The FIEC Leaders’ Conference, held in 2016 from 31 October to 3 November, is the main annual gathering for FIEC churches.
563 pastors, church leaders and church workers representing over 200 churches met this year in the metropolis of Hemsby on the Norfolk coast.’
Engaging evangelism
Ed Stetzer was the keynote speaker on the conference theme of Engaging Evangelism. He aimed to provoke the conference into becoming more missional. Ed swims in the same theological stream as FIEC (though on the other side of the pond) and it was clear that he understood the group well. He pictured the constituency as a muscular theological upper body with spindly missional legs. Walking through the gospels, he challenged people to move out to all types of people and to make the culture of our churches more missional. Sometimes hilarious, the talks also packed a prophetic punch for UK churches.
The seminars give an opportunity for leaders to reflect on where their churches could develop. There were seminar streams on creating a culture of evangelism, women’s ministry, church planting and church revitalisation, outreach to Muslims and outreach to men. There was also evening ministry from pastors within the Fellowship.
The FIEC comes across with a confidence in what it is about: a movement for bringing gospel churches together and for reaching the nation for Christ. Each year there is news of churches successfully revitalised and churches planted in areas which had lacked evangelical witness. The fruit of FIEC’s investment in training can be seen in the number of women and younger faces at the conference each year. There is some encouraging gospel growth and strategic attention is being given to the future needs of independent churches. However, best estimates put the number of people saved in the UK at no more than 3%, which is why Ed Stetzer’s challenge is so pertinent.
New Training Director
It was announced that Adrian Reynolds has been appointed as the new Training Director from April 2017 and Trevor Archer will switch role to become London Director.
A good time of fellowship with other church workers, of collective worship, of stimulation and of well-targeted challenge. In a personal reflection, this writer knows that the church I lead should be more missional, but I came away convicted that I can only lead it effectively if I am living that way myself.
This year’s Leaders’ Conference was over-subscribed. Next year’s relocates to the Torquay Riviera, 13–15 November, with significantly increased capacity. It is hoped that the whole leadership team will be sent to that conference.’
