We believe that discipleship is a journey with God that takes people from where they are, into deeper fellowship with him, and his people, the church. God uses his Church to reach a lost world and bring people into his Kingdom. We want to REVITALISE our churches so that this can happen more effectively.

We want our culture and our ministries to connect together to form a realistic pathway that reaches people who are unconnected with church. It can then support them as they journey from the fringe, into the congregation, to become committed disciples who in turn can then take the good news of Jesus to others.

We aim to support churches with funding of up to £50,000 each, so they can put such credible pathways in place, so that every church member can engage with the world in loving service and action, evangelise in words and deeds, establish disciples firmly centred in Jesus and equip them for mission.

We'll start with nine pilots for these pathways, and then roll out REVITALISE across 40 per cent of diocesan parishes.

We’ll also run a range of projects to deliver growth and learn what works well before adopting more widely. These will include:

• A pathfinder project in Paulsgrove parish to support significant growth in an estate community over the next five years. This will also include making the church building fit for mission – it’s a key missional location which needs investment – and a re-energised traditional expression of Church with a family-focussed service in the Catholic tradition.
• New ways of working in partnership between schools and churches, including Choir Church, which creates brand new worshipping communities for families, based on a love of music. Initially this will take place in up to four venues from September 2024 with more to follow in 2025. To read more about Choir Church, click here.
• Continuing with existing grant-funded projects in Newport and North Gosport, and linking them with learning opportunities elsewhere in the diocese.

We’ll grow our capacity for children, families and youth work across all deaneries. Initially this will be by means of:

• Established expert training in this area for clergy and volunteers, via those such as Youthscape LaunchPad and Youthscape Essentials.

• Raising up new leaders in work with children, families and young people from within congregations.

• Providing additional resources, which may include children and youth workers.
• A formal training route for children and youth workers