Autumn I Winter 2003-4 Mission: Possible Greg Haslam Chris Stoddard Geraldine Latty Darell Jackson Simon Jones Nic Harding Andy Hawthorne Philip Deller Rodney Breckon Nigel Wright and more 0 0 0 ~' ~ ~" JIJSSJ()N: P()SSIIII.. I~ The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire At the Mainstream Conference 2004 we will be developing the third of our core values 'Get Stuck Into Mission' m fit Our main speaker this year is Greg Haslam. Born and raised in Liverpool, Ill 11 Greg studied Theology and History at Durham University. After teaching high school he trained for the ministry at London Theological Seminary before moving to Winchester where he pastored for 21 years until his recent call to Westminster Chapel, London. Greg has traveled widely as a preacher and conference speaker, both in UK and overseas. He believes strongly in the recovery of strong healthy churches, characterised by a strong and vigorous God-centred focus. He is author of numerous articles and books. His latest book Elisha- a sign and a wonder is published by Kingsway. Other conference leaders and speakers include Geraldine Latty - worship leader, Andy Hawthorne and Peter Nodding. Some of the issues we will be considering: • Mission in the city • Rural mission • Mission in suburbs • Mission in small towns • Prayer and mission • Worship and mission • Becoming a world mission church MAINSTilE1lM (~0NJ1JUlENCE 2004 BOOKING J10JlH Main Contact Name: Rev. Mr. Mrs. Miss. Address ----------------- Postcode ----------1 Telephone-------------- Email ----------------1 Number of people: Totals: Standard accommodation Single @ £105 per person £ Double @ £95 per person £ En suite accommodation Single@ £120 per person £ Double@ 120 per person £ How to Pay: £30.00 non-returnable deposit for each place booked. Balance due on 1st December 2003. Full amount due for any cancellation after 1 January 2004. Cheques payable: MAINSTREAM. Please detach (or copy) and return this booking form to: lan Frith, 1 Kenilworth Close, Sutton Goldfield, West Midlands, 874 2SE 2 TALK The Mainstream Magazine editorial Questioning • • hatentS·· miSSIOn ission is something we take Mseriously even if it's done with mixed effectiveness. Just listen to the language at one of our national assemblies and you realise how mission-minded we are. I'm ·le i~ the CotJWolls · sure this is the fundamental reason why, out of all the main­ •·ZI l J line denominations, we are not declining but actually slightly growing (Darrell Jackson's article). But before we pat ourselves on the back let's ask ourselves a few questions. I. Have we neglected forming the kind of people Jesus dreamed of as missionaries as we busy ourselves in activity? Are we too focused on doing and not enough on being? 1tm lbbotsPn .intetviews Grea Haslam 14 11. How sharp has our missionary agenda been as a de­ ' ~ ,,. .f ; t ,; : nomination in the last ten years as we have spent most time on internal structural reform and a marketing makeover? ·growingf Ill. Do we need to spend more time reflecting on how we 19 j define and articulate the gospel for our times? An urgent need I think having listened recently to a world-leading gospel preacher at a recent event, and as we consider the serious plight of Christian influence in our land (Greg Haslam inter­ ...... view). 2 IV. In a society where the plausibility of the Christian mes­ sage is shot apart, do our actions indeed speak louder than words? (Rodney Breckon's article) V. Are we sufficiently experimental in our missionary dreams and action? VI. Are we in danger of being locked into certain sectors 6 and cultural groups of society while we pass others blissfully unaware? (Nic Harding's and Simon Hall's articles) VII. Is the assumption that big event evangelism is passe 11 called into question by Festival: Manchester (Andy Hawthorne's article)? VIII. Have we taken seriously enough that the denomina­ tion that plants churches will grow and those that don't will decline? IX. Do we need more adventurous expressions of church? X. Do we need to spend more time thinking about the ,18 social and political implications of the gospel so that we re­ position ourselves as God's alternative community? 22 Mission is possible and there's much to encourage in this pre-conference edition. Let's share the stories and go on asking ourselves the hard questions. And what a way to do it as we share in conference together? Be a part of it! !site.