This is just a little update for those who have been supporting us by praying and financially. My time is currently divided in half between our local church, a New Frontiers church in North Birmingham where I now serve as part of the eldership team and working to encourage and equip church planting and revitalisation across the West Midlands in urban contexts.
I want to tell you a bit more about the second part of my work as it was this that we thought that God might be freeing me up to do more of when I finished my time at Bearwood Chapel. So, here are some of the things that I’ve been doing recently.
First, I keep putting out the appeal for potential pioneer planters, whether that is to come and serve here in the West Midlands or to reach out so that I can help support and train them as they look to plant in another part of the country – or even further afield. This has led to a few conversations recently, including a couple of zoom conversations with men considering a move into this kind of Gospel ministry and with one couple coming to spend a weekend with us exploring Birmingham. So far, none of these conversations have gone any further but the important thing is that they are happening.
Secondly, a long with Tim Brown, an elder at one of the other churches in our network I’ve been meeting monthly with the leaders of an inner city church which has been through a testing time and contacted us looking for help with the start of a revitalisation project.
Thirdly, I’m meeting up with a young man who is about to plant a church in Birmingham with the RCCG. We meet up to talk about how things are progressing with preparation and to encourage and pray for each other. Last week, we went for a walk around the Perry Barr area to get a feel for the community and to help him identify potential venues for a church gathering. We were able, on spec to go in and look at two venues, one was not going to be available every Sunday and would have cost too much, the other may well have legs!
Fourthly, we were involved in the replant at West Smethwick Congregational Church and I continue to keep in touch with Tom Martin as he seeks to develop a leadership team for the church. We visit the congregation about once a term on a Sunday to see how they are getting on and I recently preached for them on Acts 4:1-22.
Fifth, I’m continuing to develop teaching and training material for potential planters. Last week, I taught some material for the Birmingham Collective’s planters’ hub on building multiplication intro your DNA. A version of that material is now available on Faithroots.
I’m currently recording a series of online talks/lectures working through 1 and 2 Chronicles providing some Old Testament Studies content for our training. This complements the Leadership material and some Systematic Theology which is already available here.
Please do continue to pray for us and get in touch if you would like to learn more about partnering with me.
If you are interested in supporting my work please have a look here.
Faithroots 