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The
economics of the black churches in the UK
Churches in general sometimes consider how they can expand
their operations to serve their community better. This might
include plans buy a new building, or refurbish and extend
and exisiting building. This conference looks at the possibilities,
and enables Barclays bank to present finance opportunities
particularly tailored to churches needs.
The
numbers
There
are nearly 4000 black majority churches in Britain, with a
million adherents around the country. The black Pentecostal
churches have about 300,000 members.
Visit
certain areas of London on a Sunday morning and chances are
you'll see a stream of well-dressed families en route to church.
It's likely more than half will be from ethnic minorities.
People of African and Caribbean origin make up 2% of the UK's
population but account for more than two-thirds of Sunday
church-goers in London and 7% of worshippers nationwide, research
has shown.
New
figures from the Christian Research Association show that
over the last five years black church membership has grown
by around 18% compared with a 5% drop for churches nationally.
Financial
Success
Black
majority churches are not only successful at attracting worshippers,
many are hugely financially successful too, in stark comparison
to many of the UK's traditional churches. Glory House church
had a turnover of nearly £1.5m last year much of it
in the form of tithes - donations by members of around 10%
of their income (ie tithes).
The
Guardian newspaper recently reported that The Kingsway International
Christian Centre (KICC), in Walthamstow, has filed company
accounts which reveal it made a £4.9m profit over the
last 18 months. It also has assets of £22.9m - more
than three times the amount held by the foundation which maintains
St Paul's Cathedral.
KICC's
wealth stems largely from the donations it encourages from
its 8,000-strong largely African and Caribbean congregation.
They gave £9.5m in tithes and offerings in the 18 months
to April 2008, dwarfing the £33,000 that the average
Church of England congregation gave over the same period.
However,
not all black churches have a healthy income, since it is
based on the size of the congregations, and the financial
status of the worshippers. Some churches have very small congregations
of 10 or more.
Mainstream
Influence
Interestingly,
most black people in the UK attend mainstream churches such
as, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist or Church of England, with
many in urban areas having a majority of ethnic minority parishioners.
For instance, many seventh day adventists churches have 99%
congregations in certain urban areas, yet in other parts of
the country, the congregations are 99% white.
Organisations
for Public engagement
African
Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA) had until March 2009
represented the black-led churches in the UK. It is no longer
in operation, but its work lives on.
ACEA
was established in 1984 as a national umbrella organisation
for Black Majority Churches and organisations in the UK, providing
an authentic voice and identity for its constituents, focusing
on their specific needs, tackling inequalities and representing
them to government, statutory agencies and the church nationally
and internationally. ACEA is also a lead partner in the publication
of the Black Majority Churches directory which is now online,
and is a registered umbrella organisation with Criminal Records
Bureau (CRB).
The
many initiatives it has launched include the Watato Project
for mentoring Black youth, the Theological Study Group articulating
the theological needs and concerns of black Christians in
the UK, the Safe and Sound child protection conference and,
with the Centre for Youth Ministry, an accredited youth work
ministry course specifically for people working in or with
Black communities.
Black
church groups hav engaged with the government and worked in
partnership with other agencies on numerous occasions, one
of the most recent being the Olympic initiative More Than
Gold.
ACEA
hosted the ground-breaking Faith in the Future Conference
in 2000 and went on to contribute to a number of collaborative
governance initiatives such as the Aiming for Excellence conference
in 2007, and the development of new model trust deeds for
independent churches.
Black
Church Groups have provided a public voice for the Black Majority
Church on many issues, notably the Stephen Lawrence inquiry,
the murder of Damilola Taylor, giving evidence at the Victoria
Climbie inquiry, and the appointment of Paul Boateng, the
first black Cabinet minister. In 2007, black church personalities
were involved in several events marking the bicentenary of
the abolition of slave trade legislation, including representing
Black Christians at the national service at Westminster Abbey.
Black Church groups had akey role in the walk for peace following
the shootings in Peckham and Brixton in the same year and
have been supporters of Global Day of Prayer (London) from
the outset.
Church
leaders will continue to interact authorities regarding issues
of public concerns.
Denominations
representing hundreds of churches.
Church
of God of Prophecy
New
Testament Assembly
New
Testament Church of God
Seventh
Day Adventists
Kingsway
International Christian Centre
Redeemed
Church of God
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