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Interdenominational Conference: Little Revolutions
An Anglican initiative known as Catch Network is helping leaders to imagine new and creative ways of being the people of God in Aotearoa New Zealand. One way this is happening is under the ‘Little Revolutions’ umbrella. Held in Te Whanganui-A-Tara/Wellington in July, the inaugural Little Revolutions conference was a space for leaders, church planters and those who still believe the local church can be a force for good in the world, to gather, learn, collaborate, pray and worship. A shared desire for renewal in the Church united delegates from a broad coalition of denominations and independent movements—The Salvation Army included.
WORDS Jules Badger
Revolution is defined as ‘a dramatic and widereaching change in conditions, attitudes or operation’. Synonyms for revolution include ‘metamorphosis’, and ‘transformation’. That’s heady stuff—a big vision—especially when paired with the rapidly declining church in Aotearoa. Little is self-explanatory—the antithesis of big or large or mega. But that was the whole point. The two-day Little Revolutions conference was all about getting 150 little revolutionaries into one room and trusting God with the rest!
Embodied possibility
While Little Revolutions may have appeared programme-typical on paper, there was something unmistakably atypical about this gathering, with an inspiring line-up of keynote speakers and workshop facilitators from around Aotearoa, Australia and the United States.
So, what made Little Revolutions unique? The atmosphere pervading the gathering was one of embodied possibilities. There was a palpable sense of the Spirit of God calling people to personal renewal now, and not just in the face of declining Church attendance or for the health of the Church itself, but for the sake of whole neighbourhoods, local communities and generations to come. Stories shared by practitioners dripped with risk-taking faith, but there were also humble offerings of mission failures, all of which co-mingled into a liturgy of learning. Gems aplenty emerged from the forge of ministry from which others gleaned lessons, inspiration and encouragement for the future.
The conference was pitched as a space for three kinds of participants: the curious, those interested in moving their lives or the ministries they serve towards planting or renewal but wondering how; the church planters, those already aware of a call to give their lives to the work of renewal by relocating or remaking their current structure; and the culture creators, leaders of movements or large ministries exploring how to renovate their institutions into places that encourage renewal.
Salvation Army delegates spanned all three categories, with leaders from Territorial Headquarters, Booth College of Mission and, of course, several current corps planting pioneers/corps renewal practitioners.
Better together
Little Revolutions co-leader and national director of Catch Network, Reverend Scottie Reeve, says, ‘It was cool to have such a great Salvo crew at Little Revolutions! Overall, it was really encouraging to see so many people from different denominations who are acknowledging that the Church needs to change and are putting their hands up to come up with really creative ways and innovative solutions to what it looks like to be the people of God today.’
Assistant Territorial Personnel Secretary Captain Bryant Richards concurs saying, ‘As The Salvation Army continues to grapple with the ever-changing context of society and our place in it, conversations such as we had at Little Revolutions are essential. Not only was the content and dialogue helpful, but so too was the opportunity to rub shoulders with brothers and sisters from the wider Church as they wrestle with the same tension.’
Captain Steve Molen, Manurewa Corps Plant co-leader, believes that the Church in Aotearoa is in ‘an exciting season of inner wrestling and outward experimentation’. Steve affirms that, ‘The existing Church has been around for a long time in a particular form and over the years God has moved amongst us in powerful ways—I think we can all testify to that—however, are there other ways we can participate with the Spirit of Jesus to transform communities? For example, micro-churches, intentional communities, fresh expressions and other diverse ranges of pioneering initiatives in our neighbourhoods, workplaces and local communities. For me, the conference was a beautiful reminder that God has not finished with his Church and that there is still so much more to come.’
Part of the ‘more to come’ for the Church in Aotearoa clearly includes tangata whenua (people of the land).
Captain Hana Seddon of Rotorua Salvation Army—a church in renewal—was one of the keynote speakers. Hana is becoming recognised as a consistent, prophetic voice, not just within Te Ope Whakaora or for Karaitiana Māori (Christian Māori) but across the wider Church of Aotearoa. Three members of the Rotorua team attended along with Hana and together they ran a workshop.
