Discipleship activities of local churches
Resource Type: Article
Topics: discipleship faith sharing faith-sharing evangelism evangelisation small groups
Beyond Sunday services, churches across the country are actively discipling and reaching out. See what’s working in local churches—from small groups to outreach events—and how your church might grow in impact.
According to the latest NCLS findings, 91% of churches run some form of discipleship activity beyond Sunday worship. Whether it’s through small groups, youth programs, or women’s ministries, churches are nurturing faith beyond the pulpit.
Even more, 78% run regular small Bible study, discussion or prayer groups, and 47% run short-term faith exploration courses like Alpha or Lent studies. Interestingly, Catholic parishes are almost twice as likely to offer short-term groups compared to Protestant churches (79% vs. 43%).
In terms of evangelism, seven in ten churches offer some form of outreach or evangelistic activity. This might look like guest speaker events, community fairs, or courses that invite newcomers to explore faith.
Churches also see themselves as active in four key areas:
Sometimes, the most effective way to grow is to invest in what's already working—and extend the invitation to one more person.
Results show that four in 10 say yes
Starting points for churchgoers to connect with others
Being invited by friends or relatives is a very common way in which people join religious groups.
Reaching out to local communities in a variety of ways, in order to share love, hope and faith.