This paper highlights the current spiritual climate of Christianity in Wales today, calling for urgent attention to certain deficits within the Church. Section one begins by examining the claims of secularists who believe that Christianity is in a terminal condition in Britain, and whether that is an accurate view. We then progress by looking for signs of new life in UK churches and what it actually means to be a healthy church.
From there, we turn to the great commission Jesus Christ entrusted to His church prior to His ascension, and look at the relationship between growing healthy disciples of Christ, and the formation of healthy churches.
In section two, we look further at the subject of growing healthy churches and disciples and whether growth models exist, past or present, that are suitable for stimulating church growth in Wales. We examine three different growth systems, their strengths and weaknesses, and consider whether any of these can be used to address the needs of the Church in Wales.
Section three shifts to an examination of the Welsh context, both spiritually and economically, and proposes an appropriate solution designed to address both the discipleship and leadership needs of churches in Wales. We also look at the marks of a healthy, growing church in light of the author’s proposed solution.
Finally, sections five and six then move to an examination of the artefact created by the author of this research paper, Disciple-makers: The Keys To Growth, and how that could begin to reverse the declining tide of Christianity and churches in Wales
