Solas is privileged to work with churches all over the country, and we value these partnerships and friendships very highly. So in recent weeks it’s been really great to renew our fellowship with the United Free Church of Scotland (UFCoS), by accepting their kind invitation to participate in their annual conference, “The Gathering”.
The theme for this year’s conference was ‘The Family God’. Our old friend Mark Stirling preached at the main session in the morning, looking the way in which the church should reflect something of the character of God into the world – and show a ‘family likeness’ to our father. We should exhibit something of the God to whom we belong.
Then there were a whole range of seminars that delegates to chose from, everything from looking at 1500 years of the Nicean Creed with Jane McArthur, prayer with Marion Carson, social issues with Nigel Kenney and two sessions on evangelism; one from Solas and another with John Mackinnon. There were others too, on mental health, spiritual retreats and being the family of God! It was an expansive programme. Alongside that, there were activities for children, a busy exhibition, a bookshop, sociable times and plenty of cake too! The only thing that was disappointing was that I wasn’t able to go to any of the other seminars because I had to lead my own!
In the Solas seminar stream, we looked at all sorts of practical examples of evangelism which had featured in our ‘Launch Pad’ series. After a brief introduction, with a biblical basis and some stories of churches all over the UK doing evangelism in practice – the participants were set to work! The Launch Pad series had been boiled down into some one-page cards which each table looked at and sifted their pile into things they couldn’t do, might do and would do – to get the gospel out of the four walls of the church and into the community! No-one suggested that they might be dressing up as the Easter bunny, and use of technology and the creative arts weren’t popular in either seminar – but it was good to see that there was an enthusiasm for courses like Alpha and Christianity Explored, Q&A sessions in café’s and pubs, as well as developing personal conversational evangelism.
I was really encouraged by the enthusiasm with which people engaged in debate and discussion around which of these approaches might work in their community and which ones suited their own gifts and talents. Our prayer is that this little evangelism ‘ideas factory’ will result in some action on the ground.
If you’d like us to come and help your fellowship or denomination to think through some ideas for evangelism (both traditional and innovative), get in touch as we’d be delighted to work with you. We work with all kinds of churches, large and small, urban and rural. Please do get in touch!
