A day with Jubilee+
I always find it tremendously refreshing and envisioning to spend a day annually with the Jubilee+ core team, and this year was no exception. They gather annually for three days of prayer and strategising, and invite different people to join them for one of the days both to communicate progress and to share in prayer with them to seek God’s mind for the coming year. This year I was one of a group of about 30 who gathered on Day 1, all of us from across the seven Newfrontiers apostolic spheres in the UK.
A changing environment
We began by recognising that the environment in which we are seeking to help churches in their engagement with the needs of those in poverty in the UK has changed in the ten years since the Jubilee+ initiative was launched. As reported in the UN report on poverty in the UK, published in Nov 2018, the impacts of Austerity and Brexit, in particular, have been felt most severely by those who are poor and in need. This is most evident in the huge explosion of Foodbanks around the country and also the negative impact of Universal Credit. The impact of digital technology and automation is also being keenly felt: “We are witnessing the gradual disappearance of the post-war British welfare state behind a webpage and an algorithm.”
The church scene has also changed, sometimes in a very positive way. Increasingly churches are taking note of the needs of those in poverty when they consider how to use their buildings, including designing new ones to take account of relevant ministries. There are also changes in the ways in which people are involved in ministries and appropriate giftings are identified to release more resource.
An update
The Jubilee+ initiative punches well above its weight! The team carries out a number of initiatives:
- Rigorous research based on outcomes, particularly about Supporting People with Addiction, and Care for Older People
- Effective networking across churches and denominations eg for Asylum Seekers and Refugees, and working with Christians Against Poverty, Community Money Advice, International Substance Abuse & Addiction Coalition etc
- Intentional building of relationships to foster cooperation in many sectors
- Following the success of The Myth of the Undeserving Poor and A Church for the Poor, another book has been commissioned for publication in 2020
- The Annual Conference ‘Churches that change Communities’, to be held this year in Bristol on Nov 16th
As well as much time during the day being spent in prayer there were small group discussion sessions out of which priorities for future initiatives were identified and some of the key changes that we must see in churches over the next ten years were suggested.
The value of coffee
In each of the coffee breaks there was opportunity to catch up with individuals and to hear of their successes and challenges. The environment of poverty alleviation can be messy – but it can also carry huge rewards and fulfilment.
I do congratulate Martin Charlesworth and his team for the inspirational and impacting work they undertake and for the way it is all saturated in prayer as they seek to know God’s mind for Kingdom advance in this generation. Well done!