NCLS Research in Macquarie Park, New South Wales | Non-profit organisation

NCLS Research

Locality: Macquarie Park, New South Wales

Phone: +61 2 9139 2525

Address: 9/122 Herring Rd 2113 Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.ncls.org.au

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• Community organisation

25.01.2022 Over the weekend, Dr Ruth Powell had the pleasure of presenting at the Uniting Church National History Society conference. #UnitingChurchAu #ChurchUniting

25.01.2022 Dr Ruth Powell was pleased to attend the launch of a new multi-ethnic churches network, this week. She accepted the invitation to share some of our learnings about cultural diversity in Australian churches. (NCLS Research) #multicultural #2021ncls

23.01.2022 Gary Hourigan, International Network of Churches, Australia, National Director of Church Health and Growth commends the 2021 NCLS: INC had by far our strongest involvement with the 2016 NCLS National Survey, with 80% of our churches participating. Not only did this give us helpful insights into the state of faith in the Australian Community, but it gave us insight into the current health (strengths and development areas) of our denomination as a whole and for each local church individually. These insights are extremely valuable when evaluating progress towards our mission. These results are always dynamic, so we will be inviting our churches to participate once again in 2021 to see what progress we have made and what challenges are now current. 2021ncls.org.au

23.01.2022 Pastor Stephen Schultz, Lutheran Church of Australia, SA-NT District, Assistant Bishop for Mission: I have found the data from the NCLS profiles to be invaluable when working with congregations as they assess their ministry and mission. The instrument provides a wealth of information that helps congregations to reflect deeply on their identity, strengths and areas to focus on in the future. I will be strongly encouraging all congregations in our District to complete the 2021 survey. 2021ncls.org.

22.01.2022 What makes a healthy church? There are many different ways that people will look for signs of a healthy church. NCLS Researchers have delved deep into this topic to help us better understand what the wellbeing of a church looks like. Research evaluates churches as healthy when they help churchgoers to: - Build relationships with God... - Build relationships with others - Build relationships with the wider community The 2021 NCLS Survey is a great way to check in on the wellbeing of your church. In October and November thousands of churches across Australia will participate in the 2021 National Church Life Survey (2021 NCLS). The survey is designed to listen to the views of your leadership, attenders, and broader community to provide a picture of your church’s health and vitality. The results will help you identify your strengths and provide processes to help you evaluate, make decisions and connect effectively with your community. - Dr Ruth Powell: Director, NCLS Research Find out about the health of your church and contribute to the profile of the church in Australia today and be a part of the 2021 National Church life Survey. Register your interest/ find out more here www.2021ncls.org.au

22.01.2022 How do we move forward without looking at where we have come from or where we are now to ultimately make decisions for the future? How do you gather that information and where do you start? Start by participating in the 2021 NCLS survey, it can make a huge impact on the future of your church. -See emerging trends -Inspire fresh directions -Make informed choices for the future... Gain valuable insights not only for your church but from the wider body of Christ in Australia. In order to be part of the conversation, get your church involved. Order your surveys here: 2021ncls.org.au

21.01.2022 The 2021 NCLS produces evidence based findings to resource leadership at the local, regional, denominational and national levels. Practical resources, reports, articles and academic publications are generated based on the NCLS results. https://2021ncls.org.au/outcomes

21.01.2022 Watch our Video on Australians' Spiritual Practices in 2020 vs 2019. A national sample of Australians reflect on whether they have drawn on spiritual practices in 2020 more, less or the same as in 2019. (2020 Australian Community Survey run by NCLS Research in November 2020). https://youtu.be/--SqVJr5m4s

20.01.2022 Today we observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. NCLS researchers are currently engaged in a research project, collecting stories and data from women who have experienced intimate partner violence. http://ncls.org.au/Research/NAFVP #IDEVAW

20.01.2022 Have you heard of Messy Church? No, we're not talking about the ones that forget to vacuum! It is a delightful church format that brings young and old together worshiping in what can sometimes be a beautiful mess filled with children's activities. You might be surprised to know that urban areas are the most common for messy churches with almost two-thirds (63%), followed by regional (24%) and then rural areas (15%). Interestingly, Messy Church distribution across localities ...does not match the general distribution of churches across Australia. What do you think about the Messy Church concept? Would your church start running this ministry? Download our Messy Church in Australia report to learn more: https://shop.ncls.org.au/messy-church-in-australia

19.01.2022 NCLS Research Board and staff offer our condolences to the Low family and friends on the passing of Ross Low (retired CEO of BaptistCare). Ross was instrumental in the Baptist Church becoming a primary partner involved in our governance and strategic directions. He served on the NCLS Research Board in 2018 (3rd from left in back row).

