Together (Winter 2015) by FIEC

together WINTER 2015

FIEC.ORG.UK

THE MAGAZINE OF FIEC

Church Revitalisation: Life-Giving ALSO INSIDE: Training Fundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first million A band of brothers Growing churches that plant churches

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Together is published by FIEC, 39 The Point, Market Harborough, LE16 7QU. 01858 434540 fiec.org.uk admin@fiec.org.uk fb.com/theFIEC @theFIEC EDITOR Phil Topham 01858 411553 phil.topham@fiec.org.uk DESIGNED BY AH Graphic Design www.ahgraphicdesign.co.uk ah@ahgraphicdesign.co.uk 07500 465753 Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

We get much less junk mail these days. In the past there would be piles of post that I never opened but, nowadays, most of the junk comes on email. The stuff I get through my door tends to be more important. Amongst the bills and the bank statements there is often an update from a missionary organisation or a prayer letter from a Christian group who are sharing Christ in a particular situation. This isn’t junk mail – what drops through my door is an important update to fuel prayers or encourage me into evangelism. Here at the FIEC we’re hoping that you might consider receiving Together magazine in the same way. We print thousands of copies to send to our churches but we know that a lot of them end up being recycled without ever being read. So we’re planning to send fewer copies to churches and instead encourage you to sign up and receive Together magazine in the post. This is the penultimate edition that will be mailed out in bulk. Why not return the form on page 6 so that, if you currently pick up your copy at church, you receive your future copies by post? Together magazine is a great way to hear about what our Fellowship of churches is doing to further the gospel in our nation. This edition includes news about our plans for church revitalisation as well as profiling church plants, explaining how they have benefited from the FIEC Training Fund and our Practical Services team. And don’t forget to check out Primer – our new theological resource. Enjoy! Phil Topham FIEC Head of Communication

CONTENTS 3

Church revitalisation – a renewed vision

20 Fund trains Longbridge pastor

Why ‘fellowship’?

22 A band of brothers

10 Growing churches that plant churches 12 It started in the dining room 15 News in brief 18 Training Fund’s first million

FIEC Together Winter 2015

24 Partnership in training 26 Book reviews 28 New church plant recognitions and church affiliations

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CROSSWAY CHURCH, NORTHFIELD

CHURCH REVITALISATION – A RENEWED VISION John James has always had a heart for church planting, so why is he now the pastor of a 75-year-old chapel in Birmingham? The answer is simple: church revitalisation. This is the story of how a church planter was called to revitalise a struggling chapel in Britain’s second city. In 2010 John James and his wife Sarah were members of City Church in Birmingham and John was finishing his fiec.org.uk

ministry training at Oak Hill College in London. He had always felt called to plant a church and it seemed right to explore the option of a new church in Birmingham as he finished his college course. John and Sarah know Birmingham well and Sarah had

grown up in the Northfield area. As they explored the possibilities of a plant, with the backing of City Church, they discovered the church Sarah attended as a child – Helier Chapel – was still active in Northfield but that its membership had dwindled to just 14. John and Sarah began to pray. Did God want them to plant a new church in Northfield or could there be a role for John at Helier Chapel? FIEC Together Winter 2015

Five years on and Helier Chapel is now Crossway Church – a fellowship with a renewed vision and a membership of 52. What John has done under God in Northfield is an unusual type of church planting called church replanting or revitalisation. For John, it is just as important as the need for brand new plants.

Revitalisation advantages “At first, I felt like I was doing church planting with none of the freedom and all of the stress,” reflects John. “But then I started to realise that church revitalisation has some huge advantages over a new church

plant. We had a building, existing finances and a multigenerational congregation from day one. You don’t always get that with a church plant.”

CHURCH REVITALISATION HAS SOME HUGE ADVANTAGES OVER A NEW CHURCH PLANT. Helier Chapel was a former Brethren congregation when John began to talk with them about becoming their pastor and beginning this new work. Set in a housing estate of

some 3,000 homes, a faithful leadership team was steering the church but most Sundays they were receiving ministry from visiting preachers rather than consistent Bible teaching.

Answered prayer “As Sarah and I reflected on it, we decided it would be mad to plant a church in Northfield without at least having the conversation with Helier Chapel,” says John. “It turns out that this is what they had been praying for. Although the church was small, the congregation was committed to outreach and had Richard Mansell from Birmingham City Mission working with them when I arrived. “I talked and prayed with the leadership before presenting the church with an agenda for change. I outlined a route to faith from someone who is an unbeliever and has never been to church to a fully committed active member, explaining how the church would need to adapt for all stages of this process.

Making changes

JOHN BAPTISES A NEW CONVERT AT CROSSWAY

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“Then I identified the changes – a move to in-house, consistent Bible teaching, a change in the way decisions were made and a change in Sunday mornings from a breaking of bread service to a family service with a children’s talk. I also wanted to introduce fiec.org.uk

space for fellowship after our morning service.” After becoming Helier Chapel’s new pastor in September 2010, John began by preaching through the book of Mark to help the church regain its confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel. He then preached a series which took the church through the FIEC Doctrinal Basis as they didn’t have one when he arrived. John worked with the leadership team to re-instate an eldership and a formal membership process, and that enabled them to adopt a constitution together. This made it relatively straightforward to join the FIEC further down the line and the church made that decision as part of their desire to exist for the benefit of those beyond their own walls. John says it was a deliberate move away from isolation to independency in partnership with other gospel centred churches.

CROSSWAY HAS SEEN 18 BAPTISMS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. “It’s easy to talk about change,” he explains, “but doing it is a different thing. We took in a team of eight who cared about local church and were servant hearted

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ELDER MATT COOK SPEAKING TO THE KIDS

and they joined the 14 who were already there. A huge advantage was that Tony – the only elder at Helier – was fully on board and the existing church family trusted him.”

