Dean of Fresh Expressions

The Diocese has just announced that I have been appointed as Dean of Fresh Expressions in Southwark. This is a new part-time post and is initially for a year (for both sides to see how it goes) and does not alter me continuing as Minister of Springfield Church. It is an exciting opportunity not only for

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Church Growth Conference – children & youth

At the recent Church Growth conference put on by the Church of England, one of the key areas that many growing churches had in common was a commitment to children and youth ministries.

Church Growth – from anecdote to evidence

Last week I was at a fascinating conference – on statistics! I know, I know – you’re going to say statistics are boring or come out with that old canard “Lies, damned lies and statistics”. But actually statistics are incredibly important.

Without buildings

I’ve just had an article published about operating as a church without owning our buildings on the Church Growth R&D website. You can read the article here: http://www.churchgrowthrd.org.uk/blog/churchgrowth/without_a_building

Caring in Clubmoor

My final visit to churches who had received development funding grants was to St Andrews, Clubmoor in Liverpool. Steve McGanity has been vicar at St Andrews since before I was a curate in Haydock!

Becoming Jesus shaped in Bradford

Bradford is maybe an unlikely place to find real innovation in the church going on, especially when you consider the large areas of deprivation. When I was here, briefly, in the 1990’s for a college mission there was a feeling of almost hopelessness in the parish I visited and a sense of feeling besieged.

Exploring growth in Birmingham

Birmingham was my second visit during my sabbatical looking at some of the places that had received funding from the Archbishops Council to grow the church in areas of deprivation.

Building community in Tolladine….

This was the first of my visits around the country to see how churches that had been recipients of the Archbishops council funding were planning to use their money and what they were looking to achieve in estates around the country. As recipients ourselves I am hoping to see what we might learn from the experience

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Why has Christianity declined so much in the Middle East?

My visit to the 7 churches in Asia Minor and my visit to Istanbul continues to make me think and to grapple with the decline of Christianity in the Middle East. The question I keep asking is why?

Off on Sabbatical

Well I start my sabbatical on Sunday afternoon. I must say that I am very much looking forward to it.