19.01.2022 Mums top the list with around six in ten church attenders recognising that their mum was one of the most significant people to show them what faith was about. This is higher than any other person - fathers came second at 40%. The importance of mums as role models of faith was true across the generations and she came top of the list for those aged under 30 (58%) and those aged over 70 years (66%). This Mother's Day, let's recognise the special importance Mums can have in nurt...uring, growing and encouraging faith in our homes and churches. Find out more about Role Models for Faith here: http://ncls.org.au/news/parents-role-models-for-faith

18.01.2022 Listen up church leaders and get involved! This Pastor from Sydney would agree with us: "As a congregational pastor I have used the NCLS since I was involved in pastoral ministry. It has been a great tool to help me, congregation leaders and the wider congregation to understand our mission and ministry. At times it has confirmed our thoughts and at times it has broadened our view of our congregation, enabling us to serve more effectively." Richard Schwedes, Pastor: St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Sydney All local Christian churches in Australia will receive the 2021 NCLS Leaders survey. Please make sure to participate and also get your church to complete the attender survey. Learn more here: 2021ncls.org.au/

17.01.2022 Australians who are moderately religious or spiritual show a high belief in the possibility of mystical and/or supernatural experiences, even if they have not experienced it themselves. (2019 ACS). Read the report https://reports.ncls.org.au/profile/ACSQSP2019/RCKPYR

16.01.2022 Shoutout to McCrindle Research for the lovely surprise parcel that arrived on our doorstep this week for collaborating with us on an Anglican project. We love working with you, thank you so much for your generosity!

15.01.2022 In healthy churches people build relationships with each other It makes a lot of sense that those attending a healthy church feel that they can make connections. In vital faith communities, people have a sense of belonging. From the 2016 National Church Life Survey we know that 85% of church attenders had a strong sense of belonging to their local church and furthermore 79% agreed that they found it easy to make friends in their church. ... How healthy is your church community and do your attenders feel like they are building relationships with each other? Find out by participating in the 2021 NCLS. Learn more about this year’s survey here: 2021ncls.org.au. Keep in touch with NCLS by subscribing to our e-news http://ncls.org.au/subscribe

14.01.2022 Pastor Scott Guyatt, Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod, Director - Mission Strategy: The National Church Life Survey offers a unique insight into the state of the church in Australia: measures of health and vitality, insights into worship and discipleship life, engagement with community and more. We’ve used NCLS results to look at local congregations, regions, the experiences of different age groups, and our whole denomination. Not only have the standard NCLS rep...orts been helpful to us, but the team have been ready and able to produce specific insights from the data available, and to work with us on denominational requirements both before and after the survey is conducted. I’m delighted to work with NCLS and thankful for the tools they provide that help make sense of the current state of our church, and unlock future directions for us. 2021ncls.org.au See more

14.01.2022 Is there diversity in Australian church leadership? Around six in ten church attenders are female, yet 22% of local church leaders are female. We live in a multicultural country with almost 30% born overseas. Our churches are made up of people from many different backgrounds, with over a third of church attenders born outside Australia. When it comes to leadership, some 12% of local church leaders were born in non-English speaking countries.The 2021 National Church Life Survey will help map our church leaders today and help churches and denominations plan for raising and equipping the church leaders for tomorrow. Be a part of NCLS 2021. Find out more here 2021ncls.org.au/

14.01.2022 Healthy churches build relationships with their wider community The church exists to love their neighbour and be in relationship with those around them. How does the local church have a relationship with their wider community? In the 2016 National Church Life Survey 46% of churchgoers were involved in wider community groups. Some 72% said they were willing to invite friends and relatives to their church, while 35% did invite someone to church. We encourage churches to keep b...eing mindful of this and how we can connect with our community outside the church. The 2021 NCLS has a new component, the Local Community Survey (for members of the church community beyond regular attenders). This new offering for 2021 allows local churches to hear from those in their community who may not be regular churchgoers. It is designed to hear their views and practices. The Local Community Survey is an additional extra that you can order with your regular surveys. Order your church’s survey’s today at 2021ncls.org.au/