Support and training Six months into the revitalisation process Richard Mansell came to the end of his placement from Birmingham City Mission and Phil Swinburn joined the church as an intern. The church funded his Bible College training and he worked three days a week discipling young believers and leading the community-focused youth work on a Friday night. But as everything began to

change at the church, John says things became quite difficult: “The first 18 months were really hard. Some people left and others questioned what we were doing and my motives for coming – there is a real cost involved in work like this. “Despite that, there was a collective desire, across the generations, for the gospel to go out in Northfield and it kept the church outward-looking, sacrificial and willing to take risks. There have been new converts – mainly through personal evangelism – and we run Christianity Explored courses whenever they are needed. In the end, if the gospel is at the centre, then

FIEC Together Winter 2015

generational church which makes it easier to

everything related to the church’s cultural form should be up for grabs.” Five years on and the church has just marked its 75th anniversary with John preaching a series to explain and celebrate the change of name from Helier Chapel to Crossway Church. John says that was significant – the church has gone through a revitalisation process and is now a thriving church. They are something different; something new.

support and pastor people with complex needs. “On top of that we have a church building and cash reserves to support the work. Though we have had a lot of support from other churches locally, the cost of re-establishing this gospel witness in Northfield has not been left for a single church to bear. “We need to make the case for church revitalisation – it should be considered just as important as other church plant strategies.

HE GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD – THIS IS OUR CONVICTION AND WE ARE SEEING HIM DO IT.

Yes, it needs patience and hard work but God’s providence has been palpable at every stage. He gives life to the dead – this is our conviction and we are seeing Him do it.”

There are now regular congregations of up to 80 on a Sunday morning and Crossway has seen 18 baptisms in the last three years. So how does John reflect on leading a church through revitalisation rather than leading a church plant? “The fact that the church is 75 years old is a huge bonus,” he says. “This makes the case for revitalisation because you have readymade access to the community which has been built up over many years. We have a multi-

For more info Crossway Church, Northfield is part of the 2020 Birmingham church planting scheme which aims to see 20 new churches in Birmingham by 2020. You can visit its website: 2020birmingham.org or find out more about Crossway Church at: crossway.org.uk In 2016 FIEC will appoint a Church Revitalisation Co-ordinator to begin to help some of our smaller churches to spearhead a nationwide revitalisation initiative.

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FIEC Together Winter 2015

WHY ‘FELLOWSHIP’? What exactly is the FIEC? It’s a question I’m often asked, and sometimes it seems easier to say what we’re not, rather than what we are. We’re not, for example, a ‘denomination’ because all our churches are John Stevens Independent and autonomous, and we don’t exercise any central control over them. So what are we? Churches joining together are often called a ‘Network’, a ‘Movement’, a ‘Family’ or a ‘Partnership’. So where does the FIEC fit? We’ve existed since 1922 and we think the best term to describe what we are is – and always has been – a ‘fellowship’.

SO THE FIEC IS BEST UNDERSTOOD AS A ‘FELLOWSHIP’ OF LOCAL CHURCHES. Sadly this term has been devalued and misunderstood by many Christians as meaning simply a warm friendly relationship with each other

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when we eat together or have coffee after a church service. We need to reclaim the true meaning of ‘fellowship’. It’s the best word to describe what we are because it is the biblical word for what we are. The New Testament tells us that because of what God has done for us through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have ‘fellowship’ with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. As we are united to God in Christ we are also united to one another as fellow believers, so we also have ‘fellowship’ with each other in the church. Individual local churches are united to one another in Christ as part of the universal church, so local churches have ‘fellowship’ with each other. So the FIEC is best understood as a ‘Fellowship’ of local churches. We are less than a denomination, but we are more than just a single-issue movement or a relational network of churches. Describing ourselves as a ‘fellowship’ highlights three very important aspects of what we aspire to be.

Unity First the language of ‘fellowship’ expresses our commitment to unity with one another. The 545 local congregations that belong to the FIEC are joined together by our common gospel convictions, as expressed in our Doctrinal Basis, and by the common practices identified in our policy statements on Gospel Unity and Ecumenism, Women in Ministry and SameSex Marriage. Within these boundaries there is great variety amongst our churches over secondary issues, such as baptism and ministry style. Being a ‘fellowship’ means that we are committed to accepting, respecting and affirming one another as faithful gospel churches despite these differences.

Meaningful relationships Second the language of ‘fellowship’ expresses our commitment to develop meaningful relationships with one another. One of the inherent dangers for Independent churches is that of isolation. The New Testament describes how local churches in cities across the eastern Roman fiec.org.uk

Empire developed strong relationships between themselves, often fostered and encouraged by the apostles who had planted them. By joining a ‘fellowship’ a local church is declaring its desire and intention to build deeper relationships with other local gospel churches.

Working together Third the language of ‘fellowship’ is dynamic and leads to a willingness to work together to achieve a common objective. Taken from the commercial world, ‘fellowship’ describes something akin to a ‘joint business venture’ in which people work together, pooling their resources, skills and effort in pursuit of a bigger common purpose.

WE NEED TO BE WILLING TO CO-OPERATE AND TO SHARE OUR RESOURCES WITH ONE ANOTHER TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF THE GOSPEL The church at Philippi practiced true fellowship. Paul praised them for their ‘partnership in the gospel’ (1:5) with him over many years. From the very time that he had planted the church in Philippi they had continued to send him financial gifts to support his church-planting work and they had continued to send aid to him when he was imprisoned in Rome. They had even sent one of their own members, Epaphroditus, to him to bring comfort, encouragement and hope. So the FIEC is a fellowship not just because we want to enjoy good relationships with each other and defend the truth of the gospel in a hostile society. We are a fellowship because we realise that we need to be willing to work together if we are to take the good news of the gospel to our nation. If we want to see churches planted in places fiec.org.uk

where there is little or no gospel witness, or to raise up gospel workers and pastors for the next generation, we need to be willing to co-operate and to share our resources with one another to advance the cause of the gospel. That’s what the FIEC is all about.

