Last night I attended a lecture at Massey University (Albany campus) by Professor Peter Lineham. Peter is a Christian who has combined his faith with academic analysis of trends in religion and church in New Zealand society over a long period of time. http://www.massey.ac.nz/~plineham/ A lot of what he showed in graphs and surveys and studies has some relevance to those who are now living more organically in the way we express our Christianity. Here are some of the more relevant notes I took below.
Ø The large majority of New Zealand Christians do not want to be members of a denomination.
Ø There have been far larger changes in N.Z worship patterns over the last 50 years than in Australia. In 2001, 46% of N.Zers did not acknowledge a religious connection compared to Australia where only 27% did not.
Ø 29.7% of N.Zers acknowledge that they used to belong to a religious group. Lineham says that there has been no proper academic study or analysis about what has happened and is happening with this sizeable group!
Ø The only sizeable denomination growing in N.Z is the Catholic Church but compared to 50 years ago when half attended mass every week only 20% do so now.
Ø In the statistics for the Pentecostal stream of churches growth appears to be static neither going up or down (I think, I found it hard to follow that graph!)
Ø Statistically speaking the Pentecostal church is phenomenally successful in reaching 14 to 25 year olds. The rates of attendance are far higher then the national geographical age spread. Basically the Pentecostal church is seeing incredible harvest with youth.
Ø BUT from the age of 30 the statistics for the Pentecostal church basically collapse and mainline along the bottom of the graph. It is the worst stream for the retention of members and attendees in every age group over 30. This has been shown over the last 20 years. So basically between 25 and 30 something happens to this harvest of youth either moving to non Pentecostal churches or leaving the church all together are the likely two options (my guess here).
Ø In the 1971 census the New Zealand Church became very feminised (far more Females than Males). This statistic has become worse with each preceding Census.
Ø Of interest Lineham said that there are currently 88 congregations with over 500 in membership in New Zealand meaning at least 50 000 N.Zers go to big churches. This seems neat and amazing but when questioned further Lineham said of these 88 churches, 22 were ethnic / cultural churches. A further 31 of them were Catholic Churches who because of the lack of Priests have consolidated there parishes. Also because the Mormon Church was being included, my guess it's that another 3 or so would be Mormon Churches. So from 88 congregations there are actually only 32 Protestant Churches with membership over 500 (not attendance remember) in the whole of New Zealand who are reaching mainstream (not ethnic minorities) New Zealand. So on average you have one of these churches of 500 for every 125 000 N.Zers. I am not sure if this is good or bad. (Remember this is my theory here not Lineham's, he just provided the stats at the top of this comment).
I wrote these thoughts from some notes I took on the night, so may not
be accurate.
