disciples
share the Christian faith and invite people in: personal friendships, forming missionary disciples, a culture of invitation, flyers, posters, social media, street evangelism, Ashes to Go, and more.
If elected I will seek to ensure that the most appropriate decisions are made in each of these, and other areas, to enable clergy to keep evangelism and growing disciples central to their ministry; to keep the main thing the main thing!
Passionate about evangelism and discipleship, I support The Church of England’s aim to double the number of children and young active disciples by 2030.
were told, would result in 89, 375 new disciples.
My deepest desire is to see the Church of England flourish, especially in the Diocese of Durham, and in the making and sustaining of disciples of Jesus Christ.
and making disciples central.
RACIAL JUSTICE, DIVERSITY & BELONGING encounter Christ and grow as disciples.
“My hope is for a Church that is increasingly Christ-centred, prayerful, courageous and outward-facing; that takes Scripture seriously, welcomes people generously, safeguards diligently and equips people to become disciples; and where different generations, cultures and backgrounds genuinely belong.”
I support fully the Church of England's aim of doubling the number of children and young disciples by 2030.
Chaplaincy and other expressions of church are important, but it is in a parish, rooted in a local community, that many people encounter faith and become disciples.
It is a joy and privilege to serve the people here and encourage them in their mission to make disciples of Jesus and bring healing to our world.
I firmly believe that everyone is equal in the sight of God and that as his disciples, we have a duty to work together to follow Jesus’s commission, to go and make disciples of others.
We need to make sure that working-class people know that the Church belongs to them too – not as a project to be fixed, but as equal partners, leaders and disciples in the life of the Church.
As priest of a church where music is an attractional force that draws and disciples young and old, I would bring to Synod a commitment to this ministry and to its proven capacity to grow churches and form disciples.
Through these roles I have developed a passion for helping people of all ages encounter Christ and grow as disciples.
Jesus tells His disciples to “be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50) and Project Spire has not assisted in that.
Transforming Systems I believe our USP is in being disciples.
I long to see churches in every context reaching people with the good news of Jesus and making disciples.
• Mission – keeping before us the call to make disciples, serve our communities and share
would love our structures, spending and strategies to prioritise the Church’s people-facing ministry: proclaiming Jesus, making disciples, nurturing the faithful and serving our communities.
I fully endorse William Temple’s assertion that “the church exists primarily for the benefit of those who do not belong to it” and regularly get involved in our mission activities, as we turn our church inside out seeking to make disciples of all.
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35) A B roa d C h u rch D o n’ t Fo rg e t to u s e yo u r vo te !
The Church needs structures that safeguard people, uphold high standards and ensure accountability precisely so that our energy can be directed towards what God has called us to do: worshipping Christ, making disciples, serving our communities and sharing the good news of God’s love.
I hope to see a Church renewed in its love for Christ, confident in the Gospel, attentive to the Holy Spirit and equipped to make faithful disciples in every generation.
must help them encounter Christ, grow as disciples, discover their gifts and participate meaningfully in the mission and leadership of the Church.
How can we test whether in fact we are in any real and living sense disciples of Jesus?
Unity is not uniformity; it is sustained by our common life in Christ and the bonds of love between disciples.
She is passionate about ensuring that the church is a welcoming and inclusive Christian community for all who seek to know more about Christ and welcome him into their lives, especially young people and new disciples of all ages.
My parish is a member of Inclusive Church and I have seen first-hand how our passion for inclusion has grown disciples and brought together a wide-range of people.
Those experiences have strengthened my trust in God's faithfulness and shown me the importance of churches where people can ask honest questions, encounter God's grace and grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
I want to see churches equipped to nurture disciples of all ages, with particular attention given to children, young people and young adults.
A key issue for Synod is the resourcing of ministry and the nurturing of disciples within working-class neighbourhoods and rural parishes.
A church rooted in shared life including everyone in the Parish, following Jesus, and growing disciples, is one where we are formed together, reconciled to Christ.
• Children & Youth Ministry: Nurturing young disciples to build confidence in
I have planted and developed churches, trained disciples and leaders, taught theology and worked across cultures.
Discipleship: encouraging churches to make mature disciples who make disciples rather than simply increasing attendance.
Good governance: recognising that legislation and structures matter, but that they should ultimately serve the Church's vocation to worship God and make disciples.
Above all, I want to see the Church of England grow in confidence as it worships Jesus, proclaims the Gospel, makes disciples, and serves the world in his name.
Whatever the issue for debate, consideration should be given to: ‘How will this help us make disciples?’, ‘How will this strengthen and sustain our Christian communities?’ Alongside the wider issues considered by Synod, I am conscious of the very real challenges facing our local churches and parishes.
The Church of England states that it’s priority of priorities is to double the number of young active disciples by 2030.
The national target for the church and its structures to offer something doubling young disciples by 2030 falls within the different, “something quieter but stronger: shared next quinquennium.
Jesus prayed that we, his disciples, would be brought to complete unity so that the world would know that he had been sent by the Father.
National structures are at their best when they help local churches proclaim Christ, make disciples, care for people and serve their communities.
I find joy in developing deep friendships, where we can listen, support and encourage one another in our walk as disciples of Jesus.
“where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Cor 3:17 This wonderful assertion sums up the Church of England’s foundation, and “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” RT Kendall famously observed ‘God has an opinion about everything’.
I believe that the purpose of the Church is: to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ; to make disciples; to pray; to break bread together; to care for the sick and those who are oppressed; and to allow ourselves to be used by the Holy Spirit in God’s work of transforming people’s lives.
I want Synod to give local churches the freedom, confidence and resources to evangelise, make disciples and serve their communities, rather than burdening clergy with unnecessary administration.
37 Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Jesus told his disciples to “ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field” (v.38).
We need to focus on what unites us rather than what divides us – being disciples of Jesus.
Our place in our society is different from the one we used to have, but our purpose has not changed and God has not stopped calling people, making disciples or giving his Church work to do.
None being ‘better’ than the other, but all able to be part of the fulfilment of Jesus’s commission to make disciples of all nations.
If you place your trust in me once again, I commit myself to working for a more reconciled approach so that whatever legislation emerges (on any given issue), General Synod members will be known for demonstrating the Dominical command to “love as I have loved you” so that “all people may know that you are my disciples.” General Synod is a legislative body, but we legislate in order to proclaim the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ for this nation and the world at large.
All local parishes, especially rural and underprivileged urban ones, should have the best support and resources the national church can provide to continue with Jesus’ great commission of making disciples.
Loving our neighbour as a whole person requires us to challenge unjust structures as missionary disciples.
Like Paul and the early disciples, we had our challenges and low times, but grateful to know God was with us.
I want General Synod to keep backing parishes doing that faithful, unglamorous work of forming everyday disciples.
If elected to General Synod I would seek to exercise a “ministry of reconciliation” both within the Church of England and outside it. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
Drawing on my considerable experience in church growth and church planting I would seek to encourage everything that enables more people to hear the gospel, come to faith in Christ and become committed disciples, especially children and young people.
Nothing has strengthened my confidence in the Church of England more than seeing ordinary people come to faith in Christ and grow as his disciples through the faithful ministry of the local church.
But I long for growing rooted disciples, raising up deployable vocations, improving accessibility for all and enabling revitalisation of parishes.
In seeking to make disciples we need to remove barriers and build connections, making church accessible to people with diverse cultural backgrounds and needs.
General Synod should strengthen and support them, ensuring that national decisions help parishes proclaim Jesus Christ, nurture disciples and serve their communities.
As I reflect on what I learned and experienced of local church from my parents – and from my grandparents too (all of whom were actively involved in their parish churches), and consider the CofE as we know it today, I do wonder what it will be like for my own sons in their later adulthood: how will the Church be making and growing disciples?
