This afternoon I understand that some legal implications will be discussed. For obvious reasons, I’m not planning on blogging anything sensitive. Anything else I’ll update here as the afternoon goes on.

Note on numbers:

There are 52 million in the Anglican communion. Official number 77 million (lots of nominal CoE in that). Provinces that have sent greetings today total 12.5 million. CAPA totals 32 million.

Church planting Not so much here about creating a lifeboat than it is about creating a fishing boat. Church planting should be a normal part as what we are about.

St Johns Richmond, planted from St Johns Shawnessey – took 30-40 key people from St Johns Shawnessy. Involved in a collaborative ministry with Baptist church. Earthly gathering reflects what is happening spiritually. God is due the glory (amen!) All church-plant is simply a congregation at the beginning stages, they are a church. Studying Acts 14:

21They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a] for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

Church planting is normal, in NT a normal part of ministry. v21 evangelism, v22 strengething and encouragement – this should be happening in every church. Final thing was to appoint structure / leaders. Final result was self-sustaining congregations in a time of great suffering and persecution.

Lifeboats have been launched, people brought to safe harbour, now we are being sent out in fishing boats.

Church-planting initiative – ANiC partnering with a non-denominational group that has church planting as an objective. Four things outcoming:

1. Develop a manual to guide the process (before you say ‘ouch’, it’s better than it sounds, it’s more about being intentional and thoughtful in planting a new church).

2. Mutual discernment for church planting clergy.

3. Coaching network to support church planters.

4. Address diversity of church plants. Rather than bishops declaring new churches, it should be a grassroots endevour. Look to be creative in ways of ‘doing’ and ‘being’ churches.

Bp Harding – we are not about edifice retention. Joel 2:28:

28 “And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.

We are not about a survival short term maintanence mentality. Expect God to show you what is on His heart. Have Gods vision. Make disciples. A church that fails to make disciples merely fails.

Something on spiritual gifts from Bp Harding. 1 Cor 12:1: 1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. We are perhaps shy of this.

1 Cor 12
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

We need to help people discover their gifts. This can be an exciting exercise, building people up. Don’t place people in the wrong ministry. Church concerned with mission should see the need for the ministry of all. Do not quench the Spirit.