‘Life on life, together on mission’ lies at the heart of the NT vision for discipleship and it should therefore be at the heart of our vision for the local church. This has been the central conviction of the ‘Crowded House’ since it began in 1996, under the leadership of Steve Timmis.
But how could this conviction begin to shape the approach of churches with a similar theology and similar convictions about mission, but which have existing patterns of church life which may or may not facilitate this missional emphasis? That was the key question explored in a highly stimulating consultation in October facilitated by the Crowded House team, which brought together people from 11 churches (mostly, but not exclusively, from the FIEC but all conservative evangelical).
It began with Steve Timmis explaining the way in which their approach had been shaped by the biblical narrative (creation, de-creation, re-creation, new creation). Within that narrative, the church community occupies a pivotal place (Ephesians 3.10-11), as the reconciling of sinners to God and to each other in that community through the gospel anticipates the ultimate reconciling of all things in Christ in the new creation.