Watching people come to faith, grow as disciples and discover their vocation has been one of the greatest privileges of my ministry.
The General Synod of the church, though having national and international decisions to consider, still need to be conscious in their overall responsibility of remembering Jesus’ commission to his disciples.
My passion are the children I am still involved with and our St Peters congregation developing as disciples of Jesus.
A Church bold in mission Go then and make disciples of all the nations.
On mission: I want to see every parish equipped to proclaim the gospel, serve its community, and make disciples of Jesus in ways that are compassionate and hopeful.
On younger generations: I believe investing in children, young people, and new disciples is essential to the Church's future.
They matter, but Jesus calls us to make disciples.
I want the national Church to help local churches fulfil that Great Commission: sharing the good news of Jesus, growing disciples and serving the communities in which God has placed us.
I have been privileged to help start and develop ministries including Church Without Walls, The Disciples youth ministry, CAP in Nottingham Central and Mizpah Women, as well as organising community events and creating opportunities for people to connect.
I want people not simply to know about Jesus, but to encounter Him, discover His love and forgiveness, hear His Word and become His disciples.
I want us to be a Church that worships the true and living God; loves His Word; prays; makes disciples; sends people out; welcomes those who are searching; cares for those who are hurting; values and releases children and young people; and is not afraid to try new things when the Spirit leads.
to make and equip disciples, helping Christians to grow in their knowledge of God and to live faithfully for Christ in their homes, workplaces and communities
building relationship, making a difference and growing disciples.
e Passionate about mission and evangelism, with a desire to see the Church grow through proclaiming the gospel, making disciples and reaching those who do not yet know Christ — giving hope to a hurting world.
I would be honoured to serve on General Synod and to play my part in seeing a strong, vibrant and faithful Church of England proclaim Christ, make disciples, and reaching many more people with the good news of Jesus Christ.
More than ever, we need to take seriously Christ’s Great Commission—to go out and make disciples— and His Great Commandment—to love God and love our neighbour.
We need to encourage mission, nurture disciples, support lay ministry, invest in younger generations and make effective use of technology without losing sight of the value of traditional parish ministry.
Week by week I see reasons for that hope: people exploring faith, encountering Jesus, being baptised and confirmed and growing as disciples.
I suspect that we may need to manage decline in some areas (in order to prevent collapse), while investing in growth in other places, and grow a new generation of disciples.
I would not claim to be naturally humble, but I pledge to keep reminding myself of this principle and (if elected) to represent all the laity in the Diocese. Making disciples of all nations (and ages, backgrounds etc. – Matthew 28:19-20): we need to be a mission-minded (and not inward-looking) Church.
If making disciples is our most important work, then supporting local parishes, their people and pastors must be our most important priority.
In short, if you want someone who is passionate to make disciples of all ages, longs to see parishes renewed and strengthened as the missional centre of the Church of England and who loves our church’s reformed, biblical doctrine, vote for me!
It is in local churches that people come to faith, in local churches where disciples of Jesus are formed and through the ministry of local churches that communities are served.
I am convinced that – under the leadership and inspiration of the Holy Spirit – the Church can grow, and that our role as disciples of Christ is to live and proclaim the gospel in such a way that whole communities (and even nations) might be transformed by faith in the Lord Jesus.
Nurturing young disciples: I see it again every week.
As the Church of England continues to seek to proclaim the gospel and make disciples across the nation, new initiatives and organisations are being developed.
I would like to enable churches to continue to follow Archbishop Temple’s advice that “The Church is the only organisation that does not exist for itself, but for those who live outside of it,” bringing people into contact with Jesus’ gospel and encouraging them to grow as disciples in accordance with scripture.
A church with a generosity of spirit that values the contributions of our different traditions and encourages all who want to participate as disciples of the Gospel.
If elected, I will bring to this post a real passion for the growth and flourishing of the Church of England, promoting a church which is openly accepting of all people, values all gifts and encourages and supports everyone as they grow into the disciples Christ calls them to be.
