Church Planting and Revitalisation Catalyst in Birmingham

The Church Planting and Revitalisation Catalyst is part of the Mission Support Team, contributing to Church of England Birmingham’s vision to grow churches at the heart of each community. Reporting to the Director of Mission, the role supports the development of new worshipping communities across the diocese as part of our wider strategy for Church Planting and Revitalisation. Working alongside bishops, archdeacons, and local leaders, the postholder will help shape and support new expressions of church that are prayerful, mission-focused, and rooted in their local context, nurturing new disciples and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ across Birmingham and the surrounding areas.

Church of England Birmingham is committed to seeing churches grow at the heart of every community. Church planting and parish revitalisation form a central part of this vision, with strong support from the bishops and senior leadership across the diocese. The bishops have made church planting and revitalisation a clear priority and are actively committed to supporting this work across our parishes and communities. This work is supported by significant national investment, including a recent £5.7 m award from the Church Commissioners, enabling the diocese to strengthen and expand its work in church planting and revitalisation alongside wider priorities around parish growth, discipleship, prayer, and the growth of younger and more diverse worshipping communities.

New worshipping communities may take a variety of forms, including parish-based plants and revitalisations, and the diocese is committed to encouraging contextually shaped expressions of church in estates, urban neighbourhoods, and rural communities. This role supports local churches and leaders to move from vision to implementation, ensuring that church plants and revitalisations are thoughtfully designed, well supported, and rooted in their local context.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Delivery
  • Work within the diocesan mission strategy for Parish Growth and Church Planting & Revitalisation as set by the Director of Mission and the Church Planting & Revitalisation Strategic Theme Board.
  • Support the sequencing and delivery of planting and revitalisation activity in collaboration with the Director of Mission, Archdeacons, and diocesan colleagues.
  • Translate diocesan vision and priorities into clear Mission Designs for individual church plants and revitalisations.
  • Ensure new worshipping communities contribute to wider diocesan priorities, particularly the growth of younger and more diverse congregations.
• Project Leadership
  • Establish and support Project Steering Groups for agreed church plants and revitalisations.
  • Accompany clergy and lay leaders through the design and early implementation of new worshipping communities.
  • Support local teams in areas including vision and identity, governance and safeguarding, worship and mission, leadership and employment, buildings, and finance.
  • Work closely with the Project Management Office to ensure appropriate planning, monitoring, and evaluation in line with diocesan processes.
  • Line manage the Rural Missioner, supporting the development of new worshipping communities in rural contexts and encouraging creative and sustainable forms of church life in smaller or dispersed communities.
  • Additionally, line manage the New Worshipping Communities Support Officer who will be supporting our Church Revitalisation strategy and help to implement the Mission Designs for our new worshipping communities across CofeB.
• Supporting Local Leadership
  • Encourage and support leaders to develop mission responses that are prayerful, theologically grounded, and rooted in their local context.
  • Work constructively across different theological traditions and cultural settings.
  • Pay careful attention to power dynamics, ensuring that voices from across communities are heard and valued.
  • Encourage collaboration and shared learning between church plants and revitalisations.
  • Lead engagement with the CCX Plant Course, supporting leaders and teams to integrate learning into local mission practice.
• Collaboration, Networks and Learning
  • Contribute to the prayerful and relational culture of the Mission Support Team.
  • Work collaboratively with colleagues supporting Growing Younger (youth, children and families) mission and ministry, and Mission & Discipleship Enabling (supporting parishes and oversight areas in local mission and discipleship).
  • Help cultivate a growing network of leaders engaged in church planting and revitalisation across the diocese, enabling peer support, shared learning, and encouragement between contexts.
  • Contribute to the development of a New Congregations Leadership Network to support both lay and ordained leaders involved in planting and revitalisation.
  • Engage with relevant national and regional learning networks including CCX, New Wine, and the National Estate Church Network.
• Prayer and Communication
  • Play a full part in the prayer life of the Mission Support Team.
  • Work with the Communications Team to share stories of learning, growth, and impact, demonstrating that church planting and revitalisation are good news for Church of England Birmingham and the communities we serve.
  • Commit to ongoing professional development in mission and church planting practice.

Person Specification

This post is open to lay or ordained applicants.

Essential

• There is a Genuine Occupational Requirement in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 that the post holder is a practicing and committed, prayerful Christian with a love for the Church and a heart for mission.
• Strong alignment with the diocesan vision to grow churches at the heart of each community.
• Experience of supporting or leading new mission initiatives within a church context, with a good understanding of church planting and/or revitalisation in the Anglican tradition.
• Ability to support leaders in developing mission responses that are prayerful, theologically grounded, realistic, and rooted in their local context.
• Strong relational and facilitation skills, able to work constructively across theological traditions, cultures, and communities.
• Sensitivity to culture, power and inclusion within mission contexts.
• Organised and self-motivated, able to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.
• Confidence in participating in and leading corporate prayer.
• Good understanding of Church of England structures and parish life.
• IT literate and confident using Microsoft Office.
• Willingness to travel across the Diocese and work evenings or weekends when required.

Desirable

• Experience of leadership within a church plant or revitalisation.
• Experience of mission in urban, multi-cultural, or intergenerational contexts.
• Experience of working with externally funded programmes or change initiatives.

Terms & Conditions

• Salary and Pension: Salary of £42,230 plus membership of the Church Worker’s Pension Scheme with 12% employer contribution.
• Hours: Full-time 35 hours (5 days) per week. We are happy to consider requests for flexible working and candidates seeking part-time hours. Please do mention in your application if you would be interested in looking at alternative working hours.
• Holidays: 5 weeks per year plus Bank Holidays and 3 Discretionary Days between Christmas and New Year.
• Employer: Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance.
• Responsible To: Director of Mission.

CLOSING DATE: 16th April 2026

INTERVIEWS: 29th April 2026 (in-person to be held in Birmingham)

The Church of England Birmingham is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community – a place where all can be themselves and bring their unique identity to their ministry and/or work. We welcome applications from any individuals who feel that they meet the person specification for any post, in particular from those who are currently under‑represented in or staff teams such as those from Global Majority Heritage or UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds, those with visible or invisible disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQI+. We offer a range of inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and other services to our staff teams. The Church of England Birmingham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment.