17Nov 2017 by Nigel Ring

Empowered and buzzing – Jubilee+ conference report

Jubilee+, News, Poor
The annual Jubilee+ conference is one of the first dates in my diary each year. It combines helpful impartation of knowledge with worship, vision, networking and a time of prayer. This year’s conference in Cambridge lived up to my expectations. During the week running up to the conference, one of Natalie Williams’ friends at King's Church in Hastings had said to her that she felt that Jubilee+ has been like a deep-sea oil rig, pushing deeper and deeper, sometimes through rocks that were hard to budge, but that this year's conference would be as if we had finally struck oil. (Natalie is one of the core team of Jubilee+.) That accurately reflected the day. During the conference, delegates were coming out of main sessions and seminars saying how profound they…
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08Nov 2017 by Nigel Ring

Around the Newfrontiers apostolic spheres – Christ Central

Christ Central, Jeremy Simpkins, Newfrontiers, News
From time to time I bring a report from one of the Newfrontiers apostolic spheres when I meet up with an old friend who leads one. It is always such a joy to hear what God is doing around the world and how he continues to show favour on us as an ever expanding family of churches. Recently, while at a day with the Jubilee+ team to which Jeremy Simpkins and I had been invited, we were able to grab a few minutes to reflect together. I hope you will enjoy eavesdropping on our conversation. Spheres networking together When Newfrontiers was redefined in 2011 as a network of apostolic spheres we felt it important that spheres were to be both autonomous and interdependent. As a network of spheres we recognised that some of the…
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31Oct 2017 by Nigel Ring

Rediscovering your roots

Church History, News, Reformation
Recently I had the great joy and privilege of spending a few hours with Ben Virgo of Christian Heritage London (Terry and Wendy’s son) as he walked with my sister and myself around some of the Christian landmarks in the City of London. But he did not talk so much about the buildings as the men and women who were pioneers and martyrs in their generation, and in whose wake we now enjoy so much freedom and understanding of the scriptures. As one who failed history at school I found this afternoon with Ben both fascinating and edifying. I can’t stop telling people about it! Let me share some of the highlights. Wycliffe, Tyndale and Wesley Starting at St Paul’s Cathedral, where Ben told us about Wycliffe and his first…
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24Oct 2017 by Nigel Ring

A Church for the Poor

Books, Church culture, News, Poor
How 'accessible' is your church? If someone from a local run-down housing complex in your area walked into your church would they come a second time? Many churches have become so ‘middle class’ that they represent an unwelcoming environment for those from different socio-economic levels of society. The authors of ‘A Church for the Poor’ come themselves from very different backgrounds. Martin Charlesworth was educated at a private boarding school whereas Natalie received free school meals. In their very disparate backgrounds lies their authenticity and credibility in joint-authoring such a book as this, a book that fills a unique place in the plethora of books about how to build church in our generation. Analysis Presented in two distinct parts this book first analyses the causes of poverty and gives a…
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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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06Sep 2017 by Nigel Ring

Join the blessing of Bible Weeks and Weekends

Andrew Wilson, Bible Weeks, New Ground, Newday, Newfrontiers, News, Terry Virgo, Westpoint
The last few weeks have seen Bible Weekends and Festivals up and down the country in the UK. This coming together for teaching, envisioning and fellowship is now a very important and widely attended activity for Christians. What a contrast to a few decades ago when such things did not happen at all. In those days people looked at you aghast to think that anyone would choose to camp in a field and attend meetings in marquees for a whole week of their annual holiday. Over the years enormous blessing has flowed from these initiatives. I love to meet church leaders who tell me they became Christians or were baptised in the Holy Spirit at one of the Bible Weeks organised within the family of Newfrontiers churches – Downs or…
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