I’m on a mission, and need your help to prevent it being impossible.

It’s the silly season when Parliament shuts-up shop and country and county snooze in an August siesta with little news save for chubby royal George (why not Dai for he who’ll be the next Prince of Wales, especially for the grandson of a princess who bore the same name -- King Dai!J).

But, back to our mission. Here it is: what makes your church grow?

Since May, Lancashire churches have basked in the glow of record festival attendances, increased baptisms and weekly numbers holding up.

Even this last fact indicates growth. Mad modern mobility means lots of folk flit away, and just to tread water means churches winning lots of new people.

In my final parish in Accrington, I went through three congregations having lost many in the 17 years to heaven and still more to the near and far reaches of our highly-mobile society. Yet, still numbers held up.

I suppose I have some answers after 35 years of ministry but each church is different, and your input would be invaluable.

Some growth answers were obvious at the appropriately-named The Mission in Nelson last Sunday where I was a mere speck in the crowd. It has had at least two positive, believing pastors in the last generation who led from the front.

It’s well known that doubting, unsure leadership is one of the deadliest poisons for many a fellowship.

Ian Humphreys, pastor at The Mission since 2000, praised the foundation work done by a predecessor, Ted Fisher. Talking with those in the congregation, Ian’s of the same ilk, positively attracting many young families and helping the church to explain Jesus’s good news to a modern generation.

More on Nelson next week