12.01.2022 Men and women do not differ greatly on rating the importance of faith or spirituality in their decision making. However, men are more likely than women to rate it as not important. (2019 ACS). Read the report... https://reports.ncls.org.au/profile/ACSQSP2019/GXM9BN

12.01.2022 According to our research, newcomers to church are most likely to be young adults who seek out the church in their early to mid adulthood (20s to 40s). Not surprisingly, the top influence on newcomers' decisions to start attending their current church was that they knew people there. This is a great encouragement for us to invite our family and friends to church. Who can you invite this week? Visitors: people who do not normally attend the church where they filled out the s...urvey Newcomers: were not previously attending anywhere else Switchers: previously attended a church of a different denomination Transfers: previously attended a church of the same denomination Long-term attenders: attended the church for more than five years #NCLS #research #churches

10.01.2022 Pastor David Schmidt, Lutheran Church of Australia, QLD District, Director, Ministry and Mission: The National Church Life Survey provides a consistent approach to understanding the heartbeat of the local congregation. When used with intention and purpose, it can provide solid direction for future missional and ministry planning. 2021ncls.org.au

10.01.2022 Did you know that National Reconciliation Week (NRW) started as the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation in 1993 and was supported by Australia’s major faith communities? "NRW is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia." (Reconciliation Australia) We want to acknowledge NRW by highlighting some of our past research into church attenders’ views on this subject. 62% of Australian church attenders agree that churches should actively promote the process of reconciliation more. To find out about the aspirations for churches to do more about indigenous justice here: http://ncls.org.au///news/gap-between-aspiration-and-action

09.01.2022 Hear from one of the church leaders that actively participates in the National Church Life Survey every five years how the survey helps him assess the health of his church: "My church, the Seaton Christian Family Centre, has participated in the surveys every 5 years since 1992, and we have found them extremely beneficial. The surveys provide us with detailed information about what our congregational members are thinking about the church, their faith, level of satisfaction, w...hat they most value, their commitment to the vision and values of the church...and so much more. Their answers, along with the church scores in the 9 core qualities, provide the basis for our leadership to make a rational assessment of our church health; leading to changes in plans, priorities and programs to address areas of weakness revealed by the surveys. Then, in the following survey results 5 years later, it is always heartening to see increased scores in the areas which have been given more attention. Of course each survey usually reveals a declining score in one or more areas, alerting us to make further adjustments." - Ian Hunter: Pastor: Seaton Christian Family Centre How healthy is your church? Find out by participating in the 2021 NCLS: 2021ncls.org.au/

09.01.2022 Keep an eye out for the next issue of Eternity News Magazine. It is landing in Christian churches, bookstores, charities and schools nationally from this week. Make sure to check out our article on page 25 and read all about the upcoming 2021 NCLS survey and why it's important for your church to get involved. #EternityNews #2021NCLS

09.01.2022 In healthy churches people grow in their relationship with God This is what those who attend church say According to the 2016 National Church Life Survey, 46% of churchgoers said they had much growth in their faith in the previous 12 months (28% through their church). During worship services 77% said they always or usually experienced ‘growth in understanding of God’ and 83% said they always or usually ‘sensed God’s presence’ in church. ... The way we did church in 2020 changed dramatically because of the pandemic and churches are still changing and adapting their services in the wake of COVID-19. The 2021 National Church Life Survey is a great way to check in with your attenders to see where they are at and how they are coping with the new frontier of what church looks like. Find out about the health of your church and contribute to the profile of the church in Australia today and be a part of the 2021 NCLS. Register your interest/ find out more here: 2021ncls.org.au.

