More than 1,100 church leaders, missionaries, and gospel workers gathered in Blackpool for the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches' (FIEC) Leaders’ Conference to consider mission in the UK and to the ends of the earth.
More than 1,100 church leaders, missionaries, and gospel workers gathered. Photo: FIEC
While the church can sometimes pay only lip service to mission, this conference provided a substantial rather than perfunctory engagement with the theme. The main plenary sessions were rooted in a proclamation of the first two chapters of Acts. There was a welcome emphasis on the fact that the mission is God’s mission, that it has the gospel at its core, has the local church at its heart, and flows out of our weakness, enabled by the power of the Spirit.
Seminars and tracks covered a range of topics. Photo: FIEC
Seminars and tracks covered topics including world mission, unreached people groups, and welcoming those from other cultures into our churches.
One highlight was a masterly survey of the global growth of the church by FIEC National Director John Stevens. Like William Carey - the pioneer Baptist missionary - attendees were urged to be informed about this present moment in history and to “expect great things from God and attempt great things for God.”
Another highlight was an evening focusing on the cost of mission through the eyes of believers from Nigeria.
John Stevens said: “It was moving and inspiring to hear testimonies of gospel growth even in the face of severe persecution, and to be reminded of the cross-cultural mission opportunities in our own communities… We long and pray that this season of greater gospel openness will continue, and that God’s kingdom will advance in the UK to his glory as it has in the global south in recent decades.”
The next Leaders' Conference is planned for 9-11 November 2026, when the theme will be Prayer.