I believe we are called to not only be disciples but to make disciples and so encouraging and releasing our laity is hugely important if we want to see our churches flourish and grow not only numerically but also younger and in a deeper relationship and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
I would like to help ensure that those decisions strengthen rather than unintentionally burden the Church's fundamental calling: to glorify God, show who Jesus is through how we love one another, make disciples and equip his people for works of service through Word and Sacrament.
I long to see a Church of England confident in Jesus Christ, faithful to Scripture, making disciples and hopeful in the face of challenges before us, investing in local churches and releasing lay and ordained gifts rather than exhausting the faithful.
We need to find out why, and how to better engage our schools with our churches to create lifelong disciples with families, not just focusing on the children.
I long to see many thousands of women and men of all backgrounds, and especially younger people and folk of global majority heritage, come to personal faith in Christ and become His disciples.
Nothing must be allowed to get in the way of that great task, so that all our traditions become increasingly effective in making disciples and growing the church.
In short, we are called to be communities of disciple-making disciples.
I strongly believe in justice and inclusion, as the gospel of Christ calls us not only to make disciples of all nations but to teach them to obey everything Jesus has commanded (Matt.
Serving Southwark – with Christ at the centre I am standing for General Synod because I love Jesus Christ, I love his Church, and I long to see more people come to know him, grow as his disciples and discover the joy of serving his mission.
I want to see a Church confident in the gospel – unashamed to proclaim Christ, call people to faith and repentance, make disciples and equip God’s people for ministry.
She is a vibrant, humble and gifted priest who genuinely loves Jesus, loves people and is passionate about growing disciples and seeing local churches thrive.
Whatever decisions we make, our first question should be: How does this help us proclaim Christ and make disciples? ➢ Responds to spiritual hunger.
Whilst I would contribute to all the areas of work that Synod engages with, I have a particular interest in making our Church and our faith accessible within our society broadly, diversity in spreading the good news is critical to our mission as disciples.
I have a particular heart to see children and young people being reached and growing as disciples for the blessing of the church.
As we face increasingly complex and demanding times, I pray we can move forward as a church without anxiety: not chasing passing fads but focussing on nurturing missional disciples.
To nurture Christians and enable them to grow as disciples of Jesus with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit;
Integrity in our celebration of the sacraments is as essential as integrity in our individual lives as priests and disciples.
- I will look for decisions that make ministry easier and help each of us, regardless of theological position, to succeed in our calling to make disciples, share the news of Jesus, and bless our communities.
I believe our local churches here in our Diocese and across our nation are integral to the mission and evangelism of the church and making disciples.
For me, that stewardship includes taking seriously the Church’s ability to proclaim the gospel, form disciples and serve the communities in which we are placed.
I care about how we form and sustain disciples of all ages, and how we speak about Jesus in ways that are both theologically faithful and able to connect with the realities people are living.
Areas of interest: Mission and evangelism As disciples of Jesus, we’re called to share the good news with all people.
The washing-up “As the Father sent me, I am sending you” (John 20.21) The vocation of the Christian Church in any nation is to call that nation into discipleship of Jesus, in obedience to his words in the so-called “Great Commission”: “So you must go and make all the nations into disciples” (Matthew 28.19 NTE).
I will support anything that helps us, at every level in the Church, to recover confidence in the truth of what we proclaim, and to proclaim it boldly and clearly and to live it out too, so that the people of our land can know and see that our God is good. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13.35) The party spirit in the Church is worse now, I believe, than it has ever been in my lifetime, and a Church at war with itself will never be able to fulfil its vocation.
I have a long-held desire to bring people together, to ensure all are seen, heard and welcomed and believe that together we are stronger as disciples of Christ.
Since then, I have grown in faith through serving alongside my father and learning what it means to follow Jesus and help others grow as disciples.
I also want to encourage Christians to be whole life disciples, bringing and sharing the good news of Jesus in every part of our lives.
