The need and the vision
We need churches planted in areas where we currently see very little in terms of Gospel witness. Over the past decade, it has been encouraging to see new churches planted across Birmingham and the West Midlands. However, much of that Gospel energy has been focused on the centre and south of Birmingham with a particular trend towards student and graduate populations.
We need Gospel communities that will shine the light of Christ into our inner-city neighbourhoods and onto our council estates, often these areas suffer from high levels of poverty but there are also great stretches of north and West Birmingham as well as into the Black Country that are not socially deprived but also not particularly prosperous. You might say that these are the ordinary places -the urban normal. We need Gospel witness in these places too.
So, the vision is to see a network of churches including conventional style churches with their own buildings, those meeting in rented accommodation and small house churches planted across the West Midlands.
Check out The Story So Far to find out about what has already been happening.
Partnership
I would love to hear from you if you are interested in exploring how you could partner with us in urban planting and discipleship. This might be through:
Praying: You can sign up here for a regular newsletter to encourage and equip you to intercede for the work of the Gospel here in the urban West Midlands but also in other urban contexts too.
Giving: If you are interested in supporting this work, please check out the Donate page. You’ll find information about how you can make a one off donation through PayPal or you can contact me for bank details if you wish to set up a standing order for longer term support.
Sending or Coming: Most of all, I would love to hear from you if God is placing it on your heart to get involved in urban church planting. This might mean moving to the West Midlands or it might mean beginning a conversation about beginning to plant where you are.
Check out the Pioneer Planting page to find out more about how you could join us as a church planter.
Planting where you are. Smaller, swifter, simpler church planting includes the possibility that people will begin to reach their own communitites by opening their homes to neighbours. This might begin with social events and lead to a weekly invite to join a small group to get to know Jesus together through his word This is something you can begin to explore whilst remaining part of an existing church (with the support of your leaders) as you get a local witness established.
Why not use First Look to begin introducing people to Jesus
Check out Church in a Box for other resources to help you keep making disciples of Jesus from home.
And get in touch to talk about how we can partner together
Faithroots 