Growing gospel-driven churches In the last five years churches within the FIEC have planted or revitalised more than 50 churches and we have been able to raise more than £1m to invest in training gospel workers. Larger churches are catching a vision to support and revitalise smaller struggling churches. This is what it means to be a ‘fellowship’ in practice. Our mission as the FIEC is to be “growing gospel-driven churches,” because we believe it’s the best possible way to reach the nation. This has been our mission since 1922 and that’s why we call ourselves a ‘Fellowship’. John Stevens FIEC National Director For more info: We know that more people from outside of the FIEC are reading Together magazine. So if your church would like to become part of our Fellowship you can receive application details by emailing admin@fiec.org.uk

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GROWING CHURCHES THAT PLANT CHURCHES Imagine the impact there would be for the gospel in our nation if a new church was planted every week. What if I told you that could be the reality because of the plans of FIEC churches over the next 18 months? The recent church data Andy Paterson surveys received in the FIEC office show an exciting statistic. More than 50 churches are wondering whether they could plant before the end of 2016. That means that if all of these plans come to fruition we could see a new work started every week across Great Britain. We’re already seeing a new church plant welcomed into the FIEC family once a month.

Reaching the nation This is a remarkable evidence of God’s gracious hand upon our family of churches who are thinking about planting, looking out to the needs of their communities and wanting to reach the nation. During September four churches were officially ‘launched’ in different areas around Britain. In the South Bank area of London, near to the famous Shakespearean theatre of the same name, the Globe Church began meeting under the leadership of Jonty Allcock, commissioned by a number of FIEC churches in London along with the Co-Mission family of churches. On the other side of the city, Silver Street Community Church was launched in Edmonton led by Nathan Howard – a plant from Enfield

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Evangelical Free Church. In the Longbridge area of Birmingham John Walley is leading Christ Church Longbridge, a plant out of Grace Church, Birmingham supported by City Church (see page 20). In Marlborough Reuben Mann leads Emmanuel Church, a plant from Calne Free Church, Freshbrook Church in Swindon and Emmanuel Evangelical Church, Chippenham. These churches have already been ‘recognised’ by the FIEC as church plants and have been receiving support in a variety of ways.

New plants supporting others New plants are also helping provide support to others. The Lighthouse Church in Dover, a plant led by Gary Moore, has been over to meet with Christian refugees in Calais to see how they might bring practical help. (See page 12 for more on The Lighthouse Church).

HERE AT FIEC, WE HAVE NOW GROWN TO 545 LOCAL CONGREGATIONS WITH MORE THAN 75 CHURCHES JOINING US SINCE 2010. FIEC’s vision is to see growing churches that are missional and want to plant churches. I was able to share that vision at the Time to Plant conference in London over the summer. We distributed our Go Into prayer cards to the 400 delegates. The cards feature 50 places which – relative to population size – have little

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or no evangelistic witness. It was encouraging to be asked for more packs from one attendee who commented what a brilliant resource they had been as they considered church planting. Time to Plant was the first conference organised by the Planting Collective in London. John Piper and Tim Keller were the main speakers at this event, as well as representatives from the Collective’s founding members – the FIEC, Acts29 and Co-Mission. These groups are bound together by strong relational links and by an even stronger confidence in the truth and power of the gospel, and the pressing need and responsibility we have to go and make Christ known. Co-Mission, under the leadership of Richard Coekin, has grown to more than 30 congregations in about 13 years. It is targeted specifically at London which has more than 8 million people in its greater metropolis. Acts29 is a diverse, global network of church planting churches. In the UK there are 22 churches associated with it, along with 45 men who are either part of the network or working through the application process. Steve Robinson from Cornerstone Church Liverpool (itself part of the FIEC) heads up the work in England, Philip Moore (who

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is planting in Paris) oversees Europe and Steve Timmis (pastor of the Crowded House – itself an FIEC church) is the Executive Director of the whole movement. Here at the FIEC, we have now grown to 545 local congregations with more than 75 churches joining us since 2010.

increasing numbers are using the Christianity Explored course, developing one-to-one Bible studies, and sharing the good news through special outreaches and mission weeks. Do let us know what you’re doing so we can pray for you and rejoice with you. Andy Paterson FIEC Mission Director

Success of Go Into cards There is a growing sense of responsibility within our family of churches that we want to reach our nation. Many churches are creatively using the Go Into prayer cards and news has been coming through that 12 of the named places are seeing churches planted there. These are encouraging days of creative gospel outreach. Not only are new churches being planted but

For more info: If your church is considering a church plant, please let us know – we would love to hear from you. We can offer you advice and practical support. Email Andy Paterson on andy. paterson@fiec.org.uk You can find out more about our Go Into prayer cards at fiec.org.uk and by searching “prayer cards”. You can also find our Church Planting Pack on the mission pages.

THE GLOBE CHURCH LEADERSHIP TEAM – TREVOR ARCHER, JONTY ALLCOCK AND MIKE SOHN

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IT STARTED IN THE Earlier this year, The Lighthouse Church in Dover became part of the FIEC family as a recognised church plant. They received a grant from our Church Planting Fund to pay for FIEC Practical Services to set up their constitution and charitable status. Gary Moore leads the plant and we asked him to tell us more: I need to be honest and say we’re not your usual church plant. We weren’t sent from a mother church, we just had a call to plant a church in Dover. So, in May 2015, eight gospelminded souls met for worship in our dining room. It was raw,

with worship songs from an iPad but we just knew that it was of God.

