All of church leadership is shepherding, as men and women in the church lead, care for, and love God’s flock in all manner of ways.
That is why, at the start of November, Blackpool became home to more than 1,000 church leaders for three days of the 2024 FIEC Leaders’ Conference: looking to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and considering what it means to love like Jesus.
Pastors, elders, youth workers, administrators, ministry wives, musicians, and others in local church leadership gathered at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool for Bible teaching, sung worship (led by UK group Joyful Noise), seminars, and prayer. The focus was on the ‘I am’ statements of Jesus and what ‘shepherding’ looks like in different contexts.
Teaching from the stage and in seminars came from pastors and leaders in FIEC churches, as well as from other friends and partners. Brian Croft (Practical Shepherding) spoke on how good shepherds can follow the Good Shepherd, and led a seminar track for those experienced in ministry. Girma Bishaw (The London Project) was another main speaker, also leading a seminar to explore shepherding across cultures.
Further seminars included how to shepherd those who are suffering in various ways, responding to the ‘conversion therapy’ ban, and theological questions on the humanity of Christ and authority.
A big part of the conference is making space for leaders to spend time with one another to share experiences and pray for each other. This included mealtimes in the impressive Empress Ballroom – with a cappella singing as a choir of 1,000 – and a prayer gathering using the conference app to share hundreds of stories of how God is working across the country.
John Stevens, FIEC National Director, commented on the conference: ‘The conference was a very positive time. We left re-envisioned for our work as shepherds of the Lord Jesus – resolved afresh to look to Him and love like Him. The conference will have been successful if it results in local churches serving Him more joyfully, faithfully, and confidently.
It has especially been both encouraging and humbling to hear all that the Lord is doing through our 650 churches nationwide.
Our longing is that God might move in our nation in revival once again, whilst also recognising the remarkable ways He is already at work drawing people to Himself. So many leaders have shared stories of growth and conversions over the conference that it does seem something is afoot in our nation.’
