‘The Church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning’.
We are all privileged to play our part in the mission of God, wherever God has placed us, so join in. To participate in mission is to participate in the movement of God’s love toward people, since God is a fountain of sending love.
‘As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you’ is the mandate Jesus has given us. If we are followers of Jesus, we shall by definition be those who are sent by him. We strongly advocate everyone being a committed contributor to the life of a local church, yet we recognise some churches provide a greater encouragement for individuals to be all Jesus Christ calls them to be in their own context and circumstances, than others. Seventy-two exists to be a network and a catalyst for us all to be those missional disciples we are called to be.
Igniting Mission Articles and Resources
Getting to know the Neighbours
I have lived in my present home for 16 years but it’s only in the last three or four years that I have begun getting to know my neighbours. When we first moved into this street I was the Senior Pastor of a busy church that took up virtually all of my discretionary...
Faith in Later Life
The Bible is packed with examples of older people living purposefully for God, being respected in their communities, and sharing wisdom with future generations. Abraham was 99 when God promised to make him the father of many nations. Moses was 80 when he spoke to...
Can the trickle become a flood?
I’ve just been thinking about a few conversations I’ve had, over the last two weeks, which have stirred my heart and made me wonder: can the trickle become a flood? Four church leaders, four conversations, four times the repeated words: ‘and the great thing is, we’ve...
Celebrate Conversations as well as Conversions
A recent study revealed a gap between confidence and connection. 77% of Christians feel confident to talk about Jesus, but 42% said they don’t know any non Christians well enough to talk to them. There is a gap forming where people who are willing and able but...
God comes to those who want him: Reflections on the Asbury Revival
It was on 12 February, concerning an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Asbury University, Kentucky, USA, someone sent me this article, Days-long revival sweeping Asbury University in Kentucky. That was my first awareness of the beginning of a phenomena, which has...
Hope 23-24
My conviction is Hope 23-24 presents every Baptist church with a tremendous opportunity. It’s a big vision – uniting as a church across denominations and organisations to offer the hope of Jesus again to our nation starting September 2023. It’s a real privilege to be...
Mission in times of economic uncertainty
Sometimes there is simply no escaping the news. Whether I choose to listen or not, the media drum resounds somewhere in my subconscious perception, resisting my every effort to nullify its influence and raise destructive sound waves of faith in opposition. “Cost of...
Our Christian Hope
I’ve been involved with leading churches for more than thirty-five years, but it’s never been easier to talk with people about death and the issues it raises for them, since the dawn of the pandemic. Now the death of our Queen Elizabeth II has raised the awareness of...
Helicopter or Roulette Wheel?
The place of gathered worship in mission Reflections on Father James Mallon’s book, Divine Renovation: Bringing your Parish from Maintenance to Mission “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy...
Listening as Mission
I listen to him for nearly three hours. As he talks, the abuse, the pain, the disappointment, the shame spill out in unpredictable shudders of tears and sorrow. He has no prayer life, no concrete belief in a God who loves him, just a confused collection of broken...