Legacy leavers
‘It was a real honour for me to be asked to share at the Little Revolutions conference,’ says Hana. ‘And to speak from the perspective of what te ao Māori (the Māori world) can offer the Church as we walk through a time of navigating disappointment and disillusionment. Obviously, the story of Aotearoa means that Māori have had to navigate disappointment and disillusionment in terms of institutions, government and Church, but there are things that have kept us strong and resilient over the years that will be helpful for our collective journey as the whole Church of Aotearoa.’
Hana has a specific challenge for The Salvation Army: ‘Are we willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that there is a legacy? In te ao Māori we talk about mokopuna (grandchildren) decisions; that means it isn’t just about us and our children. We need to be making the sorts of decisions now that are not just about what we want for today, but that are based on what our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren need. So Little Revolutions caused me to think about different ways that can help us ensure that the Church at large, but also The Salvation Army, is here in a beautiful and vibrant way for many years to come.’
Director of The Salvation Army’s Centre for Learning and Development Dr Captain Malcolm Irwin was deeply challenged when Hana gently proposed that to refer to the Church of Aotearoa as part of the Western Church may not be entirely accurate. Malcolm says, ‘this place, our people, our story is unique. What is it to engage missionally with this uniqueness—our uniqueness?’
A profound sense of this uniqueness was embodied during worship when the pan-denominational gathering sang with eyes closed and hands raised in what has become an anthem of renewal within the church of Aotearoa over the past decade: ‘Wairua Tapu’ by Ngapo Wehi, which is about welcoming the Holy Spirit.
Kingdom come
Archbishop Justin Duckworth opened the conference with the statement: ‘Is there a better story to tell than of the kingdom of God coming on earth?!’ Renowned and respected for being on the cutting edge of mission and ministry in Aotearoa for over 25 years, Justin challenged delegates to notice the ‘crazies already leading in our communities’, with the implication being that the ‘future leaders of the Church are not Christians yet!’ Malcom found this illuminating and says, ‘If we took this seriously, we’d not only be closer to the good news of the gospel but to the genesis of The Salvation Army’.
The Salvation Army was born out of a desire for renewal. As co-founders Catherine and William Booth stepped away from the traditional mainstream Church of their day to try something new—to plant an alternative way of being the people of God—new converts soon shaped and led the booming pioneer Army across the globe and into the 20th century. However, we stand on a precipice here 140 years later at the beginning of the 21st century with corps (church) attendance at an all-time low, membership dwindling and recruitment and retention of officerleaders red-lining. If, as Justin suggests, our future pioneers and leaders are not yet within our ranks, then the question of how we best follow the revolutionary Jesus in these days is absolutely critical.
‘We can still carry The Salvation Army ethos and values, but we must explore new, courageous and innovative ways of being the Army today,’ urges Steve. As well as planting in Manurewa, Steve has the additional appointment of Missional Streams facilitator for The Salvation Army’s Centre for Learning and Development.
Enabling revolutionaries
The Little Revolutions conference was just the beginning. Phase two is a one-year learning journey for churchplanters and renewal leaders. Another Catch Network initiative, the Little Revolutions course begins in August and goes through to July 2025, and includes fortnightly coaching sessions, workshops, theological training and reflection, Church history and discernment support.
Young church-planters Danyon and Holly Morton-Chong are part of the inaugural cohort. Little Revolutions is intended to be pan-denominational in governance and thus make-up. For Danyon and Holly, though, the rubber is about to meet the road as they step into the faith-filled challenge of replanting a new Anglican church in Tītahi Bay, Wellington, beginning this September.
Danyon and Holly were inspired, challenged and encouraged by what they heard and experienced at Little Revolutions:
‘I keep coming back to the prayer from Bree Mills (Melbourne micro-churches),’ says Holly. ‘“God, use me as you wish; set me aside as you wish”. It is such a humbling request in this context, drawing us back to partnership with God rather than growing his kingdom for our own ego or success or sense of importance. We are equally precious and expendable in his work. God will continue to draw people to him with or without our help and we are simply called to say, “yes, Lord”. As Danyon and I prepare to step out into leading a new church community, I feel challenged to listen for and honour God’s voice in unexpected places and through unexpected people, knowing that God’s vision is more expansive than anything we can imagine.’
Let the revolution begin!
For more information about Catch Network and Little Revolutions, go to catchnetwork.org.nz
