In the first part of this report I shared how I had been invited with about 20 others to join the Jubilee+ core team for a day of prayer, Prophecy and Discussion. The day had started with an overview by Martin Charlesworth when he highlighted some of the activities and events that had taken place over the previous year in fulfilment of the prophetic mandate Jubilee+ operates under. Particularly:
- Book – A church for the Poor
- Capacity building networks – particularly Refugee Resource Centre for Churches.
- Resources planned or in development to help:
– Church planting in deprived communities
– Churches engaged with addiction issues
– Care for the elderly
– Personal indebtedness
Round table discussions
The bulk of the day was spent in small groups addressing three topics:
- What are the big and emerging social issues our churches are facing?
– Mental Health was identified as the top issue in every group
– Universal credit is causing huge social injustice and poverty as people’s benefits are changing and there are long delays in receiving the new benefit
– Insecurity caused by homelessness and job loss. It was recognised that the nature of homelessness is changing as there is now a large population that represent the working poor ie those who work but cannot afford rent.
– Loneliness. Elderly, single mums, students, younger generation not learning how to relate.
– Children and young people becoming more vulnerable to sexual exploitation, drug addiction, alcohol, pornography and gambling.
– The lack of resources in NHS and special needs education. - How can we grow the capacity in our churches to meet the needs?
Top solutions were identified as the value of:
– Partnership with other charities and churches
– Knowing what local resources are available eg Money and gifted people
– The importance of elders and leaders identifying with serving the poor.
– The need for active involvement in advocacy and political engagement - How can Jubilee+ help local churches?
The final topic revolved around the partnership and support that Jubilee+ can offer to local churches, which yielded the following suggestions:
– To develop and maintain a register of what ministries are being carried out across the spheres in order to identify a resource of knowledge and skills.
– To identify any training or equipping courses or programmes across the Newfrontiers apostolic spheres in which people could participate.
– Collate what resource materials are available from across the spheres.
Conclusion
Jubilee+ exists for the benefit of helping churches to engage with those who are poor or in need, and to foster strong and productive relationships to mutual benefit with other agencies both from within and outside the Christian context. Days such as the one described help the Core team to strategise to fulfil the mandate set in an efficient and productive way.
Conference Reminder – November 10th in London
Have you booked for the conference yet? I really urge you to do so – you won’t regret it. This conference has become one of the highest priorities in my diary each year as it not only equips and provides an excellent opportunity for networking among those who have a heart for Social Justice, but there is also ample opportunity for prayer and prophetic release. Many lives have been significantly impacted over the years through attending and new directions have been set.
Book here