Blog entries

England All the Way

Nigel Savage — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:10:09 +0100

So I’ve returned from my antipodean adventure and, despite industrial action by BA and a volcano exploding, I managed to get there and back. I’m now in full swing getting ready for the World Cup.

Already the England flags are being seen all over the place and the excitement is mounting for the competition. As church it’s important that we make the most of the opportunities there are in society to engage with outreach. Sometimes I think we make mission and sharing our faith very difficRead More...

Planning the Journey

Nigel Savage — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:36:22 +0100

I’ll soon be travelling to Australia and spending a month out there. In all the arrangements for the trip, I’ve had to make sure that all the hotels are booked, money and documents are ready, transport is arranged and flights aren’t cancelled by BA! It’s taken lots of time to think through all the logistics for the trip, mainly to make sure that I can get home at the end of it. In looking at church life, it’s really important that we are aware of the details and logistics of seeing people movRead More...

The Priority of Prayer

Nigel Savage — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:45:20 +0100

In my previous blog, I shared how I was preparing for Christmas and making the most of the season to share Jesus with people. I hope you had a good time this last Christmas.

The Christmas clean up and decorating that we did for a local charity drop-in centre went really well. We had 15 people come along and help tidy the place up, do some DIY and put up some decorations. The staff were really blessed by it and we had lots of fun helping out. The mid-week group that I help run has a liRead More...

Christmas Is A'Coming!

Nigel Savage — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:36:31 +0100

I help lead a mid-week church group and recently we’ve been keen to increase our missional agenda. The word missional gets everywhere and feels like one of those buzz words. The fact is, the people in the group aren’t the type that are going to pray for people on the streets. They aren’t that type. As a leader, I don’t want to go on and on about being missional every time we get together. I want it to be a natural part of what we do and what we’re about.

Increasingly, I want our groupRead More...

First Things First

Nigel Savage — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:14:47 +0100

My name's Nigel Savage and I’ve been part of the iCQ team for the last three years. My role is Church Coordinator, which means that I keep in touch with the church leaders that we’re working with. I talk through how things are going, look at strategic planning and how leadership development is happening.

When I’m not working with the iCQ team, my main job is working as a leader in a large church in Bristol, which has over 1,000 adults. I’ve been working as a pastor in this church for Read More...

How to Change a Church

David Lawrence — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:39:49 +0100

Philip and I recently led a session for people training for Christian ministry at Trinity College in Bristol. The students were approaching the end of their course and beginning to anticipate some of the challenges of their first ministerial appointments. Several of them were headed for smaller churches which were very traditional in their outlook.

The students had big dreams and knew what they wanted to do to move their churches into 'mission mode' - but were concerned about the proRead More...

Remember This!

Philip Jinadu — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:05:58 +0100

“Do you remember me?”

It’s the question I fear more than any other. Four words guaranteed to freeze my brain every time.

I’m not trying to make excuses, but it is actually a genuine problem for me. I’ve got a brain that is obsessed with the future, and I find it hard enough to handle the present. The past stands no chance. I remember almost nobody, and my best attempts to bluff it or fish for clues usually end up just compounding the embarrassment.

A couple of weeks Read More...

Good Publicity, Part 1

Philip Jinadu — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 10:20:40 +0100

Last month I heard a great story about the use and impact of publicity...

Jo Poulsom, from The Community Church in Bristol, reported how the church had put out a number of leaflets advertising courses that they, and other local churches, were putting on for the community. The leaflet, a simple double-sided sheet of A4 roll-folded (like you fold a letter to put it into an envelope), was delivered in houses in the locality and left in public venues, such as libraries and cafés.

Is Your Prayer Counter-Productive?

Philip Jinadu — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:21:31 +0100

Here’s a disturbing thought. When it comes to outreach, you might just be praying all wrong. Your church prayer meetings might be emphasising all the wrong things. Your prayers for your community, your friends, your neighbours and family might be focusing on entirely the wrong target.

Praying for people to become Christians can actually be counter-productive. It can hinRead More...

5 Summer Outreach Ideas

Ruth Lorensson — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:58:55 +0100

Yes, thats right - summer time is just round the corner and its time for you, your small group and your church to start thinking how to make best use of those hazy summer evenings, the good weather and all the fun of summer.

There's no better time to invest into building relationships outside the church. Here's the scoop oRead More...

Surprised by Theology

David Lawrence — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:05:55 +0100

Book Review : Surprised by Hope, Tom Wright

OK. Let’s play word association. I say ‘Heaven’ and you say ‘Hell’; I say ‘Resurrection’ and you say ‘Easter’; I say ‘Left’ and you say ‘Behind’; I say ‘eschatology’ and you say ‘what?’ or cheat and say ‘Second Coming’.

If that’s something (anything) like the way the game would go, then you’llRead More...

Men and the Church

David Lawrence — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:29:20 +0100

The 'Religious Trends 6' report found that adult males constitute just 41% of church goers in the UK, whereas Tearfund's 'Churchgoing in the UK' report put the figure even lower at 37%. Chris Ducker of Redcliffe College carried out further research which indicated that:

A clear majority of men (68%) said they felt women were more "at home" in church.

67% of men thought that church services appeaRead More...

Creating an Outreach Structure

David Lawrence — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:50:22 +0100

We have been working with Stephen Newell, the minister at Zion United Church, for nearly two years now.

Completing the WinningWays leadership consultation gave Stephen fresh perspectives on church life and health. In his words :

“We found the ‘three circles’ model of church health beautifully siRead More...

Christianity Magazine Review

Philip Jinadu — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0100

“Winning Ways : Creating a Culture of Outreach in your Church” continues to get positive reviews and feedback.

The book, by Philip Jinadu and David Lawrence, has been featured by Premiere Radio, a number of national magazines, and is a Highly Recommended Resource for the Read More...

Secrets of Motivation

Philip Jinadu — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I recently took up an exercise class at our local gym and, aside from being glad to escape with my heart still beating, I was struck afresh by some universal principles of motivation.

What I’d signed up for was a “Spinning” class, which is basically exercise bikes with a side order of sadism. Oh sure, it sounds pleasant enough, almost whimsical. But take it from me. Read More...

Helen's Story

Philip Jinadu — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Helen's story is a simple one. But it's also a reminder of the power of inviting communities, the importance of process and the impact of seeker-orientated services :

I was baptised as a baby and confirmed when I was twelve. I always went to church with my parents (a traditional Anglican service) and I used to sing in Read More...

7 Top Tips for Christmas

Ruth Lorensson — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0100

It's easy to get overly busy around Christmas and miss lots of easy opportunities for the gospel. Here are 7 top tips to get you started.

1. Free Publicity for your Carol Service
Okay, we all know that the Carol Service is far and away the most seeker-friendly Christian service of thRead More...