With plans to facilitate the planting of 20 new churches across Birmingham by 2020, June’s annual Birmingham conference, with around 100 in attendance, noted that almost half of that target has been reached within four years.
A range of churches from different denominations and networks, including New Frontiers, Birmingham City Mission, Church of England and FIEC came together, committed to seeing people come to Christ.
Richard Coekin, the director of Co-Mission, who has a vision to see 360 churches planted in London over the next 25 years, spoke about what God has done in London so far. Richard has facilitated church planting by making training a core component of his ministry and a key factor in enabling churches with similar DNA to replicate so quickly. The conference stretched church leaders and planters to think beyond simply overcoming the initial labours of starting a new church and to think about planting churches that will help Christians to become rounded disciples. Believers need to be trained to witness to Christ in the workplace and across cultural divides. If local churches can make headway in these challenges in a city like Birmingham, then the implications could have a lasting impact across the UK.
