‘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
Big Questions
Do you like asking questions? To question is part of being human, to explore and investigate, to think and seek understanding. Children do it all the time! But when it comes to faith matters, some people come up with questions which seem like massive obstacles to...
Prayer changes things!
Prayer changes things … you know that, I know that, but do our practices demonstrate it? I had reason to go into Accident & Emergency recently, in a great deal of pain. As soon as I’d given my details into reception I felt my phone ping. It was a text from a...
Be an angel
Recently my oldest friend gave a talk where she pointed out that the word ‘evangelism’ has the word ‘angel’ in the middle of it. I’d honestly never noticed that. It’s not accidental, because the verb to evangelise means to do what angels do. We say, ‘be an angel and...
A small opportunity…
How big or ‘impressive’ do our mission initiatives need to be before we share them with others? I’m part of a small missional group in the outskirts of Stroud, Gloucestershire. Our aim is to connect with God and with our fellow (local) Christians so that we are...
‘Get up out of your seat’
Billy Graham’s death on 21st February 2018 has already been designated as marking ‘the end of an era’ by a variety of commentators. He preached to live gatherings of nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries around the globe. Not surprisingly, it is claimed...
Resolve: A firm determination to do something
Well we’ve reached that stage in a new year, when if I were to ask the question ‘so who’s still sticking to their new year’s resolutions?’ I wouldn’t expect many positive responses. However, two particular places in scripture have provided the rootedness for my own...
Overcoming barriers to the mission of God …with Dianne Tidball
This is the first of a series of conversations we are planning to share on seventy-two.network. In each one, Nigel Coles sits down for coffee with a leader who might help us find our way in God’s mission. Overcoming barriers to the mission of God ...with Dianne...
Partnership for Mission in Practice
Jesus sent the Seventy-two to the towns and villages of Galilee in pairs, so partnership is our model for mission activity. This story, which first appeared in The Baptist Times, describes what happened when two churches from different parts of the country decided to...
Dare I Assume Responsibility?
I’m passing on this challenge wherever I go at the moment. It’s one I’ve received myself: Assume responsibility. These two words are the title of chapter one of Derek Tidball’s latest book Lead like Joshua, and they summarise what he’s hearing from Joshua 1:1-6. For...
Planning for Fruitfulness
Are you planning for fruitfulness? We probably know some these verses by heart: "For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me,...