The vision of the “Mission-Shaped Church” from the Church of England has sparked a new trend of mission across Britain. A brand-new ministry; Engage Network was launched recently with a vision to empower, facilitate and resource “communities” across the globe to be churches in the sphere of life that God has placed them in.

Based on the Bible teachings of the Greatest Commandment, Jesus has taught that His people are to love God, and to love one another as themselves. Engage Networkseeks to expand this circle of love to the farthest extent so as to change people from all walks of life, starting from the schools, workplace, streets, pubs to everywhere.

Currently, traditional churches have failed to communicate the Gospel with people. They have gone forward with just a single method just as in the old days, but modern culture has become much more diversified. Many churches struggle even to keep their current congregation let alone bring in new believers. In fact, evangelism or the sharing of the Gospel can take place anywhere, and is not only confined to the church.

Mark Bowness, founding facilitator of Engage Network explains, “We see a world that is fed up of the “traditional church” and in alignment with this we see nations craving for relationship.”

“Jesus created church to be about relationship; relationship with God, with the individual and with each other, this is the type of Church found in Acts where they enjoyed the favour of God and of the people and ‘daily people were added to their number those who were being saved’. This is the type of Church that Engage seeks to facilitate and resource.”

Engage Network comprises of Engage Online, a newly launched radio station, thewalk magazine, benchmark magazine and a website which is full of articles designed to inspire and challenge, as well as new range of books and music in association with Survivor.

The website also houses a popular forum getting people from across the globe talking. One of the main features of the site is the “Church as it happens” section; a calendar that individuals and communities are logging in to state what they are doing and shows what the church is doing on the streets, in the workplace, in houses, pubs and anywhere else that constitutes “going into all the world”.

Engage Network is run by a group of facilitators across the globe, people with gifting in speaking, worship, music, writing, bands, and even photographers. Engage Network will be touring communities that sign up taking new bands, new speakers, new worship leaders as part of the discipleship process of releasing people into their gifts.

Mark adds, “Engage is a grassroots vision, not run by any one person, not located in a building but run by ’normal’ Christians from their own homes, their own computers, their own e-mails with the sole purpose of time and effort being released into discipling people.”

While the Engage Network website is launched, they will tour to churches, youth groups and youth events in order to provide a teaching, worship and ministry package to motivate and inspire Christians to engage with God, the individual and each other, radically impacting the globe with a renewed understanding of the purpose of the Church.

Visit the Engage Network website for further information.