27Apr 2020 by Nigel Ring

A time to reset? ‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry’

News
Your response to the enforced Lockdown? How are you getting on in this period of enforced lockdown? Are you frustrated, longing to get back on the treadmill of life, or – dare I whisper it – enjoying this period of enforced slowing down, even finding it gives ‘rest to your soul’? ‘What planet are you on, Nigel?’ I can sense some of you saying. ‘Don’t you know that I am cooped up indoors with screaming children, home-educating, trying to keep a job going?’ My heart goes out to you. But for others this is a period of helpful enforced slowing down. Here I want to urge all of you to make it count and suggest that this time gives an opportunity to reset your life-style and values. Something positive to…
Read More
15Apr 2020 by Nigel Ring

Where is God in a Coronavirus world?

Equipping, News
Recently I was talking with a friend who is a Buddhist. He asked how I interpreted what is going on (meaning ‘where is your God in all this?’). I am sure that many are asking this question in various forms. My wife had just received this book Where is God in a Coronavirus world? by John Lennox, professor of mathematics at Oxford University. I was also told by a friend about a YouTube interview where Michael Ramsden of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries talks with John Lennox. Both the book and interview are very helpful. I commend them to you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvLfuMlAi18&feature=emb_title
Read More
28Jan 2020 by Nigel Ring

In conversation with Scott Marques 3 – Relationships between apostolic spheres

News
Autonomy and Interdependence These were two key words when we were planning the redefinition of Newfrontiers from being a family of churches to a family of apostles and apostolic spheres; each should be both autonomous yet also inter-dependent. Prophetically, God spoke to us that, like the knots in a net, each sphere would develop a few strong links with other spheres. These 'knots' would each have other links and thus the whole net would have coherence without every sphere having to be directly linked to all the others. The 'net' would still have common vision, values, theology and purpose, and be compatible with the word which God gave many years previously that we could achieve 'more together than apart'. So it was with great pleasure I was able to talk…
Read More
08Jan 2020 by Nigel Ring

In conversation with Scott Marques 1 – Zimbabwe

News
I have known Scott Marques, who leads the Newfrontiers apostolic sphere Disciple Nations, for many years. Recently I was able to catch up with him as he visited near my home area and to record three interviews, which will be posted over the next few weeks, in which he tells us about the situations in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and also how he is seeking to work with other apostolic spheres in a spirit of collaboration and cooperation. Zimbabwe has been going through many years of dictatorship during which the church has remained resilient and un-bowed despite deep nationwide poverty. In this first conversation Scott shares about the nation, and also how he and his sphere of churches are facing the very challenging circumstances with hope and practical action. Watch this…
Read More
08Dec 2019 by Nigel Ring

Books for Christmas

Equipping, News, Poor
There are three books I would like to recommend: Multiplanting by Colin Baron Establish the Work of our Hands: Work, Enterprise and God's mission by Nick Priggis We need to talk about Race by Ben Lindsay Multiplanting For decades Colin has carried a prophetic vision to plant churches and now has a track record of success going back over 25 years. So his wisdom is worth reading! Manchester is the context from which Colin has drawn the experience he shares in this book where he has planted church congregations across the city. Unlike the multi-site model that has become popular in recent years – several geographically separate congregations of one church with common teaching and eldership – the multiplanting model seeks to build church congregations that work closely together, but…
Read More
18Sep 2019 by Nigel Ring

10 years on… Now what?

News
Feeding 5000 is no picnic... Where did it all begin? In June 2009 I was persuaded to write my first blog. Several people had suggested it but I doubted that I had much to say and that anyone would read it. I wanted to address the primary themes of Church Administration and Ministry with the Poor and felt God drop the phrase 'Feeding 5000 is no picnic...' into my mind. It seemed to combine the challenges of administration with the needs of those who are poor or in need, described by Jesus in Mark 6:34 as 'sheep without a shepherd'. And so the blog was born. I guessed I could keep going for about 3 months. Admittedly I have added other topics from time to time but now, 10 years…
Read More