BuildingBridges

[58.1] FUTURE CHURCH CONVENES

More than 60 people from across Britain and Ireland gathered at High Leigh conference centre ear Broxbourne to take part in Building Bridges of Hope's latest 'Future Church' conference. The theme was 'sharing faith and values' - something that many BBH-related churches have said is a clear priority, but which many find difficult in practice?

Offering a series of 'postcards from the edge' (stories of emergent and transformative church), Stuart Murray-Williams commented that effective evangelism requires repentance at its heart. In a society where Christian language, the Christian story and Christian institutions can no longer be taken for granted, our practice has to be imaginative and people-centred. It also has to acknowledge past mistakes without wallowing.

And Anne Richards offered a setof biblical questions which, she said, faced both those inside and outside the church. Those who speak Gospel words need to listen to what those they converse with are really saying. We must not put words in people's mouths and erect barriers that may not be the true obstacles.

The questions are: 'Where are you?' (from Genesis). 'Who do you say that I am?' (from the Jesus). And, 'Who are you looking for?' (from the Risen Christ - new words in a new life, spoken by someone who had been silenced by death.)

After a short break through to 4 November, Building Bridges will be sharing a range of stories, examples, ideas and experiences from the conference.

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