St Barnabas Penny Lane reaches out to the ‘Missing Generation’
The Missing Generation Project aims to drive a transformative increase in new disciples aged 11-29. Its mission is to build vibrant, multi-generational church communities that grow rapidly, with a long-term strategy to multiply and establish a culture of church planting throughout the city. This aligns with the Diocese of Liverpool’s ‘Fit for Mission’ programme, which focuses on church transformation.
We spoke to Alex Rayment, Church Leader at St Barnabas Penny Lane who shared with us the story of the project:
What inspired the initial vision for St Barnabas Penny Lane?
We felt the call to move to Liverpool at the early of 2019. Our eldest daughter who was 4 at the time said out of the blue: “When I am 6 I am going to live in Liverpool!” We had no links, connections or experience of Liverpool and yet something about what she said stuck and we found very difficult to shake off. So after lots of prayer and an invitation from the Bishop of Liverpool, we were awarded funding to employ a staff team and refurbish St Barnabas Penny Lane with the intent to be a church that focuses on the missing generation of 11-25year olds and become a resource church with church planting as a core driver. Nearly 4 years on and we average 350-400 people across our three services with 43% of our congregation being between 18 and 25. We are preparing for our first church plant and feel God is still doing more!
How have the project goals evolved?
We are keeping the main thing, we are still devoted to creating a church for those who don’t yet come! We want to see more people come to know Jesus, raise leaders up, and send healthy, deep disciples of Jesus put to plant churches all over Merseyside and beyond.
What were some of the key challenges you faced during the project?
The targets of financial sustainability, headcounts and impact can be overwhelming and make us forget that it is Christ who builds his church and not our strategies, plans and efforts (although they are necessary too!)
Can you share some of the significant milestones or successes you’ve achieved so far in the development of the church community?
Our original goal was to have 410 people attending Sunday services after five years. We are excited to have already reached that milestone—over a year ahead of schedule! To accommodate the growing number of families and children, we recently introduced a third Sunday service at 9 a.m., as both our children’s space and the main sanctuary were nearing capacity.
In addition to this growth, we are currently active in prison ministry, with plans to expand to a second facility soon. We’re also working in accommodation for asylum seekers and refugees and preparing to launch a new church plant in September 2025.
What has been the response from the local community?
We have gotten to know the local community well and with our midweek communion service, toddler group and wider social transformation projects we feel very much part of the local area.
One of the goals is to grow a younger and more diverse congregation. How have you approached this, and what strategies have been most effective?
We place a high priority on training and raising up young people to preach, lead worship and lead services so the thing they are inviting their friends to is something they own. We also genuinely love young people and believe they are the church of today not just the church of tomorrow. Young people have a real, authentic voice at Penny Lane Church and I think that may be why they find home here.
What key lessons have you learned that could be valuable for other churches or dioceses looking to pursue similar projects?
Getting external voices outside of our denomination and networks sharpens us like nothing else! I have found such life in outsourcing coaching and mentoring. Also someone once said ‘Leaders are readers’. I have a borderline obsession with reading for our church’s health, my own health as a leader and how we can apply health to the wider church. Aim for health and the growth will come.
What advice would you give to other church leaders or diocese teams who are interested in engaging younger and more diverse communities?
Keep going and let your diary reflect your dreams. If you want young people to come to your church, fill your diary with meeting them or praying for them. It goes without saying that for a healthy church, we need people of all ages, however, we will have to lay down worship preferences if we are going to see people who aren’t yet in our buildings find a place to call home. It’s a challenge but it’s not a new one!
How do you see the future of St. Barnabas/Penny Lane Church?
We want to baptise a lot of people, plant churches and grow as a family as we go. That means preaching the gospel in and out of season, continuing to sow vision of growth and transformation, and placing fun, depth and health at the centre of our life together as a church.