THE PLAN WAS AND IS SIMPLE. MEET PEOPLE AND WEAR JESUS WELL. Over the years I have had a growing conviction – which God confirmed to me – about planting a church, so when we moved to Dover in 2013 I decided that we were there

to serve. I volunteered with the Foodbank and as a Street Pastor which stood us in good stead with other believers in the town as they saw a servant heart even before we officially started a church plant. So then we stepped out in faith.

A dark place The vision was for the St Radigunds area of Dover, a very tough estate with no church since 1954 and ripe for the gospel. Amazingly, other congregations in Dover had been praying for a new work there as well. It’s a very dark place with lots of crime and is one of the worst wards

GARY MOORE LEADING WORSHIP AT THE LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH

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DINING ROOM in Kent. A dark place but Jesus is the light of the world and we have a mighty God who answers prayer. The plan was and is simple. Meet people and wear Jesus well. As we considered starting the plant we approached the FIEC and I met with Mission Director Andy Paterson. I was impressed by his love to see the gospel going out and we were soon welcomed into the FIEC family as a recognised church plant. This meant we could use FIEC Practical Services to help us set up the legal framework of church life and they have been great in setting up charitable status for us. This legal work was all paid for thanks to the FIEC Church Planting Fund. The help and advice we’ve received has been invaluable, along with their other guidance on how to consider things such as child protection. After meeting for a few weeks in our house we soon outgrew the dining room and hired the small hall in the Triangle Centre on the estate with our first meeting taking place with 14 souls in June. This was an amazing time as we were out there and public.

Holiday Bible club success We then planned our first outreach into the estate – a holiday Bible club – which was a resounding success with 11 children from the estate attending. A family service at the end of the week saw 40 people with us and every child coming back. After that we moved into a larger hall and have secured it for 12 months at a favourable price. Our meetings have varied in size from eight, right up to 45 on our second and fiec.org.uk

important family service. That day we sent my daughter to help a church plant in Frankfurt, our first missionary send-off. The day before we had taken a small team across the Channel and ministered to refugees in Calais – our first mission trip. So there are lots of firsts at the moment!

THE HELP AND ADVICE WE’VE RECEIVED HAS BEEN INVALUABLE, ALONG WITH OTHER GUIDANCE. I am learning very fast to keep the main thing the main thing, as there can be so many other pulls on life as we plant. We want to make Jesus known and we are constantly coming up with ideas on how to reach into the estate, so we have started a sports club, Sunday school, and we are now planning film nights. To be honest, I often feel that we are punching way above our weight but Numbers 13:30 covers it: “Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’” For more info: Church plants can join the FIEC family by being ‘recognised’. This means they have access to some of the legal advice and services available to affiliated churches. Our Church Planting pack has more information – find it online at fiec.org.uk/mission Recognised church plants can speak to FIEC Practical Services for support and advice. You can find out more by emailing Emma Shirtcliffe on emma.shirtcliffe@fiec.org.uk

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t: 01858 411569 We’re a team of Christian solicitors with years of experience and expertise in offering legal advice and assistance to Independent churches.

FIEC Together Winter 2015

So whether you’re a church that’s been in existence for hundreds of years or you’re a brand new church plant – FIEC Practical Services can help you with: • Sales and purchases of church manses and church buildings • Leases and licences of church property • Setting up as Charitable Incorporated Organisations • Training for church trustees and church leaders on trustee responsibilities • Appointing new trustees and registering the changes at the Land Registry • Dealing with mergers of church charities • Model documents including an employment pack specifically for Independent churches

Those are just some of the services we offer. For further information please take a look at the Practical Services section of the FIEC website under ‘what we do’. You will also find articles on practical and legal issues relevant to churches. On top of that, all FIEC churches are entitled to 30 minutes of free legal advice. Please call us today on 01858 411569.

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News in brief

NEWS IN BRIEF DOING CHURCH DIFFERENTLY A new church plant in Scotland has taken out a sixmonth lease on a local shop to try and reach more of the community with the good news of the gospel. Buckhaven Community Church (BCC) in Fife has been recognised by FIEC as a church plant and started meeting in January 2015. Since then three members of the community have come to faith in Christ. It has led Pastor Peter Carr to take another significant step by leasing the shop premises in Buckhaven to make the work more visible. He said: “A mother and her teenage son were saved after completing Christianity

Explored and they were baptised in May along with another new convert. After seeing this gospel-growth we took another step of faith in

June by leasing a large shop for six months. It makes us more central, accessible and visible.” BCC is now meeting in the shop premises on Station Road in Buckhaven. You can find out about their ministry by visiting: www. buckhavencommunitychurch.uk

REACHING WALES Pastors and leaders from FIEC churches across Wales gathered with Pastors’ Network members in Wales for a 24-hour meeting at the end of April to discuss how best to serve the gospel across the Principality. The FIEC Wales Consultation was an opportunity to hear about the work God is doing across Wales and to encourage pastors to share their experiences and pray together. Delegates discussed the history of evangelicalism in Wales and reflected on the unique fiec.org.uk

challenges of ministering in a country which has its own language and is predominantly rural. Discussions took place around what the FIEC could best do to help the gospel flourish in Wales and what else could be done to support pastors in Wales. Reflecting on the Consultation, FIEC National Director John Stevens said: “I was hugely encouraged by the time that we spent together. It was thrilling to hear how the Lord is at work in so many ways in Wales today, raising up a new generation of gospel churches and leaders that want to reach all the different communities in the Principality.” FIEC Together Winter 2015

NEWS IN BRIEF WOMEN THRIVING Women set apart by their churches for Christian ministry have gathered in Worcestershire for FIEC’s Thrive conference. This annual event gathers together women working in Independent churches and is organised by Elisabeth Smyth – FIEC’s Women’s Ministry Coordinator. More than 30 women gathered for this year’s Thrive at the end of May. It’s designed to refresh women working in word-based or pastoral ministry both physically and spiritually. At this year’s conference

