The Free Church of Scotland have recently released a video and booklet promoting their aim to see a healthy gospel church for every community in Scotland:
Healthy in ministry; healthy in mission; healthy in training; and healthy, growing gospel congregations that are a blessing to the community around them. David Meredith, the Mission Director of the Free Church of Scotland, said: ‘The key to developing a healthy gospel church is to be rooted in two things – rooted in the world of the Bible and its proclamation, while building a bridge into contemporary society. The sweet spot of being faithful to Christ and the Bible, and engaging with our own society.’
The emphasis on healthy growth is a welcome one, for not only does it challenge existing congregations to wrestle with the question ‘What would it mean for us to grow in health?’ but it also envisions new churches of all sizes being established.
Scotland has a population of 5.5 million people with 51 localities having over 15,000 people, and the denomination is looking to plant 30 new churches by 2030 in communities across the nation – in the Highlands, the East Coast, the West Coast, and the central belt – in suburban, rural and city locations. This vision also has a huge impact on the number of new ministers and church leaders they are seeking to train and release, with an estimate of 70 new ministers being required over the next ten years.
It is a vision designed to raise the evangelistic temperature of the denomination, encouraging every member to become more intentional in sharing the good news of Jesus. As the booklet states: ‘A healthy church will be one that is effective in communicating the gospel message to others, so that even in a post-Christian secular society like Scotland, we will still expect to see God’s kingdom advancing.’
Find out more at www.freechurch.org/