Our Diocese has rightly made engagement with children, youth and young adults a priority, while nationally the Church has ambitions to double the number of children and young active disciples by 2030 and raise up 30,000 new children, youth and family ministers.
We must grow more disciples, lay and ordained, properly finance their training and equip our leaders to Grow the Kingdom.
We need churches that are not afraid to invite people in, go out to their communities and make lifelong disciples.
Vision: I’m a strong supporter of the Diocese’s 2030 Vision for every Londoner to encounter the love of God in Christ, with its ambitions of growing confident disciples, building compassionate communities and creative growth.
Jesus didn’t call disciples who would get along easily, he called a diverse bunch and they argued!
I long to see it continue to faithfully hold out the good news of the Kingdom of God and make and grow disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Younger Generation – It is vital that we are preparing children and young people to live as disciples of Jesus in a changing world and as we do so, preparing some of them to be those who lead the church in the future.
No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6), and that His parting words were, “Go and make disciples… I am with you…” (Matt 28:19-20). c) The Mission of Giving (as termed by Bishop Ruth Oct.
My desire is to see a Church that is faithful to God's Word, empowered by His Spirit, and committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ.
When Christ commissioned the disciples, and when the fire touched the apostles, they were sent on their many and varied ways profoundly inspired, yet unbound by much in the way of doctrine or plan.
We must, with the help of the Holy Spirit, fulfil the instruction of our Lord to love one another as he has loved us and, in the authority Jesus has been given, reach the wider world, encouraging others to follow him as pilgrims and disciples, ensuring that the intricacies and bureaucracy of our organisations assist in these goals and do not detract from them.
The Church must be outward-looking (“a church of missionary disciples”) and more and more Christ-like.
We have a bold ambition of doubling the number of children and young, active disciples in the C of E by
To be bold in reaching out, we need to encourage church members and build each other up as whole- life disciples of Jesus.
Let's bravely cry out "Yes!" I want to see a Church of England confident in the Gospel entrusted to it: teaching Scripture without awkwardness or shame; forming biblically literate disciples; calling people to repentance, forgiveness, holiness and a new life in Christ; evangelising because the Gospel truly is good news; and preparing a new generation to receive and proclaim the faith.
Revised and steered legislation that has strengthened our safeguarding arrangements and reduced bureaucracy for the average parish so they can get on with raising disciples.
Parishes are where faith is nurtured, disciples are formed, communities are served and people encounter Christ at the most significant moments of their lives.
Across our parishes I see faithful disciples, courageous clergy, dedicated lay leaders and communities seeking to follow Jesus, serve their neighbours and build up the Kingdom of God.
Our buildings, structures, strategies and processes all have their place, but our primary calling is to proclaim Christ, make disciples and see lives transformed by the Holy Spirit.
I would be honoured to serve on General Synod and to play my part in helping us become a Church that is more deeply rooted in Christ, more confident in the gospel, more committed to making disciples and more courageous in joining God in the transformation of our communities and our nation.
Since 2013 I have been Rector of Holy Trinity Church in Hinckley, seeking to make disciples of Jesus Christ and serve our community.
We must therefore be prudent to uphold the teachings of the Church with intellectual rigour and honesty, being clear of the expectations and consequential ardours that the spiritual journey necessarily demands from us as Christians and look to be earnest disciples of the Lord.
At Synod, I will advocate for policies and funding streams that simplify and share administrative burdens, protect local resources, and free clergy and lay leaders to focus on making disciples.
I believe deeply in its calling to proclaim Jesus Christ, make disciples and serve the world.
This is not about turning every Christian into an academic; it is about giving people the confidence and tools to ask good questions, understand context and interpretation, and grow as disciples who know and follow Christ.
Support and encourage the C of E in their 3 priorities of being a church of missionary disciples, a church where mixed ecology is the norm, and a church that is younger and more diverse
If elected, I would use the following question as a lens through which to view proposals and vote: will this help local parish churches to thrive: To worship God, nurture disciples, serve their communities and sustain healthy ministry?
