Interdependence.org.uk

The most recent issue (Issue 26, Autumn 2009) of Affinity’s Table Talk magazine considers the vital question of financing ministerial training. It is a very helpful article, and we are pleased to see that Stephen Clark recognises the Gospel requirement of inter-dependency when it comes to the financing of this vital work. The article will be posted on the TableTalk section of the Affinity website at some point, or you can order a printed copy from them directly.

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It was a great joy at the weekend to be present at the Induction service of Jim (James) Murkett to the assistant pastorate at Lower Kingswood Evangelical Church. This was a joy not just because Jim is a good friend of mine, but because it was a great example of Interdepence in action.

Lower Kingswood is a fairly small FIEC church and could probably not support a full-time pastor on their own. However their brothers at Tollgate Evangelical Church have partnered with them in the Gospel, and Jim is to be employed between both churches, but with the congregation at Lower Kingswood as his primary focus.

We thank God for the vision and unity He has given to both churches and pray that we would see many similar schemes around the country.

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I have enjoyed reading John Frame’s The Doctrine of the Christian Life this summer and am particularly encouraged by the sense of perspective he provides – keeping secondary things secondary and offering a generous spirit of Biblical
grace. You may be interested in reading Evangelical Reunion, one of his earlier books, which is available online. Whilst ‘reunion’ in its strongest sense is not what this site is all about, some of the more modest ’shorter term’ proposals he makes, are very much in line with our philosophy here.

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It is the FIEC Annual Assembly Day today, and although I was not able to attend, I am hoping to read some encouraging news of the future direction of this grouping of churches.  Interdependence continues to be something we struggle with and need to get better at thinking about.  As Rupert Bentley-Taylor said in the flyer for the day “These are days of unparallelled challenge for our nation and unparallelled opportunity for churches which have the vision and the courage to work together in the gospel” (my italics).  More news as soon as we hear of it.

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We had a very encouraging session yesterday afternoon with Richard Underwood, general secretary of the FIEC.  Amongst other things he spoke of his vision for the FIEC, and we have his permission to summarise some of what he said below.

Firstly he took us to Acts 11:19-30 and pointed out that though the Jerusalem church and the church in Antioch were different in many ways yet they were alike in the only way that mattered - as brothers (and sisters) in Christ (11:29).  As a result of this they:

• Shared Information
• Shared people
• Shared money
• Shared vision

In God’s providence this sharing and working together was driven by persecution  (11:19) and famine (11:27).

We were reminded that the apostle Paul’s vision was broader than just the local church (2 Cor 11:28) and the way this concern shaped his ministry which was characterised by:

• Church planting mission
• Apostolic relief fund (a perhaps surprisingly significant emphasis in his letters)
• Apostolic letters
• Apostolic teams

And in the light of all of this, we were encouraged to consider the FIEC’s vision in the following way:

“The FIEC exists to equip gospel churches to make disciples together”

We love the use of the word ‘together’ and the emphasis that came across the whole session on the importance of interdependence and relationship.  A particular strength of this interdependece was the possibility of seeing the ‘big picture’, and letting the gospel drive our agenda (and our fellowship – so that we can be generous on secondary issues whilst holding fast to what is primary).

He identified ministry priorities for the FIEC in the following way:

Churches on a mission together to

• Reach the lost
• Grow leaders
• Care for churches

And of course these are all priorities we share.  Praise God that the leadership of the FIEC is thinking in these ways.  Pray that God would give individual churches the same vision inasmuch as it is a Biblical one.

 

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This is a boring housekeeping announcement.  We have moved our server.  This may explain any downtime you have experienced in the last 24 hours.

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We are pleased to see that in the announcements regarding the nation-wide mission initiative – A Passion for Life (for March 2010) – not only is there a desire to reach out to people with the gospel of Christ, but specifically to do so by “connecting with churches.” According to the latest South East Gospel Partnership newsletter this means “partnership with all who share a commitment to the mission’s doctrinal basis with generous accommodation across cultural and denominational differences.”

