watch / Church Planting
One of the three priorities the Church of England has for the 2020s is to be ‘a church that is younger and more diverse’.
In this series, Bishop Ric Thorpe asks the ‘Big Question’ of how the Church of England and its leaders can encourage and increase diversity in church planting and multiplication. Bishop Ric is joined by Bishop Jill Duff, Bishop Lusa Nsenga Ngoy, and Chris Lane.
Ric Thorpe, Bishop of Islington, sets out the themes of the Big Question – how can we encourage and increase diversity in church planting? Bv
The panel discuss the aspects of ‘the system’ that need to change, rather than seeing individuals look to change themselves in order to be accepted into leadership roles.
The panel considers whether the report, From Lament to Action and its recommended actions, might represent a turning point or shift in the Church’s posture in relation to racism.
The panel share their thoughts on how leaders can play their part in ensuring that their churches and ministries reflect and represent the communities around them, therefore “bending the imagination towards hope”.
The panel reflects on how those with influence must be ‘learners’, ready to listen to the Holy Spirit in identifying, making space for and releasing all those whom God is calling to use their gifts in the Church and specifically in church planting.
A chance for the panel to give examples from their own contexts of how they are expanding their own vision of the world, acknowledging that engaging with diversity can sometimes be uncomfortable.
Concluding this discussion, panel members highlight elements of their conversation which they want to ‘take home’ as well as those they want to ‘give away’ to all those seeking to increase diversity in church planting.
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