Verses which have been important to me during the last five years have been Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17:20-21: ‘I ask not only on behalf of these [his current disciples], but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may be one’.
I long for a Church that is not concerned with building its own little kingdoms, but with building God's Kingdom; churches that grow and multiply, not for their own sake, but because people are being drawn to Christ, becoming disciples and being sent out to bless others.
Growth is not about creating a St Francis empire; it is about making disciples, multiplying ministry and becoming a blessing to others.
I want us to invest courageously in children and young people, take safeguarding and healthy leadership seriously, make disciples, care for those on the margins, and recover confidence in sharing the Gospel.
I would want us to ask: Will this decision strengthen or weaken the ability of local churches to worship, make disciples, care for people and serve their communities? Are we placing new responsibilities on parishes without understanding the resources and capacity required? Are national structures enabling local mission, or unintentionally making it more difficult? How will we know whether our decisions are actually achieving what we intended?
This disunity holds us back from being effective in our gospel charge to make disciples of all nations and must be addressed.
Whether your language be ‘cure of souls’ or ‘church revitalisation’ we need to get back to what the church is meant to be and help make disciples for eternity.
• doubling the number of children and young active disciples in our churches by 2030.
Finally I believe that, as a priority, we must seek to grow a new generation of young disciples with strong Christian convictions, who will enable the future Anglican church to regain a central position in our national story.
Helping people grow as disciples and encouraging evangelism in every tradition
For more than a decade, much of my ministry has focused on helping younger generations encounter Jesus, grow as disciples and discover their place within the life and leadership of the Church.
Responding cannot simply be the responsibility of youth and young adult specialists; we need healthy local churches, supported by flourishing clergy, where younger generations can encounter Jesus, belong and grow as disciples.
This role has enabled me to make connections with the National Church and with faithful disciples throughout the country who represent the full breadth of the Church of England.
Being distinctively different as disciples of Jesus, and counter-cultural in an ever-growing secular country, we need to be committed to proclaiming and demonstrating the gospel, as Jesus showed and taught us.
I am passionate about sharing the good news of Jesus in words and deeds to those inside and outside church life as well as growing long term disciples who want to build God’s kingdom through loving others in grace and truth.
I am delighted to be a Trustee of Growing Young Disciples.
We must look for ways of ensuring that the central church Nationally and at Diocesan level provides the appropriate level of practical, financial and administrative support, that really can make our lives easier but is not so bloated that it fails to recognise that the faithful parish is the best place to make disciples and to serve and reach our nation for Christ.
And being on General Synod would be one way to honour all that these people have taught me: to improve the church in Jesus’ name, to help it fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission to go and make disciples across all nations - across all our parishes in England, including our rural parishes.
I want to encourage a Church rooted in Scripture, centred on Christ, dependent on the Holy Spirit and committed to making disciples—a faithfulness that passes on the gospel with confidence to the next generation.
Faithfulness should bear fruit: people coming to Christ, disciples growing in maturity, churches becoming healthier and communities being served with generosity and compassion.
4.Confident Disciples This sounds like a slogan from a diocesan vision statement, but it really matters.
Our Church’s vision: Jesus-centred; simpler, humbler, bolder; a church of missionary disciples where mixed ecology is normal, that is younger and more diverse.
General Synod exists to support that local ministry, not distract from it, and I believe every decision made nationally should be judged by how it enables our churches to proclaim the Gospel, serve their communities and nurture disciples.
Evangelism, discipleship and leadership The Church of England exists to help people discover the love of Jesus Christ and grow as his disciples.
I want to encourage a Church that is confident in proclaiming the Gospel, committed to helping people grow as disciples, and intentional about developing leaders who serve with humility and courage.
They want the Church to be a community of ‘missionary disciples’, to be ‘younger and more diverse’ and to operate on a ‘mixed ecology’ basis, comprising parishes, chaplaincies, digital and fresh expressions– as we adapt to new ways of being and doing Church to reach out to our neighbours and communities with the Good News of the Kingdom at this time of anxiety, confusion and loneliness.
