Church leaders urged to release the power of the gathered community
Christians in the UK have forgotten why they meet together on Sundays, according to the director of Share Jesus International – and it's not just to enjoy fellowship together.
Speaking in advance of a major conference on recovering the power of the gathered community, entitled Ekklesia, Frost said: 'I believe that we have lost an understanding of why we gather as the church. So many of us have been doing it for so long we have forgotten why we gather – the purpose, the power and the impact the gathered community of Christians can have to bring lasting kingdom change.'
The overnight conference is aimed at church leaders and leadership teams, and is designed to provide practical insights and a heightened sense of purpose to see the nation transformed by the gospel.
Among the speakers are Rob Parsons, founder of Care for the Family, and Home for Good founder Krish Kandiah. Leaders from the Church of England, the Methodist Church, New Frontiers, Pioneer and Elim will also bring their experiences to the meeting.
Frost said: 'For almost 2,000 years, groups of Christians have gathered in many different spaces, from people's homes to ornate cathedrals to underground caves. There is something vital about gathering together as followers of Jesus. We gather to be encouraged and remind ourselves that we belong to the family of God. We gather to grow in our faith and understanding of Jesus Christ as our Lord and saviour. We gather to then go out into our week to impact the world we live in as followers of Jesus.'
He said: 'Again and again in the book of Acts the early Church gathered and then went out on the streets proclaiming the gospel in word and deed. It is not an either/or but both – gathered to then be sent!'
He said the Ekklesia conference was an opportunity to look 'under the bonnet' of how different churches work when it comes to gathering, discipling and mission and to look for ideas that will translate to churches across the country.
The conference will run from 6 pm on Wednesday March 20 to 8.30 pm on Thursday March 21 and will be hosted at The Ridgeway Centre, Milton Keynes.
