hastings, East Sussex
• 1982 helped to set up the Rural Evangelism
Network
• 1988 established ‘Rural Sunrise’
• 1990 to 2005 second pastorate – Herstmonceux
• 2005 moved to East Midlands
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
A bit more about your speaker
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Third pastorate – Yelvertoft, Northants.
Researching rural mission
Networking – nationally and locally
Rural Mission Consultations
Tailoring Mission Strategy
Church Away-Days
Special events – “songs and stories”
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
What does
“rural” mean today?
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Most of the land area of
the UK is rural.
Approximately 90%.
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Britain:
Home to 10,000,000 people
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
One in Six People live in the rural areas
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Britain:
Probably
Over 20,000 settlements
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Population
• Approximately 10.4% of Britain’s population
live in discrete communities of 1000 or less.
• A further 1.4% live in communities between
1,000 to 2,000
• A further 5% live in communities from 2,000
to 5,000
• Rural population is growing
Data Source: Consultation with Office for National Statistics
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Small and scattered
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
The proximity model
Rt. Rev’d Dr. Anthony Russell
The further people live from a conurbation the more distinctly different their
way of life
Urban
conurbation
Less
accessible
countryside
Urban
shadow
Remote
Countryside
Accessible
countryside
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Current or historic economic factors also form
the life of the community
Agricultural
Industrial
Commuter
Fishing
Leisure
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Village life affected by …
Size and morphology
Proximity to larger towns
Socio-economic history
Degree of incomer influence
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Villages vary considerably
and are made up of people
from a wide range of
social groups with
different agendas.
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Who lives in rural Britain?
• Indigenous villagers
• Professional people
• Historic land owners • Movers and shakers
• New land owners
• Farmers etc
• Retired people
• “The Good Life”
people
• Suburban
commuters
Second Home owners
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural communities are unique, complex
combinations of
various factors
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Nottinghamshire facts
Population 748,510
18% of the population are under 16
18% of the population are over 65
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Nottinghamshire facts
Classification
Urban >10,000
Town & fringe
Village
Hamlet &
isolated
Percentage
71%
18%
9%
2%
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Some interesting facts
• Most people in rural Britain are not
indigenous
• Moving to the countryside is a life-style choice
(where does religion fit in?)
• Rural societies are complex and sophisticated
• Most of the UK’s most influential people live
in rural areas
• Rural communities are becoming
suburbanised
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Characteristics and behaviour
patterns that can develop in small
communities
• Cautious
• Intransigent
• Conservative
• Diffident
• Insular
• As a community
• Suspicion
A complex network of social interaction
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
What defines rural culture?
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50 years ago
Strong links between
the people and the
place.
Limits to mobility
Self contained
Parochial mindset
Limited experience
Low expectations
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Today
Incomers and
suburbanisation
Physical & social
mobility
Global access
Satellite communities
Wide experience
High expectation
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
What defines rural culture?
50 Years ago you lived there because…
It was “your world”
It was where you worked
You were landed gentry
Today indigenous villagers are in decline
It is a place for a better lifestyle and an
up-market lifestyle
It is also a place of leisure
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Spirituality 50 years ago
• Going to church was normal
• Non-conformity was strong
• Non-Christian beliefs/practices were seen as
weird
• There was either inherited traditions or
inherited traditions
• Faith was demonstrated and measured by
commitment to the institutional structures
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Spirituality Today
• The Church belongs to us - if we need it
• Church is seen as non-essential to faith
• Marginal and hybrid forms of faith are
praiseworthy – only traditional Christians are
weird!
• Faith is no longer tied to scripture
• You cannot evaluate or judge customised faith
systems. Absolutely no absolutes!
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
The State of the
Rural Churches
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
What churches are present in
rural England?
• 63% Church of England
• 26% Methodist
• 5% Baptist
• 3% URC and Continuing Congregational
• 3% Others
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Closed places of worship
Methodist sold
approx. 3,000
church
buildings
1963-1973.
URC sold 10%
of buildings
soon after
formation in
1972.
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Churches
• Past declining attendance
• Multi-parish benefices
• Reduction in regular services
• Loss of thousands of non-conformist churches
• Maintenance burden
• Ecumenical relationships
• Commuting to worship
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Worship Issues
• Tangerines are not small oranges
• Making worship style and contents culturally
relevant
• Quality leadership in ministry?
• Disaffection with inherited patterns
• Numbers
• Multi-generational & multi-cultural issues
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
There’s more than one way to
celebrate!
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Our mission is…
Words + Works
“You are the salt of the earth” Matthew 5:13
“You are the light of the world” Matthew 5:14
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Tailoring Mission
to fit Rural
Churches
“A good mission strategy is more than a
bright idea; it must combine an
appropriate response to the cultural
context, sound theology and good
practice.”
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
The Theological Premise
• God has a purpose in his world today
• Each Christian has a unique role within God’s
purpose
• Each church has a unique role within God’s
purpose
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
The Models
• Bespoke tailoring
it has to both suit & fit
church and community
• Teaching someone to ride a bicycle
providing knowledge & confidence
to enable sustained local mission
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Four steps to Developing Missionary
Congregations
Create a common understanding of mission
and evangelism
Create a shared sense of priority for mission
Determine appropriate strategies
Be prepared to manage change
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
A brief introduction to the four stages
Anyone who is interested in the full content of
any of these steps may obtain it from
Rural Mission Solutions
(address at end of presentation).
Barry Osborne is available to lead Church Away
Days on the concept of developing mission
strategies specifically tailored to the local
situation.
