7.1 In a comprehensive survey of church leaders, training providers and congregation members, participants gave examples of resources or training – of which they had personal knowledge – which they selected for their helpfulness in rural church mission or ministry. Amongst other things, they identified and assessed barriers that emerged in their experience of their chosen examples.


7.2 In one-fifth of all examples of resources or training, no barrier at all is articulated. 7.3 Nearly half the barriers that are identified are structural, i.e. essentially extrinsic to the user: availability, time, cost, and accessibility.


7.4 Slightly less commonly selected are barriers associated with the material being used: assumptions, relevance, structure or format, and content.


7.5 Far less frequently chosen are barriers related to the provision of material (delivery; methodology) or to the learners themselves (user ability).


7.6 A range of more specific barriers are identified beyond these more general categories, including: (a) lack of personnel – those actually available or sufficiently experienced; (b) lack of follow-up – discouraging future engagement; (c) need to use computers or have internet access; (d) location or travel requirements; (e) source of material provided – e.g. denominational or theological emphasis; (f) existence of multiple, competing, similar resources.


8.1 Twenty-two key recommendations and conclusions emerge from this report, based on both the literature survey and the new research, and relating specifically to the overcoming of barriers to adult learning in rural church contexts. These are grouped into five categories: (a) information – provision, dissemination and evaluation; (b) rural- proofing – resourcing, learning and training (content and provision); (c) approaches to learning and teaching – both learners and providers; (d) CBL and the internet – both opportunity and problem; (e) empowerment and involvement of the laity – affirming laity and clergy.


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