Churches have become increasingly aware of the need to change the image of the church nowadays. Earlier this week in an important national Christian event, the Christian Resources Exhibition (CRE), a researcher from the Church Army, George Lings stressed the idea of “mission shaped churches.” He believes that it is vital for Christian leaders to explore the role of the church in mission in order to advance and breakthrough to the masses.

The Global Interface Consultation which is to be held on Wednesday 19th May until Friday 21st May at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, will provide a good opportunity to develop this idea. Co-organised by 'Global Connections' and the 'Evangelical Alliance UK', the aim of this consultation is to gather denominational leaders, local church leaders and leaders of world missions across the UK, to listen to each other and to begin to define and reshape the churches’ mission in the world at the beginning of the 21st century.

Twenty to thirty years ago, UK missionary societies were the key contributors to the UK world mission. Nowadays though, the mission agencies are expecting more from the churches in assisting world mission, for instance, providing expertise and specialist services in a particular sort of ministry or area of the world. Also under the wave of globlisation, churches in the UK are expected to build up networking not only with Europe but up to a global level. These are the new challenges for churches in the UK in changing their roles in world mission.

“UK church leaders have to realise that their church has a responsibility beyond their local community,” stated the programme's introduction, “Evangelical Alliance and Global Connections together want to see the evangelical church in the UK, mobilised, equipped and serviced to learn from the world church, and to have an impact on the world for Jesus Christ in these rapidly changing times.”

The special nature of this event is that it is carried out in the form of a consultation instead of a conference. This creates an environment for interactive discussion and debate, in plenary sessions, in various groupings and in numerous face to face networking opportunities. Ultimately, it aims to reach an interface between churches and mission leaders.

The programme will be divided into 8 sessions. All of these key topics will lead on to the discussion of the role of local UK churches in building the worldwide Kingdom of God and the true meaning of mission. Also, in one of the sessions, participants can choose the social mission topics of their choice for discussion. Detailed information about each session is available on the official website of Global Connections (http://www.globalconnections.co.uk)

Presenters of the consultation included Dave Devenish, one of the top leaders of New Frontiers, an international family of churches involved in church planting, mission and social action in over 30 nations; Stephen Gaukroger , Senior Minister at Gold Hill Baptist Church and leader of Spring Harvest; Nick Wynne-Jones, Area Dean of the Christ Church in Beckenham and Vice-Chairman of the recent National Evangelical Anglican Congress.

'Global Connections' is a network of mission agencies, colleges, development organisations, and churches, all committed to world mission, and in working together where possible. It provides contacts, information and numerous services to facilitate effectiveness in world mission. It also represents the UK world mission movement, both in the UK and internationally. It is connected to the 'World Evangelical Alliance Missions Commission' and the 'European Evangelical Missionary Alliance'.