12Sep 2017 by Nigel Ring

A cycle of church planting

Church Planting, Handing over, Newfrontiers, News, Terry Virgo
For twenty months my wife and I have been meeting in a home with a group of believers in Bath, UK, now called The Gospel Collective. Last Sunday afternoon (Sept 11th) we met for the first time in a public setting – The Beechen Cliff School hall. It is exciting to be caught up in pioneering again! On the same day The Kings Church (mid-Sussex), that was first planted out of our home 40 years ago, celebrated their anniversary – a fascinating coincidence of events on the same day! That church was the first one Terry Virgo planted before the thought of a church family, which became Newfrontiers, even existed. Some of us who were part of that first church met in Terry and Wendy’s home recently to reflect on the early…
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08Jun 2017 by Nigel Ring

What do you want to leave behind?

Burundi, Equipping, Handing over, Older generation, Serving
Jesus said 'It is finished' as he hung on the cross and yielded up his spirit. This was no cry of relief that the pain was over but rather a shout of victory! Will you be able to say someday 'It is finished' with the same confidence that Jesus had? Do you know what your 'it' is? Will you have faithfully fulfilled 'it'? Recently I ended a series 'Grace-filled or Grumpy?' addressed to those in their later years. I thought I had finished, but have just watched this video 'What do you want to leave behind' by one of my heroes, Simon Guillebaud, who ministers selflessly in Burundi, and I felt I should add a postcript. He talks about his grandmother who was a missionary in Rwanda and was part of the…
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10May 2017 by Nigel Ring

Grace-filled or grumpy? Pt 6 Mobilising older people 2

Equipping, Handing over, Older generation, Serving
In this concluding part of the series I want to continue to help church leaders in the challenging task of ensuring that all members are achieving their God-given place of service in the local church, particularly, in this context, the older members. Crowning Years Recently I attended the thanksgiving service for Alun Davies, a godly church leader whom I loved to visit up to the end of his life in his eighties. Why? Because he reflected and spoke about the wonder and glory of Jesus. He took every opportunity to talk about Jesus, to witness to those he touched, whether a carer who was coming to help look after his wife, June, or a painter who decorated his house. He was one of those I visited to encourage - but…
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03May 2017 by Nigel Ring

Grace-filled or grumpy? Pt 5 Mobilising older people 1

Equipping, Handing over, Older generation, Serving
I now want to speak to church leaders. One of your primary responsibilities is to present every one of your members 'mature in Christ' (Col 1:28) - a life-long process that does not end at 'retirement'! It includes helping them to reach their full potential and bring their gifting to the benefit of the community. When we were chosen from before the foundation of the world it was to walk in the good works God has prepared for us to walk in (Eph 2:10) and that never stops this side of the grave. This series has particularly addressed those who are typically retired – I feel I am qualified to do so! But in using the expression ‘mobilising older people’ I am not speaking of walking frames. What I am talking about…
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25Apr 2017 by Nigel Ring

Grace-filled or grumpy? Pt 4 Opportunities to serve

Equipping, Handing over, Older generation, Serving
Homework - did you do it? Last time I urged you to list the things you felt you could contribute to the church at this stage in your life. I hope you were obedient! I would now like to add some suggestions to your list. Discipleship and mentoring Jesus' final command was to go and make disciples (Matt 28:19). What a great season in life you are now in to do this with less pressures on your time! You may no longer be an activist and implementer, but you have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. But be sure to do so in humility - and remain a learner! For instance, young men and women in the church may value just sitting with you and asking questions, or discussing a…
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19Apr 2017 by Nigel Ring

Grace-filled or grumpy? Pt 3 What do you have to offer?

Equipping, Handing over, Older generation, Serving
Defining your current gifting and capacity If you believe that God has not finished with you, you have a responsibility to wait on him to discover what he has for you in this season of life. It may well differ from what you have been used to. Your previous energy and capacity have probably diminished. But that does not mean they have come to an end. So let’s look at what you have to offer. You may like to list them out and then ‘lay them before the Lord’. This can give the space and opportunity for him to confirm or adjust what you have written. Be practical As I approached retirement I took time over several months to list the things in which I had been involved. I then…
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