Untitled News story

NEW RESEARCH REVEALS IMPORTANT INSIGHTS FOR CHURCHES
A new report into the impact of five large scale evangelistic and social action projects published recently shows that in spite of many successes, there is still much that churches and Christian agencies can learn and apply to future events. 

The research was commissioned by the Jerusalem Trust, which partly funded each of the events, and was carried out jointly by Churches Together in England (CTE) and Frontier Youth Trust (FYT) in
Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and London in November 2006. It examines five projects held over the past six years (Manchester 2000, Festival Manchester, Soul in the City–London, MerseyFest and NE1) and finds that the vast majority of young people involved were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences and that the impact on them has lasted. 

The events also provided great opportunities for churches and Christian agencies to work together and to develop strong and durable links with local police forces and other statutory authorities and
voluntary groups. However, two key learning points emerged: 

• Very big events can have a big immediate impact, but focusing on a smaller number of estates, where projects can be chosen more carefully, and detailed plans for follow-up put in place, provides more sustainable outcomes. 

• Although local communities were mainly positive about the events, importantly, few people remembered who had been behind all the good work. 

The report recommends branding the events more clearly as Christian social action projects and reinforcing that message with the use of post cards and hand-outs which carry the core messages. The report is the first independent research carried out and highlights the contribution such events can make towards stronger and healthier communities and churches. It is important reading for anyone wishing to run or take part in such events and is particularly timely given that Hope 2008 (www.hope08.com) looks set to be the biggest ever such initiative, with thousands of churches nationwide taking part. 

For interviews contact Dave Wiles or John Baxter-Brown directly on the number below.

The full report can be downloaded at: http://www.fyt.org.uk/showdetails,pdf,56.htm

There are no gallery images associated with this record