16Apr 2012 by Nigel Ring

Good Practice in Education – pt 2

Education, Equipping, Good Practice, Poor, South Africa
In part 1 of this report about the multi-cultural Dihlabeng School, situated near the border between South Africa and Lesotho, Margaret Grant, the Founder, Visionary and Principle, shared about the History and Vision. Now she shows how effective the school is at fulfilling this vision, how she has obtained funding and some of the lessons learned from her experiences. This report, taken from my book ‘The Poor deserve the Best' (see side panel), is one of thirteen I included with the intention of being a practical help to others who may be considering starting similar ministries. What is the fruit of the ministry? The school has been in existence for ten years and so there have been a fair number of learners who have passed through the school and gone…
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10Apr 2012 by Nigel Ring

Good Practice in Education – pt 1

Education, Equipping, Good Practice, Poor, South Africa
Examples of Good Practice In the last section in my book The Poor deserve the Best (see side panel) I have included reports from various development ‘sectors' to illustrate good practice and to give key considerations for others who may be considering starting a ministry in the same sector. This and the next posting was included in the Education sector. Margaret Grant, Founder and Principal of Dihlabeng Christian School in the Free State, South Africa, shares from her own experience. The Vision Dihlabeng Christian School was started in January 2000 as a part of Dihlabeng Christian Church's desire to bring hope to the hopeless by working with the materially disadvantaged and those from the poorer part of the community. The school aims to provide children with an excellent primary school…
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26Mar 2012 by Nigel Ring

The secret ingredient

Christian ministry, Development, Equipping, Good Practice, Poor, South Africa
Gospel Impact As I travel to churches helping them think through the key issues to launch a ministry with the poor I invariably contrast what the church has to offer compared to secular NGOs and aid agencies. There are areas of similarity and areas of contrast. The biggest contrast is that we have a ‘secret ingredient' - the Gospel. We are able to approach the ministry God has laid on our hearts knowing that we go into situations in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Angela Kemm I first met Angela in 1987. Working out of what is now called Jubilee Church, a Newfrontiers church in Cape Town, South Africa, Angela regularly stepped out of her comfort zone and went into the communities living in tents and…
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19Mar 2012 by Nigel Ring

Impacting communities through Social Enterprise

Equipping, Jubilee+, Newfrontiers, Poor, Social Enterprise
Community Engagement There are three strands to the way in which the church can exercise community engagement to bring about change in the social environment - Social Action (hands-on involvement), Social Justice (advocacy) and Social Enterprise (transformation through business). The last, Social Enterprise, is the one most likely to produce lasting personal and community transformation with financial sustainability. It was thus with great interest I attended a half day conference on this important topic organised through the Jubilee+ Initiative of the Newfrontiers family of churches on March 16th. This was then followed on 17th by the Everything Conference which, on occasion, touched on the same subject. What is Social Enterprise? Social Enterprise is attaining a growing profile in the UK. Increasingly businesses are being launched or re-aligned to help those…
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07Mar 2012 by Nigel Ring

Teams that work – pt 15. Supporting one another

Equipping, Team
As we come to the final part of this series I want to look at Phil 2:4-8, the heart of what Jesus has modelled for us in total unselfishness, putting our interests before his own, even to the extent of laying down his life for us. Over the last 30 years I have had the privilege of serving many teams, both as a member and as team leader. I have provided administrative support to various teams led by Terry Virgo and have given leadership to the management teams for the Downs and Stoneleigh Bible Weeks, and for the Together on a Mission Conferences. I have also led the staff team of Terry Virgo's office in Hove. In each case I have sought to encourage team members to see their role…
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27Feb 2012 by Nigel Ring

Teams that work – pt 14. Pulling together or apart?

Equipping, Team
Selfishness and bad attitude There are few more difficult members to have in a team than those who have their own hidden agendas. The selfish footballer who wants to score the goal when he should have passed the ball, or the cricket batsman who is more interested in his seasonal average than the welfare of the team, are each nightmares to the captain. Indeed, it is sometimes necessary to change the team selection to remove such a person. In Christian circles, too, that attitude can sometimes be present. The flesh in some people seeks after ‘glory' and ‘profile'. Such people are not good team players. Bad attitude represents a powerful force for destruction and Paul addresses the subject head on in Phil 2:3-8. He shows how Jesus' attitude was exemplary…
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