George and Ele Hawkins from Beeston Free Church in Nottingham led the main sessions with George speaking from the book of Ruth. Commenting on their time together, Elisabeth said: “As a Fellowship we want to support and promote the biblical ministry of women in our churches, and one way we can do that is through Thrive investing in those women

whose godliness and gifting for ministry has been recognised. “It was a particular joy this year to appreciate the diversity of role, church and background represented by those who joined us, and to hear many say that they were leaving the conference feeling blessed and refreshed as they returned to their churches.” Jane McNabb – Chair of the London Women’s Convention – will be the speaker at Thrive 2016 which will take place from 10–12 May. For more information please contact Elisabeth on elisabeth.smyth@fiec.org.uk

MORE THAN 30 WOMEN GATHERED FOR THIS YEAR’S THRIVE

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WHEN MISSISSIPPI CAME TO LEICESTER Ten students and their pastor from Jackson, Mississippi came to Britain for their “Spring Break” back in March, spending five days with Laburnum Road Community Church in Leicester. After meeting the church family, the students had a packed itinerary which saw them take part in schools’ visits, after school clubs, leafleting for the church’s Easter outreach and even a themed American quiz night which was well attended by the local community. Twenty young people attended a bonfire and fireworks party where one of the students – Tyler – gave an engaging gospel talk. There were also opportunities at Laburnum Road’s after school club, Seekers, where the students split into groups to share the gospel with the children. Reflecting on the visit, Bernadette Mason from Laburnum Road said:

“They were an instant hit with the kids. In the evening we had time together as a fellowship and shared communion and it was good to hear testimonies from each team member about what they are doing at the moment in their lives. We know that we can make plans and go a certain way, but ultimately God leads and it was good to see that these young people are totally aware of that. “They made such a huge impact, in such a short space of time. Saturday to Wednesday – a drop in the ocean – but what an intense and wonderful experience it was to have them amongst us, they brought joy, exuberance and such a zest for life that it was breath-taking.” If you would be interested in finding out more about a short-term mission team from the Mississippi Baptist Convention at your FIEC church, please contact their UK coordinator Mike Stringer mike102cr@gmail.com

INSURANCE DEAL SUPPORTS CHURCH PLANTING FIEC Practical Services has approached a Christian-led insurance broker who has agreed to offer our churches a policy which financially supports church planting. Moreland Insurance Brokers will donate 6% of every premium paid by an FIEC Church to FIEC’s Church Planting Fund. Many church plants have benefited from a small grant from this fund to help pay for the associated legal costs involved in setting up a new church. The fund is open to applications from fiec.org.uk

plants officially recognised by the FIEC and so far the scheme with Moreland Insurance Brokers has raised more than £500. Moreland promise to match or beat your church’s existing insurance premium. It means you get a fair price for your insurance renewal while supporting a fund which helps to get new plants recognised by FIEC off the ground. Moreland Insurance Brokers was founded by the elder of a Brethren church and continue to employ Christian staff, handling the insurance for hundreds of Independent churches. Find out more by contacting FIEC Practical Services on 01858 411569. FIEC Together Winter 2015

TRAINING FUND’S FIRST MILLION As I travelled to the latest meeting of the Grants Committee that administers the FIEC Training Fund, I couldn’t help but reflect upon the amazing provision of God that the Fund represents. In 2011 when, after 25 years, I stepped down as their Pastor Trevor Archer to become the FIEC Training Director, Chessington Evangelical Church gave a “farewell love gift” of £60,000 to launch the newly created Training Fund. Not long afterwards two

separate gifts of £20,000 took the Fund to the £100,000 mark as folk began to capture the vision of investing in the next generation of gospel workers in the FIEC. This year we crossed the £1m mark in gifts given, an unthinkable amount when we set out just a few years ago! In particular, the Fund has been fuelled by the regular support

RAY EVANS SPEAKS TO THE HUB CONFERENCE 2015

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of a few major benefactors, yet so many other individuals and some churches have contributed with sums from £10 a month to one-off gifts of £25,000. We thank the Lord for every one of these men, women and churches who grasp the strategic importance of FIEC churches being able to access grants to help in the development of those the Lord is raising up among them to serve in preaching, pastoral and evangelistic ministry. So far more than one in seven FIEC churches have benefited from the Fund. More than 30 churches have received help to employ associate and trainee pastors, evangelists, church planters, women’s workers and youth and children’s workers. Also, nearly 40 individuals have received grant support towards the cost of their college or church-based training courses in preparation for gospel ministry. To date the Fund has distributed nearly £900,000 fiec.org.uk

in grants. On average, churches receive £9,500 a year over two years with individuals getting around £5,000 a year. This reflects an intentional policy of weighting support in favour of churches which will not have the same potential support base that an individual can tap into from family and friends, Trusts, savings and their home church.

Considerable impact The impact of the Training Fund has been considerable. It has encouraged churches to step out in new gospel ventures whilst individuals can at last see a clearer route into training and church ministry previously lacking within the FIEC. In tandem with the Fund, the creation of The Hub Conference has provided a ‘meeting point’ where both churches and individuals can receive practical advice, support and encouragement in ministry training.

CHURCHES ARE BEING HELPED TO GROW AND INVEST IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF GOSPEL WORKERS. Typical of the expressions of the benefits to churches is this one from a pastor in Liverpool: “As a church we are so grateful for the Training Fund and the generosity of God’s people in providing it. Through it we have been enabled to train [a worker] in tandem with WEST. He has a growing confidence in handling God’s word and the benefit to the church, not only in the young people he has taught and discipled but in encouraging young adults to reach out evangelistically, has been so marked.”