·). f6 And it's only months away till we take the next step for­ ward as a mission focused network and release Rob White for apostolic work amongst us. This is just the start. Join us on the TALK The Mainstream Magazine Volume 3 Issue 2 journey! Editor: Stephen lbbotson Production Editor Layout and Design: Robert Parkinson Editorial Assistant: Jean Morgan News: Craig Stephen lbbotson is the Editor of Talk. Millward Network News: Peter Nodding Reviews: Daniel Pritchard He is also a member of the pastoral staff of Front Cover: Wingfinger Graphics, Leeds Printed and despatched by Altrincham Baptist Church, Altrincham, Cheshire. Moorley' s, llkeston, Derbys. Volume 3 Issue 2 3 main feature Sharp-edged on the edge by Chris Stoddard Chris Stoddard ible College missions were a in their own ways, but none has ments (indu(,llng the early is the Development Bformative time in my life, proved to be 'the key' to mission church) have arisen from here, Director for RUN usually for good, but occasionally in today's society. and it is frof'rl.here that we need (Reaching the providing those '1-wish-the­ Although most church to be creative, inn~tive, re- Unchurched ground-would-open-up-and­ leaders dread hearing the words sourceful and taith on the Network). An swallow-me' moments. One of 'Things aren't like they used to margins nee .. have an edge, ordained minister he those occurred while we were be', the fact is that they them­ to be bold and courageous, whil!¥ served in churches in conducting some 'coffee bar' selves often feel a certain longing full of compassion, grace and Northamptonshire, evangelism (remember those for some of those days, and ex­ love. The Archbishop of Canter­ worked for YFC and days 7) in Liverpool and perience a sense of loss that such bury, Rev~ Dr Rowan Williams, spent 14 years on the discovered that two rival gangs times of high expectation and remarkeJ:;l to the General Synod pastoral staff at had decided to use the venu.e f!\l ..itn are less common today. recen~ly:'ttfat 'This ~ .. where the Southcourt Baptist that night for a fight. The mission RUN, the organisation for which I unexr;iected growth happens, Church in Aylesbury, team leader, sensing imminent work, recently held a consulta­ where · nlikely contacts are Bucks where he had disaster, told me he felt I should tion day with about 100 leaders often where the Church is· specific responsibility stand up front and lead some from around the country. One of renewed (Js it so often is} from . for seeker services, Youth Praise songs on my guitar the day's activities was to write : the edges centre~. i evangelism and - I still carry the scars, out some anonymous prayers on So w ening on t~ worship. He was one miraculously not physical ones! 'Post-it' notes and stick them on margins in of mission and;~ of the eo-founders of Another 'memorable' occasion to the windows around the new wa g church? - RUN in 1994 and is was an open-air service on a sea­ building sq that we could all pray The . answer is 'Quite a now responsible for front promenade; one of our for one another. The most signif~ lot', but the more cbmplex issue envisioning, students got up to speak, looked cant thing about the exercise is tryingito:identify a~ analyse resourcing and at the considerable crowd and was how many prayers had the differ · s of missiOn and networking hundreds with great passion misquoted same basic theme: 'How can J expressions, of churches across the John 9:25: ' One thing I do know the way ahead for my ested to visit a¥ UK and beyond as know, once I was blind but now church?' A sense of 'lostness' in new w .h'at RUN and some) they seek to be I'm lost'! regards to what to do next was of its par~t:S have helped to effective in their Many church leaders are ex­ strikingly evident! .. establi · 'n. rch. mission to reach those periencing both a sense of loss This is, of cour~, only part infQ i~ ... ated t.>·telljhg!stories who do not yet and of lostness as they try to get of the story. There is much to of new ,for:ms of church, as well believe. Chris lives in to grips with what it means to be cause us hope, excitement and <c,,as offer~'~me theologi~l re- Aylesbury and is church in the twenty-first century. encouragement; the issue is one flections. ' • ' -··· married to Liz, they The 1940s and '50s saw the of perspective and focus. The One of the positive t gs have two daughters. great stadium and tent crusades; church is in a very dif place about losing a centra the '60s and '70s witnessed the in society from the o ich it · society is that Chri birth and development of the occupied forty, even tweow. being forced to be renewal movement; the '80s years ago. lt no longer\o!ds cart~ more thoughtful a e were deeply influenced by the tre-stage but has,l in the majority prayerful a.l:lout how they share ministry of John Wimber, signs of the population's been the gos · · st-mod~rl'l people and wonders and church plant­ pushed to the and it is ual' b-eings; the ing.