Attracting and integrating newcomers into church life: research in four countries

Abstract

This article highlights the importance of considering the flow of newcomers into church life and the inadequacy of relying solely upon changes in numbers of attenders in assessing the effectiveness of churches. Drawing upon data collected in four countries, Australia, England, New Zealand and the United States of America, this article looks at the experiences of newcomers joining churches and the kinds of churches in which they become involved. Two sub‐groups are examined: returnees to church life who may have been absent from church for several years and ‘first‐time’ newcomers. The project provides large enough samples of newcomers to understand in some detail their backgrounds, religious beliefs, attitudes, reasons for joining church and subsequent experiences of church life.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of the partners in the 2001 International Congregational Life Survey; in the United States, the Research Services office of the Presbyterian Church (USA); in England, Churches Information for Mission (CIM); in New Zealand, Church Life Survey‐New Zealand (CLS‐NZ); in Australia, NCLS Research.