Other priorities are to double the number of children and young active disciples
Penny Lochead writes – I value Adrian’s long and wide track record of serving the Diocese and his commitment to enabling lay disciples to flourish.
I love the Church of England’s goal to double the number of children and young active disciples in the Church of England by 2030, and if elected, would seek to be a voice both for those young people and for those who serve them, whether parents, children’s workers or youth leaders.
Through our love for one another we prove to be his disciples (John 13:35).
Every hour spent in conflict is an hour not spent serving our communities, nurturing disciples, or reaching those who have never heard the gospel.
By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35 In a polarised society I feel called to help be part of a Synod that is shaped by listening well, working together and engaging positively with one another; reflecting Christ’s call to love one another as he has loved us despite our differences and bringing that love out into the world.
In seeking to support and resource the mission and ministry of the church, four areas particularly stand out for me: Evangelism, discipleship and training General Synod should pay attention to where churches are making and growing disciples, learn from them, and ensure that national structures help rather than hinder that mission.
As I have loved you…By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35). ● This means being willing to recognise and respond to prejudice and discrimination, while also creating spaces where people with different lived experiences and perspectives can listen to one another. ● Therefore, greater investment in training, education and prejudice reduction is needed to help clergy and all in positions of leadership to recognise discrimination, respond constructively to conflict and serve increasingly polarised communities.
I am passionate about seeing churches flourish, disciples grow in faith, and communities encounter the love of Christ.
I believe the Church's primary calling remains the same: to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, make disciples and serve our communities with the love of God.
That means good training, realistic expectations, effective support and freeing clergy to spend more of their time doing what they were ordained to do: praying, preaching the Gospel, making disciples, caring for people and leading the Church in mission.
My heart rests in the prayer life of the church and in helping with the many groups we run to reach out and help new disciples to grow in faith.
It means forming disciples, nurturing children and young people, serving those experiencing poverty, caring for creation, and working ecumenically, across faiths and with those of good-will for justice, peace and the common good.
I will keep asking whether national initiatives help local churches proclaim Christ, form disciples, welcome children and families, and serve their neighbours.
I long to see the national church renewed in its ability to make lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ, including the young, so that we can ensure future generations of disciples for the Church of England.
I want to see our parishes flourishing in every community — confident in proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, welcoming people into Christian faith, caring for those around them, and nurturing disciples for the next generation.
My own experience of being nurtured in a living Christian faith has been shaped by the faithful witness of many different disciples in churches across our Diocese, from the Pierhead to Pemberton, by way of Prescot.
There are some signs of recovery, but the church should not lose sight of its key priority to …go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) and I am keen to see our work as a church develop in two key areas: The national statistics around participation of Children and Young People in Church are a significant concern and we have to take seriously our responsibility to take the Gospel Message to younger generations and to nurture them in their faith.
We need greater discernment and priority in reaching Young People Despite much good work, the Church continues to struggle with the fact that making disciples is something for us all to do and is not just down to our Clergy.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13 34-35
Rather than teaching a technique, Jesus chose to apprentice his disciples.
I live and work to see the church grow with new disciples of Jesus, who are maturing in faith and impacting society.
My own ministry before and since ordination has convinced me that this cannot be treated as an optional extra: it is central to the Church’s future and to our calling to make disciples.
The future of the Church of England will not simply be secured through structures or strategies, but by faithfully making disciples of the next generation.
“I want to help ensure the Church of England is simpler in its governance, stronger in its safeguarding, and bolder in making disciples.”
I believe it is important to advocate on behalf of the youth and children of the Church, who require support and investment to enable them to be discipled effectively in their local church, that they may become disciples who then disciple others.
Jesus prays that his disciples ‘would be one' and that their oneness would be a sign of God's glory.
Children’s Ministry Leader, nurturing young disciples in faith and confidence.