All over Great Britain There are many other such stories to tell – more than 70 of them in fact! The Training Fund has helped FIEC churches in the Welsh valleys; in inner city urban estates in London, Liverpool and Edinburgh; in university towns fiec.org.uk

TREVOR ARCHER OFFERING ONE-TOONE ADVICE AT THE HUB CONFERENCE

such as Canterbury, Birmingham, Bristol and Southampton and in rural settings in Cornwall and Lincolnshire. All these churches are being helped to grow and invest in the next generation of gospel workers. To maintain this much needed level of investment the Fund needs around £250,000 per year and for that to happen we cannot be dependent in the long term upon the wonderful generosity of a few major donors. We will need the widespread support of FIEC churches and hundreds of individuals who, by their generosity, can make a difference in the nation tomorrow by investing in the men and women the Lord is raising up from our family of churches today. Trevor Archer FIEC Training Director For more info: You can find out more about the Training Fund on our website fiec.org.uk/training and if you are interested in supporting FIEC’s Training Fund, please get in touch with the FIEC Office on admin@fiec.org.uk

FIEC Together Winter 2015

FUND TRAINS LONGBRIDGE Without the support of the FIEC Training Fund, Christ Church Longbridge wouldn’t have started its public meetings in the autumn. That’s the view of Pastor John Walley who has started leading this new plant with a core team of 14 drawn from two other Birmingham churches. John was funded for two years as an assistant pastor at Grace Church Dell Road in Birmingham by the FIEC Training Fund. This allowed him to learn more about gospel ministry while building links with the community in Longbridge and meant that Christ Church was able to launch as an Independent

church in September. “The Training Fund meant that my wife Celia and I could base ourselves at Grace Church and I was able to work for them as an assistant pastor for three days a week” says John. “The other two days were spent in Longbridge, working to get the plant off the ground.

Opportunity for first hand experience “The alternative would have been us coming back from Bible college and self-funding

FELLOWSHIP FOLLOWING THE SERVICE AT CHRIST CHURCH LONGBRIDGE

FIEC Together Winter 2015

to try and get something off the ground which would have been much harder and slower. The two years gave us the opportunity not just to have first-hand experience of gospel ministry but also gave us a platform to recruit and build towards Longbridge.

THIS ALLOWED HIM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GOSPEL MINISTRY WHILE BUILDING LINKS WITH THE COMMUNITY IN LONGBRIDGE. “Not only did Grace Church employ me as assistant pastor but they were gracious enough to let me take some of their members for this new plant.” John and Celia were able to use the time while John was training to visit other churches in Birmingham and share the vision for this new plant in Longbridge. For decades, this area of the city was home to the Rover car factory, but when that closed down in 2005, Longbridge had to be completely regenerated. fiec.org.uk

PLANTER No significant gospel witness It was clear to John and Celia that there was both a need and an opportunity to start something new as more than 60,000 people live in the area around Longbridge and there is no significant gospel witness. “The money from the Training Fund has helped us to gather a core team because we were able to have two years in Birmingham with the second year living in Longbridge to lay the groundwork for what we were doing. It meant we had the security of working for Grace Church and the salary to go with that as we made these preparations.” The plant has been a joint venture between FIEC churches in Birmingham with Grace Church and City Church in particular sending people to Christ Church Longbridge. Christ Church is already meeting as an Independent church after being recognised by FIEC as a church plant; and along with the help of FIEC Practical Services it now has its own constitution.

WE’VE ALREADY HAD SOME VISITORS AND WE HAVE NON-CHRISTIANS STARTING A CHRISTIANITY EXPLORED COURSE WITH US LATER THIS YEAR.

more than 12,000 students at the college and thousands of people drive past every day on their way into Birmingham. “We’ve already had some visitors and we have non-Christians starting a Christianity Explored course with us later this year. So please pray that more non-Christians will join us on Sundays. We’re having exciting conversations and we feel like the Spirit is at work but it would be great to see gospel fruit come from these things.”

CHURCH MEMBERS JOSH AND KATHRYN LEADING WORSHIP

A beacon for the lost John hopes that this new plant can become a place that lost people can look to after a turbulent decade following the collapse of Rover. “We meet in Bournville College Conference Centre which was the first building to go up after the demolition of the Rover factory – it’s right at heart of Longbridge,” John reflects. “There are

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ADVERTISING THE WORK IN LONGBRIDGE

FIEC Together Winter 2015

A BAND OF BROTHERS One of my favourite soundtracks comes from the TV series Band of Brothers, about the exploits of Easy Company in Europe during World War II. I’ve always loved the phrase band of brothers as a description Richard Underwood of the way that pastors should feel about and relate to one another. Not as competitors but as workers together and dearly loved brothers. The FIEC Pastors’ Network has just published the results of a pastoral wellbeing survey designed to offer an insight into the joys and challenges faced by Independent church pastors. In it, pastors were encouraged to reflect on their ministry as well as their life away from church leadership, particularly in terms of spiritual formation, selfcare and family life. Perhaps

FIEC Together Winter 2015

unsurprisingly, while many men are encouraged in their relationship with Christ and are seeing church growth, others feel isolated, under-supported and are struggling with their prayer life. What’s the answer? A band of brothers!

PASTORS NEED TO DEVELOP A MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT MEANS THEY PUT THEMSELVES OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER. It seems to me that we can learn at least three lessons from the TV show of the same name.

there was a big difference for Easy Company in Europe; suddenly they were at war. And so are we. The battle for the soul of our nation feels intense. It’s as if the enemy of our souls feels that he’s in the ascendency right now. The apostle Paul uses some pretty combative language to describe Christian ministry – including guarding, wrestling and fighting; but here’s the point – we’re in this battle together. Pastors are not just “doing ministry” or “leading churches” or “preaching the Bible”; they’re on the frontline in a warzone. The context of Christian ministry is spiritual warfare; people are getting hurt.