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Step One
Creating a shared understanding of
the terms: “Mission” and
“Evangelism”
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
How the exercises are used
• In personal and private reflection
• Gently in a small group of 3 people –
spending time listening to each other.
• In sensitively led plenaries
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Develop a common understanding of
mission and evangelism
Complete this sentence with a single word
or phrase:
“Mission is….”
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Develop a common
understanding of mission and
evangelism
Complete this sentence with a single
word or phrase:
“Evangelism is….”
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
The Five Marks of Mission
•To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
•To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
•To respond to human need by loving service
•To seek to transform unjust structures of society
•To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain
and renew the earth
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Does your church have a shared sense
of purpose?
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Writing a Mission Statement
A mission statement is a short, succinct
summary of the purpose for which the local
church or congregation exists.
“St. Barry’s Parish church exist to…”
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Words like “evangelism” can carry
unhelpful images!
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Pearl of Wisdom
“If the Carpenter of Nazareth would seem
strangely out of place
in the midst of all you are seeking to do,
then all you are seeking to do
has got nothing to do with God!”
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Three Exercises
First – definitions of evangelism?
Second – Your faith journey with God
Third – What does Jesus mean to you?
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Read carefully through this list of definitions of
evangelism. Then score each statement from 0 to 5,
where 5 is “excellent”
[ A ] Introducing people to Jesus
[ B ] One beggar telling another beggar where he
can find bread
[ C ] Sharing with others what we believe about God
and Jesus.
[ D ] Encouraging others to believe in and follow
Christ
[ E ] Sharing with others what God has done in your
life
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Reflecting on our faith journeys
[1] Direct evangelistic
activity
[2] A sermon in church
[ 3] Reading the Bible
[4] A Christian Retreat
or Conference
[5] Reading a tract or
Christian book
[6] A religious film,
video or drama
[7] The life of another
Christian (e.g. parent,
teacher, friend)
[8] Sunday School or
Church Children’s Club
[9] Church
Membership classes
[10] A personal crisis in
your life
[11] Holy Communion
[12] Some other?
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
What does Jesus mean to you?
Each individual is encouraged to list just 3
things that – in their experience – makes
Jesus special to them.
Next they join two others to explore what
each has listed. They then endeavour to
make a shared list of the three most
important points.
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Why church-centred evangelism?
• The gospel is about more than personal
salvation
• A faith community should be a model of
reconciliation and healing
• The church is sign and symbol of the kingdom
of God
• The whole church is called to mission
• God has made us interdependent.
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Challenge for Evangelism
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“Not in my back yard”
Making it culturally relevant
Need for subtlety
The challenge of challenge
Church/Kingdom confusion
Fresh expressions limitations
Alpha limitations
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Step Two
Creating a shared sense of priority for
mission in the life of the church
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Drawing a Systems Map
A system map is used to identify the elements
that make up an organisation and their
relative importance.
Either individually or in pairs a map is drawn
of the church as it is.
The exercise is repeated as it should be
ideally.
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Step Three
Developing Appropriate Mission
Strategies that are Tailored to the
Church.
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Appropriate to what?
• The gifts and resources God has given
• The needs, opportunities and constraints in
the location
• What God is saying and doing in the life of
the church
• The mission statement
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Tools to help strategic planning
• Community Appraisal
• Church Appraisal
• Survey of natural and spiritual gifts in the
congregation
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Tools to help strategic planning
• Village map
• People Group mapping
• Activity mapping
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Tools to help strategic planning
• “COWS” Analysis
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
constraints
• Strategy Modelling
setting evaluation criteria
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Evangelism
is less effective where…
• The church congregation is not drawn from the
local community
• It is not in the context of the other four “marks
of mission”
• Where the church does not demonstrate
genuine interest in the life of the wider
community
• It appears to be generated by self-interest
• Methods are inappropriate to rural context
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Evangelism
is more effective where
• The methods are culturally relevant for the
target group
• The local church is held in respect
• It is a natural expression of a caring Christian
community
• It responds to the social traits of rural life
• It is “home grown” rather than imported
• It is not too “loud”
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
What are the main issues?
• Lack of confidence in the gospel
• Competing demands for the resources of
– Time
– Money
– People
• Survival mentality obscures mission vision
• Inappropriate strategies set by urbanites
• Evangelising in your back yard
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
What would make it possible?
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Comprehension of the gospel of Christ
Confidence in articulating our faith
A shared missionary vision
Prioritising mission not maintenance
Discovering and using appropriate models for
evangelism
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Evangelism
Network
Ecumenical
Members are the Churches
and Mission Agencies
Sharing insight and experience
Encouraging good practice
Conferences
Publications
Consultations
Interactive Website
www.ruralmissions.org.uk
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Rural Mission Solutions
(formerly Rural Sunrise)
A mission consultancy
Helping small and rural
churches in their part within
God’s mission today
Tailoring mission strategies to
fit each local church
(theology, sociology,
organisational development)
Church away days, weekends
4 Clarence Street
Market Harborough
LE16 7NE
“Too many rural Christians
are staring at the place
where yesterday’s sun
went down. But a new day
is dawning and we must
turn and greet the
sunrise.”
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013
Centre for Rural Mission
The Centre for Rural Mission exists
to encourage and assist rural churches
of all denominations to put mission permanently
on their agenda in ways that are biblical,
appropriate and likely to be effective.
Both the Rural Evangelism Network and
Rural Mission Solutions can be contacted at
4 Clarence Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7NE
Email: barry@ruralmissions.org.uk
01858 414930
Copyright©Barry Osborne 2013