Wonderful!

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I recently came across the following quote which (though referring primarily to Congregational Churches) could well be applied to some of the Independent Churches in the UK. Written in 1906, we see that our concerns for Gospel Fellowship are not new ones.

“The curse of Congregationalism, which not only hinders it from fulfilling its mission, but threatens its very existence, is “parochial selfishness.” This is by no means confined to the Congregational churches, but is a graver danger under our free polity. Each church, being sufficient unto itself, thinks only of itself. It resents even advice from other churches as an interference with its supreme authority. Various remedies may be suggested for this unhealthy state of our body ecclesiastical. Sackcloth and ashes is one of them. A review of Congregational polity with the New Testament in hand, is another. . . .The only remedy for selfishness is unselfishness. The great remedy for lack of fellowship is to practice fellowship. Let the churches unite in common work which calls to them, work which no one of them can do alone. Let the strong churches love their weaker neighbors as themselves, and love in deed. We shall soon recover from our Independency into the strong fellowship of Congregational churches. If the pastors lead in such a movement, the churches will follow.”

[quoted from Edgar L. Heermance Democracy in the Church (New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1906), p. 121-2.]

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Here’s a great example of Interdependence in action, or ‘Gospel partnership’ as it is called here…

Partnership in Action

What does Gospel partnership look like? There are several ways of answering that question, but one answer comes in the form of churches releasing their own leaders and allowing them time to work with other churches that need their help.

We were asked by the membership of an evangelical church in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire to support them through a difficult period. The departure of the minister had left the church without clear spiritual
leadership so that the church was beginning to drift. With many in the church rather downcast about the position they felt the church had reached it became clear that we needed to be in a position of actually leading them in making these changes, rather than acting as neutral consultants giving advice.

Not surprisingly, some were rather nervous about this since it meant the local church surrendering its independent status and asking outsiders to take over. We were grateful at this juncture for the support of Martyn Hallett (pastor at Goldington Evangelical Church in Bedford) who had been acting as chair for the Sharnbrook deacons’ meetings, so along with him Phil and I were appointed as interim Eders for a period of two years, with the expectation that we would give about two days a week between us (it probably worked out at more than that, which is usually the case in ministry!).

The focus of our activity was relatively straightforward: organising the Sunday ministry (Ian with his part-time status at Brixworth was able to preach every three or four weeks, Phil every six or seven, and Martyn about once a quarter); organising and leading the setting up of weekly housegroups; some pastoral visiting; leading deacons’ and church meetings; and, this year, heading up the search for a new pastor. It was not really possible to do much more, as the distance from Brixworth to Sharnbrook is just under 25 miles and time is restricted because of other duties, but it is surprising how that little was so encouraging to the people at Sharnbrook.

In all of this, we have sought to keep people regularly informed for prayer, even though members at Brixworth have not been directly involved. Quite a few have thus maintained an active interest in the progress of the fellowship at Sharnbrook and have therefore also shared our joy at the Lord’s recent provision of a pastor who we hope will take up his appointment in October. So our involvement with the church will be scaled down, but our sense of unity with the church at Sharnbrook will not diminish.
We are grateful to have been able to work with them in a way that both demonstrated and strengthened the bonds that exist in Christian fellowship.

Ian Rees, Associate Pastor of Brixworth Christian Fellowship (FIEC)
(Article reproduced with permission from Spring 08 issue of Together Magazine – www.fiec.org.uk.)

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The FIEC are designating 15th-29th June ‘Fellowship Fortnight.” As I understand it, this is to encourage member churches to pray for the FIEC and to make them aware of some of the work of the movement. I noted in the following in their Spring bulletin “You may feel that you could arrange for some expression of local inter-church fellowship during that period with your FIEC friends and neighbours.” Here here. Let’s get talking and working together!

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