Responsibility When they finally get round to talking about it, veterans often say the sense of comradeship on the front line

Realisation

was palpable; they simply

Whatever took place on the training ground back home,

had to depend on the men next to them to survive. And

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many didn’t. In a world that yearns for deep and satisfying relationships, where do pastors find that kind of mutual responsibility and dependency in Christian ministry? They ought to find it in each other. Pastors need to develop a mutual responsibility that means they put themselves out for one another by sending that text, making that call or paying that visit: to do each other good.

Recreation War does funny things to people, I’m told. And in the midst of the muck, the bullets and the mayhem, the Band of Brothers had fun. There was a lot of practical joking and (not always) gentle mocking. In God’s good world, we’re meant to have fun – to find pleasure in each other’s company, to laugh together and to see the funny side of life and ministry. But that doesn’t happen automatically; it takes time and trust.

Changing culture So, how can the FIEC’s Pastors’ Network help to promote a band of brothers mentality? Not quickly, I fear. But slowly and surely through changing the culture in two directions. Firstly we need to change the culture in our churches. We don’t serve our leaders well by putting them on a pedestal, but neither do we promote their long-term health and well-being – or ours – by feeding them a daily diet of conflict and criticism. We need to inculcate an ethos of grace and encouragement. Secondly, we need to change the culture amongst pastors themselves and encourage

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them to take their well-being – physical, emotional and spiritual – seriously.

WE DON’T SERVE OUR LEADERS WELL BY PUTTING THEM ON A PEDESTAL. Pastors need time to reflect on what they do and to build relationships. Although they are surrounded by people, many pastors feel lonely and isolated. Pastors need their peers to be the band of brothers who will understand them, pray for and with them and hold them to account. When I was leading a church as its pastor, I knew that to effect significant change, I had to win the hearts and minds of the back-row. Even now, I hear murmurings from the back row. Aren’t you putting pastors into a class apart? The back row is right – pastors aren’t special; they’re flesh and blood just like the rest of us. They don’t have a more important role; they just have a strategically significant one. Our pastors are at the heart of the spiritual health and well-being of churches. That’s why we need to get behind our band of brothers – with our wallets, our diaries and our hearts. Richard Underwood FIEC Pastoral Ministries Director For more info: If you want to become part of the Pastors’ Network please contact us at pa@fiec.org.uk. In 2016 the Pastors’ Network day conferences will focus on prayer and give as many pastors in the FIEC family as possible the opportunity to meet, to talk, to share and to pray.

FIEC Together Winter 2015

PARTNERSHIP IN TRAINING Andy Hunter

FIEC is passionate about training the next generation of gospel workers and in Scotland we’re partnering with Edinburgh Theological Seminary (ETS) on a new training course.

The FIEC Directors will deliver the lectures alongside other experienced pastors and by the end of the course students at ETS will end up with a certificate in Independent Church Ministry. Scotland Director Andy Hunter will co-lead the course with Ian Shaw who is Director of Langham Scholars UK. Students will also benefit from the wisdom of Training Director Trevor Archer who will lecture on Independency and Training, while National Director John Stevens will lead a session on The Future of Independency.

There will also be lectures on Supporting Workers in Independency from Pastoral Ministries Director Richard Underwood, while Mission Director Andy Paterson will speak on Independency and Contemporary UK Mission.

Passion for training Andy Hunter is really excited about this new partnership with The Free Church of Scotland and said: “We’re passionate about training men and women to be equipped for gospel ministry in Independent churches and

STUDYING FOR THE CERTIFICATE AT ETS

we’re really pleased this vision has taken a significant step forward in Scotland. “We recognise ETS as a provider of excellent theological training who, along with other Scottish training providers, can help people from Independent churches get the kind of biblical training vital for the future health of their churches. “On the other side ETS has a renewed vision to serve and help strengthen evangelical churches of all types throughout Scotland. With an increasing number of students from Independent churches enrolling at ETS this new course is a way we can complement each other’s vision.” Iver Martin is Principal at ETS and he is really pleased to be partnering with the FIEC, adding: “Whatever ecclesiastical differences exist between our churches, in the major issues we speak the same language, recognising the supreme and final authority of the Bible.

Important milestone “This partnership between

FIEC Together Summer Winter 2015 2015

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ETS and FIEC is an important milestone in recognising and acting upon our shared vision for the gospel in Scotland. “I look forward to a growing relationship between the Free Church and our FIEC brothers and sisters on many levels in the future. There is much that we can do together for the spread of the good news of Jesus Christ.” The Independent Church Ministry course follows the success of the Pathways conference for those exploring the call to gospel ministry which takes place in January. This is modelled on FIEC’s The Hub Conference which also takes place at the beginning of the year in England.

Catalyst for gospel partnerships FIEC partner with Cornhill Scotland, Highland Theological College, Faith Mission Bible College and Tilsley College on Pathways, and the Independent Church Ministry course at ETS is another exciting example of the way the FIEC is a catalyst for gospel partnerships north of the border.

THE HUB 2016

The course began in September and Andy Hunter is encouraging FIEC churches to pray for this new venture. He said: “Please pray that the course will help students preparing to serve in Independent churches to be better equipped for that task. Pray for the course leaders and lecturers as they prepare material and deliver the sessions. “Finally, please pray that this will further strengthen gospel partnerships among Bible believing churches and ministries in Scotland.” A version of this article ﬁrst appeared online at ﬁec.org.uk For more info: If you want to know more about the course at ETS or to register your interest in it for the future please contact Andy Hunter: andy. hunter@fiec.org.uk You can also contact Andy about January’s Pathways conference which takes place between Friday 29 – Sunday 31 January 2016. www.pathwaysconference.org/conference.html

