What Do We Do When Church Stops Working?

What Do We Do When Church Stops Working? A Day with Andrew Root

Monday 3 March 2025; 10am-4:15pm, St. Helen’s Church, Worcester.

Narratives of church decline, especially the loss of younger generations, are everywhere. But what if our cultural assumptions have informed our view of ministry and church so much we’ve become blind to what God’s doing? What if this ‘dying’ church is actually where we might find the very ministry of God?

We invite you to a study day with Andrew Root, the Carrie Olson Baalson professor of youth and family ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Alongside various Youth Ministry publications, Andrew has recently completed a 7 part series, reflecting theologically on topics like evangelism, church decline, secular mysticism and congregations within a secular age. 

During the day, Andrew will guide us through secularity in the west and understanding why ministry feels so hard. He will explore the present pace of western life, the ‘accelerated age,’ and how the church functions within it. He will explore the narratives of church decline, and where we might discover God within it. He will also unpack the particularity of Youth Ministry provision in this age, and how we might move beyond narratives of attrition to a praxis of fruitfulness. 

Refreshments provided throughout the day. 

You are welcome to bring a packed lunch and hang out with others during the lunch break.  St Helen's Church is in the heart of the City of Worcester, with plenty of eateries to purchase food. 

More info and tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/d9zm4fcb

Tickets go on sale 11/12 - £12 Early Bird Tickets / £15 after 31st Jan.