When trying to grasp what we are doing here in Brighton people often ask me how it will look in 10 or 20 years time.
Here’s a quote from Wolfgang Simpson that captures what i usually find myself saying in one way or another:
But one of the emerging trends is that clearly “church” is getting defined in a very different way than we used to. It moves from a denominationally organized setup to organic regionality, from pastoral leadership to apostolic networks, from leaders to elders or parents. Church is no longer just a single organized “church” with a senior pastor, a building with a steeple and a program, but more the organic fellowship and community of Christians in a city or region – as in NT times. The body then is the sum total of all members of the interconnected housechurches, cells, groups and interdependent churches. Leadership is no any longer happening through one senior pastor, but through regional teams, often functioning acording to apostolic patterns. Connectedness happens through our belonging to Christ and a earthly home: our common region or city. Unity is practically expressed in house churches that are linked together as well as large celebrations, or at least regional leadership meetings in areas, where the church is being watched or persecuted.