FOR THOSE CONFERENCE ON THEIR JOURNEY INTO MINISTRY

15-17 JAN MAIN SPEAKER:Paul Mallard Find out more at fiec.org.uk/hub2016

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FIEC Together Winter 2015

BOOK REVIEWS

Preaching with Spiritual Power

Staying Fresh

By Ralph Cunnington

By Paul Mallard

Ralph Cunnington has written a very important book examining the relationship between word and Spirit in Calvin, assessing – as he goes – John Woodhouse and Stuart Olyott who might be both described, perhaps, as representing two polarised views. This is more than an issue of historical or theological interest, for it goes right to the heart of the way our triune God speaks and acts in our local churches. A short review cannot do justice to a book like this. I can only urge you to read it. I loved this book when I first read it and it got me thinking very deeply, feeling my prayerlessness when it came to preaching. At one level, it’s not a simple book. It is, after all a book of historical theology and – therefore – there are footnotes. But overall, an exciting read for every preacher and well worth a preacher or leader’s time investment. Perhaps we should let Ralph summarise his work: “Preachers do not need to enter the pulpit anxious about whether God will accompany his word. He will, and preachers must be confident of that.” Of course, there are a wealth of caveats, what-ifs and whys and wherefores behind that statement, but it remains a confidence for every preacher and – as Ralph points out – a spur to prayer, not a reason for lacking in it. Well worth £8.

I’m not and will never be a church leader but I am in a position of leadership at church. My biggest question has been ‘how will I stay fresh in ministry and not burn out or become jaded?’. Paul Mallard’s 30 years of ministry are evident as he writes from experience using relatable and helpful anecdotes. ‘Staying Fresh’ covers a wide variety of topics ranging from personal holiness and diary management through to guarding your marriage and building friendships. But the secret to staying fresh is to stay close to Jesus, something which Paul encourages and enthuses about on every page. Each chapter is concluded with a list of helpful questions to prayerfully consider, which expose the soul and encourage growth. Leaders are notorious for being too busy for these sorts of things but I would encourage any who read this book to carve out the time to digest Paul’s lessons and answer the questions properly. Whether you’re a church leader, the leader of a church ministry or a church member wanting to pray for your leaders better, this is a great book which explores the challenges of leadership and how to stay fresh and close to Jesus. There’s much more to be said on each topic, but Paul’s book is a great place to start.

Reviewed by Adrian Reynolds Director of Ministry, The Proclamation Trust

We would like to say a big thank you to Jonathan Carswell and 10ofThose for providing these book reviews.

FIEC Together Winter 2015

Reviewed by Becky Panting, Knighton Free Church fiec.org.uk

The Message of Worship

Suffering and Singing

By John Risbridger

By John Hindley

This book seeks answers to the question ‘What kind of worshippers is the Father seeking?’ Whilst we might come to the topic with all sorts of questions about different traditions and stylistic preferences, this book gets to the heart of what it means to worship God. John Risbridger takes a broad sweep through Scripture from creation to the heavenly city, divided into three sections. First, our attention is directed to the glory of the saving God, who is worthy of praise because he rescues his people. The second section focuses on the supremacy of Christ, by whom all things were made and who fulfils the Old Testament types, prophecies and laws. The final section explores the activity of the Holy Spirit, who transforms and empowers the church for worship. Each chapter is strengthened by anecdotes to illustrate key points, and the Scriptures are handled faithfully and reverently. I was particularly encouraged by the perspective on 1 Corinthians 12–14, in which the author emphasises learning what we can about the work of the Spirit in the edification of the church, with a clear desire that the church’s mutual encouragement and growth be enhanced. This book helps us remember the glorious character of God, explore the purpose of corporate gatherings and understand worship as a whole-of-life activity.

Although a small book, ‘Suffering and Singing’ is a powerful, sensitive and insightful examination of the pain and reality of suffering. Hindley carefully, and with great empathy, considers the real agonies that come with knowing God to be powerful enough to stop our pain but still allowing suffering in so many different ways. Rather than offering an apologetic that addresses theological concepts and questions, Hindley walks his reader through Psalm 44 as a means of considering our good God who allows his people to go through trials. I love the way that Hindley handles the Bible in this book. He is careful to give us the context into which the Psalm was written, and so we are able to see how these words written centuries previously can offer truth and comfort for us today. While helping us understand the original writer’s situation, Hindley never loses touch with the confusing and painful realities of what it is to suffer now. Questions that arise from the difficulty of why God allows us to suffer are met with wonderful assurances of it all being a testimony to God’s unchanging love for his people. A brilliant book that I wouldn’t hesitate to give to believing friends, but also to the unbeliever who wants to understand how a Christian can trust God amidst terrible trials.

Reviewed by Alex Hayes, 10ofThose publishing fiec.org.uk

Reviewed by Flic Patterson FIEC Together Winter 2015

Since the last edition of Together:

NEW CHURCH PLANT RECOGNITIONS Carey Westwood Farm, Reading (planted from Carey Baptist Church) Christ Church Trumpington (planted from Rock Baptist Church, Cambridge) Kingfisher Church, Little Paxton (planted from St Neots Evangelical Church) Silver Street Community Church, Edmonton (planted from Enfield Evangelical Free Church) Soul Church, Neath (planted from Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Swansea) The Gate Church, Birmingham (planted from Grace Church Dell Road) The Lighthouse Church, Dover Welshpool Community Church

NEW AFFILIATIONS Hillfields Evangelical Baptist Church, Coventry City Church, Manchester Kirby-Le-Soken Evangelical Church Dornoch and District Christian Fellowship Trinity Baptist Church, Tenterden Streatham Central Church Cornerstone Church, Kingston Grace Church, Loughborough Queens Road Church, Llandudno Moorlands Evangelical Church, Lancaster Bethel Baptist Church, Farnham Trinity Church, Everton

fiec.org.uk fb.com/theFIEC @theFIEC 01858 434540 admin@fiec.org.uk Registered Charity No. 263354 Charity registered in Scotland SC040111

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