07.01.2022 Lieut. Colonel Lyn Edge, The Salvation Army in Australia, Secretary for Mission: Like the men of Issachar in 1 Chronicles 12:32, The Salvation Army seeks understand our times and know what we should do. The NCLS is a vital tool for us as we understand ourselves and our times so we might adapt to serve Australia and Australians in our generation. 2021ncls.org.au

07.01.2022 We congratulate Sam Sterland for marking 20 years working with the NCLS Research team this month! Sam says that he had a strong sense of God's call to work with this team. We are so thankful for his long-term commitment and service over the decades. Sam is currently supporting church leaders to make the most of the upcoming 2021 National Church Life Survey. #NCLS #2021ncls #churches #workanniversary #20years #research #goodandfaithfulservant

07.01.2022 Erin Grainger, Lutheran Church of Australia, Victorian District, Congregational Support and Migrant Ministry Officer: The NCLS Survey results and Community Profiles are great to use in conversation around healthy Congregations and relevance to local community context. The data can kick start some new ideas and assist in honing in on where to focus action. 2021ncls.org.au

06.01.2022 Women are more likely than men to have had a mystical or supernatural experience. (2019 ACS). Read the report https://reports.ncls.org.au/profile/ACSQSP2019/RCKPYR

06.01.2022 Are you a Christian aged 18 - 40? What are your views on climate change and the role of Christians and the church? Please take a few minutes to complete this brief anonymous survey. (You may or may not attend church regularly). If you are not in this age bracket, please share with your friends and family who are. Please follow this link to complete the survey... https://ncls.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Z1s9D3Ph3t5Vl4 This survey is sponsored by Tearfund is an international organisation committed to the alleviation of poverty and their Australian program focuses on partnership and discipleship among Christians and churches. (www.tearfund.org.au). Tearfund has commissioned NCLS Research to build and run this survey.

06.01.2022 Younger Australians aged under 50 are more likely to have had mystical and/or supernatural experiences than older Australians. (2019 ACS). Find out more https://reports.ncls.org.au/profile/ACSQSP2019/RCKPYR

03.01.2022 Are you a CHURCH LEADER? What are your views on climate change? Please take a few minutes to complete this brief anonymous survey. (You may be a leader who is ordained and lay, paid or unpaid). Please follow this link to complete the survey: https://ncls.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qCTq07a2StPCmy The survey is anonymous and will take around 10 minutes. Your views will add to those from other leaders in a wide range of Australian churches.... This survey is sponsored by Tearfund is an international organisation committed to the alleviation of poverty and their Australian program focuses on partnership and discipleship among Christians and churches. (www.tearfund.org.au). Tearfund has commissioned NCLS Research to build and run this survey for local church leaders.

02.01.2022 Our first order came through today from a church in Sydney for the 2021 National Church Life Survey! They were the first, but will you be next? Sign up your church so that your attenders can be part of a national conversation and offer insights to shape the future of the church in Australia. Order your surveys today! 2021ncls.org.au

02.01.2022 Continuing on with the theme of National Reconciliation Week, we want you to think about the preaching in your church. How often is justice for Aboriginal people part of the message coming from the pulpit? As part of the 2016 NCLS survey church leaders were asked how often they would touch on the topic of justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. A majority of church leaders reported that they rarely or never did so (37% rarely, 25% never). Some 21% preached o...ccasionally and 17% did so sometimes or often. While preaching is only one avenue for the tasks of teaching, education and discipleship formation, the survey results suggest that this area awaits development in Australian church life. A gender gap is distinguishable with female leaders more likely to often or sometimes preach on this subject than male leaders, and Catholic and Mainstream Protestant leaders were also more likely to do so than their counterparts from other denominations. Read more about church leaders views on this topic: http://ncls.org.au/ne/leader-views-preaching-reconciliation See more

02.01.2022 Rev. Dr Jack De Vries, Christian Reformed Churches of Australia, Ministry Development Coach: As a small but growing family of churches, the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia are keen to see the gospel advance throughout Australia. We are committed to being 'a church reforming to reach the lost for Christ'. The research done by NCLS provides our churches with a depth of insight into our Australian ministry context as well as valuable resources to expand the impact of the gospel in and through our churches. We encourage all churches to engage with NCLS and avail themselves of the assistance that NCLS provides. 2021ncls.org.au

01.01.2022 A majority of Australians who do not identify with a religion, have had a mystical or supernatural experience, know someone who has, or think it is possible. (2019 ACS). Find out more https://reports.ncls.org.au/profile/ACSQSP2019/RCKPYR